School Ties
Now that the fun and games of the last few weeks have ceased, it’s time to really buckle down and tie up all the loose ends of the semester. Throughout the semester, I have spent countless hours reading, briefing, note-taking, and outlining, all in hopes that by this time of the year, I will have enough done to be prepared...to start outlining for finals, that is. It’s funny, because in college, cramming for exam the night before was no big deal; I knew no matter what, I’d get by somehow and do fine. Law school is oh so different; when cramming occurs, the outcome is not as favorable. I was told by friends and family members who are attorneys how terrifying law school exams can be, even when you start studying a month before the exam date.
First year, I boycotted the library a few weeks before classes were over because I was became overwhelmed by how many people were in there and how many were studying for finals (let’s just say, there were A LOT!). Surprisingly, I found that I could concentrate much better if I was surrounded by people who weren’t law students and weren’t studying. I found my solace in any and every coffee shop I could find (and believe me, I covered a lot of ground because I couldn’t stay in one place for too long!). Needless to say, you have to find a place where you are comfortable and able to get things done. I know a lot of friends who can only study in the library, and that works for them (P.S...the library here is nice and big so you rarely need to worry about finding a seat, even during reading period). I just find myself distracted when in the library because there is only someone who prepares more, studies harder, etc… than you. Luckily, I don’t run into that problem at Starbucks!
Joking aside, this time of the year is very stressful, but the sense of accomplishment you feel when you finally put your pen down after your final final is over is absolutely priceless. I have found that organization and preparation throughout the semester is key; the more you do prior to reading period, the better. Putting yourself on a schedule has also helped me big time. I tend to get up and go to the gym and then study til lunch time, take a break, go back to the books and cut myself off at dinner time. After dinner, I try and study for at least another three hours and then stop no later than 10 or 11; I find that my mind is useless after that and I am better off getting a good nights sleep than trying to understand some complex legal concept for another hour. No matter what, you just have to use trial and error and figure out what works best for you.
On a side note, this will be my last entry of the semester. The next few weeks get pretty hectic and I need to devote all my time to exam preparation. I hope you found this blog helpful and I look forward to writing more in the future. Good luck with your law school decision, I will see some of you in the Fall!
