Guest Post: Study Supplements for Law School Exams

Hi Everyone! Today I wrote a guest blog post over on Life in Law and Coffee Blog.

You can read it here: https://www.lifeinlawandcoffee.com/blogmas-day-3-study-supplements-for-exams/.

What You Have to Know About Law School Final Exams

"Your value as a person is not determined by your performance on this exam or any other exam, your performance in law school nor the bar exam. Your value is inherent and inviolate and nothing can take it away from you."

                                                    - quoting Professor Shelley Cavalieri.

Print this out and hang it above your desk. I promise you will thank me

There is so much pressure to excel on law school exams and that is okay. What is not okay is letting the need to excel, the need to beat the curve and the need to get that A becomes your benchmark on how you determine your value as a law student, as a lawyer or as a human being. A grade is just a grade. It is just one piece of the puzzle. It is not the end all be all.

A bad grade is not the end of the world. A few bad grades are not the end of the world. Let it push you and drive you to do better but do NOT let it defeat you.

Speaking from personal experience, there is nothing more defeating and heartbreaking than failing a class in law school or getting a grade lower than you wanted. I remember sitting in my bed at 2am when my Property I grade was released bawling my eyes out because I got a C- and that meant I had failed and would have to retake the class. It was one of the most crushing moments of my life. But, I picked myself up and decided I was never failing a class again and pushed myself harder until my law school GPA and grades were something I could be proud of. Now, I am getting ready to graduate. I have cords and medals to wear on graduation day. I have gotten A's, I have gotten the highest grade in a class, I have excelled in Moot Court and I have a resume full of honors and awards from my time in law school. I am not longer that girl who failed Property I... I am 2 weeks away from being a Juris Doctor and the highest educated person in my family.

My law schools grades, both the good and the bad, do not define me. Your grades do not define you. Please do not let anyone ever let you think otherwise and please don't let yourself start to believe that it is true.

You got into law school for a reason- you are good enough, you are smart enough and you can do this. If you remember nothing else from everything I have typed into this little blog, please remember this.

Good luck to all this exam season!

Friday Five 4/12/19

Happy Friday!

This was my second to last week of school.... ever. I am ALMOST DONE. Overall, my week was pretty full of studying, outlining and getting ready for final exams. This weekend I have a banquet for Moot Court, judging try-outs for Moot Court next year and more studying for exams. Here are a few other snapshots from my week.

I spent my weekend at my parents farm hanging out with this guy. It was amazing. 

Anna Banana living her best life

'Tis the season for iced coffee

Friday Five 12/7/18

Happy Friday!

I am finishing up my first week of exams. I only had one exam this week (thank the heavens!) and I am working hard to prepare for my next exam on 12/12. Because I only had one exam, I actually had some spare time this week- a total rarity during finals! Here are a few snapshots from my week:

   

   

   

A friend of ours got a new puppy and brought her over to visit- I am obsessed (puppy fever is real!). I made my dog wear a Christmas sweater all week and I am obsessed with our Christmas tree. There was only one day this week I did not wear leggings so I made sure to get a picture of me in real pants during finals week. I also bought antlers because for $4 at Walmart why wouldn't I? and Starbucks is necessary because of #finalsweek and a looming exam over Business Associations. 

Here are a few of my favorite things from this week!

1. Book of the Month

A Full Recap of My Experience on Law School Moot Court

Morning all! Happy Monday!

Today I am going to talk all about my experience as a member of my law school Moot Court team throughout my 2L year. Spoiler alert, it was the best experience and I loved it. It challenged me and pushed me out of my comfort zone but in the best possible way. For those wanting to work in a courtroom and do litigation at some point in their law career, the experience you gain in Moot Court is invaluable (or at least it was at my school). I can't speak to how Moot Court works at every school but hopefully, there are enough similarities for this to be helpful to a variety of people.

A Law School Update

Sorry it has been so long! Life has been so busy I could barely find time to cook dinner let alone blog. But, without further adieu, here is an update on Law School.

I just turned in my final legal memo for my research and writing class. It was a huge challenge and seemed to overtake my life for a week or so and I am so relieved to have it turned in. However, now the anxiousness of waiting for the grades may just give me an ulcer.

Classes are simultaneously getting harder and winding down at the same time. We are to the point where everything has interwoven and has come full circle.... it is a lot of information to keep straight.However, at the same time, we are getting shorter reading assignments, let out of class early and things are noticeably slowing down. I start to get excited and think I have spare time and then I remember that exams are sneaking up really fast and get right back to work.

On the subject of exams, I am scared to death. I have been outlining and making notecards but I feel like I have so far to go in so little time. Thankfully the memo is out of the way and that frees up a lot of time for studying and outlining.

Another thing that had started to take up my time is professional development. They are officially talking us through the internship search process and we have to turn in resumes, cover letters and etiquette events. Also, we have at least one networking event every week that require dressing up business professional and take a good hour or so.

So long story short, Law School has officially gotten crazy, hard and stressful. It is testing me in a way I have never been tested and challenged before in my life. But it is a means to an end... it will be worth it when I am done and I can add Juris Doctor to my name.

Back to reading! Hope everyone's semesters are going well. 

Spring Semester Goals

My second semester of Law School is just 3 short days away! Break has flown by. As I prepare to start another semester, I am making some goals for myself to try to further improve my learning and study habits. Hopefully I will stay on track.... Here are my 10 goals for my second semester of Law School.

Sunday Six 11/11/18

Happy Sunday!

I normally do this on Friday but I had a really busy week and I just ran out of time. So instead of a "Friday Five", I am doing a "Sunday Six" of things I am currently into.

Ohio is currently freezing and experiencing our first snow so I have spent most of my weekend bundled up and cuddling with my hubby and pups. We also took down Halloween decorations, did some Christmas shopping, cleaned our basement and I got one of my outlines up to date. I know, we are really living it up. I have no class tomorrow so it's a 3 day weekend and there is nothing better than that to get rested and prepared for the week ahead.

Why the First Semester of Law School Does Not Define You

If you have been reading for a while, you may know that I struggled with my first semester of law school. If you have not been reading for a while, here's the cliff notes version: I entered law school having always been a top student, one of the smartest in my classes, on a full-tuition scholarship and having just graduated Magna Cum Laude with dual Bachelors degrees. I was ready to crush law school just like everything else. Suddenly, everything I thought I knew about school and studying didn't work and I was surrounded by people just as smart and often smarter than me. That was a big adjustment. I questioned myself and my choice to attend law school daily. Eventually, I got into the swing of things and it got easier. Then, I took law school exams... wow. They were unlike any exam I had ever completed and I struggled. A lot. No matter how hard I studied, it didn't seem to be enough and the format of the 4-hour exams was just draining. I squeaked by but my grades were nowhere near where I wanted them to be and I was confused, heartbroken and completely frustrated. I contemplated dropping out. I thought of back up plans if I couldn't finish law school. I cried to my parents and husband.

Finally, my wonderful mother got tired of my whining and moping and gave me the kick in the butt I needed- She informed me that it was okay to be upset and disappointed with myself. But she also said I had never not excelled at something I put my mind to in my entire life and it was about darn time I got knocked on my rear. She told me to stop whining and make a decision- I could either buckle down, work harder than ever before and prove to myself and my school that I could excel in law school the second semester. The other choice was dropping out and figuring out something else to do with my life. I took the first option.

I am happy to report that my hard work paid off- I re-engineered my study tactics, worked my butt off and was able to pull my GPA up 2 entire points after the second semester. I got a higher grade in every single class and I even got my first A in law school which led to me dancing down the hallway of my internship. I am eligible for Moot Court and moved up in the ranking. I have a wonderful internship and I am learning something every day. Overall, I am heading into my 2L year much more confident and set in my plan to finish law school and succeed in the legal field.

So why did I tell this story?? Because one semester does not define you. You can fail and fall flat on your back... it's okay. You can cry it out. Just pick yourself up, make some changes, buckle down and choose to improve. Never ever let one bad class or one bad semester break your dreams. I failed. I had the worst GPA of my life. I got my first C's. I took that failure and let it fuel me to never get those grades again and succeed. If I can do that, so can you!

Never give up after one tough break. You are smart enough, you are good enough and they would not have let you into law school if you couldn't do it. Re-engineer, redouble your efforts and attack it with a vengeance-fueled by all your frustrations. Work so hard you will never have grades that low again. Make success the only option. Whining and complaining will not change your grades- only hard work will do that. Do not give up after one bad semester.

The caveat to that is that it is okay to change directions. If after the first year you truly realize that law is not for you, then find something else. That is not giving up- that is making a way for yourself that is right for you. The law may not be for everyone and it is not what it seems from the outside looking in. There is no shame in choosing to go for a different career. You must do what's best for you.

I wish everyone finishing their first year the best of luck as grades come back- I hope the curve falls in your favor. For those gearing up for their first year of law school, prepare for a lot of hard work, exhaustion and the possibility of failure... but remember, you can always improve and that first semester does not define you. As my internship supervisor wisely told me, there are a million great lawyers out there making a difference and some never even got an A in law school. Grades do not define you. Keep your head above water- you can do it!!

My First Law School Midterm

Happy Halloween!!!! Law School is getting real folks. Want to know what sacred me today? I had my first midterm this afternoon. I realize this is a lot later than most schools but my teacher pushed it back a whole week to ensure we covered the last chunk of material. My exam was over Estates and Future Interests of Property Law. According to my professor, this is the hardest material we will cover all of 1L year... I am pretty sure I believe him. That stuff was hard. 

What it is like Being Married to a Law Student

Hello everyone!

Today we have a fun post from a different point of view- my wonderful hubby is guest posting! I have had several people ask for more posts on what it is like to be married while in law school. I thought it would be interesting to see the other point of view- what is it really like to be married to and to live with a full-time law student? I am sure there are lots of spouses/boyfriends/girlfriends out there who wonder what it is like to live with and deal with a full-time law student. I successfully bugged my husband until he agreed to do this post.

A little background: my husband and I got married the summer before I started law school. We were still very fresh newlyweds living together for the first time when I began my 1L year. It has not always been easy to balance marriage and the demands of law school and I know it has been hard of my husband. To his credit, he is has been a trooper. He puts up with my constant studying, listens to all of my whining and complaining about classes and makes sure I eat and sleep during final exams. I am beyond lucky to have such a wonderful partner beside me throughout this journey!

Now without further ado, I turn the keyboard over to my wonderful hubby!

Hello blog-people. I am the husband of this situation. My wife won't stop bugging me to write this so I finally caved. Maybe it will help future law student husbands or wives or boyfriends or girlfriends. I have 5 tips for being married to and living with a law student. It is not a walk in the park but I am still happily married after 2 years so it is possible.

A Week by Week Study Schedule

Happy Thursday!

This post come s by request and I think it will be super helpful. I have alluded to my weekly study schedule in the past but I have never devoted a whole post to it so that is what's on tap for today.

Figuring out what you need to study and work on week to week in law school can be challenging. There is always a ton of stuff to do and just so many hours in which to complete it. I am sharing the study schedule which has worked well for me over my 2.5 years in law school. I have honed it to what works perfectly for me. I hope you find it helpful as well!

Here is a sample look at my week to week study schedule. This is what I do during the majority of my semester until about a month before finals. Then I integrate more study time to prepare for finals. More on that in this post: PREPARING FOR LAW SCHOOL EXAMS ONE MONTH OUT

How to Survive Commuting to Law School

Hello friends!

This is a highly requested post that has taken me a little while to compile information for because it is not something I have personal experience with. I do not commute a large distance to law school- I have about a 15 minutes drive. I know that many people have to commute to law school (or grad school of any kind) and I can imagine it would be difficult on top of an already busy and exhausting schedule. Though I do not have personal experience, I polled a few of my super successful classmates who commute to law school for the information found in this post. Though this is not my own thoughts or opinions, I trust the people who I talked to implicitly and I think their advice is very valuable as they have all managed to commute through law school while still doing amazing in school. Sometimes I quote them directly and sometimes I summarized but overall, I hope this is helpful to those who are currently commuting to law school or those considering it in the future.

My Opinions on 1L Core Classes

I am just getting started in my fourth semester of law school. Thus far I have taken 15 classes and I am in the process of taking 5 more. Throughout all my classes, I have had some favorites and some that I did not enjoy. I am going to touch on the highlights of both for the 1L core classes everyone has to take. While everyone is different and enjoys different classes or concepts, my hope in doing this is to just give a little more insight into what law school classes are actually like: the good, bad and ugly.

Contracts
I took Contracts in two installments 1L year. Overall, I found Contracts to be extraordinarily boring. I felt like it was mathematical... a good contract requires filling in a formula of sorts. You have a formula of law to create a contract and a formula of law to breach one. Though this made the class relatively easy for me and I did very well, it just wasn't my cup of tea. I have never been a math person and I think that is why contracts didn't click with me either. For others in my class, they loved the formality of contacts. I think it is a class you either love or hate.

Property 
Oh Property... it's a love/hate relationship. This was another class I took in two installments 1L year. I LOVED some parts of Property law... I loved how historical it is and how the law has changed little in hundreds of years. It is precedent based.  It brought out my inner history nerd. I also loved how it is so applicable to real life- as a homeowner, I could relate to Property law because I had used it. However, some concepts just blew my mind and I could never quite grasp them (and yes I am talking about Estates and Future Interests... and mortgages...). Though I genuinely enjoyed Property law class, I found studying for and taking Property exams to be some of my biggest challenges 1L year.

Torts
I took Torts my very first semester and it was my highest grade first semester. I LOVED Torts. I think it is such a fun class. The concepts are conceivable- we have all heard that if you slip in a store, you could recover damages. You can wrap your head around the laws easily. The cases can be so ridiculous they are hilarious- one I always remember is a claim by a woman that her car trunk should have had a release from the inside because when she locked herself in the trunk of her car to commit suicide and it didn't work because the trunk wasn't airtight, she should have been able to get out on her own; instead she was in there for 5 days until someone opened the trunk by happenstance (she lost because it was decided that suicide was not the intended purpose of a car trunk). The utter ridiculousness of this case makes it impossible for me to forget, along with the accompanying Tort law concepts. I love Torts so much that I asked to be a part of the Products Liability Moot Court Team when given the option.

Civil Procedure
Civil Procedure is a great first-year class because it involves cold, hard, black letter law rules. There is no guessing and arguing- there are just rules. Though this made it a great class to learn in and was easier to study for than some others, it also felt a bit stale and stifling at times. I had a great professor who made it as fun as legal rules can be but it still is just very stale. I know that it is a very important class for those who want to go into civil litigation and trial work and if that is your focus, I suggest making Civil Procedure a priority!

Constitutional Law 
Con Law is a very important class. I know not everyone will agree with me but I truly believe it is. The Constitution is the basis of our country and its legal system. As aspiring attorneys, the legal system is going to be our bread and butter. Knowing where the laws came from, why they came to be and how they came to be may not always be fun but it is integral. Con law seeps into all other classes because a constitutional issue will inevitably pop up in every other law class. I always felt there was something extra important about learning the law of our country through the frame of our constitution... it is just so important as an American. I also enjoyed the historical aspect because I am and will always be a self-professed history nerd.

Criminal Law 
Crim law is my absolute favorite. I have always said I wanted to go into criminal law but I really didn't what that entailed until taking this class in the spring of my 1L year. Two weeks in and I knew this was the only law I wanted to practice. I just love the challenge each case presents- you need to find out the truth of the case and fit it into the elemental boxes of a crime and then argue for or against conviction. My professor taught us criminal law by assigning us defense or prosecution and letting us argue our way through class according to the statutory provisions and facts of a case. I just loved every minute in that class. Criminal law is unique because you are applying statute to facts to determine if there is a crime or not. It is a bit different than other classes that have laws based more on the decisions of precedent cases and the common law system. After finishing Criminal Law, I knew this was the field for me... and it was my highest grade in law school to date which certainly made me happy.

Legal Research and Writing 
Legal research and writing is such an important class. It is truly hands-on and simulates what you will do in practice as an attorney. However, it is also technical and at times very frustrating... and it is easy to put on the backburner during the hustle and bustle of 1L year. By the end, I wanted nothing more than to burn my bluebook. I did really well with the appellate brief because it was persuasive writing. But I struggled with objective writing for the memorandum. A lot of the things they made us do in LRW just felt like busy work... I never want to hear the words "Core Grammar" again. But all of that aside, I did learn to be a better legal writer and when I went to my internship after 1L summer, I was armed with a group of skills to complete any research or writing assignments they gave me. So no matter how annoying and boring it was, legal research and writing is so very necessary and a class that should be taken very seriously.

Well, there they are: my very honest opinions and thoughts about 1L classes. I know everyone is different and has very different opinions about which classes they enjoy and which they hate. I just hope this helps to give some insight into what to expect in these classes so you can go into 1L year with some understanding of what to anticipate.

Also, I am happy to have no classes today in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. day but I want to take a moment to remember why we have no classes. Today we honor a man who worked tirelessly for justice, equality and rights for all- the three things I think lawyers should strive to protect and uphold. Today, I remember a great man with a dream for freedom and I will work extra hard toward my own dreams so that someday, my license to practice law can help me to provide justice, equality, and protection of the rights of my fellow citizens.

Tips for Remote Law School

I know this is a crazy and scary time for law students. 3L's are dealing with the lack of graduation and uncertainty around the bar exam and my heart just goes out to all of you. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone and my hope is that this pandemic will pass and everyone will have access to all normal opportunities.

What I want to discuss today is the change to remote law school. I know it has been a hard adjustment for everyone. As I am now working for my law school, I have remained pretty informed on the transition to online law school and the struggles students are facing. While I never completed law school online, I did study for two bar exams online from home and through a lot of trial and error, I figured out a few tricks to handle full time study online from home. I want to share these tips in the hopes that they might provide a little assistance to all the law students out there figuring out online law school.

1. Set a Routine 
It literally doesn't matter what your routine is, but find something that works for you. Personally, I would do work in 3 hour increments throughout the day. It was unusual but it worked for me. Having a routine gives you a reason to get up and get to work in the morning. Having a routine also makes it easier to ensure that you are getting enough work done. It is sometimes hard to keep up when you don't have the usual parameters. Having a daily routine keeps you in the rhythm of getting your work done and will help you to stay on top of the work load.

A routine also helps you make time for relaxation. You need to take breaks and rest your brain. Work hard and then enjoy your leisure time.

2. Make a Study Space
I think it is super important to have a defined area in your home for studying. Just like when you get home from class, you can relax and step away from school work, if you define a place in your home purely for studying, you can step away from that area when you need to relax. Further, when you get into your study space, it helps to motivate work just like arriving to class motivates you to be prepared and do your best.

3. Ask for Help
If you are struggling, absolutely reach out for help. There is no award for going it alone. These are hard times- these are unprecedented times. Everyone is figuring it out as they go. I urge you to seek out help if you feel like you are starting to struggle. Talk to professors, faculty, mentors.... anyone you trust to advise you and assist you. If you feel mental health issues beginning, seek out help. There are many free and online counseling options available. Please please please ask for help if you are struggling. I know personally I always hate admitting I need help but when I seek it out, I always feel better on the other side.

4. Have Grace with Yourself
Life has changed drastically- it's okay if your motivation and productivity changes too. Have some grace with yourself as you adjust to this new reality. It will get easier, it will get better and eventually, this pandemic will come to an end.

5. Helpful Products 
I put together an Amazon list of items I think are gamechangers for studying from home.

•  Laptop stand to get your laptop up to a better position to improve your posture and alleviate neck strain
•  Wireless mouse
•  Wireless keyboard- it makes it easier to type while your computer is raised
•  Ring light- clip this over your laptop camera and look like a rockstar on Zoom or Facetime
•  Blue light blocking glasses help to alleviate the strain of computer screens on your eyes and help with headaches
•  Seat cushion to help with posture
•  Water bottle- I like to have water next to me at all times while studying at home 
•  Coffee mug with lid- don't let your coffee spill on your computer!

Shop all these products here!

I hope this is helpful! Best of luck everyone!

Everything You Need to Know about Taking Notes in Law School

Notes.... seems like half my life during law school is spent taking notes. Reading notes, class notes, notes on how to outline, notes of how to study, notes on internship searching.... it never ends. One of the pros to this-I have gotten extremely good at my notetaking system.

How to Choose a Bar Prep Company

THE BAR EXAM

Words that strike a small sense of terror into every law student. The test that determines whether or not you will be allowed to practice law. The test that quite literally determines your future. If you want to be a lawyer and you are not thinking about the bar exam, you should start now.

My law school starting prepping us for the bar exam right in orientation. Bar exam passage has been low universally among all law schools the last few years so they wanted us to start off strong and do everything we could to prepare over our three years in law school for the bar exam. The strategies they implemented included requiring all students to complete classes in bar tested subjects, multiple choice questions on all exams, semester check in's on where we should be in our bar prep process and a professor dedicated to helping us with bar exam questions.

One of the most important parts of the bar examination process is choosing a company for your bar exam preparation course. Basically, if you graduate in May and take the bar exam in July, you spend those 3 months studying basically nonstop for the exam. The most effective way to do this is with an intensive commercial bar preparation course. Some of the most popular companies are Themis, Barbri, and Kaplan. These intensive bar preparation courses provide you will condensed instruction on the relevant black letter law, practice multiple choice questions, practice essay questions, essay grading, support staff and test-taking strategies to excel on the exam.

Transitioning from 2L to 3L year

Hello friends.

My apologies for being basically MIA for the last few weeks. I turned my Moot Court brief in on Friday and finished the Advanced Leadership Academy I was attending on weekends yesterday so I finally have some free time back to spend on the blog.

Today's post has been requested by several people so I figured I would give it a shot. Transitioning from 2L to 3L year was much easier than the transition from undergrad to 1L or from 1L to 2L. At this point, I have law school classes pretty well figured out as well as balancing classes with extracurriculars (such as Moot Court) and work. The first bit of 3L year seemed like it was going to be pretty chill and not very different from 2L year.

How to Maintain a Law School-Life Balance

Acclimating to life in law school is not easy. It is nothing like undergrad and the difference takes some getting used to. Tomorrow night I am going to be a part of a 2L student panel to give advice to my schools new 1L class during their orientation. One thing I am going to stress to the new students is a school-life balance and how important it is to maintain. It may not be easy and it will likely take a few weeks to establish a good balance between law school and life but it is very important. I suggest starting right from the beginning with establishing a solid school-life balance.

My first few weeks of 1L year were trying... I had a hard time finding a balance between my school work and my normal life. It was about a month into school when my husband sat me down and let me know that I was letting law school take over my life and he was worried. From then on out, I made a point to maintain a better balance between school and life. I wasn't always successful- around final memo time or exams, law school took over. But the rest of the semester, I worked to maintain a good balance between school and life and I think my mental health benefited greatly as did my marriage, family relationships, and friendships. It is easy to get caught up in law school and letting your life revolve around it in the first few weeks/months; if you make a school-life balance a priority from the beginning, it will be easier to maintain in the long run. Here are my tips for establishing a school-life balance right from the start.

How I Pull Myself Out of a No-Motivation Rut

Happy Tuesday!

If anyone has been following my Instagram stories lately, you might have noticed that I have been in a little bit of a "rut". It's the 5th week of classes, I've been fighting a little bit of a head cold, I have a million things going on, work is getting busy, we are trying to get projects done around the house before the weather turns and I have just been feeling blah. I come home and just want to do nothing but sit on the couch and watch TV and avoid my responsibilities.... hence, I am in a no-motivation rut.

I feel like I hit a rut like this every semester at some point. Once the excitement of starting a new semester wears off and the hype of exams hasn't set in yet, I get super burnt out and unmotivated for a time. However, I really don't have time to give in to this. I am a busy law student and lazy time is not built into the schedule. As this has happened to me several times, I have established a little routine for pulling myself out of the rut. It might not work for everyone, but this does work for me!