Finals are now over. What a feeling! But, the past week has been stressful. At times feeling like I had not studied enough and at other times feeling like I did not understand anything. When your entire trimester score relies on your performance of one exam and the exam will be based on a curve related to others, the stress of performance can get to you.
Could I have studied more? Of course. Would more study hours have made an effect? Probably not. I think by the time the last two and half weeks rolled around, I understood most of the material. Any studying during the last two weeks was only memorization of elements. Other than that, I already understood the material.
The best study method during the last two weeks should be practice essay exams and multiple choice questions. Unfortunately, the only multiple choice questions available are bar exam questions and questions from various commercial books. My contracts professor has his own casebook in which he included old multiple-choice questions. But, these questions were nothing like the questions on the actual exam. All you can do though, is know the material and practice using your knowledge.
Did I do the best on the exam? From my own perspective, I did the best I could under the situations (for the last exams, I did not get a lot of sleep due to factors not in my control: a kid who did not want to go to sleep). I have no control over how well my classmates did. I can only hope my best stacks up against their best. As my civil procedure professor said, "the exam is in the box; let it go."
The exams are in the box and cannot be redone. It is time to move on. A second semester awaits after the Christmas break. Right now is the time to relax. Next semester, I will remember the lessons learned from this past semester. For now, I can say, whew, I'm done.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
One Week and Counting
Today marks one more week until finals start. The stress is mounting. My stress is not so much about worrying I'll pass, but, more so about whether I can maintain my scholarship.
Today we took a practice exam for Civil Procedure. The tutor ran the exam like a real exam at the time the exam will be given next week. The exam actually boosted my ego. I felt confident in my answers and did not waiver while typing.
Two straight hours of typing can be taxing. Ok, it wasn't two straight hours. I did spend around 20 minutes reading and gathering my thoughts before I started pounding my keyboard. The time did fly while I was taking the exam.
When I compared my answer with the model answer, I feel confident I would've gotten a high grade; not the top grade, mind you, just a high grade. Some of my arguments weren't as crisp as they could be and I missed two points which should've been raised. Other than those slight minor details, my answer showed I understood the question, the issues, and the topic. And this is the key to law school exams.
I have more studying to do. I am on track for Civil Procedure, Criminal Law, and Property. I feel I'm behind in Contracts. Of course, the Legal Skills project is still weighing me down but after tomorrow, I'll be unhitched from that impediment.
Well it's back to studying. Only one week left...
Today we took a practice exam for Civil Procedure. The tutor ran the exam like a real exam at the time the exam will be given next week. The exam actually boosted my ego. I felt confident in my answers and did not waiver while typing.
Two straight hours of typing can be taxing. Ok, it wasn't two straight hours. I did spend around 20 minutes reading and gathering my thoughts before I started pounding my keyboard. The time did fly while I was taking the exam.
When I compared my answer with the model answer, I feel confident I would've gotten a high grade; not the top grade, mind you, just a high grade. Some of my arguments weren't as crisp as they could be and I missed two points which should've been raised. Other than those slight minor details, my answer showed I understood the question, the issues, and the topic. And this is the key to law school exams.
I have more studying to do. I am on track for Civil Procedure, Criminal Law, and Property. I feel I'm behind in Contracts. Of course, the Legal Skills project is still weighing me down but after tomorrow, I'll be unhitched from that impediment.
Well it's back to studying. Only one week left...
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Where's that Stress Ball?
Now that Thanksgiving is over, the push for finals really heats up. With two weeks until the first final exam, the stress is really building. I feel I am nowhere near ready and will not be by the time the exams roll around.
My lessons learned for next semester:
1) The study plan needs to be followed. I have changed my study plan almost every day. This was not planned! I failed to follow my own plan. Next time, the plan will be more realistic and I will stick to it.
2) I will outline more often. Outlining is a process not a result. Outlining encompasses organizing your notes into a comprehensible study guide. I had time before the push for finals began to actually outline. I did not do so. I will next semester.
3) More reviewing on the weekend. I believe I can cut down the "40 hours" everyone says you need to pass the finals by conducting more of it throughout the semester. I had time to review but did not do so. Reviewing will be incorporated into the overall plan for next semester.
4) Read more cases. I found when I read some of the cases mentioned in the assigned cases my understanding grew. Of course, more readying is less time for other things. Again, I think there is enough extra time (not sure those two words are ever used by law students - extra time? what's that?) to do more reading.
I hope this semester is not a wash because of my errors. I cannot do anything about it now, only learn for the next time. I cannot let my frustrations with my errors to distract me from my studies. And I cannot let the stress get to me.
Oh, such high hopes and aspirations. I hope they are not dashed upon the rocks!
Now back to studying. Where did I put that stress ball????
My lessons learned for next semester:
1) The study plan needs to be followed. I have changed my study plan almost every day. This was not planned! I failed to follow my own plan. Next time, the plan will be more realistic and I will stick to it.
2) I will outline more often. Outlining is a process not a result. Outlining encompasses organizing your notes into a comprehensible study guide. I had time before the push for finals began to actually outline. I did not do so. I will next semester.
3) More reviewing on the weekend. I believe I can cut down the "40 hours" everyone says you need to pass the finals by conducting more of it throughout the semester. I had time to review but did not do so. Reviewing will be incorporated into the overall plan for next semester.
4) Read more cases. I found when I read some of the cases mentioned in the assigned cases my understanding grew. Of course, more readying is less time for other things. Again, I think there is enough extra time (not sure those two words are ever used by law students - extra time? what's that?) to do more reading.
I hope this semester is not a wash because of my errors. I cannot do anything about it now, only learn for the next time. I cannot let my frustrations with my errors to distract me from my studies. And I cannot let the stress get to me.
Oh, such high hopes and aspirations. I hope they are not dashed upon the rocks!
Now back to studying. Where did I put that stress ball????
Friday, November 12, 2010
The Big Push
And so it has begun....
Halloween has come and gone which means law school students have begun the push for finals. For the last couple of weeks, the tutors have given their advice on the study schedule. The gist of every recommended schedule is to study 40 hours per class prior to the exam. This works out to equal about 6 hours per day of study.
One tutor recommended getting the rest of the school year reading and briefing complete so each day all you concentrate on is the studying. Another said to do what you normally do, just budget your time accordingly. In other words, make a plan that works for you.
Something which might seem odd is the actual schedule. Every one of the schedules started with the last exam. In other words, you study first for your last exam, working backwards such that you are studying the first exam last. At first, the concept was counter-intuitive to me but the more I thought about it the more it made sense. You study intensely for the last exam first. Then when you get to the first exam, you've studied intensely for the first exam the week before the exam. The next exam is a day and a half away, meaning you refresh for each exam. At least one exam is studied the week prior to the exam. The rest are only refreshed. If you studied in the order of the exam, none of the exams would be studied the week prior to the exam.
I've realized I didn't mention, the most popular plan is studying one full week per course. This means for the next week I will study 7 straight days of Property. The next full week will consists of Civil Procedure, and so on. Another study plan mixes up the days in a 3 or 4 day segment, repeating so in the end 7 full days are dedicated to studying. Again, make a plan which is right for you.
Well I made a plan and, in true fashion for me, I'm already behind my own plan. But I planned it this way. WHAT?! I'm sure you're asking or screaming. Why would I plan to fall behind in my plan? Well I knew my plan was aggressive, but I planned in a buffer for not working as efficiently as I could. And today, I did not work as efficiently as I could. I'm sure as the days wear on, I will get more efficient. Thus, I will complete my plan even though I might not complete all the hours scheduled.
The key though is "make a plan that works for you." Not everyone can read ahead the rest of the subject, brief every case, and then review prior to class so you might have a clue if you get called upon. Not everyone can spend hours in the library studying until late at night. Do what you do best.
I will admit, I have completed the reading for three of four classes. I've also briefed all the cases for one of four. And I definitely don't recommend doing this to everyone. I'm not even sure it was right for me. I guess I'll find out in four weeks when I take the exams. Either I'll be ready or I won't be. I'm hoping (and planning) for the former.
Today I worked a couple of hours on my legal skills paper. This is a tedious chore - necessary, but tedious. I've planned to work on this every week for about 3 hours per week. I already know it is not enough, thus I'm changing my plan to work on it about one hour every day. This is an important paper and I must have it perfect!
Today, I also studied for about 2 hours. I started my outline for Property. You are supposed to complete your outlines as you go along. I have not. I hope this doesn't hurt me. But, I took a test out of a property book in the library. I completed 18 multiple choice questions and outlined an essay question. I did okay. My errors were caused by two main reasons: I didn't fully read the question (my Achilles heel) and a difference in the way the Professor teaches the material and the way the generic question is worded.
All in all, I'm satisfied with the results. My plan, although behind, is right on schedule and right on point. Good thing I budgeted an hour a week for this blog; otherwise, I might fall behind.
The Big Push has begun, and I am behind. But all's well. I'm not alone. My fellow students are in the same boat...
Halloween has come and gone which means law school students have begun the push for finals. For the last couple of weeks, the tutors have given their advice on the study schedule. The gist of every recommended schedule is to study 40 hours per class prior to the exam. This works out to equal about 6 hours per day of study.
One tutor recommended getting the rest of the school year reading and briefing complete so each day all you concentrate on is the studying. Another said to do what you normally do, just budget your time accordingly. In other words, make a plan that works for you.
Something which might seem odd is the actual schedule. Every one of the schedules started with the last exam. In other words, you study first for your last exam, working backwards such that you are studying the first exam last. At first, the concept was counter-intuitive to me but the more I thought about it the more it made sense. You study intensely for the last exam first. Then when you get to the first exam, you've studied intensely for the first exam the week before the exam. The next exam is a day and a half away, meaning you refresh for each exam. At least one exam is studied the week prior to the exam. The rest are only refreshed. If you studied in the order of the exam, none of the exams would be studied the week prior to the exam.
I've realized I didn't mention, the most popular plan is studying one full week per course. This means for the next week I will study 7 straight days of Property. The next full week will consists of Civil Procedure, and so on. Another study plan mixes up the days in a 3 or 4 day segment, repeating so in the end 7 full days are dedicated to studying. Again, make a plan which is right for you.
Well I made a plan and, in true fashion for me, I'm already behind my own plan. But I planned it this way. WHAT?! I'm sure you're asking or screaming. Why would I plan to fall behind in my plan? Well I knew my plan was aggressive, but I planned in a buffer for not working as efficiently as I could. And today, I did not work as efficiently as I could. I'm sure as the days wear on, I will get more efficient. Thus, I will complete my plan even though I might not complete all the hours scheduled.
The key though is "make a plan that works for you." Not everyone can read ahead the rest of the subject, brief every case, and then review prior to class so you might have a clue if you get called upon. Not everyone can spend hours in the library studying until late at night. Do what you do best.
I will admit, I have completed the reading for three of four classes. I've also briefed all the cases for one of four. And I definitely don't recommend doing this to everyone. I'm not even sure it was right for me. I guess I'll find out in four weeks when I take the exams. Either I'll be ready or I won't be. I'm hoping (and planning) for the former.
Today I worked a couple of hours on my legal skills paper. This is a tedious chore - necessary, but tedious. I've planned to work on this every week for about 3 hours per week. I already know it is not enough, thus I'm changing my plan to work on it about one hour every day. This is an important paper and I must have it perfect!
Today, I also studied for about 2 hours. I started my outline for Property. You are supposed to complete your outlines as you go along. I have not. I hope this doesn't hurt me. But, I took a test out of a property book in the library. I completed 18 multiple choice questions and outlined an essay question. I did okay. My errors were caused by two main reasons: I didn't fully read the question (my Achilles heel) and a difference in the way the Professor teaches the material and the way the generic question is worded.
All in all, I'm satisfied with the results. My plan, although behind, is right on schedule and right on point. Good thing I budgeted an hour a week for this blog; otherwise, I might fall behind.
The Big Push has begun, and I am behind. But all's well. I'm not alone. My fellow students are in the same boat...
Friday, October 22, 2010
Halfway Celebration
While on deployment in the Navy, at the halfway point (3 months of a 6 month deployment complete), the ship would have a halfway celebration. A special dinner, much like Thansgiving, would be cooked for the crew - lobster tails, thick steaks, black forest cake. Special events would be held, unfortunately, I am not at liberty to discuss anymore - what happens on halfway night, stays on halfway night. Needless to say, we celebrated! The rest of the deployment is all down hill from there.
This past week was the halfway week for the first semester (trimester) for law school. We didn't have any special dinners, or lunches for that matter. Special events for halfway week did not occur. In fact, there wasn't a celebratory atmosphere at all. "Halfway week" was mentioned in passing only.
There is a reason behind this. The first year of law school does not have a down hill portion. The hill is all up hill from this point forward. Law students do not get a chance to take a breather until Christmas.
I've been told the big celebration for law students is Halloween. Halloween to a law student is what Mardi Gras is to a Catholic - a day to party because the next day, life is not the same for some time to come!
This past week the tutors began to discuss the study plan for the finals. Finals begin on a Saturday (second week in December) and run for one week. The plan is to study for 40 hours per course. The 40 hours are usually completed over a seven day period. This results in 4 weeks of study, one week per course.
One of the tutors said once the study plan begins, life ends. Studying for the finals is akin to being on a deserted island - no friends, no night life, nothing to do except study, study, study. The aspect of studying for the finals is daunting and frightening. The grade for the semester rests on the one exam (except for Property, we actually have a midterm, but the midterm is only one subject).
The pressure is immense for the exams. So much to know and a lot rests on what to know. Stress and pressure, pressure and stress. This is what awaits the law student after halway week.
The push for the final is an uphill period that gets steeper the closer the day of the final draws near. Instead of celebrating halway week, I am lacing up the hiking boots...
This past week was the halfway week for the first semester (trimester) for law school. We didn't have any special dinners, or lunches for that matter. Special events for halfway week did not occur. In fact, there wasn't a celebratory atmosphere at all. "Halfway week" was mentioned in passing only.
There is a reason behind this. The first year of law school does not have a down hill portion. The hill is all up hill from this point forward. Law students do not get a chance to take a breather until Christmas.
I've been told the big celebration for law students is Halloween. Halloween to a law student is what Mardi Gras is to a Catholic - a day to party because the next day, life is not the same for some time to come!
This past week the tutors began to discuss the study plan for the finals. Finals begin on a Saturday (second week in December) and run for one week. The plan is to study for 40 hours per course. The 40 hours are usually completed over a seven day period. This results in 4 weeks of study, one week per course.
One of the tutors said once the study plan begins, life ends. Studying for the finals is akin to being on a deserted island - no friends, no night life, nothing to do except study, study, study. The aspect of studying for the finals is daunting and frightening. The grade for the semester rests on the one exam (except for Property, we actually have a midterm, but the midterm is only one subject).
The pressure is immense for the exams. So much to know and a lot rests on what to know. Stress and pressure, pressure and stress. This is what awaits the law student after halway week.
The push for the final is an uphill period that gets steeper the closer the day of the final draws near. Instead of celebrating halway week, I am lacing up the hiking boots...
Friday, October 8, 2010
The Rollercoaster at Law School
In Mission Beach at Belmont Park is an old wooden roller coaster, the Giant Dipper. I like wooden roller coasters - they jar you more than modern roller coasters and something can be said about the clicky-clack as the roller coaster screams around the track. A roller coaster can be very fun - up and down and thrown to the side while whizzing around curves.
Emotions in law school are much like the ride of a roller coaster. One moment your emotions are high in the air feeling the exhilaration of heights and wide open viewing space; the next moment your emotions are screaming to the bottom. This week my emotions, or maybe more correctly, my stress levels were like a roller coaster.
If you were to ask my girlfriend which class I hate the most, she would reply, "Criminal Law!" I moan and groan (this is the politically correct vernacular) every Monday and Wednesday about how I just don't get criminal law. The issue statements I never get right. I don't remember anything from the course. Yet this week during the tutoring session, I felt like I had criminal law down pat. I knew what the tutor was discussing and felt very confident.
One of the classes I like the most is Civil Procedure. This week during the tutor session, I had zero clue. The tutor had some hypothetical questions and I got everyone of them wrong. So from the high on Tuesday to being dashed upon the rocks on Thursday, my emotions and stress levels were up and down.
I think this is natural for law school. Since day one, I've felt good one day, only to feel down the next. One moment I think I know what I'm talking about, the next moment I don't have a clue. After much reflection of the past couple of days, I'm okay with this.
I know my stress levels and my emotions will be like a roller coaster. I just need to be like a rider on the roller coaster - enjoy the ride because every roller coaster ends the same, safe back at the starting point. All I have to do is survive to make it to the end.
Law school is like life - there are ups and downs. Enjoy the ride because one day it will be over.
Emotions in law school are much like the ride of a roller coaster. One moment your emotions are high in the air feeling the exhilaration of heights and wide open viewing space; the next moment your emotions are screaming to the bottom. This week my emotions, or maybe more correctly, my stress levels were like a roller coaster.
If you were to ask my girlfriend which class I hate the most, she would reply, "Criminal Law!" I moan and groan (this is the politically correct vernacular) every Monday and Wednesday about how I just don't get criminal law. The issue statements I never get right. I don't remember anything from the course. Yet this week during the tutoring session, I felt like I had criminal law down pat. I knew what the tutor was discussing and felt very confident.
One of the classes I like the most is Civil Procedure. This week during the tutor session, I had zero clue. The tutor had some hypothetical questions and I got everyone of them wrong. So from the high on Tuesday to being dashed upon the rocks on Thursday, my emotions and stress levels were up and down.
I think this is natural for law school. Since day one, I've felt good one day, only to feel down the next. One moment I think I know what I'm talking about, the next moment I don't have a clue. After much reflection of the past couple of days, I'm okay with this.
I know my stress levels and my emotions will be like a roller coaster. I just need to be like a rider on the roller coaster - enjoy the ride because every roller coaster ends the same, safe back at the starting point. All I have to do is survive to make it to the end.
Law school is like life - there are ups and downs. Enjoy the ride because one day it will be over.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Associations and Contacts
On Sep 30, the San Diego County Bar Association (SDCBA) held a law student welcome reception. The reception included free food and spirits. When law students hear the word "free," their hearts skip a beat! Law students love free stuff, especially food and alcohol.
The purpose of the reception was not to feed the law students; instead, the evening's purpose was to introduce the students to the section and committee groups at the SDCBA. These are much like any other special focus group - each has a theme and a common core group of lawyers. The groups socialize, hold meetings about events affecting their specialized concern, and fulfill the bar association's requirements for continued education.
The SDCBA encourages law students to join some sections and committees. At Cal Western, the school sponsors the students for up to three sections (membership in the SDCBA and the individual sections requires dues - the school pays for the first year and the three sections). Another "free" event for students - they know how to motivate us!
The key to these events and meetings is face time. While a first year law student's time is occupied for the most part with school and, for some, family, meeting and mingling with local lawyers is crucial to internships and jobs. Allowing the lawyers to get to know you and recognize your face aids in the internship process and the job application process. (Realize, I'm not talking from experience; I'm only repeating items spoken by the lawyers and 2L's and 3L's.)
But it makes sense. If faced with hiring an intern or a new lawyer, the firm will be more inclined to hire someone the firm knows and likes. For the firm to know you and like you, you have to get your foot in the door. The meetings and events sponsored by the local bar association are a way to do it.
The SDCBA event was a RSVP event. I was disappointed to see a table of name tags late in the event. This means numerous students signed up for the event, but for one reason or another, failed to show up. Obviously, those of us who did show up benefited from the non-attenders - we now have a leg up on them.
I was disappointed because those non-attenders do have an impact on the rest of us. A bad apple in a bushel can influence the sale of the entire bushel. I hope, though, the impact is minimal.
Associations (net working) and contacts are crucial to life after law school. Better to start early than later.
The purpose of the reception was not to feed the law students; instead, the evening's purpose was to introduce the students to the section and committee groups at the SDCBA. These are much like any other special focus group - each has a theme and a common core group of lawyers. The groups socialize, hold meetings about events affecting their specialized concern, and fulfill the bar association's requirements for continued education.
The SDCBA encourages law students to join some sections and committees. At Cal Western, the school sponsors the students for up to three sections (membership in the SDCBA and the individual sections requires dues - the school pays for the first year and the three sections). Another "free" event for students - they know how to motivate us!
The key to these events and meetings is face time. While a first year law student's time is occupied for the most part with school and, for some, family, meeting and mingling with local lawyers is crucial to internships and jobs. Allowing the lawyers to get to know you and recognize your face aids in the internship process and the job application process. (Realize, I'm not talking from experience; I'm only repeating items spoken by the lawyers and 2L's and 3L's.)
But it makes sense. If faced with hiring an intern or a new lawyer, the firm will be more inclined to hire someone the firm knows and likes. For the firm to know you and like you, you have to get your foot in the door. The meetings and events sponsored by the local bar association are a way to do it.
The SDCBA event was a RSVP event. I was disappointed to see a table of name tags late in the event. This means numerous students signed up for the event, but for one reason or another, failed to show up. Obviously, those of us who did show up benefited from the non-attenders - we now have a leg up on them.
I was disappointed because those non-attenders do have an impact on the rest of us. A bad apple in a bushel can influence the sale of the entire bushel. I hope, though, the impact is minimal.
Associations (net working) and contacts are crucial to life after law school. Better to start early than later.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Tutor or not Tutor
Most Professors have honors instructors, sometimes referred to as tutors. The tutors are 2L or 3L students who, if you couldn't have guessed, scored rather well in the subject class their 1L year. Their role is to help the 1L students have more understanding of the subject matter.
One of my professors does not believe in tutors. He relates studies which show students who attend tutor sessions do not do any better on the final exam than a student who did not attend the tutor sessions. He also points out, the studies show tutors improve over the students who are not tutors.
I respect this professor's opinion. There is truth in his words. Unfortunately, I must disagree with him about using tutors.
I have found some benefits to the tutor sessions. One, the tutor sessions provide a review session. Two, the tutor sessions provide repetition. Three, the tutor sessions can aid in outlining. Lastly, the tutor sessions can actually clear up any misconceptions.
The tutors provide handouts prior to the session. The handouts the fill-in-the blank type. I read over the handout prior to the session and attempt to fill in the blanks. Then, during the session, I discover the accuracy of my answers. This aids in recollection and reinforcement.
While the tutor sessions are a rehash of the week's material, repetition is good for the memory. The more times a person hears something, the easier the person will recall the specific item. Repetition is good.
While the handouts will not be in a strict outline form, the structure can aid in outlining. Realize law school outlines are not a typical "I-II-A.-1.-a." format. The outline is how the law student comprehends the body of work. The outline is a compilation of the notes, reading notes, tutor handouts, and cases from a class. The outline represents the law student's knowledge of the subject matter. Now the outline can be in the standard "outline" format, but, it does not have to follow the format. The tutor handouts can help in organizing and framing the major areas of a subject for studying.
Lastly, the tutor sessions can aid in clearing up misconceptions. The tutor is not the subject matter expert. Remember, the tutor is a student, not a faculty member. The tutor, though, has survived the 1L year and has done rather well in the class. The tutor can provide some insight which can aid in understanding of the material. Reiterating the repetition argument, thinking about the material in a different framework can help the brain wrap around a problem not understood.
The benefits of the tutor sessions outweigh the time investment (the tutor sessions are one hour in length - that's one hour not studying something else). Much like anything else in life, a student will get out of the tutor session what the student puts into the tutor session. I'd like to see the statistics encompass this fact.
Tutor or not to tutor? It's an easy answer. I say attend every tutor session...
One of my professors does not believe in tutors. He relates studies which show students who attend tutor sessions do not do any better on the final exam than a student who did not attend the tutor sessions. He also points out, the studies show tutors improve over the students who are not tutors.
I respect this professor's opinion. There is truth in his words. Unfortunately, I must disagree with him about using tutors.
I have found some benefits to the tutor sessions. One, the tutor sessions provide a review session. Two, the tutor sessions provide repetition. Three, the tutor sessions can aid in outlining. Lastly, the tutor sessions can actually clear up any misconceptions.
The tutors provide handouts prior to the session. The handouts the fill-in-the blank type. I read over the handout prior to the session and attempt to fill in the blanks. Then, during the session, I discover the accuracy of my answers. This aids in recollection and reinforcement.
While the tutor sessions are a rehash of the week's material, repetition is good for the memory. The more times a person hears something, the easier the person will recall the specific item. Repetition is good.
While the handouts will not be in a strict outline form, the structure can aid in outlining. Realize law school outlines are not a typical "I-II-A.-1.-a." format. The outline is how the law student comprehends the body of work. The outline is a compilation of the notes, reading notes, tutor handouts, and cases from a class. The outline represents the law student's knowledge of the subject matter. Now the outline can be in the standard "outline" format, but, it does not have to follow the format. The tutor handouts can help in organizing and framing the major areas of a subject for studying.
Lastly, the tutor sessions can aid in clearing up misconceptions. The tutor is not the subject matter expert. Remember, the tutor is a student, not a faculty member. The tutor, though, has survived the 1L year and has done rather well in the class. The tutor can provide some insight which can aid in understanding of the material. Reiterating the repetition argument, thinking about the material in a different framework can help the brain wrap around a problem not understood.
The benefits of the tutor sessions outweigh the time investment (the tutor sessions are one hour in length - that's one hour not studying something else). Much like anything else in life, a student will get out of the tutor session what the student puts into the tutor session. I'd like to see the statistics encompass this fact.
Tutor or not to tutor? It's an easy answer. I say attend every tutor session...
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Impressions
After three full weeks, here are my impressions of the five courses required for first year students.
Criminal Law
This class has been my most frustrating class. This is not because of the amount of material or the professor or the challenge of the material; instead, the frustration comes from not seeing in the cases exactly what the professor is seeing. I've come close a couple of times but still miss the mark. I've tried not to let the frustration get in the way of learning, unfortunately, human nature must be overcome for the lesson to sink into my cerebrum - and, sometimes, that is not an easy task.
I did some outside the course research this past week in an attempt to understand. I believe it has helped. I've spoken with the professor which has also helped. Law school is about reading, more reading, and much contemplation. If you do not actively engage in the class by thinking about what you are reading and by thinking about what the professor adds to the reading, the law will not make sense. I hope my outside research and my conversation with the professor get me closer to seeing in the cases what the professor sees. I just need patience. Unfortunately, law school pressure sometimes makes you feel like you can't have patience.
Property
This is one of the classes I feel like I am fully understanding. The class is also very interesting. I believe the reason behind this is that the concept of property of the lay person is not the same as the concept of property of the law. Expanding the concept is very interesting. Learning is definitely enhanced when the class is liked.
I've also performed outside-the-class research which I believe has helped me understand the concept of property. My discussions with my girlfriend (I'm so glad she's been willing to listen to me - I must find a study group!) have also helped with my understanding of the material. A pattern is forming - reading, more reading, and contemplation help with the understanding of the law.
Contracts
I like this class and I believe I understand it too. This class is a little strange. The professor has his own casebook so there is a more direct influence of the professor in the course. Realize, every professor will influence the class with his or her interpretation and personal philosophy of the material. The professor usually use someone else's casebook to accomplish this. The professor who has his or her own casebook is only including specific information which is directly influenced by personal philosophy. To me, it is a little weird to have the professor's casebook.
The professor told the class he usually gives the rules then provides the cases to illustrate those rules. This class though, he has taken the approach of providing the cases first. The method he has employed this year is the method I think of when I think of law school - read cases to pull from the case the rules utilized by the court so, when given a new fact patten, the rules can be used to predict how the court will apply and decide the cases.
For this class, my jury is still out. I like the professor. I like his casebook. I believe I understand the material. Too many factors lining up for a blindside blitz!
Civil Procedure
This class is interesting. The statement might not seem odd at first but when considering the purpose of the course, the statement can stretch into the odd realm. Civil procedure teaches the rules the courts utilize for civil proceedings in federal courts. The course should be boring - think about learning the rules of the English language. Learning bareboned rules should be boring; however, for civil procedure, to me at least, learning the rules is not boring.
I find it interesting to see how a case is adjudicated based on the rules. I also find the professor's teaching method interesting. Much like property: the class is interesting, the professor is interesting, learning is happening. We'll see how I feel about this class as the trimester progresses.
Legal Skills
This class worries me. I feel like I haven't learned much in this class. This is not to say I haven't learned anything. I feel like the Karate Kid. The professor has taught the class little items and has had the class put those items to use in little exercises. My fear is when the final project is assigned, unlike the triumph the Karate Kid experienced, I will be knocked out.
Everyone says legal skills consumes most of a law student's time. It is worth only two credits (as compared to three credits of the other classes) but more work is performed for those two credits than any of the other classes. That fact is what scares me! It is like laying on the ground and a few drops of water fall on your face. Each individual drop is easy to handle and easy to cope with. Then the deluge comes; someone dumps a bucket of water on your face. The mass of water surprises you and the breath escapes waiting for the rush of water to cease. This is my fear for legal skills. I'll see how this fear pans out.
These are my impressions after three weeks. I hope some change and others do not after another three weeks.
Criminal Law
This class has been my most frustrating class. This is not because of the amount of material or the professor or the challenge of the material; instead, the frustration comes from not seeing in the cases exactly what the professor is seeing. I've come close a couple of times but still miss the mark. I've tried not to let the frustration get in the way of learning, unfortunately, human nature must be overcome for the lesson to sink into my cerebrum - and, sometimes, that is not an easy task.
I did some outside the course research this past week in an attempt to understand. I believe it has helped. I've spoken with the professor which has also helped. Law school is about reading, more reading, and much contemplation. If you do not actively engage in the class by thinking about what you are reading and by thinking about what the professor adds to the reading, the law will not make sense. I hope my outside research and my conversation with the professor get me closer to seeing in the cases what the professor sees. I just need patience. Unfortunately, law school pressure sometimes makes you feel like you can't have patience.
Property
This is one of the classes I feel like I am fully understanding. The class is also very interesting. I believe the reason behind this is that the concept of property of the lay person is not the same as the concept of property of the law. Expanding the concept is very interesting. Learning is definitely enhanced when the class is liked.
I've also performed outside-the-class research which I believe has helped me understand the concept of property. My discussions with my girlfriend (I'm so glad she's been willing to listen to me - I must find a study group!) have also helped with my understanding of the material. A pattern is forming - reading, more reading, and contemplation help with the understanding of the law.
Contracts
I like this class and I believe I understand it too. This class is a little strange. The professor has his own casebook so there is a more direct influence of the professor in the course. Realize, every professor will influence the class with his or her interpretation and personal philosophy of the material. The professor usually use someone else's casebook to accomplish this. The professor who has his or her own casebook is only including specific information which is directly influenced by personal philosophy. To me, it is a little weird to have the professor's casebook.
The professor told the class he usually gives the rules then provides the cases to illustrate those rules. This class though, he has taken the approach of providing the cases first. The method he has employed this year is the method I think of when I think of law school - read cases to pull from the case the rules utilized by the court so, when given a new fact patten, the rules can be used to predict how the court will apply and decide the cases.
For this class, my jury is still out. I like the professor. I like his casebook. I believe I understand the material. Too many factors lining up for a blindside blitz!
Civil Procedure
This class is interesting. The statement might not seem odd at first but when considering the purpose of the course, the statement can stretch into the odd realm. Civil procedure teaches the rules the courts utilize for civil proceedings in federal courts. The course should be boring - think about learning the rules of the English language. Learning bareboned rules should be boring; however, for civil procedure, to me at least, learning the rules is not boring.
I find it interesting to see how a case is adjudicated based on the rules. I also find the professor's teaching method interesting. Much like property: the class is interesting, the professor is interesting, learning is happening. We'll see how I feel about this class as the trimester progresses.
Legal Skills
This class worries me. I feel like I haven't learned much in this class. This is not to say I haven't learned anything. I feel like the Karate Kid. The professor has taught the class little items and has had the class put those items to use in little exercises. My fear is when the final project is assigned, unlike the triumph the Karate Kid experienced, I will be knocked out.
Everyone says legal skills consumes most of a law student's time. It is worth only two credits (as compared to three credits of the other classes) but more work is performed for those two credits than any of the other classes. That fact is what scares me! It is like laying on the ground and a few drops of water fall on your face. Each individual drop is easy to handle and easy to cope with. Then the deluge comes; someone dumps a bucket of water on your face. The mass of water surprises you and the breath escapes waiting for the rush of water to cease. This is my fear for legal skills. I'll see how this fear pans out.
These are my impressions after three weeks. I hope some change and others do not after another three weeks.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
The Cutthroats at Cal Western
Before school even started, I was warned about the cutthroats in law school. Stories abound about how some students will sabotage their classmates so that the better grade will go to the saboteur. Supposedly, students will rip pages out of books so that other students will not benefit from them or even checkout the entire book and keep it. I'm sure there are other stories to be told in this area; however, I have yet to hear them.
One of the reasons for not hearing the stories (besides the doubt one might have to the truthfulness behind the stories) is that Cal Western touts the school as a place these stories do not occur. I can see why there might be truth in the Cal Western stance.
Everyone here wants to help. The staff, the professors, the 2Ls and the 3Ls, and even fellow class students are all helpful to get the job done. The biggest fear among my students is the curve. I understand the curve is something most law schools do, so I'm not concerned about it. I might discuss the curve in another blog.
Cutthroats may not exist within the school; however, the cutthroats exist outside the school! California Western is three buildings on the out skirts of San Diego. Needless to say, there are few free parking spots to go around. Located to the north of the school is "Banker's Hill." This is a residential area where most of the students park. (Note: Not sure who would live in "Banker's Hill" as the neighborhood is in the flight path of airplanes landing at Lindbergh Field.) The key is that the number of students exceed the number of available spots close to the school.
The school does not open until 7 am. Specifically, the 350 building (the building which houses the classrooms) does not open the doors to students. The library does, even though it is not staffed until 7. The parking spots along the bridges over the I-5 which are the closest spots to the school are taken before 6:15.
Every day students are observed driving around attempting to find spots. It's like Christmas time at the mall! I'm not one to be a parking spot shark - you know who they are, the ones who drive around slowly waiting for someone to approach a car to leave, and they block the lane so that the shark gets the spot as soon as it opens. Every time I see a parking spot shark, I hear the "Jaws" music playing.
I have a few parking locations where I attempt to park. If there aren't any parking spots, I immediately go to Balboa Park. The park has parking available which is five blocks from the school - about a 10 minute walk. I, however, do not park east of Fourth Avenue on Thursdays because of street cleaning (Balboa Park is east of Sixth Avenue). Thursdays I attempt to limit my parking spot sharking.
I do have a back up location. The problem is that it is located around 15 blocks from the school. That distance is a little far. It is always good to have a back up plan though!
So if you hear that Cal Western isn't like other law schools in that cutthroat academics does not occur, realize, cutthroat parking does!
One of the reasons for not hearing the stories (besides the doubt one might have to the truthfulness behind the stories) is that Cal Western touts the school as a place these stories do not occur. I can see why there might be truth in the Cal Western stance.
Everyone here wants to help. The staff, the professors, the 2Ls and the 3Ls, and even fellow class students are all helpful to get the job done. The biggest fear among my students is the curve. I understand the curve is something most law schools do, so I'm not concerned about it. I might discuss the curve in another blog.
Cutthroats may not exist within the school; however, the cutthroats exist outside the school! California Western is three buildings on the out skirts of San Diego. Needless to say, there are few free parking spots to go around. Located to the north of the school is "Banker's Hill." This is a residential area where most of the students park. (Note: Not sure who would live in "Banker's Hill" as the neighborhood is in the flight path of airplanes landing at Lindbergh Field.) The key is that the number of students exceed the number of available spots close to the school.
The school does not open until 7 am. Specifically, the 350 building (the building which houses the classrooms) does not open the doors to students. The library does, even though it is not staffed until 7. The parking spots along the bridges over the I-5 which are the closest spots to the school are taken before 6:15.
Every day students are observed driving around attempting to find spots. It's like Christmas time at the mall! I'm not one to be a parking spot shark - you know who they are, the ones who drive around slowly waiting for someone to approach a car to leave, and they block the lane so that the shark gets the spot as soon as it opens. Every time I see a parking spot shark, I hear the "Jaws" music playing.
I have a few parking locations where I attempt to park. If there aren't any parking spots, I immediately go to Balboa Park. The park has parking available which is five blocks from the school - about a 10 minute walk. I, however, do not park east of Fourth Avenue on Thursdays because of street cleaning (Balboa Park is east of Sixth Avenue). Thursdays I attempt to limit my parking spot sharking.
I do have a back up location. The problem is that it is located around 15 blocks from the school. That distance is a little far. It is always good to have a back up plan though!
So if you hear that Cal Western isn't like other law schools in that cutthroat academics does not occur, realize, cutthroat parking does!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Week 1 in the Books
Week one is done. Many more like it to come...
This has been a long week. Or at least that is how I perceived it. On Wednesday, I felt like it should have been Friday. Time seemed to drag like those times as a little child waiting for the day to leave on a trip to Disney World. The days seemed to drag on the closer the day to leave became like some amount of torture on your psyche. This is how this week seemed to me.
Now, this is not to say the week was agonizing or torturous; the week just seemed to take a long time to complete. And reflecting back on the week as I sit here and type, the week seemed to have flown by so quickly. These are odd feelings. Are these directly related to the 1L experience? Guess I'll see next week.
The only problem with next week is it is a short week because of Labor Day. Dang holidays. As soon as I develop a routine, the desire of the people for a day off to celebrate work places a bump in the road.
On Mondays and Wednesdays, my first class is not until 9:25. On Fridays, I have only one class which starts late in the afternoon, 2:40. I know, how lucky I am to have only one class on Friday and the class is in the late afternoon! But, on these days, I go to the gym. Tuesdays and Thursdays class starts at 8:00 am. I know, how lucky for class so early!
Every day this past week, I got up at 5 am. I was at the law school by 8 am on the days I worked out and at the school by 7 am on the other two days. I was never late or rushing. I will stick to this routine as it seems to work.
If you were paying attention, I got to the law school at 8 am on Friday - the day I have class at 2:40 in the afternoon. Yesterday (Friday), I spent the entire day working and reading ahead and studying. I hope to keep this routine up for the rest of the year.
I left the school at 4:30 most days. A couple of days I stayed until 6 pm. After eating dinner, I would spend an hour or two working in my study at home. While I wanted to have school be school and home be home, I feel that the only way for that to work is to stay through dinner at school. I know that sounds like a lot of studying - and it is - but the prize, I believe, is worth the effort.
Law school is a balancing act. You must balance life and studying. I think I would prefer to eat at least one meal at home with my girlfriend, to have some semblance of the life we had prior to law school. I know there will be days I'll have to stay through dinner at the law school. On those days, I will not come home and do school work. Instead, I'll spend time with my girlfriend. I believe this is the way to maintain sanity.
This weekend I have some plans of off time. But I also have planned time to work on law school. Balance is key. Law school is studying. Many hours of studying. Karl Llewellyn says the cure for too much law is more law. But at some point, you must say, enough is enough and take time to clear the blood and sweat out of your eyes so you can keep your eye on the prize.
This has been a long week. Or at least that is how I perceived it. On Wednesday, I felt like it should have been Friday. Time seemed to drag like those times as a little child waiting for the day to leave on a trip to Disney World. The days seemed to drag on the closer the day to leave became like some amount of torture on your psyche. This is how this week seemed to me.
Now, this is not to say the week was agonizing or torturous; the week just seemed to take a long time to complete. And reflecting back on the week as I sit here and type, the week seemed to have flown by so quickly. These are odd feelings. Are these directly related to the 1L experience? Guess I'll see next week.
The only problem with next week is it is a short week because of Labor Day. Dang holidays. As soon as I develop a routine, the desire of the people for a day off to celebrate work places a bump in the road.
On Mondays and Wednesdays, my first class is not until 9:25. On Fridays, I have only one class which starts late in the afternoon, 2:40. I know, how lucky I am to have only one class on Friday and the class is in the late afternoon! But, on these days, I go to the gym. Tuesdays and Thursdays class starts at 8:00 am. I know, how lucky for class so early!
Every day this past week, I got up at 5 am. I was at the law school by 8 am on the days I worked out and at the school by 7 am on the other two days. I was never late or rushing. I will stick to this routine as it seems to work.
If you were paying attention, I got to the law school at 8 am on Friday - the day I have class at 2:40 in the afternoon. Yesterday (Friday), I spent the entire day working and reading ahead and studying. I hope to keep this routine up for the rest of the year.
I left the school at 4:30 most days. A couple of days I stayed until 6 pm. After eating dinner, I would spend an hour or two working in my study at home. While I wanted to have school be school and home be home, I feel that the only way for that to work is to stay through dinner at school. I know that sounds like a lot of studying - and it is - but the prize, I believe, is worth the effort.
Law school is a balancing act. You must balance life and studying. I think I would prefer to eat at least one meal at home with my girlfriend, to have some semblance of the life we had prior to law school. I know there will be days I'll have to stay through dinner at the law school. On those days, I will not come home and do school work. Instead, I'll spend time with my girlfriend. I believe this is the way to maintain sanity.
This weekend I have some plans of off time. But I also have planned time to work on law school. Balance is key. Law school is studying. Many hours of studying. Karl Llewellyn says the cure for too much law is more law. But at some point, you must say, enough is enough and take time to clear the blood and sweat out of your eyes so you can keep your eye on the prize.
Friday, August 27, 2010
The End Draws Nigh
The first week is over. The end of sanity draws nigh!
Today the 1Ls took two final exams for the Intro to Legal Skills course. The exams were not that difficult. Of course, I might have been over prepared. Over prepared is better than under prepared! The legal analysis exam was one hour; unfortunately, we were not allowed to use a computer to type the answer. I hate hand writing exams!
I broke my right thumb in 1994. Writing for long periods of time - anything over ten minutes - really cramps my thumb. My handwriting suffers also. My writing will look decent and then quickly turn to muck. As I progressed through today's exam, the number of errors exponentially rose for each subsequent page. The first two pages had zero errors. The last page had, at minimum, nine errors. I hope to never write another essay exam by hand, ever!
The material presented during the Intro class was not a total rehash of skills learned during the Summer Enrichment Program. There were new skills, modified skills, and some same skills. For example, during Summer Enrichment, we learned how to brief a case. The method taught during the Intro course is called "logging." Some elements are the same between briefs and logs; other elements are totally different. I prefer briefs, but, I will add some elements of logging to my briefs.
I am glad I attended the Summer Enrichment Course. I do believe that if I had not attended, the Intro to Legal Skills would've helped me but not as much as Enrichment. Did I mention I am glad I attended Enrichment?
One goal I had set for me during this week was to establish a good routine for law school. Every day I arrived one hour prior to class start time. This gave me an opportunity to review the material from the day before and to review the material for the current day. I additionally would begin to work on the reading assignment for the next day.
The Intro schedule allows a two hour lunch. I took one hour every day. I ate lunch followed by a short walk. I then returned to the school and worked ahead on the assignments. At the end of the day, I stayed in the library from one and half to two hours before leaving for dinner. After dinner, I worked until bedtime.
Like I said earlier, I over-studied. But it was for a purpose. I needed to establish a good routine for law school. Some of my classmates were not as diligent with work as me. Every day I saw classmates working on the assignment due for the very next class. I am not going to chide them because maybe that's the best way for them. I just know I needed to do what I did. Establishing a good routine for law school is a must for everyone. Not everyone's routine will be the same. All that matters is the routine works so each of us 1Ls are successful.
Well, the weekend beckons. My first class is Monday at 9:25. This weekend I will do the assignment for that class. A second class is at 12:15 but the Professor hasn't posted the assignment yet. I hope this doesn't mean we'll get the assignment on Monday!
The end of freedom as I know it draws nigh. The last weekend before the real law school begins....
Today the 1Ls took two final exams for the Intro to Legal Skills course. The exams were not that difficult. Of course, I might have been over prepared. Over prepared is better than under prepared! The legal analysis exam was one hour; unfortunately, we were not allowed to use a computer to type the answer. I hate hand writing exams!
I broke my right thumb in 1994. Writing for long periods of time - anything over ten minutes - really cramps my thumb. My handwriting suffers also. My writing will look decent and then quickly turn to muck. As I progressed through today's exam, the number of errors exponentially rose for each subsequent page. The first two pages had zero errors. The last page had, at minimum, nine errors. I hope to never write another essay exam by hand, ever!
The material presented during the Intro class was not a total rehash of skills learned during the Summer Enrichment Program. There were new skills, modified skills, and some same skills. For example, during Summer Enrichment, we learned how to brief a case. The method taught during the Intro course is called "logging." Some elements are the same between briefs and logs; other elements are totally different. I prefer briefs, but, I will add some elements of logging to my briefs.
I am glad I attended the Summer Enrichment Course. I do believe that if I had not attended, the Intro to Legal Skills would've helped me but not as much as Enrichment. Did I mention I am glad I attended Enrichment?
One goal I had set for me during this week was to establish a good routine for law school. Every day I arrived one hour prior to class start time. This gave me an opportunity to review the material from the day before and to review the material for the current day. I additionally would begin to work on the reading assignment for the next day.
The Intro schedule allows a two hour lunch. I took one hour every day. I ate lunch followed by a short walk. I then returned to the school and worked ahead on the assignments. At the end of the day, I stayed in the library from one and half to two hours before leaving for dinner. After dinner, I worked until bedtime.
Like I said earlier, I over-studied. But it was for a purpose. I needed to establish a good routine for law school. Some of my classmates were not as diligent with work as me. Every day I saw classmates working on the assignment due for the very next class. I am not going to chide them because maybe that's the best way for them. I just know I needed to do what I did. Establishing a good routine for law school is a must for everyone. Not everyone's routine will be the same. All that matters is the routine works so each of us 1Ls are successful.
Well, the weekend beckons. My first class is Monday at 9:25. This weekend I will do the assignment for that class. A second class is at 12:15 but the Professor hasn't posted the assignment yet. I hope this doesn't mean we'll get the assignment on Monday!
The end of freedom as I know it draws nigh. The last weekend before the real law school begins....
Monday, August 23, 2010
Orientation and Food
One of the first things I noticed about Cal Western is they like to feed the students. Scholar day, Preview day, during Summer Enrichment, 1L Welcome Picnic, and Orientation day are all examples of where the school provided a meal or two for the students. Guess they feel they can win us over with food! Not a bad plan.
I was afraid Orientation was going to be a rehash of things learned during other visits to the school. I am glad the school proved me wrong. Even if a topic was being repeated during the orientation, the speakers provided different and new information. This definitely aided in orientation being worthwhile and not a waste of time or exceedingly boring.
Professor Lynch, as usual, was very entertaining. He related a story from his JAG days in 1975. He was a Captain (O-6) with several officers below him. He and some of his underlings were studying for the California bar. Every time he felt anxiety or fear about the possibility of failing the Bar while his underlings passed, he thought of Seymour. Now Seymour (not his real name) was stupid, had bad hygiene, and had other nefarious traits which made him slightly undesirable. Well, Seymour passed the California Bar Exam. Prof Lynch kept reminding himself of that fact. "If Seymour can pass, so can I." He then advised us to find our own Seymour! While the prospect of a Seymour in the class is tempting, I actually hope my class is filled with Prof Lynch's instead. Of course, we'll see how this turns out during my tenure in law school.
After lunch, we played "Human Bingo." I have never played this game before. This game is definitely an ice-breaker to get people to introduce themelves to each other. The game was fun and helped to overcome any shyness I might have felt.
The only bad thing, if you want to call it that, is that in my class, specifically in my section, are the two girls from Summer Enrichment I was hoping would not be in my section. Nothing against these two girls, but they are of foreign descent. And both have accents I have difficulty understanding! I hope by the end of my first year, I will develop an ear for understanding every word they speak!
Tomorrow is Day 1. I completed the first assignment about a half-hour ago. The exercises from "Plain English for Lawyers" are crushing me. I've read the assigned reading twice now. I wish I had taken more English for my undergrad.....
I was afraid Orientation was going to be a rehash of things learned during other visits to the school. I am glad the school proved me wrong. Even if a topic was being repeated during the orientation, the speakers provided different and new information. This definitely aided in orientation being worthwhile and not a waste of time or exceedingly boring.
Professor Lynch, as usual, was very entertaining. He related a story from his JAG days in 1975. He was a Captain (O-6) with several officers below him. He and some of his underlings were studying for the California bar. Every time he felt anxiety or fear about the possibility of failing the Bar while his underlings passed, he thought of Seymour. Now Seymour (not his real name) was stupid, had bad hygiene, and had other nefarious traits which made him slightly undesirable. Well, Seymour passed the California Bar Exam. Prof Lynch kept reminding himself of that fact. "If Seymour can pass, so can I." He then advised us to find our own Seymour! While the prospect of a Seymour in the class is tempting, I actually hope my class is filled with Prof Lynch's instead. Of course, we'll see how this turns out during my tenure in law school.
After lunch, we played "Human Bingo." I have never played this game before. This game is definitely an ice-breaker to get people to introduce themelves to each other. The game was fun and helped to overcome any shyness I might have felt.
The only bad thing, if you want to call it that, is that in my class, specifically in my section, are the two girls from Summer Enrichment I was hoping would not be in my section. Nothing against these two girls, but they are of foreign descent. And both have accents I have difficulty understanding! I hope by the end of my first year, I will develop an ear for understanding every word they speak!
Tomorrow is Day 1. I completed the first assignment about a half-hour ago. The exercises from "Plain English for Lawyers" are crushing me. I've read the assigned reading twice now. I wish I had taken more English for my undergrad.....
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Introduction
Tomorrow begins my journey from an every day citizen to a lawyer. At least that is the goal of attending law school. Many people undertake this journey every year but not all of them finish the journey. For one reason or another, some fail out or drop out of law school. I do not desire to be one of those people; instead, I want to complete the journey. This blog will document my journey along with observations of what law school, especially California Western School of Law, is all about.
This blog has a couple of goals:
1. To share my experience with current and future law students along with anyone else curious about the experiences of law school.
2. To aid in maintaining some sanity throughout what is supposed to be one of the most stressful times in my life.
This week all 1L students begin classwork with "Introduction to Legal Skills." First-year law students begin class one week earlier than second- and third-year students. The purpose behind the class is obvious in the title - to introduce students to legal skills, especially those beginning skills the students will need for their classes. One of the assignments for the first day is for the students to write down short, intermediate, and long range goals for law school.
Along with writing down our goals, we are also supposed to write down our concerns and doubts with attainment of our goals. Throughout my Naval career, I had to set and attain many goals, so writing down goals for law school was old hat for me. However, writing down my reservations for goal attainment is not a task I normally undertook during my Naval career, so this aspect was a little daunting for me. (Realize, I always look for external obstacles to goal attainment; looking inward to internal goal obstacles is not routine and is how I looked at this assignment.)
My number one concern for surviving law school is my educational background. I did not attend an undergrad university like most law students. Now my degree was conferred by an accredited institution otherwise, this blog would not exist. However, my degree in Applied Science and Technology was obtained via five different universities over a span of twenty years. I obtained credit from just about every manner in which you can obtain college credit: I have credit for classes taken in a classroom, I have credit for classes taken on-line, I have credit from DANTE examinations, I have credit from CLEP examinations, I have credit from attendance of Naval schools, and I have credit from courses which were self-paced without an actual instructor because these courses were taken underway on a submarine.
The manner in which I obtained my degree gives me concern because I feel I may not have the study acumen necessary for law school. Of course, hearing stories of the parties and tomfoolery of some colleges soothes that concern somewhat but not enough to rid my subconscious of the doubt. I am positive though, I will adapt and establish the study routine necessary for law school success. I just hope those habits are developed sooner than later!
Another reservation I have about attending law school is my age. I will be one of the oldest students in my class. This fact shines the spotlight on several concerns.
First, will my memory be able to handle the stress and knowledge overload? Some say, you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Of course, that saying is not necessarily based on the fact the dog can't learn new tricks. The dog might just not have a desire to learn those new tricks. Second, will I be able to connect with my fellow students even though I could be the father of some of them? I did connect with a few students during the Summer Enrichment Program, so this fear might not really be a valid fear. Third, will my body be able to handle the stress such that I don't get sick and fall behind? This might actually be my biggest fear. I've planned out my days to ensure I work out three times a week. I feel exercise will be a key factor in minimizing sick days and injuries. The next step will be plan execution.
This first assignment was a good exercise for me. Acknowledging reservations and concerns is the first step in planning to overcome those doubts or, maybe, even avoiding turning the fears into reality altogether. A realization of possible faults can aid in developing the resolve to defeat those faults which might hold you back from your dreams.
My plan for this blog is, at a minimum, one entry per week. I will not make guarantees. Guarantees can only be made when you have a beyond-a-shadow-of-a-doubt the guarantee will in fact happen. Or guarantees can be made when your confidence is sufficient enough that the likelihood of failure is slim. I can do neither when it comes to this blog.
Feel free to comment. Your feedback will be appreciated.
This blog has a couple of goals:
1. To share my experience with current and future law students along with anyone else curious about the experiences of law school.
2. To aid in maintaining some sanity throughout what is supposed to be one of the most stressful times in my life.
This week all 1L students begin classwork with "Introduction to Legal Skills." First-year law students begin class one week earlier than second- and third-year students. The purpose behind the class is obvious in the title - to introduce students to legal skills, especially those beginning skills the students will need for their classes. One of the assignments for the first day is for the students to write down short, intermediate, and long range goals for law school.
Along with writing down our goals, we are also supposed to write down our concerns and doubts with attainment of our goals. Throughout my Naval career, I had to set and attain many goals, so writing down goals for law school was old hat for me. However, writing down my reservations for goal attainment is not a task I normally undertook during my Naval career, so this aspect was a little daunting for me. (Realize, I always look for external obstacles to goal attainment; looking inward to internal goal obstacles is not routine and is how I looked at this assignment.)
My number one concern for surviving law school is my educational background. I did not attend an undergrad university like most law students. Now my degree was conferred by an accredited institution otherwise, this blog would not exist. However, my degree in Applied Science and Technology was obtained via five different universities over a span of twenty years. I obtained credit from just about every manner in which you can obtain college credit: I have credit for classes taken in a classroom, I have credit for classes taken on-line, I have credit from DANTE examinations, I have credit from CLEP examinations, I have credit from attendance of Naval schools, and I have credit from courses which were self-paced without an actual instructor because these courses were taken underway on a submarine.
The manner in which I obtained my degree gives me concern because I feel I may not have the study acumen necessary for law school. Of course, hearing stories of the parties and tomfoolery of some colleges soothes that concern somewhat but not enough to rid my subconscious of the doubt. I am positive though, I will adapt and establish the study routine necessary for law school success. I just hope those habits are developed sooner than later!
Another reservation I have about attending law school is my age. I will be one of the oldest students in my class. This fact shines the spotlight on several concerns.
First, will my memory be able to handle the stress and knowledge overload? Some say, you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Of course, that saying is not necessarily based on the fact the dog can't learn new tricks. The dog might just not have a desire to learn those new tricks. Second, will I be able to connect with my fellow students even though I could be the father of some of them? I did connect with a few students during the Summer Enrichment Program, so this fear might not really be a valid fear. Third, will my body be able to handle the stress such that I don't get sick and fall behind? This might actually be my biggest fear. I've planned out my days to ensure I work out three times a week. I feel exercise will be a key factor in minimizing sick days and injuries. The next step will be plan execution.
This first assignment was a good exercise for me. Acknowledging reservations and concerns is the first step in planning to overcome those doubts or, maybe, even avoiding turning the fears into reality altogether. A realization of possible faults can aid in developing the resolve to defeat those faults which might hold you back from your dreams.
My plan for this blog is, at a minimum, one entry per week. I will not make guarantees. Guarantees can only be made when you have a beyond-a-shadow-of-a-doubt the guarantee will in fact happen. Or guarantees can be made when your confidence is sufficient enough that the likelihood of failure is slim. I can do neither when it comes to this blog.
Feel free to comment. Your feedback will be appreciated.
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