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...