Dating in Law School

DON'T DO IT! Fortunately, or unfortunately....I fell in love with one of my classmates. I remember it all to well. I remember him from orientation. He was staring at me, strangely and I felt a little nervous. Who is that guy and WHY is he looking at me like that. He will vehemently deny this by the way. Then I get to class and surprise he is in my smalllllll section sitting two people away from me. Again he kept sneaking peeks at me for a week or so before he moved his seat. He still denys this but I remember thinking WTF are you looking at!!!

Plus of course I was scoping out the class for any potentials...Its human nature, I was a single girl and had a plan to marry a lawyer. I thought he was attractive but never really put any thought into it. I loved the attention I got in class because I was one of four girls in the whole section all of whom were either married or unattractive. I was the princess and I ate it up.

Then finals came and me and the strange boy who stares ended up in a study group together. I still didnt really think anything of him other than he was brilliant. I even remember him coming in one day wearing some cute jeans and thinking hmmm he has a really cute ass. But again it didnt go any further than that. We got to know each other slowly and learned that we had the same dark sense of humor and his arrogance intrigued me. Somehow we ended up texting each other ALOT about random shit it was a friendship building.

Valentines day last year my girlfriend and I went out and TORE IT UP!!! The next day I was laying in bed hungover as all hell and LSBoy started texting me. I was still kinda drunk (I think) and the text messages turned into innuendo. Next thing I know we have a date and the rest is history.

I went from a total library nerd competing for grades and totally consumed with my grades into a love sick psycho. I was lucky enough to fall in love but I can't help but wonder how my law school experience would be different had I not crossed that line. My grades would undoubtedly be better. I think being in a relationship during law school is taxing. I wouldn't do it again. If lsboy and I broke up (god forbid) I wouldnt date again in law school. I can't even imagine how people with families and kids manage. My relationship is unique because Im with someone who understands what I am going through but the bad thing is now I have someone who makes me feel ok about slacking because he wants to also.

Moral of the story....TRY not to date in law school keep focused on the task at hand. Its not worth it to be all consumed and dealing with the roller coaster of dating. Thats all....

They all say it so it must be true

I have picked up tid bits of advice all over the web, in person and in books about how to do better on law school exams. I have recently taken up the job of part time evening cohort B cheerleader. This is my lecture, try not to fall asleep.

"Ok, you got a bad grade because you dumped everything you know on the exam and that pisses the professors off in a big way, I know this because they say it over and over and over again. You continue to throw in irrelevant shit just to prove you know the law. Well guess what anyone can learn the law, ANYONE. That does not help you stand out. what you need to do is the following:

1. Come into the exam with a good attitude, be calm and confident
2. Read the call of the question first!
3. Read slowly and carefully
4. Spend time outlining your answers
5. Answer the damn question! Make sure you understand what he is asking! Dont answer questions he isnt asking. FOLLOW DIRECTIONS!!
6. Pretend like you are a lawyer and a client has come to you with this ridiculous problem (aka hypo) Address the exam as if you were giving real true legal advice. If a client comes to you about breach of contract you absolutely DO NOT go into implied warranty of merchantibility. You answer their questions, logically, methodically, using COMMON SENSE and the law you learned.
7. READ THE CASES and pay attention to the analysis done by the Justices. Pay close attention! Thats how you learn to write that way, methodically, systematically, answering questions!!!!
8. If you are faced with a problem you cant answer try to walk yourself through it and spend more time thinking than writing.
9. Make your exam easier to read, use headings and write in complete sentences, seperate issues by paragraphs and try to spell check.
10. Be concise and always follow each conclusory statement with "BECAUSE" then change it up to show the other side of the story with "HOWEVER"
11. Don't get psyched out and don't DONT DONT DONT quote commercial outlines---they will kill u! Offering information that was not addressed in class, in the reading etc. will piss off the professor. they think this: "Oh student B didnt bother to come to class, read or take notes, instead he crammed using a commercial outline offering law I didn't cover and didn't even want to see addressed on this exam NO POINTS!
12. Read prior exams and really understand what they did that make them stand out

I think the only point of law school is to train us to think like lawyers by reading millions of opinions and engaging in class discussion, you learn the law when you study for the BAR. I think it's safe to say that if you don't know how to analyze a hypo properly you will NOT pass the bar. This advice works for people like me who are not all that naturally smart, people who spend more time studying because they need to. There are naturally smart, logical thinkers who don't need to put in this effort but if you are a C student and not because you are lazy then this might help.

This is just my two cents and doesnt mean shit to anyone but me. So take it with a grain of salt.

Wipes

Diaper wipes. I keep seeing them in everyone's bathrooms lately. The question I have is do you use these wet things instead of toilet paper, before toilet paper, or after toilet paper because I find that they leave your ass uncomfortably moist and therefore I will not be switching anytime soon. Unless you can share your wisdom with me and make it seem a little less disgusting?

Mediocrity

Embrace it. I am finishing up my 1st year and my classmates are flooding my email with depressing stories of their average grades. Everyone asks the same questions and being as introspective as I am I have an answer--

First of all we all know that we know the law. That is a given. What we don't know is how to present it in a lawyerly like fashion. So what should we do? I propose the LEEWS challenge. Have you heard of it? It is a strategic exam answering audio presentation. They offer many other products and services but you should check them out for yourself.

LEEWS teaches you how to read, analyze, organize and answer a law school exam hypo in a Professor friendly manner. After all we will learn the law when we take Bar review classes so law school's only purpose is to teach us to think like a lawyer. Yes, I know we are all so sick of hearing that but its true.

I did not study AT ALL and i managed to bring in average grades. Average grades or as my sister says, "C's get degrees" will get me by BUT if I did not study and managed to pull average grades....imagine if I studied and learned to write better! I would be an A student no question about it.

The bottom line is that the "light bulb" has officially gone off and I am convinced that all I need to focus on this semester is being logical, methodical, organized and efficient. Sounds easy huh~! It is! Especially when you have guidelines and a structured program to follow. So, Im on it and I will keep you all posted on my progress.

I am reading my Civ Pro for Monday and I must say....I did kinda miss it! Welcome to Spring 2010 everyone! Good luck!