. Forum

[Ellie80]

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[Cupidity]

God, that sounds awful.

Usually 2-3 classes per day, roughly 1:15 minutes a piece. Each class requires roughly 30 minutes of reading, if you are lucky you will get some breaks in your schedule so you can read right before class. I spend about 1 hour per week on the weekend organizing my notes, and then of course there is any time commitment for legal writing. During finals, once reading period starts, you do 10-12 hour study days. But the rest of the semester is fairly relaxing, the only other thing you need to take care of is your 1L job search.

Don't worry about working too much throughout the semester, you will find it is a waste of time. Only the last few weeks does the class start to come together in a sensible way. That is why I don't outline until the end of class, the idea that when you complete your first unit that you have any idea what is actually important or how it will fit in is laughable.

Relax, enjoy law school. Drink and network.

[Cupidity]

6-11 p.m. study.

Disgusting.

[zomginternets]

There is no universal schedule

[holdencaulfield]

Dude...


Go to your lawschool's website and look at the 1L schedule. You're welcome.


Edit: oh, you meant study schedule. My bad.

[zomginternets]

Don't worry about working too much throughout the semester, you will find it is a waste of time. Only the last few weeks does the class start to come together in a sensible way. That is why I don't outline until the end of class, the idea that when you complete your first unit that you have any idea what is actually important or how it will fit in is laughable.

I agree and disagree. I think you should be outlining sections throughout the semester. For example, once you have finished intentional torts, you can start outlining it--nothing you do the rest of the semester will have anything to do with them again.

I agree insofar as it's difficult to tell where the 'end of a section' will be for some topics (i.e. contracts), or if there even is an 'end of section'. But leaving all outlining until the very end I think is potentially a recipe for disaster. I would rather outline as I go along, and then revise the outline as I understand the subject better throughout the semester.

[Eco]

What your actual schedule will look like-->

(1) Wake up 10 minutes before class, run.
(2) Go to class, gchat.
(3) Gchat and waste time while waiting for next class, skim through the reading, hoping you won't get called on.
(4) Go to next class.
(5) Go home.
(6) watch tv and stuff until 10pm.
(7) About to study, then friends call you up, go out for beer instead.


---->One month before finals:

***PANIC***

(1) Outline everyday.
(2) Feeling good, so you slack off a little bit.
(3) 2 days before exam, you freak out again and finish up your outlines.
(4) Finish exams.
(5) Get drunk.

[Richie Tenenbaum]

There's way to much variance, even among the people with the top grades. Things also tend to pick up a lot the closer to finals it is. Most people will have a decent amount of free time earlier in the semester.

[NarwhalPunter]

It will vary as the year progresses. Initially, you will feel like an imbecile and it will take 2.5 hours to read and brief a twelve page case. You'll have no idea what you're supposed to be taking away from it and there will be zomg megastress.

As the year goes by, you figure out how to do things more efficiently, or at least you had better figure it out, because your workload will be going up exponentially based on the assumption that you've coped with how to handle it.

You will have time live a reasonably satisfying life up until a month or so before finals. And then it's on like donkey kong and you yearn for the sweet release of seppuku.

[mbusch22]

Don't worry about working too much throughout the semester, you will find it is a waste of time. Only the last few weeks does the class start to come together in a sensible way. That is why I don't outline until the end of class, the idea that when you complete your first unit that you have any idea what is actually important or how it will fit in is laughable.

I agree and disagree. I think you should be outlining sections throughout the semester. For example, once you have finished intentional torts, you can start outlining it--nothing you do the rest of the semester will have anything to do with them again.

I agree insofar as it's difficult to tell where the 'end of a section' will be for some topics (i.e. contracts), or if there even is an 'end of section'. But leaving all outlining until the very end I think is potentially a recipe for disaster. I would rather outline as I go along, and then revise the outline as I understand the subject better throughout the semester.

+1 the time people spend making their outlines at the end of the semester, i spend memorizing mine and cutting them down into short attack outlines.

Obviously everyone's different, to each his own. You'll figure out a plan that works for you. I personally did a ton more work in the earlier part of the semester so I could go into finals more relaxed. Helped me a lot.

edit: i tried to do a lot of what this guy did, minus the 0L prep.

[Stanford4Me]

It depends on the number of classes your school schedules during 1L year. NYU schedules 3 substantive classes and a LRW class. I know SMU has like 5 classes or something.

My schedule this semester is

M: 9 - 11, 2 - 4
T: LRW (which ended two weeks ago so I currently have no tuesday class) 11 - 1
W: Same as Monday
T: 12 - 2 (LRW), 2 - 4
F: 12 - 2

I have ample free time to watch TV, work out, and study.*

*I don't study hard until a few weeks before finals. It all depends on your personality type. I prefer maintaining sanity by having a social life, and it hasn't been disastrous on my grades.

[DoubleChecks]

There's way to much variance, even among the people with the top grades. Things also tend to pick up a lot the closer to finals it is. Most people will have a decent amount of free time earlier in the semester.

TCR

[mbusch22]

It depends on the number of classes your school schedules during 1L year. NYU schedules 3 substantive classes and a LRW class. I know SMU has like 5 classes or something.

5 substantive and 1 graded LRW.

[DevilDaze]

Tag

[Baylan]

I try and treat it like a full time job. Try and spend 40hrs/week doing something class related. This allows me to get ahead on outlining earlier, then later in the semester, its like there is a deadline/some big project came up, so it ramps up.

I like to have my outlines done and only need to be updated prior to classes finishing, so that my reading week can be spent working on shortening/mastering them, then spend the 2-3 days prior to each exam memorizing/taking practice exams/refining/going over practice exams.

If you assume 5-6 hours/day at school, if you're spending more than 3-4 hours a day studying, you're doing it wrong.

Those that I know that approached school like a full time job have enough time to do things they want to do until early in the semester - for example, I have football tickets at my alma mater, which is about 1:15 away from where I live. I was able to go to 6/7 home games without so much as batting an eyelash, and took pretty much every Saturday off in the fall up until November. I ended up in the top 25%ish of my class.

[romothesavior]

During the semester, more than 2-3 hours a day of class prep is rare for me. Maybe I'll throw in a little extra time for supplement reading if I'm feeling up to it, but every night, I basically just skim the cases, get the rule out of it, and fire up my XBox, turn on the game, crack open a beer, etc. Obviously, upcoming LRW assignments add more time to my working hours, but when LRW isn't going on, my semester is a LOT more laid back than your tentative study plan.

The most crucial part of law school is this period leading up to exams. I don't spend a lot of time reading/briefing cases in January because 1) I won't remember them very well and 2) it won't matter even if I do. During the 2 or so weeks before exams, I put in about 10-12 hour days. But don't make law school harder than you have to by spending all your free time in the library at the beginning of the semester.

[romothesavior]

What your actual schedule will look like-->

(1) Wake up 10 minutes before class, run.
(2) Go to class, gchat.
(3) Gchat and waste time while waiting for next class, skim through the reading, hoping you won't get called on.
(4) Go to next class.
(5) Go home.
(6) watch tv and stuff until 10pm.
(7) About to study, then friends call you up, go out for beer instead.


---->One month before finals:

***PANIC***

(1) Outline everyday.
(2) Feeling good, so you slack off a little bit.
(3) 2 days before exam, you freak out again and finish up your outlines.
(4) Finish exams.
(5) Get drunk.

I'd say TITCR. I think I posted something similar to this a few months ago. I'll see if I can find it. But this basically sums up my exact study schedule, and I did fairly well gradewise last fall. Again, you don't have to make law school harder than it is by killing yourself all semester long. A lot of the people who do this still do poorly on exams.

[TTH]

What your actual schedule will look like-->

(1) Wake up 10 minutes before class, run.
(2) Go to class, gchat.
(3) Gchat and waste time while waiting for next class, skim through the reading, hoping you won't get called on.
(4) Go to next class.
(5) Go home.
(6) watch tv and stuff until 10pm.
(7) About to study, then friends call you up, go out for beer instead.


---->One month before finals:

***PANIC***

(1) Outline everyday.
(2) Feeling good, so you slack off a little bit.
(3) 2 days before exam, you freak out again and finish up your outlines.
(4) Finish exams.
(5) Get drunk.

I'd say TITCR. I think I posted something similar to this a few months ago. I'll see if I can find it. But this basically sums up my exact study schedule, and I did fairly well gradewise last fall. Again, you don't have to make law school harder than it is by killing yourself all semester long. A lot of the people who do this still do poorly on exams.

This is about right, although I'd recommend waking up early and hitting the gym before school. You'll feel better all day.

[reasonable_man]

- Wake at 6am
- Shower and leave for class
- Arrive around 7:30
- Breakfast of champions till 8:00
- Read till 9:30
- File into first class at 9:30
- Class from 9:30 to 10:45
- 15 minute break... Look around room and try to find half way attractive member of opposite sex to attempt to flirt with at some random future function - realize its law school and masturbating with sand paper will be more fulfilling.
- Class from 11:00 to 12:15
- Lunch from 12: 15 to 1:15 - eat and read last bits of work for next class
- Class from 1:15 to 2:30
- 2:30 to 3:00 - Bull shit around a little and avoid work
- 3:00 to 4:00 -Gym
- 4:00 to 7:00 - Work/read in library
- 7:00 to 8:15 - Go home, eat and watch some TV
- 8:15 to 9:15 - Internet porn and self release
- 9:15 to 9:20 - self shame and reflection of wasted hour
- 10:20 to 11:00 - More reading and miscellaneous work
- Sleep

[TTH]

- 8:15 to 9:15 - Internet porn and self release
- 9:15 to 9:20 - self shame and reflection of wasted hour

Bullshit.

[reasonable_man]

- 8:15 to 9:15 - Internet porn and self release
- 9:15 to 9:20 - self shame and reflection of wasted hour

Bullshit.

Too short?

[Rooney]

It will vary as the year progresses. Initially, you will feel like an imbecile and it will take 2.5 hours to read and brief a twelve page case. You'll have no idea what you're supposed to be taking away from it and there will be zomg megastress.

As the year goes by, you figure out how to do things more efficiently, or at least you had better figure it out, because your workload will be going up exponentially based on the assumption that you've coped with how to handle it.

You will have time live a reasonably satisfying life up until a month or so before finals. And then it's on like donkey kong and you yearn for the sweet release of seppuku.

Brilliant, sir! Also reminds me of the old guy in Ronin.

[Sean1269]

This response depends on whether or not you are as smart and study as hard as a reasonable man.

Class starts between 9-10 a.m for most, and ends between 1-3 p.m. Naturally, class schedules vary from section to section, semester to semester. Bar review is once per week, with additional drinking taking place on friday or saturday. Sunday, most students dedicate several hours to reading/briefing. Monday repeat.

The first year of law school really isn't that hard, you have 15 weeks per semester and 5 or 6 tests at the end. So, roughly 8 of those 15 weeks are painless, a little reading, a little partying, some surfing, and you're good to go. Last last 6-7 weeks can be a little rough, but you'll find time.

[Ty Webb]

It varies depending upon personality and need. There's a guy in my section who thrives early. He likes to get in and get his shit done. I thrive at night. We have, on one occasion, crossed paths coming and going in the late night/early morning.

My schedule, post September/February, looks like:

*7AM - Wake up
*830 - Arrive at school
*830-900 - Dick around on the internet/make any fantasy sports moves I need to make
*900 - (either class or do some reading for class depending upon the day)
*1200 - Lunch/read
*1400 - Class again
*1600 - Home to nap
*1730 - Back to school
*1800 - Read for classes
*2000 - Supplements/outlining
*0200 - Home again to sleep

*700 - wake up
Rinse, repeat.

Around exam time (ie now), I usually won't go home before 330. I am weird, though. I thrive off of being the last guy standing in the law school at night.

Depends on you and your personality.

[Bumi]

*0200 - Home again to sleep

*700 - wake up

I am 0L and what is this?