Tips for 1Ls to Manage Stress Forum

[motionseditor]

Stress is inevitable, but it can be positive. Here are some tips from a seasoned USD Law 2L: http://www.motionsonline.org/2011/08/22 ... first-year

[Grizz]

In before someone posts a pic of a bottle of alcohol.

[20160810]

1.) Lift weights
2.) Sleep with hot girls
3.) Realize that law school is easy and quit being a pussy

[Michael_Vick]

1.) Lift weights
2.) Sleep with hot girls
3.) Realize that law school is easy and quit being a pussy

Win.

[northwood]

be like sheen??

[viking138]

1.) Lift weights
2.) Sleep with hot girls
3.) Realize that law school is easy and quit being a pussy

Is that also your prescription for female 1Ls?

[typ3]

1.) Lift weights
2.) Sleep with hot girls
3.) Realize that law school is easy and quit being a pussy

TITCR.

Work ahead. Don't do stuff last minute. Work out daily. Get to school early in the day and grind your stuff out so you can take your nights off.

I will agree with the other poster, sleep with hot girls. Go to bars / parties and pick up your 21-22 18-20 local impressionable hot sorority chicks. A Law student might not have the cache of a med student, but it's still easy to pick up chicks when you drop the law student card...

Depending how good looking you are as a guy, the fact that you're a law student and inevitably older than UG chicks you should have an easy time.

[20160810]

1.) Lift weights
2.) Sleep with hot girls
3.) Realize that law school is easy and quit being a pussy

Is that also your prescription for female 1Ls?

Are you hot? If so, then yes, yes it is, with the only caveat that step 4 is "send SBL pics"

[typ3]

1.) Lift weights
2.) Sleep with hot girls
3.) Realize that law school is easy and quit being a pussy

Is that also your prescription for female 1Ls?

Are you hot? If so, then yes, yes it is, with the only caveat that step 4 is "send SBL pics"

You'll find very quickly in law school that the girls in your class take a lot more effort to land and you will face a lot more resistance than 1.) undergrads, 2. ) other professional students, or 3.) other law students not in your class year. Many in your class will be worried about their reputation and possibility of gossip that they will shy away from hookups with law students in their same class year.

Solutions:

1.) Go to mixers between professional programs. It's a lot easier to boat a med / dental / nursing / PhD student because they are in a different social network on campus and thus don't have to worry about gossip being spread around plus they are often under similar work loads so they get a lot of what you're going through. I should also mention that most law school girls seem to have an inflated sense of purpose and desirability. This topic has been beaten to death over the years on TLS.

2.) Go to mixers with upperclassmen. This generally isn't my first suggestion as it is harder to land a hookup with an upperclassman when you're a 1L than when you're a 2/3L giving attention to 1L's.

3.) Go out to your local bars / parties with some class mates and swagger. You're a law student. Learn to rock that. Get a good wing man and go to work on the sorostitutes or other hot under graduates. If hot women in their low 20's are beneath you then you're probably a gunner.

[Z3RO]

While I'm sure that boning UG chicks is completely credited, I have a girlfriend, and I'm not man enough to cheat on her.

I've been starting to work out, and I think that's gonna be a big part of the stress relief plan, but any other suggestions are certainly appreciated.

[typ3]

While I'm sure that boning UG chicks is completely credited, I have a girlfriend, and I'm not man enough to cheat on her.

I've been starting to work out, and I think that's gonna be a big part of the stress relief plan, but any other suggestions are certainly appreciated.

Make law school a 9-5 job and work ahead. It's not rocket science. Cut law school off at night and go do something to unwind.

Law school becomes extra stressful because people in your class are most likely stressed and anxious. This has a cumulative effect. However, your time in November / April will be stressful regardless of what you do because it becomes an arms race in preparing for exams.

You can make time for whatever you want if you choose to be diligent in your studies. If you want to party 5 nights a week, hats off to you. Just don't go super hard or til 4 am or anything crazy. If you want to play a round of golf a day or join a book club or join student organizations do it.

You can do as much law school work as you want. However, a lot of your stress is probably coming from lack of knowledge about what you will be tested on or lack of knowledge pertaining to outlining etc. IMO get a supplement early like E&E's and read through it as you do your class section for it. You will feel a lot more comfortable with in class hypos and the likes.

A big thing to manage stress is don't worry about the small stuff. If you missed a small detail on a case or look like a dolt when being called out during socratic don't worry about it. Focus on the final exam from the beginning and cater your studying to that.

[Naked Dude]

My reading used to be inspired by operations--just in time reading. It feels weird to read too far ahead, but in general, I have found that contrary to my expectations, it actually feels good to read 1 or 2 classes ahead (but no more). Especially when covering a topic across multiple days, I've found thus far that reading just a little bit ahead does a couple things for me 1) gives me a small emergency cushion of readings, so if anything that would interrupt my studying happens, I don't immediately fall behind As a corollary to that, it gives me a much needed and otherwise lacking sense of control. This sense of control has done wonders for my stress 2) seeing a little far ahead kind of puts a discussion into perspective. Time will tell if this is intelligent or sustainable. For now though I like it. Note that I'm not constantly trying to push farther and farther ahead every day--that would be unsustainable. But earlier this week, an extra few hours put in to get 1-2 classes ahead has meant that from now on, as long as I don't slide, I stay ahead as long as I maintain a normal reading pace.

[shepdawg]

Most of the advice in this thread is good if you are at a top law school, but if you're a TTT student like me you only have a shot at a job if you're Magma Cum Laude. In my case, I de-stress by working as hard as Ican so I don't stress later about being unemployed.

[20160810]

Most of the advice in this thread is good if you are at a top law school, but if you're a TTT student like me you only have a shot at a job if you're Magma Cum Laude. In my case, I de-stress by working as hard as Ican so I don't stress later about being unemployed.

Check back when 1L grades come out.

I go to a so-so law school, and still endorse my stress management system completely. If you know what you're doing, law school isn't hard.

[typ3]

Most of the advice in this thread is good if you are at a top law school, but if you're a TTT student like me you only have a shot at a job if you're Magma Cum Laude. In my case, I de-stress by working as hard as Ican so I don't stress later about being unemployed.

Check back when 1L grades come out.

I go to a so-so law school, and still endorse my stress management system completely. If you know what you're doing, law school isn't hard.

This. People work themselves to death to prepare for class daily so they might not look like an ass during socratic.

Learn the BLL and always ask yourself, will this be on the exam? Don't get bogged down in the weeds. Get supplements to help you out if need be.

Unless you're a 2L in substantive classes law school shouldn't be stressing you out this early. November/December is a different though.

[Naked Dude]

Most of the advice in this thread is good if you are at a top law school, but if you're a TTT student like me you only have a shot at a job if you're Magma Cum Laude. In my case, I de-stress by working as hard as Ican so I don't stress later about being unemployed.

Check back when 1L grades come out.

I go to a so-so law school, and still endorse my stress management system completely. If you know what you're doing, law school isn't hard.

This. People work themselves to death to prepare for class daily so they might not look like an ass during socratic.

Learn the BLL and always ask yourself, will this be on the exam? Don't get bogged down in the weeds. Get supplements to help you out if need be.

Unless you're a 2L in substantive classes law school shouldn't be stressing you out this early. November/December is a different though.

Yeah, holy shit I just realized how time consuming it is to brief every single case in depth and worry about every last detail. I don't know if it's a waste of time, but stressing over the every little thing, just the past few days, has driven me crazy to the point where I think I'm slowly realizing that my study methods are unsustainable if I don't chill the hell out. Right now I'm just worried about staying on top of my readings and paying attention in class. From all the advice threads I've read on TLS, I'm not sure there's much else I can do this early on.

[Naked Dude]

Most of the advice in this thread is good if you are at a top law school, but if you're a TTT student like me you only have a shot at a job if you're Magma Cum Laude. In my case, I de-stress by working as hard as Ican so I don't stress later about being unemployed.

Check back when 1L grades come out.

I go to a so-so law school, and still endorse my stress management system completely. If you know what you're doing, law school isn't hard.

This. People work themselves to death to prepare for class daily so they might not look like an ass during socratic.

Learn the BLL and always ask yourself, will this be on the exam? Don't get bogged down in the weeds. Get supplements to help you out if need be.

Unless you're a 2L in substantive classes law school shouldn't be stressing you out this early. November/December is a different though.

So the BLL is basically just the rules you extract from cases right? Like Battery constitutes X Y and Z or whatever?

[am060459]

My reading used to be inspired by operations--just in time reading. It feels weird to read too far ahead, but in general, I have found that contrary to my expectations, it actually feels good to read 1 or 2 classes ahead (but no more). Especially when covering a topic across multiple days, I've found thus far that reading just a little bit ahead does a couple things for me 1) gives me a small emergency cushion of readings, so if anything that would interrupt my studying happens, I don't immediately fall behind As a corollary to that, it gives me a much needed and otherwise lacking sense of control. This sense of control has done wonders for my stress 2) seeing a little far ahead kind of puts a discussion into perspective. Time will tell if this is intelligent or sustainable. For now though I like it. Note that I'm not constantly trying to push farther and farther ahead every day--that would be unsustainable. But earlier this week, an extra few hours put in to get 1-2 classes ahead has meant that from now on, as long as I don't slide, I stay ahead as long as I maintain a normal reading pace.

tell me about it

[typ3]

Most of the advice in this thread is good if you are at a top law school, but if you're a TTT student like me you only have a shot at a job if you're Magma Cum Laude. In my case, I de-stress by working as hard as Ican so I don't stress later about being unemployed.

Check back when 1L grades come out.

I go to a so-so law school, and still endorse my stress management system completely. If you know what you're doing, law school isn't hard.

This. People work themselves to death to prepare for class daily so they might not look like an ass during socratic.

Learn the BLL and always ask yourself, will this be on the exam? Don't get bogged down in the weeds. Get supplements to help you out if need be.

Unless you're a 2L in substantive classes law school shouldn't be stressing you out this early. November/December is a different though.

So the BLL is basically just the rules you extract from cases right? Like Battery constitutes X Y and Z or whatever?

Yes. Dude seriously just get E&E for torts. Read the section that corresponds with what you're covering in class and make an outline / study material from the combination of E&E and your casebook / class notes. Your test will be applying the law. You will never be tested over the small details. Memorizing minute details is a dead end. You only need to know the rule of law and any forks or policy that might come from a case and how to apply the law given a fact pattern.

Like someone else said, law school is easy until November / December if you can deal with the test anxiety etc.

[crossarmant]

Yeah, holy shit I just realized how time consuming it is to brief every single case in depth and worry about every last detail. I don't know if it's a waste of time, but stressing over the every little thing, just the past few days, has driven me crazy to the point where I think I'm slowly realizing that my study methods are unsustainable if I don't chill the hell out. Right now I'm just worried about staying on top of my readings and paying attention in class. From all the advice threads I've read on TLS, I'm not sure there's much else I can do this early on.

I did this for the first day assignment, briefed everything in depth and went balls out on it, but I'm realizing that it's not the facts of the case that matter. It's the application of the principles. My Torts professor even said as much, pretty much just saying remember what the rule applied in each case was and how changing facts would either change or keep it the same. The cases are just exchangeable fact patterns. There are hundreds of other cases that could be subbed out and keep the same rules and principles.

I'm reading the cases, doing the Law School Confidential 5-highlighter method of reading, and writing just enough info in my notes on each case to refresh my memory of the background. Though, I am making a huge part of my notes be about the rules pulled from the cases.

I'm learning that, yes, stress is inevitable. But it's all about managing your time. I workout everyday, do some yoga occasionally and take time to relax when you need it. Oh, and I won't be drinking on school nights like I did in undergrad.

[Oban]

smoke big blunts, have hobbies, ????, profit.

[SwampRat88]

.

[SwampRat88]

smoke big blunts, have hobbies, ????, profit.

.

[Naked Dude]

Yes. Dude seriously just get E&E for torts. Read the section that corresponds with what you're covering in class and make an outline / study material from the combination of E&E and your casebook / class notes. Your test will be applying the law. You will never be tested over the small details. Memorizing minute details is a dead end. You only need to know the rule of law and any forks or policy that might come from a case and how to apply the law given a fact pattern.

Like someone else said, law school is easy until November / December if you can deal with the test anxiety etc.

I hear Octoberish is a good time to start outlining?

[Naked Dude]

Yeah, holy shit I just realized how time consuming it is to brief every single case in depth and worry about every last detail. I don't know if it's a waste of time, but stressing over the every little thing, just the past few days, has driven me crazy to the point where I think I'm slowly realizing that my study methods are unsustainable if I don't chill the hell out. Right now I'm just worried about staying on top of my readings and paying attention in class. From all the advice threads I've read on TLS, I'm not sure there's much else I can do this early on.

I did this for the first day assignment, briefed everything in depth and went balls out on it, but I'm realizing that it's not the facts of the case that matter. It's the application of the principles. My Torts professor even said as much, pretty much just saying remember what the rule applied in each case was and how changing facts would either change or keep it the same. The cases are just exchangeable fact patterns. There are hundreds of other cases that could be subbed out and keep the same rules and principles.

I'm reading the cases, doing the Law School Confidential 5-highlighter method of reading, and writing just enough info in my notes on each case to refresh my memory of the background. Though, I am making a huge part of my notes be about the rules pulled from the cases.

I'm learning that, yes, stress is inevitable. But it's all about managing your time. I workout everyday, do some yoga occasionally and take time to relax when you need it. Oh, and I won't be drinking on school nights like I did in undergrad.

This is so true. If you don't make time for your mind to relax, your mind will make time on its own, in the form of reduced focus and efficiency. Not just law school but life in general. Sit in isolated corner of library, focus like a laser, and go home. Working so far.