TheSeaLocust's 1L Anxiety Meditation Retreat & Spa Forum

[soj]

I'm starting my first open memo today, so I can put some time into that. I just don't really understand what makes outlining take so long. Take the rules and tests and flowcharts and such, put them into an orderly system for referencing during an exam. I know it does take a while, I just don't really get why. It's all information I have in my notes/casebook/supplements no?

yup. it takes some time to get into the rhythm of outlining, and there's a lot of material. still, no need to stress out about it now. work on the memo now.

[Easy-E]

I'm starting my first open memo today, so I can put some time into that. I just don't really understand what makes outlining take so long. Take the rules and tests and flowcharts and such, put them into an orderly system for referencing during an exam. I know it does take a while, I just don't really get why. It's all information I have in my notes/casebook/supplements no?

yup. it takes some time to get into the rhythm of outlining, and there's a lot of material. still, no need to stress out about it now. work on the memo now.

Thanks for the reassurance, appreciate it.

[sublime]

..

[thesealocust]

Annnnnd I'm getting nervous. Should we be outlining yet? Based on my syllabuses (syllabi?) were just about halfway through the material. I still feel like I'm missing something, like I'm not learning the right black letter law or the big concepts.

There's no right answer to when to outline. Get started when you have time and think it would be useful. It will take a while, so don't leave it until a week before your finals. Otherwise don't let the specifics of the timing or form of the outlining get to you (if at all possible!).

I know it does take a while, I just don't really get why. It's all information I have in my notes/casebook/supplements no?

The synthesizing can take a very long time. It's a short and simple thing just to dump text from notes into a list and call it an outline, it can be a much slower and painstaking process to distill things down to important, succinct and organized rules.

How do you deal with days when you have like four classes, your brain feels like jello, yet you should be reading and outlining? Any tips?

When you're going through hell, keep going. Alternatively, take a break if you need it.

I built an incredible empire in Rome: Total War while procrastinating during the week before finals 1L year and came out ahead. You have to work hard, but you do not have to work 24/7. Know yourself and pace yourself.

[espressocream]

Another night where I'm panicking because I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. I've been on top of all the readings but today we did a practice question in class and I couldn't come up with as many creative answers as others could.
I have time to learn everything and I will get there, right?

[thesealocust]

You have time to learn everything and you will get there

[06102016]

..

[thesealocust]

This memo is getting to me. Everyone's been working since the weekend and I'm just starting to really work on it. A lot of people already have drafts finished (it's due in a week and a half) and I don't. The research part isn't that bad... I'm mostly done with that. The re-outlining/formatting/bluebooking is freaking me out, though.

Is it P/F?

I decided the only rational way to handle P/F LRW was to exclusively work on projects the day they were due, so I'd start working on things at 12:01 AM and work until I needed sleep before 10:00 am class. It produced shitty work product, but that didn't matter, and it made sure I couldn't stress about things too much.

Would recommend this strategy to anybody else with P/F LRW. If you have graded LRW, retake and ED to UVA.

[06102016]

..

[thesealocust]

it's graded.

Time turner?

[sublime]

..

[espressocream]

You have time to learn everything and you will get there

Repeating that to myself constantly.

[A. Nony Mouse]

This memo is getting to me. Everyone's been working since the weekend and I'm just starting to really work on it. A lot of people already have drafts finished (it's due in a week and a half) and I don't. The research part isn't that bad... I'm mostly done with that. The re-outlining/formatting/bluebooking is freaking me out, though.

People work really differently, especially with writing. While I think writing early is always good, if you have your research done (or mostly done), you should be fine.

[Easy-E]

My LRW is P/F for the Fall, then in the Spring the grades get averaged or something? I believe it's only 3 credits for the whole year. Kinda stupid I guess, plus they hold our hands like crazy. That said, still fuck LRW.

[dj_roomba]

Gah. is it normal not to understand contracts? Or at least be super confused?
I have a good understanding in my head of my other classes but when it comes to contracts.... I don't get it.

Funny thing is, I spend about 2x on contracts than my other classes.

I've already read supplements (both supplement + hornbook) but I still don't have a "solid" understanding. I feel like my understanding is shallow... if I attempt a practice problem or something, I just don't get it.

Any tips?

[iworkforlsac]

I am six weeks in and have covered a substantial amount of material for most of my classes (K/P/Crim).

And yet...I feel like I am the only one who is completely lost when it comes to applying things learned

to in-class hypos (as well as those in supplements). I mean, I get them in class, but I just don't feel like I'm retaining

most of the info gone over.

For those who did well (including the OP, I assume): did you see yourself retaining the materials covered

as you went over them during the semester? Or was retention of the material something you had to worry about later

in the semester?

Also, I know I should probably start outlining as well, but am really not convinced now is the time to be doing that.

My first exam is in early December, around two months left.

Where should I be in terms of exam prep/outlining?

[thesealocust]

It's perfectly normal for things to be very confusing at first. Things will really come together as the semester wraps up, don't worry. More time and immersion is important, not more hornbooks. And it's important to remember that often there is no big secret - it's just a series of cases and laws, there may not be anything "to get" like you think there is.

You don't have to be anywhere in terms of exam prep/outlining yet. We're getting to the point where you should start, but the first few weeks are all about getting used to the new universe of legal studies and you shouldn't expect any kind of mastery to have developed yet.

[chem!]

I have a midterm in Torts coming up and I am already starting to freak. Breach, Duty, Causation and a nebulous professor who loves to discuss policy while never truly stating what we should have gotten from some of the cases. I am planning to try to figure that out this weekend and try to come up with canned answers and analyses for issues. What else can I do to ease my anxiety?

[First Offense]

Just got my grade back from a mid-term. The grade doesn't count, but I got the highest grade in the class! That was a nice confidence boost.

[thesealocust]

I have a midterm in Torts coming up and I am already starting to freak. Breach, Duty, Causation and a nebulous professor who loves to discuss policy while never truly stating what we should have gotten from some of the cases. I am planning to try to figure that out this weekend and try to come up with canned answers and analyses for issues. What else can I do to ease my anxiety?

It sounds like you're doing all of the right things. Especially if you've poked around TLS for info, what you have to do to prepare for a law school exam is remarkably simple, just never directly explained. You'll be fine

Just got my grade back from a mid-term. The grade doesn't count, but I got the highest grade in the class! That was a nice confidence boost.

Great work - keep it up! And anybody who didn't ace their midterms, every year plenty of people bomb and then learn from it and ace classes come final exam time. It's a nice bit of feedback but everyone is still in the race, so don't get discouraged if the first results aren't to your liking.

[Teflon_Don]

Is barely focusing on cases and really focusing on supplements an approach that'll come back to bite me?

[thesealocust]

No way to know - neither is as important as what your prof teaches/focuses on in class. That's what will be on the exam, and maybe the cases are useless and supplements are great or maybe vice versa

[KD35]

No way to know - neither is as important as what your prof teaches/focuses on in class. That's what will be on the exam, and maybe the cases are useless and supplements are great or maybe vice versa

To back this up: We got a set of midterm grades back (I know early to get that stuff back), and someone who I spoke with really didn't do well (see: butchered) because they focused a lot on the rules that were given by the supplement, rather than what the professor was saying.

[AlanShore]

I have a prof that has never taught the class before. How can I practice for that class? Find other exams? I feel like I understand the material okay but it's hard to know until it's time to issue spot.

[jsmith201]

My anxiety levels are off the charts. I did well in the first closed memo, but I am completely lost on the graded open memo. Not due for another week but a lot if my classmates already have it done. Worried that I will totally mess this up