typical day in the life of a law student Forum

[PhantaManta]

How come none of ya'll put going out in your schedules?! There is some fun, right?

[transferguy]

I agree with the above that to some extent law school workload is exaggerated.

I agree with this. I think a lot of people spend way too much time reading cases and that eats up a lot of their time.

[Zeph]

some good stuff here ty ty

[Antop]

I agree with mostly all above posters. Exam time is the worst, but it's nice when you don't have to worry about actually going to class. Towards the end of the year, I wished I was studying at home rather than sitting through class which seemed like a waste of time.

Typical exam schedule:

7 am- wake up/run/eat breakfast
8 am-11pm/12am- study
12am- sleep

Repeat...

[Zeph]

what I gather from reading this thread and other threads on the subject is that it is best to stick to a schedule and spread out the workload because waiting to the end of the semester to "catch up" is a recipe for disaster. Is this the general idea?

I really wouldn't get more than a day or two behind. While it's definitely possible to "catch up" it's REALLY not fun to do.

In my experience I think a good rule of thumb for 1L classes is about 1 to 1.5 hours of reading per class during the average week. I usually picked one class that met earlier in the week and finished most of the reading for it on Sunday. Keep in mind though it'll probably take you twice as long to do your reading at the beginning of your first semester than it will second semester and beyond just because you're learning how to read cases and figuring out your system (i.e. taking copious notes (recommended) vs. highlighting the majority of your casebook in technicolor (not recommended), etc.).

Three weeks leading up to exams it's basically 8 hours a day.

So you don't recommend the 3000 different highlighter method that law school confidential suggests ? Is that the general consensus ?

[underdawg]

most days = class + maybe 2 hours of skimmy reading

last few weeks = sux0rz

this weekend = the fucking worst

[wardboro]

I follow the underdawg method.

My kid pulled all the books off my shelf the other day and Law School Confidential was in the pile. I flipped through it quickly. That book is full of terrible advice. I honestly don't know why it's still being recommended.

[Fly]

Are law schools flexible about allowing 1Ls to schedule their classes later in the day?

I don't go to GULC, so I can't speak directly about their policy, but I have never heard of a law school that allows 1Ls to schedule their own classes.

[geoffree]

This:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRYC-ltezcM

[Connelly]

Here's my schedule for class days (3-4 of these a week):

6:30-7:00 - Wake up
8:00-5:00 - Work
5:00-6:00 - Commute to school/hunt down some food
6:00-8:45 - Class
8:45-9:30ish - Commute back home
9:30-Midnightish - Eat/relax/go to gym

During non-class evenings, I will either go down to the library to meet with my group, slave away at a brief/memo, fit in "overtime" at work (I usually work ~50 hours/week as a salaried employee), or screw off and feel guilty. Then I also get to fit in time with the wife somewhere.

[chalis8]

So you don't recommend the 3000 different highlighter method that law school confidential suggests ? Is that the general consensus ?

Some people I know used it, I didn't. It made a lot more sense to me to take what I needed out of the case and put it in my own words. Highlighting is easy - actually figuring out what the court is saying and pulling out the rule is the hard part. I hardly highlighted at all last semester and took notes instead, then I took my class notes on the other side of the page (I use OneNote - it's an awesome program for PC's!) then come outline time everything was in one place and I really didn't need to open up my casebook again at all. Casebooks are 900+ pages long and I thought it would be a waste of time to have to flip through the entire thing again and read everything I highlighted. It probably takes me a little longer to read because I'm taking notes as I go along but in the long run it's worth it to me to have everything in the same place and easy to access.

Plus it'll save you many a trip to Sam's Club to buy highlighters in bulk!!

[reverendt]

A typical day this semester:

9am--wake up
10-11:50 class
12-1:30--lunch/reading
1:30-3:50--class
4---reading/studying in library

After 7 I didn't really do much law, save for when my brief was due and the last week or so before exams. I tried to outline for 4-6 hours on Sat. and Sun. Rumors of the law school workload are vastly exaggerated.

This sounds about like I did. Whenever a legal writing assignment was due it got a bit crazier. And the last month of each semester has been nuts. But in general I probably averaged about 4 or 5 hours a day doing schoolwork (until late in the semester.)

[reverendt]

what I gather from reading this thread and other threads on the subject is that it is best to stick to a schedule and spread out the workload because waiting to the end of the semester to "catch up" is a recipe for disaster. Is this the general idea?

I really wouldn't get more than a day or two behind. While it's definitely possible to "catch up" it's REALLY not fun to do.

In my experience I think a good rule of thumb for 1L classes is about 1 to 1.5 hours of reading per class during the average week. I usually picked one class that met earlier in the week and finished most of the reading for it on Sunday. Keep in mind though it'll probably take you twice as long to do your reading at the beginning of your first semester than it will second semester and beyond just because you're learning how to read cases and figuring out your system (i.e. taking copious notes (recommended) vs. highlighting the majority of your casebook in technicolor (not recommended), etc.).

Three weeks leading up to exams it's basically 8 hours a day.

So you don't recommend the 3000 different highlighter method that law school confidential suggests ? Is that the general consensus ?

I kinda like the multi-colored highlighting. But it's really all about what system works for you.

[finalnight]

Um, I noticed that most of you start class in the mornings--around 8. I am a 0L and was wondering whether this is the norm.

No its not the norm. People on here are just crazy. With the exception of a spring break trip I took where my buddies dragged me out of bed to leave, I haven't woke up in the AM in over a year now (maybe even longer than that).

I assume you are being sarcastic since most law schools predetermine your 1L schedule, especially fall semester.

[edgarderby]

A typical day this semester:

9am--wake up
10-11:50 class
12-1:30--lunch/reading
1:30-3:50--class
4---reading/studying in library

After 7 I didn't really do much law, save for when my brief was due and the last week or so before exams. I tried to outline for 4-6 hours on Sat. and Sun. Rumors of the law school workload are vastly exaggerated.

This sounds about like I did. Whenever a legal writing assignment was due it got a bit crazier. And the last month of each semester has been nuts. But in general I probably averaged about 4 or 5 hours a day doing schoolwork (until late in the semester.)

That's on the high-end for me. I typcially only read in between classes, and never read for my morning class (perfect grade in that class).

I wish studying = grades, but it seems awfully random, so....I just play xbox.

[NewHere]

So you don't recommend the 3000 different highlighter method that law school confidential suggests ? Is that the general consensus ?

I do the multicolor highlighting. Just try different things and see what works for you.

[Clever username]

So based on what I'm seeing here, I wouldn't be completely out of my mind to play a club sport my second semester. They practice a few times a week at night and play on the weekends. It seems like I'll have the time for it, but am I asking for trouble if I do this?

[reverendt]

So based on what I'm seeing here, I wouldn't be completely out of my mind to play a club sport my second semester. They practice a few times a week at night and play on the weekends. It seems like I'll have the time for it, but am I asking for trouble if I do this?

You might have time for it early in the semesters, but I would be reluctant to commit to anything that lasts all semester, because comes mid-November and April you're probably not gonna have that much time to spare (unless you're REALLY disciplined the rest of the time....)

[NewHere]

You might have time for it early in the semesters, but I would be reluctant to commit to anything that lasts all semester, because comes mid-November and April you're probably not gonna have that much time to spare (unless you're REALLY disciplined the rest of the time....)

Correct. You probably don't want to commit to anything that takes time during your exam weeks and during a few weeks before those weeks.

[Icy]

A week in the life of an evening division/PT student with a full-time job:

Mon/Wed/Thur: work from 8:30-4:30; classes from 6:20 to approx. 10
Tue/Fri: work from 8:30-4:30; read/study from 5:15-10:00 (sometimes a bit more or less, if writing assignment due soon, etc.)
Sat/Sun: read/study from approx. 10am-8pm with breaks (this is adjusted in the fall semester - I have mostly everything done by Sunday so that I can relax and watch football for most of the day)

I question my sanity nearly every day.

[Fly]

So based on what I'm seeing here, I wouldn't be completely out of my mind to play a club sport my second semester. They practice a few times a week at night and play on the weekends. It seems like I'll have the time for it, but am I asking for trouble if I do this?

If you have reasonable time management skills, this shouldn't be a problem. Moreover, I think it is not just a reasonable idea, but a good idea. Physical activity is a great stress reliever. So, even during finals week (especially during finals week, really), I strongly encourage people to make time for some physical activity or some other type of stress relief. I really think that if you're already studying, let's say, six hours per day during finals week, one hour of stress relief will do you much more good than a seventh hour of studying. Also, get enough sleep. I hate to sound like a hippie dippie, but a healthy mind is important - law students seem to forget this sometimes.

[chalis8]

So based on what I'm seeing here, I wouldn't be completely out of my mind to play a club sport my second semester. They practice a few times a week at night and play on the weekends. It seems like I'll have the time for it, but am I asking for trouble if I do this?

If you have reasonable time management skills, this shouldn't be a problem. Moreover, I think it is not just a reasonable idea, but a good idea. Physical activity is a great stress reliever. So, even during finals week (especially during finals week, really), I strongly encourage people to make time for some physical activity or some other type of stress relief. I really think that if you're already studying, let's say, six hours per day during finals week, one hour of stress relief will do you much more good than a seventh hour of studying. Also, get enough sleep. I hate to sound like a hippie dippie, but a healthy mind is important - law students seem to forget this sometimes.

SOOOO true! Call me a hippie dippie if you want but I made the mistake of thinking that in the last month before exams I'd be better off studying for those couple hours a week that I spent at the gym and I couldn't have been more wrong! This semester I've been really good about putting in gym time, especially this past couple weeks, and final are less than a week away and I'm SO much less stressed. Plus you sleep better, think more clearly, blah, blah, blah... I really do think it's true though.

[edgarderby]

So based on what I'm seeing here, I wouldn't be completely out of my mind to play a club sport my second semester. They practice a few times a week at night and play on the weekends. It seems like I'll have the time for it, but am I asking for trouble if I do this?

Not at all...maybe it's just an ND thing, but TONS of people here do that kind of thing, and I don't think it's out of the ordinary not to read that much for class. Tons of "umm...passes" 2nd semester, and this typically isn't correlated to grades.

[RandomPennDude]

Are law schools flexible about allowing 1Ls to schedule their classes later in the day?

I don't go to GULC, so I can't speak directly about their policy, but I have never heard of a law school that allows 1Ls to schedule their own classes.

We were able to pick 2 elective classes second semester. I think there are other schools that do the same thing for second semester 1L. First semester will be set for you, though.

[iliketothinkiamcool]

best advice I've heard from current law students is treat like a full 40-hour work week....

8am - 5pm...

Even if you have class at 10am, go at 8am and do some reading....if you're done with class at 2pm, stay til 5pm and finish what you have to do