Best Way to Get Ahead: Start Outlining or Read Ahead? Forum

[Squintz805]

So, I'm sitting here trying to get ahead before my LARW Briefs start pulling me away from my classes.

Would you guys recommend Reading Ahead in the Casebook/Topics or Begin Outlining?

[unlicensedpotato]

Read ahead and outline the material as you're reading, then add in whatever the prof says when you get to it in class.

[Kratos]

neither. enjoy your extra free time before you have a lot of shit to do. you should be able to balance a brief and doctrinal work at the same time

[ymmv]

If you're legitimately struggling to keep up in classes, read a good short hornbook on the subject. Otherwise, relax.

[Ron Don Volante]

Neither. Plenty of time to work hard later in the semester. Gun like that right now and you'll burn out hard.

[Avian]

If you have free time, I think getting a short supplement like Emanuels (not E&E) or an outline from a previous year and reading it could be helpful in giving you a leg up. You will probably find that many of the topics are easy to understand without going to class and listening to your professors.

This was much closer to finals, but last year I took a weekend and read a supplement for a class cover to cover and was basically ready to take the exam.

[fats provolone]

play xbox

[MarkfromWI]

I'm a read ahead and read supplements guy myself. I don't generally start outlining until halfway through the semester at the earliest, but that's just me.

[MarkfromWI]

Gun like that right now and you'll burn out hard.

Man, this is just me personally but I'd much rather put in an extra hour or two a day now to get ahead than have to run around like crazy later on. The latter of those is what burns me out.

[ymmv]

Gun like that right now and you'll burn out hard.

Man, this is just me personally but I'd much rather put in an extra hour or two a day now to get ahead than have to run around like crazy later on. The latter of those is what burns me out.

There's no reason to do this unless you aren't comprehending the class material.

[MarkfromWI]

It's not that I'm not comprehending the material, I'm comprehending it just fine. It's just that getting ahead of the material and avoiding that cramming at the end of the semester is a way for me to manage anxiety. In my perfect world I finish all new material with like two weeks of class and essentially extend my reading period. Diff'rent strokes for different folks I guess

[ymmv]

It's not that I'm not comprehending the material, I'm comprehending it just fine. It's just that getting ahead of the material and avoiding that cramming at the end of the semester is a way for me to manage anxiety. In my perfect world I finish all new material with like two weeks of class and essentially extend my reading period. Diff'rent strokes for different folks I guess

If you understand the material, there is literally nothing to cram for. There's also not much to be gained from PTs until a few weeks before exams at the earliest. Calm down.

[aladdinismyprince]

Read ahead and outline the material as you're reading, then add in whatever the prof says when you get to it in class.

This. I outline almost every day- I outline the previous day's material.
I also stay ahead in the reading. That way, you'll have extra time to do other stuff near the end of the semester and don't have to stress out when a professor crams all the hard stuff at the end.

I know people who think the amount of work I've put in is excessive. But it has paid off for me.

[lacrossebrother]

You could also read your professors papers that are relevant to the course

[Chevron Deference]

Outline then drink. Do note cards then drink.

Every weekend.

[AReasonableMan]

You could also read your professors papers that are relevant to the course

[shock259]

So, I'm sitting here trying to get ahead before my LARW Briefs start pulling me away from my classes.

Would you guys recommend Reading Ahead in the Casebook/Topics or Begin Outlining?

Why Are We Capitalizing Random Words?

And reading ahead/outlining ahead is a good way to prime yourself for learning the material when your professor teaches it. It obviously isn't necessary, but it might help. Just be sure to pay close attention to how your professor teaches it.

I gunned hard 1L, but I read ahead and finished all of my semester readings/outlines about a month before exams. I think it was really helpful to have those last few weeks to do practice exams and not try to cram new information into my head.

[TheoO]

The only thing I did was go to professor office hours and have a talk with them about what I should take away from class and readings (basically, just to see what their view is) and then ask them what common mistakes they see in exams. Other than that, I'm enjoying this month or so of easy going before I have to actually do shit.

[First Offense]

Play video games. That way when everyone is peaking stress-wise around exams, you're not and will have a shitload more energy.

[orangec90]

The only thing I did was go to professor office hours and have a talk with them about what I should take away from class and readings (basically, just to see what their view is) and then ask them what common mistakes they see in exams. Other than that, I'm enjoying this month or so of easy going before I have to actually do shit.

I did okay first semester, but not great, mainly because I didn't really know how to take the exam. I was thinking of asking my professors these questions to start preparing this semester, but will the professor think I'm crazy for asking so early or be turned off/offended by my asking these questions? Is it to rude to blatantly ask "what are you looking for on an exam"? Thanks in advance for your help

[BK88]

Personal choice here, you have to do whats best for you. I find that If i start outlining earlier ( around now) i'll have a very solid grasp of this early material, whereas other people will still be struggling with it before exams. It doesn't have to be a perfect outline, but getting this stuff solid in your mind so you can fit newer stuff in really helps me.