Thread Unworthy 1L fears, inquiries, and rants welcome here Forum

[kalvano]

I think most people find typing them easier, but would find hand-writing them more beneficial.

[SwollenMonkey]

So I have a case to read before orientation tomorrow. I am going to be part of a simulated class.

Should I brief the case?

I'm sure I can brief it given it reads to be a not that difficult case, and I have Delaney's Learning Legal Reasoning handy.

Would I be too gunner if I brief it? It is assumed that I won't know how to brief a case until after day one of orientation because at some point during orientation, I'll be given a formal lecture on briefing cases.

[Duralex]

Don't brief it fully--pick out the facts, rule and holding if you like.

What's the case?

[SwollenMonkey]

Don't brief it fully--pick out the facts, rule and holding if you like.

What's the case?

This is it!


McDONALD et al. v. CITY OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, et al.




Wrong case.

[creatinganalt]

Not sure how general this thread is re advice but how is everyone thinking about combating procrastination?

[RUQRU]

May I introduce this: Livescribe


You can upload your handwritten notes to your laptop or pc. I haven't checked whether they will merge with OneNote, but I don't see why it would be a problem.

At this time you cannot import hand writing from the Livescribe pen directly as text into OneNote. You can use the add-on MyScript to OCR your handwriting into text and then copy/paste into OneNote.

This is a longstanding complaint on the Livescrbe message forums. That said, I love the pen and use it all the time. Note that most professors will not allow voice recording in class. You can use the pen in handwriting mode only.

[jayn3]

I think most people find typing them easier, but would find hand-writing them more beneficial.

i still thing handwriting is easier, but i finally caved and bought a netbook for notes in class. i'm mostly nervous i'll need to keep up with fast-paced content, and i'm not losing a damn word to bad handwriting.

[98234872348]

I think most people find typing them easier, but would find hand-writing them more beneficial.

i still thing handwriting is easier, but i finally caved and bought a netbook for notes in class. i'm mostly nervous i'll need to keep up with fast-paced content, and i'm not losing a damn word to bad handwriting.

It's more appropriate to engage the material your professor is expressing and think critically about the issues he/she emphasizes than it is to mindlessly copy every word that is said in class.

[mbutterfly]

Here's a 1L hypo for everyone. Something I've been thinking about a lot, especially with the ubiquitousness (if that is a word) of this forum these days.


If it's safe to assume, then every incoming 1L at your law school probably googled "how to prep for law school" or "how to do well in law school", etc. Some digging will inevitably lead to this forum and thus to suggestions like LEEWs, GTM, etc. So if everyone in your 1L class does LEEWs, GTM, Delaney's and other suggestions one can easily find on this forum, then shouldn't it be especially hard to be the top of your class?

LEEWs makes it seem that by simply doing the audio course, you're guaranteed B+ if you implement the strategy well.

Basically, i'm asking, how are gunners going to place in such an open-information, ultra-competitive class?

[kalvano]

Because most people are inherently lazy, and will swear that they will do that stuff, but man, just one more beer...

[dakatz]

Here's a 1L hypo for everyone. Something I've been thinking about a lot, especially with the ubiquitousness (if that is a word) of this forum these days.


If it's safe to assume, then every incoming 1L at your law school probably googled "how to prep for law school" or "how to do well in law school", etc. Some digging will inevitably lead to this forum and thus to suggestions like LEEWs, GTM, etc. So if everyone in your 1L class does LEEWs, GTM, Delaney's and other suggestions one can easily find on this forum, then shouldn't it be especially hard to be the top of your class?

LEEWs makes it seem that by simply doing the audio course, you're guaranteed B+ if you implement the strategy well.

Basically, i'm asking, how are gunners going to place in such an open-information, ultra-competitive class?

I don't think you are correct when you say that most people google that stuff and come to know about resources like GTM and LEEWS. I talked to a few upperclassmen about how to get ahead of the curve, and they said that a solid majority didn't start outlining until very late in the semester. He said that a majority wouldn't even know about such resources as Delaney or LEEWS, when I mentioned that I was reading/listening to such things now. I don't know if what he said applies to other schools, but I think that most people on this site who know about these resources, actively read about how others found success (especially those who went "against the grain" to do so), etc are already in a better position than many people coming in.

[Burger in a can]

You misunderstand. I'm not interested in notes on a computer. I prefer a pen and paper.

Haha +1. Show me software where I can draw lines between corresponding points, circle important words, doodle (which is sometimes important!!) and write in the margins at anywhere near the speed, convenience, or tactile enjoyment of a regular-ass ballpoint pen, and then maybe I'll try it. Until then I think I'll just stick with my $.89 notepad.

Also, I agree that this thread might be worthwhile, but also agree that the name of it makes no sense. Just my two cents. (87 more and I can get another notepad!)

[Burger in a can]

Here's a 1L hypo for everyone. Something I've been thinking about a lot, especially with the ubiquitousness (if that is a word) of this forum these days.


If it's safe to assume, then every incoming 1L at your law school probably googled "how to prep for law school" or "how to do well in law school", etc. Some digging will inevitably lead to this forum and thus to suggestions like LEEWs, GTM, etc. So if everyone in your 1L class does LEEWs, GTM, Delaney's and other suggestions one can easily find on this forum, then shouldn't it be especially hard to be the top of your class?

LEEWs makes it seem that by simply doing the audio course, you're guaranteed B+ if you implement the strategy well.

Basically, i'm asking, how are gunners going to place in such an open-information, ultra-competitive class?

Everyone googles "How to do well on the LSAT" too, but when faced with the realization that they actually have to do work, and that there isn't really a magic formula, I think the majority of people just kind of... don't actually try. The same applies to this thread, and every other thread on TLS. There aren't magical secrets to success in anything in life. It is about 40% determination and 60% perspiration. I imagine our first year will follow this general rule too.

[kalvano]

I'm betting a lot of people buy LEEWS thinking he has some magic beans that will allow them to write an "A" essay without doing much work. When they find out he doesn't, or that GTM doesn't give you all the answers, they probably don't put much effort or work into it.

[Matteliszt]

Kalvano is right when he said people are just lazy, you woudnt be surprised, but i know like 4 or 5 people at TTTs that told me they would xfer next year because they were going to gun hard...did 0 0L prep.

[SwollenMonkey]

Here's a 1L hypo for everyone. Something I've been thinking about a lot, especially with the ubiquitousness (if that is a word) of this forum these days.


If it's safe to assume, then every incoming 1L at your law school probably googled "how to prep for law school" or "how to do well in law school", etc. Some digging will inevitably lead to this forum and thus to suggestions like LEEWs, GTM, etc. So if everyone in your 1L class does LEEWs, GTM, Delaney's and other suggestions one can easily find on this forum, then shouldn't it be especially hard to be the top of your class?

LEEWs makes it seem that by simply doing the audio course, you're guaranteed B+ if you implement the strategy well.

Basically, i'm asking, how are gunners going to place in such an open-information, ultra-competitive class?

It all comes down to who works the hardest, and who can identify personal weaknesses to develop before the exam. While your peers are smoking, socializing and being loud and obnoxious cause they think law school gives them a free pass to speak their minds, you should be working hard and trying to figure out your professor's views, but not necessarily be ready to agree with them. Get on your professor's wavelength to hopefully do well on the final exam.

[Duralex]

You misunderstand. I'm not interested in notes on a computer. I prefer a pen and paper.

Haha +1. Show me software where I can draw lines between corresponding points, circle important words, doodle (which is sometimes important!!) and write in the margins at anywhere near the speed, convenience, or tactile enjoyment of a regular-ass ballpoint pen, and then maybe I'll try it. Until then I think I'll just stick with my $.89 notepad.

Also, I agree that this thread might be worthwhile, but also agree that the name of it makes no sense. Just my two cents. (87 more and I can get another notepad!)

FWIW--I take a single legal pad with me and anything I feel complelled to draw/scribble gets scanned and imported into that class's repository--the resulting PDF can't be full text searched (my handwriting doesn't OCR well) but it can be tagged, linked, or cut/pasted into the typewritten notes.

Then I stuff the original into a "just in case file" and dispose of it after the semester/year (probably.)

Random thought: based on the quick look I got at torts today, if you have a prof that digs policy I suggest that when people start seeing cases involving railroads or factories (i.e. Palsgraf) they take 20-40 minutes and read the sections having to do w/railroads, industrialization and negligence in Lawrence Friedman's History of American Law. I read the whole thing over the summer (don't do that now, I happen to like nonfiction) and thought that his take on that stuff was a very approachable and fairly engaging window into this kind of thinking (as well as being a fun way to pre-familiarize yourself w/some prominent cases.)

[D. H2Oman]

How many sit ups should I do between pages?

[Duralex]

Depends on the book's format, duh.

[Burger in a can]

FWIW--I take a single legal pad with me and anything I feel complelled to draw/scribble gets scanned and imported into that class's repository--the resulting PDF can't be full text searched (my handwriting doesn't OCR well) but it can be tagged, linked, or cut/pasted into the typewritten notes.

Then I stuff the original into a "just in case file" and dispose of it after the semester/year (probably.)

This is in addition to typing notes on a laptop? I won't criticize your system because I'm sure you do whatever works best for you, but this would be impossibly redundant for me. If I were going to be scanning paper to PDF after every class, why even bother dragging the laptop along? Again, I'm sure you have your reasons (I've seen your other impressively tech-minded posts) but in my opinion this is not a better method than just putting pen to paper.

[mbutterfly]

I liked the answers for the gunner hypo. Absolutely right!

Next question, assuming its everyone's first week, when will everyone start outlining? And, how're you organizing case briefs if you brief them with pen and paper?

Good thread

[Duralex]

FWIW--I take a single legal pad with me and anything I feel complelled to draw/scribble gets scanned and imported into that class's repository--the resulting PDF can't be full text searched (my handwriting doesn't OCR well) but it can be tagged, linked, or cut/pasted into the typewritten notes.

Then I stuff the original into a "just in case file" and dispose of it after the semester/year (probably.)

This is in addition to typing notes on a laptop? I won't criticize your system because I'm sure you do whatever works best for you, but this would be impossibly redundant for me. If I were going to be scanning paper to PDF after every class, why even bother dragging the laptop along? Again, I'm sure you have your reasons (I've seen your other impressively tech-minded posts) but in my opinion this is not a better method than just putting pen to paper.

I put pen to paper when so moved for the kinesthetic-mnemonic hook, or to quickly capture a diagram that would take too long to do on the laptop. I then scan it because the whole point of my system to keep everything available digitally, and make it portable. I keep the pen and ink input to a minimum and then unify it with the primary set of notes so I don't need to look in two places, because I study in three locations (and because a protracted UG career has taught me that I lose paper too much.)
Also my handwritten note-taking style is a little too casual for LS, and tends to reflect my impressions more than the content of the lecture. Doing it digitally w/templates forces me to be more organized.


That's kind of rambling but hopefully the point comes across--I scan them precisely to avoid redundancy (e.g. so I don't need to transcribe the content of the handwritten note or diagram and then have the information existing in two different items.)

[inchoate_con]

I went to buy a tablet PC this afternoon to combine the writing with OneNote (then ORC), but they are hard to find... or obsolete.

[kazootey]

Gunner alert: before our fake orientation class "Introduction to the American Legal system" today, there was a study group forming with students anxious to look good for this ungraded, "preparatory" class that is meant to give us a taste of what real classes might be like. A STUDY GROUP AT ORIENTATION!! Good lord I wanted to vomit.

[dakatz]

Gunner alert: before our fake orientation class "Introduction to the American Legal system" today, there was a study group forming with students anxious to look good for this ungraded, "preparatory" class that is meant to give us a taste of what real classes might be like. A STUDY GROUP AT ORIENTATION!! Good lord I wanted to vomit.

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