1L Induced Nervous Breakdown COMING SOON!!!! Forum

[CanadianWolf]

That's why I used the word "typically".

[target]

Does your professor make old exams available? If so, check them out and see what types of question he asks. If he uses typical hypo questions, then lay off the briefing.

The advice on reading summary on lexis/west before reading cases is credited. I did so, and it helped me understanding the cases easily.

Also, I am sure you are, but be nice to your classmates despite you are under stress and in a competitive mode.

[glitter178]

One way to make the case readings way easier: type the case citation into Lexis or West, and read the case brief provided by Lexis/West.

By doing this, you can start reading the case with a basic understanding of what's going on (you already know the basic facts, and the rules). This saves time and brain power, and you earn points.

You can also copy and edit the Lexis briefs instead of creating a completely new brief for every case.

This is an awesome idea. It crossed my mind a few times, but my professors discourage it. My professors strongly insist that briefing your own cases helps you build the analytical skills necessary to think like a lawyer, and using commercial outlines deprive you of this basic skill. But since what I've been doing is obviously not working, I will definitely give this a try. I'm sure it won't lead to the future career doom implied by a certain professor who shall remain nameless.

Thanks

professors are probably the single worst source of information regarding how to study in a way that will be beneficial for preparing for and taking exams.

... unless your professor happens to be, say, joseph glannon.

[kjadkins]

Study groups usually are a waste of time.

I found my study group incredibly helpful around finals time since we would compile all the best points from our exams, and everyone's performance would improve substantially.

I agree. We have our first midterm next week and I've found it really helpful. Working in groups is the only way to really flesh out the practice hypos and make sure we've hit all of the important points (we didn't get model answers). It helps me figure out what I need to work on more and the kinds of issues I tend to overlook. Regardless of whether or not it's anything like how actual lawyers work, it definitely works for law school.

[mimi82]

First....I love lexis briefs. I read a brief and ended up look up all these terms in my Black law dictionary. And then printed the lexis brief and every single one of the concepts I was confused about in the case was already pulled from the case and defined for me. I did that to test how efficient the lexis briefs were. I tried westlaw too but i like the breakdown that lexis does rather than westlaw. Its like it already knows what I'm not going to understand. I also don't really read cases anymore. I spoke to one of my professors and she encouraged study aids and to just understand the concept rather than memorizing the rules. Your professors seem a little anal!!

And Stress Puppies??? I googled it and thought you all were kidding but I'm going to my cousin's house quick tomorrow just to play with his dog. I've always loved dogs so I'll give it go. That's some great advice!!

[shock259]

Stop briefing. Don't worry so much about what you sound like when you called on. Spend more time with supplements.

Also, relax and get drunk.

[PinkCow]

What's you class schedule like? What do you do on the weekends? How are you managing the work for class day to day?

Well I have classes Monday-Friday. I Normally get to class 2hrs. before the start of class to read (except for tuesdays). I have breaks in between all of my classes. These breaks are at least an hour and I normally spend them reading or briefing. I generally don't study after class on Fridays. I normally get a couple hours of studying in on Saturday, but on Sundays I normally spend at least 8hrs. on school work.

Up to this point I've been following the advice of my professors to prepare for class. They tell us to BRIEF! BRIEF! BRIEF! So thats what I do. They stress reading the notes and doing the problems in the casebooks so I do that too. I've spoken with several upperclassman, including my mentor, who have advised "book briefing"& things of that nature. But my professors are really against things like that. One of my professors even marked a student absent for being unprepared when he noticed that the student was referring to a "book brief" rather than a brief that the student had written out.

Your professor sounds super lame.

[ilovesf]

lady - just wanted to say i'm so sorry your start to school hasn't been positive.. that sucks. i'd spend less time briefing. when you're reading, are you book briefing? if you want to write your own briefs, it should be fairly easy to mark on your book "issue" next to the issue and "C" next to the conclusion and "a" next to the most relevant quotes of analysis... how many pages of reading do you get for every class meeting? have you talked to 2Ls about your professors? also, professors grade your tests blindly... at the end of the day, they won't make your grade worse because you said something stupid during a class and didn't know the answer while you were being cold called.

[quiver]

I'd suggest going over the midterm with your professor (if they allow that). As someone else said, pull the professor's old exams too. Looking at them now tells you what to focus on in your studies. For example: if the exam is all issue spotter you can rely more heavily on supplements for BLL and cut down on the reading from your case book.

Also, like others have said, use online briefs as a replacement for your own briefs or as background to make your reading easier. For most classes you can get away with reading at least the summary of facts in the online brief and just read the analysis part of the opinion (facts will matter when you're cold called but you shouldn't care about that). Con Law is the one 1L class where it might be more beneficial to read the facts in the opinion.

I wouldn't listen to how professors tell you to study. Some have good suggestions but the vast majority are out of touch with the most efficient study methods: they did not have supplements when they went through law school and/or were smart enough to not need them. The real key is focus in on what's important. Find that out and cut out everything else; I guarantee that not everything you're reading is essential for the final.

[cheeseburger]

Stop briefing. Don't worry so much about what you sound like when you called on. Spend more time with supplements.

Also, relax and get drunk.

[BarbellDreams]

Stop briefing cases.

Dear God, This!

If you're still briefing cases this far into 1L you are either having some serious trouble understanding what is going on, are just doing it wrong, or are listening to the wrong people. I know some people who did well and briefed cases, but I know none that attributed doing well to briefing.

[jd20132013]

So, extremely detailed reading of cases should be replaced with...?

I've started shifting to spending time on outlining. but what's the key shift in approach at this point?
I should mention that generally what I do is read the case. book brief, identifying rules/issue and interesting reasoning

then i put a blurb in my notes which will go into my outline.

But it still feels scattered - like I should be synthesizing more in some way

[buckilaw]

Stop briefing cases.

Credited. Taking notes in the margin of your casebook is sufficient, and it saves an insane amount of time.

[Sandro]

I probably would be freaking out more if I didn't get 100% on our first graded homework assignment. Totally re taught myself the material the night before it was due and killed it. I cant imagine how it would have felt to messed up the first real graded feedback we've had..... would be gunning so hard probably.

[ladylegale]

You guys have been really helpful. I'm going to take your advice and lay off the briefing a bit, probably use lexis briefs. I even thought about getting casenotes keyed to my book. For now I'm catching up on my outlining with a glass of wine. Thanx so much

[Icculus]

I get cold called like nearly everyday.

Everyday? How is that even possible? I very much doubt that most of my professors are even going to get through the section more than once. I stopped briefing as well. Generally I read the cases, take notes in the margin and clearly identify the holding. If it's a tricky case I read an online brief to get the gist of it. But wow, cold called every day? How many people are called on in one class?

[PinkCow]

I get cold called like nearly everyday.

Brah roll call doesn't count.

[kjadkins]

I get cold called like nearly everyday.

Everyday? How is that even possible? I very much doubt that most of my professors are even going to get through the section more than once. I stopped briefing as well. Generally I read the cases, take notes in the margin and clearly identify the holding. If it's a tricky case I read an online brief to get the gist of it. But wow, cold called every day? How many people are called on in one class?

Yeah, seriously. I don't see how this is possible. Our section has around 45 students and our profs don't call on more than 3-4 people per class. I've gotten cold called three times so far in the 5 weeks we've been in school.

[ladylegale]

I get cold called like nearly everyday.

Everyday? How is that even possible? I very much doubt that most of my professors are even going to get through the section more than once. I stopped briefing as well. Generally I read the cases, take notes in the margin and clearly identify the holding. If it's a tricky case I read an online brief to get the gist of it. But wow, cold called every day? How many people are called on in one class?

Yeah, seriously. I don't see how this is possible. Our section has around 45 students and our profs don't call on more than 3-4 people per class. I've gotten cold called three times so far in the 5 weeks we've been in school.

I didn't say everyday. I said nearly every day. My section has about the same number of people and quite a few of my professors just call at random with total disregard to the fact that they may have already called someone. I've been called on in one class 4 times already. This week, to my surprise, I was only called on once. So maybe all of the attention is dying down. But up to this point there were weeks where I did not go a single day without being called on in at least one class. My professors generally pick on about 3-6 ppl per class. Amazingly, I'm normally one. Maybe I just have one of those faces.

[Icculus]

I get cold called like nearly everyday.

Everyday? How is that even possible? I very much doubt that most of my professors are even going to get through the section more than once. I stopped briefing as well. Generally I read the cases, take notes in the margin and clearly identify the holding. If it's a tricky case I read an online brief to get the gist of it. But wow, cold called every day? How many people are called on in one class?

Yeah, seriously. I don't see how this is possible. Our section has around 45 students and our profs don't call on more than 3-4 people per class. I've gotten cold called three times so far in the 5 weeks we've been in school.

I didn't say everyday. I said nearly every day. My section has about the same number of people and quite a few of my professors just call at random with total disregard to the fact that they may have already called someone. I've been called on in one class 4 times already. This week, to my surprise, I was only called on once. So maybe all of the attention is dying down. But up to this point there were weeks where I did not go a single day without being called on in at least one class. My professors generally pick on about 3-6 ppl per class. Amazingly, I'm normally one. Maybe I just have one of those faces.

6 people, wow. I have one class where the professor just sits on one person for the whole class, occasionally taking it into two days. Most other classes it's like 2-3 people/day.

[northwood]

dont brief cases, but do read them. I just read the case and only write down in my handy dandy notebook the rule, and how it was applied. FOr the professors that stress the facts, i jot down one or 2 key facts ( like drunk guy drove car across the median, hit a lady who was jaywalking.... she died- contributory negligence??)
read the cases, and if they are long, read the lexis or west briefs( especially if there are a bunch of variables, or people and you find yourself losing track of them). you dont get points for class participation, so dont worry about it. all tests are anonymous.
profs want you to believe that their class is the most important thing in both your life, and in the legal profession ( kinda like profs in undergrad). its not. You will save enough time and energy by not focusing on the readings, and being able to utliize your supplements

talk to your professors about what they want. do they want to see you use cases/ If so, put your uuber short brief in the outline? do they only care about how you apply the rule to the fact pattern? then dont worry about them. either way, you dont have to bluebook the cases, so just jot donw the parties names and go on.

and if you have a study group, double check and re analyze hoe efficient and effecitive it is. I study with one or 2 people. it works great, and we are able to go over practice problems and stay on track. I also have a set of headphones that i put on, if im doing work at school and dont want to be bothered ( oh yea, double triple check to make sure that you are actually studying, and not bullshitting)
there is still time, so expriment a bit... Other than that- rememebr that the exams are the end all be all, so dont worry about a case, or a class, worry about the test!

[Lasers]

i don't even brief anymore.

i just write notes in the margins of the casebook and have a brief up on my laptop during class.

briefs waste too much time. i haven't been cold called yet, but when i do, i'm sure it won't be seamless. however, i've long ago accepted looking smart in class isn't worth the time to brief all the facts and nuances of a case.

How have you not been cold called yet? I got cold called twice in the same class today. Once to answer a string of questions, then to brief a case.

I get cold called atleast once a week, maybe its my school.

i don't know. might be a law school record.

[YourCaptain]

Briefing is a waste of time. So are the problems in the casebook.

[WilliamSmith]

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