TheSeaLocust's 1L Anxiety Meditation Retreat & Spa Forum

CaptainLeela · Post by **CaptainLeela** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 2:11 pm

Welcome to TLS

thesealocust · Post by **thesealocust** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 2:19 pm

CaptainLeela wrote:Apologies on beating the Socratic Method questions to death...but, would your advice change if you were in a class where 20% of your grade was based on your cold-call answers AND these answers were graded on a curve against the rest of the class?

Because I was pretty zen with cold calling, until that happened.

It's probably mathematically still moot, especially because the 80% of your grade based on the final will not only be worth 4x more but - in all likelihood - involve much more separation.

Prepare for your classes, which includes cold calls, but just keep in mind it's not the sole objective. It's a tiny leaf on one tree in the sprawling forest on the grand continent of law school.

thementor31337 · Post by **thementor31337** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 2:39 pm

I am about a month into 1L and my stress levels are pretty much off the charts. I feel overwhelmed, not so much by the work, but the entire adjustment to going to school. I am a non-traditional student and this is my first time going to school full time and living in a dorm. I was in the military for five years and try to compare this experience to that, and believe me the military (especially at first) was way harder than this is, but I'm still feeling like I'm drowning. My motivation to even get out of bed in the morning is lacking on most days and I'm seriously wondering if I made the right call by going to law school.

I'm not struggling so much with keeping up with readings, cold calls, etc. My LAWR class is definitely a stress inducer though and I'm putting way more effort into it than I thought I would have to (which seems to be pretty common). I feel very isolated in school and like I don't fit (mainly because I'm several years older than everyone else). I'm not sure what to do to break out of this and really believe that everything is going to be ok.

TL;DR - Getting owned by 1L stress...help!

Mr. Frodo · Post by **Mr. Frodo** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 3:05 pm

Thank you SeaLocust

thesealocust · Post by **thesealocust** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 3:28 pm

thementor31337 wrote:I am about a month into 1L and my stress levels are pretty much off the charts. I feel overwhelmed, not so much by the work, but the entire adjustment to going to school. I am a non-traditional student and this is my first time going to school full time and living in a dorm. I was in the military for five years and try to compare this experience to that, and believe me the military (especially at first) was way harder than this is, but I'm still feeling like I'm drowning. My motivation to even get out of bed in the morning is lacking on most days and I'm seriously wondering if I made the right call by going to law school.

I'm not struggling so much with keeping up with readings, cold calls, etc. My LAWR class is definitely a stress inducer though and I'm putting way more effort into it than I thought I would have to (which seems to be pretty common). I feel very isolated in school and like I don't fit (mainly because I'm several years older than everyone else). I'm not sure what to do to break out of this and really believe that everything is going to be ok.

TL;DR - Getting owned by 1L stress...help!

Hang in there friend. It can absolutely feel overwhelming. Part of the problem, as I think you're alluding to, is that it's stressful while also feeling like it shouldn't be stressful.

I think you've just got to keep your head down and keep going. It absolutely gets better, but until you've been through a round of it there's no magic way to banish the stress. Hopefully it helps to know that everybody's anxious - even the ones who are trying to behave as non-nonchalantly as possible.

Mr. Frodo wrote:Thank you SeaLocust

You're very welcome Mr. Frodo!

CaptainLeela · Post by **CaptainLeela** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 4:01 pm

Welcome to TLS

helix23 · Post by **helix23** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 4:47 pm

The apparent mystery is killer.

Dogg · Post by **Dogg** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 6:40 pm

must. start. outlines.
and finish my memo

it will all be okay

thesealocust · Post by **thesealocust** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 6:46 pm

Dogg wrote:it will all be okay

Yep

nickb285 · Post by **nickb285** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 6:58 pm

A. Nony Mouse · Post by **A. Nony Mouse** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 7:16 pm

IANTheSeaLocust and I hope he doesn't mind me butting into his thread, but: Much of the TLS hivemind is credited, but not everything works for everyone. Some people brief all 3 years of LS and do well. Outlines can also be pretty idiosyncratic (not sure my outlines/notes would have made sense to anyone else), especially depending on the prof - that is, if the outlines that don't make sense were for profs other than yours, that's not particularly surprising. It's definitely too early for practice exams and I would say it's too early for serious outlining, too (with the caveat that maybe it does work for some people - see above - so if it does, great, but if it doesn't, don't see that as a failure).

In any case, it's way too early to say you're doing anything wrong. 1L is frustrating and scary because you can't really predict how you're going to do, so it is hard to know what you could/should be doing differently. But everyone feels that way. Try not to let it get to you. Give yourself some more time, and you will have time to take practice tests and figure out what, if anything, you're missing.

(FWIW: I never found studying from other people's outlines helpful, I rarely used supplements, I didn't brief but I did book brief/do the reading all through law school, and I got better grades when I stopped outlining in its traditional form. I don't say that to suggest you do any of the things I did, just to point out that the other TLS credited wisdom is "do what works for you," and don't worry about what the hivemind says otherwise.)

thesealocust · Post by **thesealocust** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 7:20 pm

A. Nony Mouse's post is credited.

nickb285 wrote:I'm a little worried that I am doing everything all wrong and I'm going to get median pwned.

It's too early to even be doing much of anything right! Although I can understand why you would be anxious.

It doesn't sound like you're screwing anything up, it sounds like you're very well prepared. And there's nothing at all wrong with modifying conventional wisdom to fit your own learning style and approach.

nickb285 · Post by **nickb285** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 7:31 pm

thesealocust · Post by **thesealocust** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 7:34 pm

nickb285 wrote:This whole "one gigantic fuck-you test equals your entire grade" model is lame.

Lame as hell.

It's even worse that most profs won't give you much help or guidance on how to prep for the exam.

Br3v · Post by **Br3v** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 7:39 pm

Thanks for this thread

thementor31337 · Post by **thementor31337** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 7:53 pm

Thank you thesealocust! It is somewhat reassuring that there are others that feel the same way as I do. I can sympathize with not having your support system nearby either. My SO is 2500 miles away and I relocated about 200mi for school to a different state. Although my family is in the state where my school is (and relatively close by) sometimes that isn't the same as having your old friends around.

I think the adjustment of getting used to the school environment plus having my SO what seems like a million miles away has been screwing with my head. Plus I suck at making friends in general..lol. I just hope things will get better and I will adjust.

Also, +1 to the 100% of your grade being based on one test model being lame!

thesealocust · Post by **thesealocust** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 7:56 pm

1L throws a lot at you all at once, that's for sure! I hope it's helpful for y'all to have a place to vent with each other. I imagine it's harder in public with classmates to just throw up your hands and shout "this is scary and exhausting and I don't know what I'm doing and I need an adult" - but I can promise you everyone feels that way.

Dolphine · Post by **Dolphine** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 8:46 pm

CaptainLeela wrote:
Mr. Frodo wrote:Thank you SeaLocust

soj · Post by **soj** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 8:57 pm

TSL and nony are always so generous with excellent advice. i wish i had had it as a 1L. it's too early to freak out. even when it gets to exam time, it doesn't help to freak out. don't let others' insecurity get to you.

Br3v · Post by **Br3v** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 10:36 pm

thesealocust wrote:1L throws a lot at you all at once, that's for sure! I hope it's helpful for y'all to have a place to vent with each other. I imagine it's harder in public with classmates to just throw up your hands and shout "this is scary and exhausting and I don't know what I'm doing and I need an adult" - but I can promise you everyone feels that way.

Btw I have been keeping up with the New Associate thread, I see some of you guys are in a analagous situation to your 1L counter parts lol. How are things going for you? Do you feel like a lawyer yet?

Perhaps you could entertain us with a story from the real world.

thesealocust · Post by **thesealocust** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 10:48 pm

Br3v wrote:
thesealocust wrote:1L throws a lot at you all at once, that's for sure! I hope it's helpful for y'all to have a place to vent with each other. I imagine it's harder in public with classmates to just throw up your hands and shout "this is scary and exhausting and I don't know what I'm doing and I need an adult" - but I can promise you everyone feels that way.
Btw I have been keeping up with the New Associate thread, I see some of you guys are in a analagous situation to your 1L counter parts lol. How are things going for you? Do you feel like a lawyer yet?

Perhaps you could entertain us with a story from the real world.

Heh, it's another brutal learning curve and the long hours are much more mandatory and much less flexible. I'm liking it about as well as one can, which means some of it is really cool, some of it is really terrifying, and all of it is really exhausting.

Not sure war stories would do much to bring down the anxiety level in the room, I'm afraid

So far the best part has been hanging out / raging with the paralegals

Danger Zone · Post by **Danger Zone** » Sun Sep 22, 2013 1:32 am

Do the 2Ls get to join in for our post-OCI meltdowns?

Or should we just bump the "drop out now" thread.

dykstaab · Post by **dykstaab** » Sun Sep 22, 2013 1:50 am

Thank you for making this thread. The gunners in my section have already made a study group and constantly talk about it (clearly so that the others in our section can hear about it). I know it's irrational, but part of me is thinking that they are going to be figuring out things that I won't (although I am pretty sure they will just argue moot points with each other). Definitely adding to my stress level when it shouldn't. Should I be worried about this at all?

Dogg · Post by **Dogg** » Sun Sep 22, 2013 2:00 am

nickb285 wrote:Appreciate it guys, thanks. This whole "one gigantic fuck-you test equals your entire grade" model is lame. Thanks SeaLocust for starting this thread.

pretty much agree with this in every way

How did that model ever fit ?

Even the midterm 15% and final 85% is still god awful

Dogg · Post by **Dogg** » Sun Sep 22, 2013 2:02 am

dykstaab wrote:Thank you for making this thread. The gunners in my section have already made a study group and constantly talk about it (clearly so that the others in our section can hear about it). I know it's irrational, but part of me is thinking that they are going to be figuring out things that I won't (although I am pretty sure they will just argue moot points with each other). Definitely adding to my stress level when it shouldn't. Should I be worried about this at all?

Definition of Gunner - A person (usually a medical or law school student) who uses over 3 different colored highlighters, tabs every page in their notebook, and raises their hand after every question asked by their professor, regardless of if they know the correct answer or not. Gunners like to hear themselves speak. They use complicated words to make themselves sound smart even though they have no idea what's going on in class- they pretend they do. They are trying to intimidate you and eliminate competiton.

Study groups help since others might see things you missed or to discuss ideas / exam answers / do work with each other.
But if they're gunners then just ignore them