OFFICIAL 1L Exam Prep & Motivation Thread (CSWS) Forum

[brotherdarkness]

.

[BlueLotus]

Think one day will destroy me?

Na. Let it all soak in, brother.

I really am a firm believer in working smart. If you don't take breaks, you'll self-destruct. Pulling all-nighters or doing other extreme things is totally unnecessary.

Couldn't agree more.

It's a marathon, not a sprint. Self-care is important for success, bros--stay focused on the goal, but don't feel guilty about taking a power nap, getting that manicure, talking to your buddy back home, attending that networking event, etc. Eat well, practice good hygiene, hit the gym several times a week, and get adequate sleep.

[salix]

Hit me up if you want a detailed Farnsworth OL, tho I recommend very strongly that you peruse the treatise itself if you have the time--it is a classic and despite its size very readable/lucid.

I have heard positive feedback about Chirelstein, which is wayyy shorter, but I have not used it myself.

Chirelstein was great for me. Helped give me a broad overview of where the class was headed. My prof was very econ-focused, though, so it may vary based on who's teaching your course.

I agree, Chirelstein is for a quick overview semester or topic overview. Also, I love small books like this that can be stuck in a purse and pulled out at random unanticipated down times.

[GSCgold]

I feel like I'm getting a grasp on 3/4 of my classes, but Con Law is slowly slipping away.... Reading cases seems like a huge time sink considering I understand close to nothing after over an hour and a half of reading through McCulloch. I have Chemerinsky, but is that literally all some of you are using? And by "using" do you just look up the cases in the back and read the corresponding pages? (I don't have the Chemerinsky book, I'm working with Ernest Young over here).

Just say the word and I'm ditching the casebook except for the notes after the cases.

Looking forward to a fresh week of grinding!

[BlueLotus]

I feel like I'm getting a grasp on 3/4 of my classes, but Con Law is slowly slipping away.... Reading cases seems like a huge time sink considering I understand close to nothing after over an hour and a half of reading through McCulloch. I have Chemerinsky, but is that literally all some of you are using? And by "using" do you just look up the cases in the back and read the corresponding pages? (I don't have the Chemerinsky book, I'm working with Ernest Young over here).

Just say the word and I'm ditching the casebook except for the notes after the cases.

Looking forward to a fresh week of grinding!

I have heard that Chemerinsky hosts the Con Law Barbri vid, if you feel lost and want an overview.

[stillwater]

I feel like I'm getting a grasp on 3/4 of my classes, but Con Law is slowly slipping away.... Reading cases seems like a huge time sink considering I understand close to nothing after over an hour and a half of reading through McCulloch. I have Chemerinsky, but is that literally all some of you are using? And by "using" do you just look up the cases in the back and read the corresponding pages? (I don't have the Chemerinsky book, I'm working with Ernest Young over here).

Just say the word and I'm ditching the casebook except for the notes after the cases.

Looking forward to a fresh week of grinding!

I hear you. I am on day 2 of ConLaw casebook catchup. Hopefully I will be square after today but what a pain in the ass.

[BlueLotus]

Used Escalades are cheap as shit these days. Live the dream bro.

Lol, Philly DA starts at $49K. Gotta find me a BigLaw brah.

Oh, btw, if anyone was assigned the Singer Property casebook this semester, my 2L mentor booked the class last year. His outline is mad long, but it's good to review if you were sick and missed a reading.

[UnamSanctam]

Last night's copious alcohol consumption is getting in the way of my CSWS abilities today.

[005618502]

Last night's copious alcohol consumption is getting in the way of my CSWS abilities today.

Hahaha yeah same, our school had a pretty big event last night. Need to get some work done today and its not working out

[BlueLotus]

Just got an invite to a study group. Y/N? Any CSWS'ers have experience with one? I on and off studied with other folks during reading days (reviewing outlines, going over hypos) but nothing formal last semester. This semester is much harder though (more credits, more difficult BLL).

^and to the folks above, don't feel guilty, it is still early. Get back on that horse, and stay on, though!

[smaug_]

Just got an invite to a study group. Y/N? Any CSWS'ers have experience with one? I on and off studied with other folks during reading days (reviewing outlines, going over hypos) but nothing formal last semester. This semester is much harder though (more credits, more difficult BLL).

I think they're useful in reviewing practice tests and double checking things before finals. I'd definitely choose a group of people you enjoy/wouldn't mind spending time with. Doing things this early seems like an utter waste of time, though.

[hephaestus]

Just got an invite to a study group. Y/N? Any CSWS'ers have experience with one? I on and off studied with other folks during reading days (reviewing outlines, going over hypos) but nothing formal last semester. This semester is much harder though (more credits, more difficult BLL).

I think they're useful in reviewing practice tests and double checking things before finals. I'd definitely choose a group of people you enjoy/wouldn't mind spending time with. Doing things this early seems like an utter waste of time, though.

I never used a study group. I personally tried a few times but they just felt like a huge time sink I got nothing out of. I think it depends how you learn though.

[greenchair]

Just got an invite to a study group. Y/N? Any CSWS'ers have experience with one? I on and off studied with other folks during reading days (reviewing outlines, going over hypos) but nothing formal last semester. This semester is much harder though (more credits, more difficult BLL).

^and to the folks above, don't feel guilty, it is still early. Get back on that horse, and stay on, though!

I'm using a study group for Con Law because our professor is utterly useless and no one knows what is going on. Definitely need a tolerable group of people though -- people who won't stab you in the back later.

[mephistopheles]

Just got an invite to a study group. Y/N? Any CSWS'ers have experience with one? I on and off studied with other folks during reading days (reviewing outlines, going over hypos) but nothing formal last semester. This semester is much harder though (more credits, more difficult BLL).

^and to the folks above, don't feel guilty, it is still early. Get back on that horse, and stay on, though!

i was in a few, but a lot of people are dead weight, so i ended up taking one from each and made a power group. it worked better than expected.

focus: mostly outline/note/supplement/whatever sharing and taking practice exams and then meeting with the professor.

[MauriceGains]

Just got an invite to a study group. Y/N? Any CSWS'ers have experience with one? I on and off studied with other folks during reading days (reviewing outlines, going over hypos) but nothing formal last semester. This semester is much harder though (more credits, more difficult BLL).

^and to the folks above, don't feel guilty, it is still early. Get back on that horse, and stay on, though!

I completely avoided study groups, more because I'm used to studying by myself than because I doubted their value. It had no effect one way or another on my grades. Actually, the only thing I did differently for any particular class was that I regularly attended tutoring session for Leg.Reg., because the professor was completely useless. That was by far my worst grade, lol.

[GSCgold]

Just got an invite to a study group. Y/N? Any CSWS'ers have experience with one? I on and off studied with other folks during reading days (reviewing outlines, going over hypos) but nothing formal last semester. This semester is much harder though (more credits, more difficult BLL).

^and to the folks above, don't feel guilty, it is still early. Get back on that horse, and stay on, though!

I did a study group toward the end of the semester solely for outlining and practice exams. I think meeting with study groups too early is a huge time sink because if you are already pretty self-motivated and "ahead" you could just find yourself pulling the other group members up to speed. While this might be good review for you if you're a verbal processor, it could also be a huge time sink especially if its early in the semester.

I met with my group a little less than 2 months before exams when we each had already made decent outlines ourselves. We met to fill in gaps, make sure we inserted our prof's buzzwords where possible, and make sure we all had the same BLL. Then maybe about a month out started taking practice exams independently then reading each other's and giving feedback.

Some classes make study groups more effective depending on what the prof's exam looks like. A lot of it is personal preference, but I found them helpful when limited just to brushing up outlines and taking practice exams.

[RoseAberlone]

Did a study group last semester just for taking and going over practice exams — we all made our own outlines, though we shared some "attack" outlines. I went with people I liked but don't generally socialize with so we wouldn't waste time. This seemed to work well for me, though I have no idea how the rest of them did. Definitely helped me spot issues and see things from different perspectives/

[stillwater]

i thought my study group was useful bc i got to talk a lot and articulate the law, make arguments on the fly. plus i like listenig to myself talk

[Jsa725]

.

[BlueLotus]

mediocre GRIND-age happening today.... my breakfast was fan-fucking-tastic so I will share.

Ginormous egg-white, spinach, tomato, grilled onions, and feta omelet
home fries
everything bagel w/ a jew-sized schemer

judged appropriately by a sunday bagel-eating CSWS'er

^Yum, now THAT is a breakfast of champions! Strong body, strong mind, bros.

[gaud]

Been "working" on my brief today...

[Bronck]

I was awake for a juicy 9 hours yesterday. Hey, at least I did my property reading.

[gdane]

I feel like I'm getting a grasp on 3/4 of my classes, but Con Law is slowly slipping away.... Reading cases seems like a huge time sink considering I understand close to nothing after over an hour and a half of reading through McCulloch. I have Chemerinsky, but is that literally all some of you are using? And by "using" do you just look up the cases in the back and read the corresponding pages? (I don't have the Chemerinsky book, I'm working with Ernest Young over here).

Just say the word and I'm ditching the casebook except for the notes after the cases.

Looking forward to a fresh week of grinding!

Con law is definitely a "big picture" type of class. Don't focus so much on the individual cases; focus on how those cases fall into the bigger picture. For instance, there are a million and one Commerce Clause cases that seem to contradict each other. But, there is a general big picture to Commerce Clause jurisprudence as to what the feds can and can't do.

Con law is one of those classes where the exam can be fun because you can argue so much stuff. I also recommend Glannon Guide to Constitutional Law. It does a great job of showing you the big picture and there are examples you can play with to see if you get it all.

Good luck

[greenchair]

Drowning in con law. How important is the NFIB case to the big picture? It seems like it is all over the Commerce Clause and Taxing Powers, and none of my supplements (minus Crunchtime) is up to date enough to talk about it. Argh

[salix]

Been "working" on my brief today...

Yup.