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

[stillwater]

I'm bothered by the students who raise their hands, make a point, the professor says "interesting," and they think they're the next Atticus Finch. Meanwhile, they're behind on cases, did not start outlining, and think "the bump" is coming their way. The fuck...

Bro, reading/outlining is a farce. Many ways to the top...but I agree their insights are futile.

Spending countless hours reading is a waste, but completely blowing off the casebook? These folks rely on supplements, nothing else. Concerning outlining, it is helpful to synthesize and refresh the information. Forces organization and spot weaknesses. Completely relying on old outlines means relying on someone else's style.

Applying law to fact and arguing both sides is paramount. You can do that with a relatively small tool box of the law. It's applying basic doctrine in a sophisticated manner. No one needs an outline with 100 pages or 50 pages. It's about the big picture. Should you know the BLL? Yes. But most people outline and do all this shit because they feel like its the orthodoxy. I just disagree with the obsessive herd mentality you find in law school.

[Jsa725]

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[Bronck]

Applying law to fact and arguing both sides is paramount. You can do that with a relatively small tool box of the law. It's applying basic doctrine in a sophisticated manner. No one needs an outline with 100 pages or 50 pages. It's about the big picture. Should you know the BLL? Yes. But most people outline and do all this shit because they feel like its the orthodoxy. I just disagree with the obsessive herd mentality you find in law school.

this.

Agreed. I OL b/c it helps me learn and ingest the BLL.

Also, I'm this close to skipping the rest of crim law for the semester. The prof is fucking useless, I get nothing out of it. OLing + using Dressler + doing practice exams / reading his MAs seems like it'll do way more good for me

[LetsGoLAW]

I'm bothered by the students who raise their hands, make a point, the professor says "interesting," and they think they're the next Atticus Finch. Meanwhile, they're behind on cases, did not start outlining, and think "the bump" is coming their way. The fuck...

Bro, reading/outlining is a farce. Many ways to the top...but I agree their insights are futile.

Spending countless hours reading is a waste, but completely blowing off the casebook? These folks rely on supplements, nothing else. Concerning outlining, it is helpful to synthesize and refresh the information. Forces organization and spot weaknesses. Completely relying on old outlines means relying on someone else's style.

Applying law to fact and arguing both sides is paramount. You can do that with a relatively small tool box of the law. It's applying basic doctrine in a sophisticated manner. No one needs an outline with 100 pages or 50 pages. It's about the big picture. Should you know the BLL? Yes. But most people outline and do all this shit because they feel like its the orthodoxy. I just disagree with the obsessive herd mentality you find in law school.

I think you missed my point. I was referring to the two extremes. Those who a) gun by reading, briefing, outlining, always raising their hand and b) those who read a single online brief, use someone else's outline, and sit on G-Chat in class.

I think a mixed, "all the above approach" works. I picked up analytical skills reading cases. When I had the hang of it, I did not focus too much on it. Instead, time is better spent with PTs, CALI, and E&E problems. But to completely blow off the casebook?

With four weeks to go before finals, I have short outlines filled with my professor's preferences, policy, and a mixture of briefs, class notes, and supplements. Whatever works.

[Jsa725]

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[LetsGoLAW]

1st Exam APR 2013 30 TUE
19 DAYS 14 HOURS 17 MINUTES

Jsa, when are we gonna get all riled up?

[SportsFan]

Anyone else think substantive due process is actually pretty interesting?

[mephistopheles]

Anyone else think substantive due process is actually pretty interesting?

no.

[Jsa725]

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[SportsFan]

Anyone else think substantive due process is actually pretty interesting?

no.

I should have expected this response.

In unrelated news, I am going to (attempt) to outline estates and future interests tonight. This is going to be tough.

[Nova]

WE HAVE BUT A FEW SHORT WEEKS TO CHART THE COURSE OF OUR LIVES.... LETS DO IT AGAIN! ALMOST THE COMPLETION OF OUR 1L YEAR!!! LETS FUCKING DO THIS. GET ON IT!

YES!!!

THATS WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT!!!

RRAAAWWRRR!!!

[stillwater]

WE HAVE BUT A FEW SHORT WEEKS TO CHART THE COURSE OF OUR LIVES.... LETS DO IT AGAIN! ALMOST THE COMPLETION OF OUR 1L YEAR!!! LETS FUCKING DO THIS. GET ON IT!

YES!!!

THATS WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT!!!

RRAAAWWRRR!!!

This semester has me in a coma

[imjustjoking22]

....mehhhhhh....

[Birdnals]

Anyone else think substantive due process is actually pretty interesting?

no.

Fucking con-law is infuriating. It's like Civ Pro learning cases that are no longer legally relevant, but the SC doesn't have the common decency to overturn bullshit like the doctrine of nondeligable duties or the Lochner era so you are still expected to make those stupid arguments on exams.

[Nova]

The clock’s ticking, I just count the hours

[Nova]

Whats everybody getting into today?

Im gonna be OLing prop basically all day.

This semester has me in a coma

WAKE UP SW

[Bronck]

Whats everybody getting into today?

Im gonna be OLing prop basically all day.

This semester has me in a coma

WAKE UP SW

Reading supp for prop. So much content, can't get to the update of OL yet I feel like I'm really running against the clock.

[Danger Zone]

At the gym. Need dat motivation to get me started today.

[Jsa725]

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[Bronck]

Bronck... What property book you using?

CB? Merrill.
Supp? Sprankling, Understanding Prop + I scanned some future interests/RAP workbook that is highly regarded on here

[Jsa725]

.

[SportsFan]

Hey Nelson (or anyone who's taking property), you doing anything special to study for property? I'm not sure how much taking practice tests is gonna help for that, so I'm thinking that most of my study time should be spent learning all the different theories and BLL. I feel like since his questions are going to be pretty direct and not really open-ended, knowing the BLL well is gonna be key so you don't have to waste time thinking about it or looking it up in an outline.

I'm going to do what he recommended in class and go through his past exams and try to spot issues and the corresponding "normative values." Just try to figure out what kind of stuff he's likely to ask. I don't think our prof is going to worry too much about the nuances of the black letter law or try to trip us up with complicated future interest questions. But I feel like I have a pretty good handle on the rules and am weak on theory.

Sounds good. I feel like I don't know the rules at all, but I have them in my outline so I just need to memorize them. I tried to organize a lot of the theory in my outline last night (basically CRTL+F'd through my notes for all the terms he's mentioned), so hopefully that'll help.

[Bronck]

Bronck... What property book you using?

CB? Merrill.
Supp? Sprankling, Understanding Prop + I scanned some future interests/RAP workbook that is highly regarded on here

Nice... I also recommend Siegels b/c it has exam hypos + sample answers

Oh nice, that sounds helpful. Not sure I'm willing to dish out money now for it though. My friend sent me a bunch of old exams from his prop profs (with MAs), so I feel like that should [hopefully] be sufficient for sample exam purposes.

[Jsa725]

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[Jsa725]

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