0L Disclaimer: Anyone enjoy their summer prep? Forum

[SwollenMonkey]

Alright, I'm a dork...please don't hate.

I've halfway done with GTM and Delaney's, and I've speed read Law School Confidential and PLS in the library. Anyways, I'm really enjoying Delaney's Learning Legal Reasoning, and GTM makes law exams seem pretty exciting actually. I'm reading through the opinions on there and picking out the key issues seems to come naturally for me. I really think I will enjoy reading cases and putting them together to understand the law. I can also see how initially, briefing a few cases would be helpful, but down the road, it could be a waste of time. Yes, I know I am a loser.

My question is, are these cases representative of the ones you read once you get going in class? Or are these easy cases Delaney picked out just for beginners? All the horror stories about how hard law school is suddenly have less weight right now, but I don't want to get my hopes up. I've even read the first three chapters of Glannon's Civ Pro E&E, and it seems like fairly easy stuff to grasp.

I found GTM more informative after reading a few EEs. I've read the EE on Civ Pro, Property, Crim Law, Torts, and Contracts.

Also, I'm fascinated by the fact that I now know that going to the barbershop for a haircut can be viewed as a contract.

Please continue posting into your second semester when you become so burnt out that you start going out 4 nights a week and get straight Cs.

I'm sure I'll be smoking weed in law school to relieve stress, and I won't let myself get low gra.....(stops before he jinxes himself).

[JCougar]

The problem with your approach is making you THINK you're understanding things like thinking like a lawyer. It's better to have anxiety and be worried about what you're going to face in law school than have a false sense of security about how much you understand.

I don't think I have a false sense of security. I also disagree that anxiety is helpful. Maybe it is for some people, but not for me. I know it's going to be hard, I know what I need to do, so I don't think anxiety is going to do anything but make me enjoy life less. Anxiety is a poor motivator for me. I'd rather try to make myself like law school as much as I can. Either way, you have to put in the work. But you can put in the work while being less anxious.

[Kobe_Teeth]

I thought threads like this were supposed to draw the ban-hammer?

[keg411]

GTM was actually on the "some things to read this summer if you feel like it" list that my law school sent out (along with a couple of non-fiction narrative books, like "The Nine" and "One L" both of which I actually read before getting the pack from my school in the mail; those are definitely more along the lines of fun books that don't teach you anything about how to approach law school). LSC and PLS were not included on this list and the ONLY thing even semi-related to actual school performance was GTM.

Personally, I get the point of GTM (as Mallard said: "analyze everything from all angles in the following diffent ways..."), but I think the narrative is boring and I stalled after the first few chapters (though I'll probably make time to finish before school). My "prep" has included working at my job, a scheduled 3 day weekend vacation and playing on the internet .

[SwollenMonkey]

I thought threads like this were supposed to draw the ban-hammer?

What's wrong with this thread?

[Kobe_Teeth]

I thought threads like this were supposed to draw the ban-hammer?

What's wrong with this thread?

Nothing really. I was just being bitter (coming off a week in the penalty box). And actually I should change ban-hammer to locked.

But I was referring to this thread:
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=120714

[Kobe_Teeth]

But to answer the thread, why yes, I am enjoying my 0L prep. I'm on summer vacation where I have been drinking, eating, running, playing hockey, reading Getting to Maybe, LEEWS, perusing the E&E's and trolling TLS!

And staying up late playing FIFA! Liverpool FTW!

However, next week I have to teach summer school. Boooooooooooooooooooo.

[LoyolaLaw2012]

It's better to have anxiety and be worried about what you're going to face in law school than have a false sense of security about how much you understand.

Good advice for OP.

[Miniver]

...

[jay115]

JCougar, don't apologize for being excited. I'm excited as well. I've read PLS and found it mostly useless except for helpful reading suggestions. I have also started GTM.

I'm not trying to learn anything but rather i'm just trying to give myself a super-broad overview of LS in general. Yeah, yeah, I know LS sucks and it's the worst decision ever but i figure doing a bit of general reading about LS is better than not doing anything at all...

Also, upcoming 2Ls, do you suppose working attorneys look down on you with as much condescension as you look down on OL's?

god i hope so. an OL merely states he's excited for law school after reading some law school primers, all these current bitter law school students come out of the woodwork. clearly, some current law school students need a re-primer in reading comprehension. excited for law school =/= slacking off once law school starts.

[jayn3]

JCougar, don't apologize for being excited. I'm excited as well. I've read PLS and found it mostly useless except for helpful reading suggestions. I have also started GTM.

I'm not trying to learn anything but rather i'm just trying to give myself a super-broad overview of LS in general. Yeah, yeah, I know LS sucks and it's the worst decision ever but i figure doing a bit of general reading about LS is better than not doing anything at all...

Also, upcoming 2Ls, do you suppose working attorneys look down on you with as much condescension as you look down on OL's?

god i hope so. an OL merely states he's exited for law school after reading some law school primers, all these current bitter law school students come out of the woodwork. clearly, some current law school students need a re-primer in reading comprehension. excited for law school =/= slacking off once law school starts.

they only hate us for being happy. they were once happy. then they went to law school. now they are no longer happy and feel like making the rest of us suffer along with them.

perfectly understandable. i'm excited to join their ranks

[Miniver]

...

[prezidentv8]

JCougar, don't apologize for being excited. I'm excited as well. I've read PLS and found it mostly useless except for helpful reading suggestions. I have also started GTM.

I'm not trying to learn anything but rather i'm just trying to give myself a super-broad overview of LS in general. Yeah, yeah, I know LS sucks and it's the worst decision ever but i figure doing a bit of general reading about LS is better than not doing anything at all...

Also, upcoming 2Ls, do you suppose working attorneys look down on you with as much condescension as you look down on OL's?

god i hope so. an OL merely states he's exited for law school after reading some law school primers, all these current bitter law school students come out of the woodwork. clearly, some current law school students need a re-primer in reading comprehension. excited for law school =/= slacking off once law school starts.

they only hate us for being happy. they were once happy. then they went to law school. now they are no longer happy and feel like making the rest of us suffer along with them.

perfectly understandable. i'm excited to join their ranks

heyyy im happy

[UFstudent]

Seems like we need to prep for all the douchebaggery that upperclassmen seem to have.
What books will help with that?

[maxpayne]

0Ls: You think you understand GTM. You think you understand the Civil Procedure E&E. Newsflash: You don't. Don't believe me?
Try taking a real exam: http://www.wcl.american.edu/exams/exam_ ... ourse_id=8

Go ahead. Utilize your profound knowledge of Civil Procedure acquired from your diligent reading of the E&E. And apply those insightful techniques given to you by GTM and Delaney to tackle those problems!

...Or realize you don't know jack. And next, realize that particular exam covers only half the material taught in most Civil Procedure classes.

Now please, stop telling us how much you enjoy "learning" the law.

Holy fuck. I need to withdraw asap from law school. There is no fucking way.

[Always Credited]

Seems like we need to prep for all the douchebaggery that upperclassmen seem to have.
What books will help with that?

step 1: read TLS
step 2: learn to differentiate between funny-cynical 2L/3L's who want to help, and annoying assholes who don't.
step 3: apply in law school, pick friends accordingly.

[macattaq]

This thread: LOLz.

[wildflower]

I agree with one of the first posters who said that it's not a matter of how much you know compared to somebody else.. its the fact that a single exam with all these other people creates this bizarro group mentality where anxiety is infection.
In light of that, I actually think that zealous summer prep done in the name of helping get one prepared, feel calmer as it starts.. actually shows that one is JUST the person who will be most susceptible to those group anxieties! Only find peace from inside yo'self..

[bedbathandbeheadings]

Alright, I'm a dork...please don't hate.

I've halfway done with GTM and Delaney's, and I've speed read Law School Confidential and PLS in the library. Anyways, I'm really enjoying Delaney's Learning Legal Reasoning, and GTM makes law exams seem pretty exciting actually. I'm reading through the opinions on there and picking out the key issues seems to come naturally for me. I really think I will enjoy reading cases and putting them together to understand the law. I can also see how initially, briefing a few cases would be helpful, but down the road, it could be a waste of time. Yes, I know I am a loser.

My question is, are these cases representative of the ones you read once you get going in class? Or are these easy cases Delaney picked out just for beginners? All the horror stories about how hard law school is suddenly have less weight right now, but I don't want to get my hopes up. I've even read the first three chapters of Glannon's Civ Pro E&E, and it seems like fairly easy stuff to grasp.

You should save this post and read it in November when your final memo is due, you're outlining, and you still have to read/prep for class.

Or after 1L when he's below median and making plans to move back in with his parents.

[Other25BeforeYou]

Alright, I'm a dork...please don't hate.

I've halfway done with GTM and Delaney's, and I've speed read Law School Confidential and PLS in the library. Anyways, I'm really enjoying Delaney's Learning Legal Reasoning, and GTM makes law exams seem pretty exciting actually. I'm reading through the opinions on there and picking out the key issues seems to come naturally for me. I really think I will enjoy reading cases and putting them together to understand the law. I can also see how initially, briefing a few cases would be helpful, but down the road, it could be a waste of time. Yes, I know I am a loser.

My question is, are these cases representative of the ones you read once you get going in class? Or are these easy cases Delaney picked out just for beginners? All the horror stories about how hard law school is suddenly have less weight right now, but I don't want to get my hopes up. I've even read the first three chapters of Glannon's Civ Pro E&E, and it seems like fairly easy stuff to grasp.

I don't know which cases are in Delaney, but they are probably representative of some but not all cases you will read in law school. The first case we read for Civ Pro in my school was Sibbach v. Wilson (http://supreme.justia.com/us/312/1/case.html). I had no idea what was going on until we discussed it in class, and even then I was still fairly mystified. You probably will be mystified at times too.

Despite all the cynicism in this thread, though, you might absolutely love law school. Some of us do. Despite fears, anxieties, and some confusion, my 1L year was pretty much my favorite year of my life since I was eight or nine. It was awesome. I seriously can't wait for classes to start again. But I wouldn't take an interest in your summer prep as a sign that this will be the case. I think you won't really know until you sink your teeth in.

Good luck!

[mikeytwoshoes]

Also, I'm fascinated by the fact that I now know that going to the barbershop for a haircut can be viewed as a contract.

The rest of us knew this long ago. It's just so...fascinating that you didn't know that.

FTFY

[SwollenMonkey]

Also, I'm fascinated by the fact that I now know that going to the barbershop for a haircut can be viewed as a contract.

The rest of us knew this long ago. It's just so...fascinating that you didn't know that.

FTFY

+1!

[rejectmaster]

why don't you just hang out for the summer?

i've tried to teach myself a lot of things and while i manage a way to do some of them i invariably pick up bad habits and have to relearn the more efficient way

piano for example - i had played for three years and when i received my first lesson my teacher wanted to kill herself

[BunkMoreland]

Seems like we need to prep for all the douchebaggery that upperclassmen seem to have.
What books will help with that?

The "Hey I never actually see these guys except on the rare bar review night" book

[UFstudent]

Seems like we need to prep for all the douchebaggery that upperclassmen seem to have.
What books will help with that?

The "Hey I never actually see these guys except on the rare bar review night" book

No, these people are in your class. They fill all open discussions with bitterness. Not like I'm only sunshine and roses but bitterness seems overwhelming on TLS. I thought 98% of people went to law school to change the world ( or at least wrote that on their personal statements). So I wonder if TLS is just filled with members on the extreme and not a true sample of law school students.