What are the top 5 tips you would give an incoming 1L?` Forum

[keg411]

BTW, I'd agree that preparing for class is important. I just figure everyone knows to do the assigned reading and at least take some notes.

Also, I am bored and avoiding write on.

This .

[Thirteen]

Don't feel guilty about taking a night off from studying.

[Kilpatrick]

I disagree with the overarching "don't worry about class preparation - focus on exams" mantra that permeates here. Sure, you don't need to know the color of the defendants hair or just how high her dress was when she was assaulted but you need to know the cases, and how your teacher feels about them - the only way to do this is to prepare effectively for class (or spend 2-3 hours a week in office hours and see your grade decreased for obnoxious gunnerism). This all holds especially true if your teacher wrote the textbook. I am not advocating only focusing on class but it is certainly more appropriate than the peple out here make it out to be.

I will qualify this by saying that it depends on the professor. Some f my professors got wet over the textbooks/material they use and seemingly wrote exams with the book/class materials in front of them; for these cases class preparation definitely helped me answer some questions on the exam. Other profs didn't even use the casebook and has us read random shit he pulled off westlaw; for his class I used e+e + treatise + lots and lots of work (granted this was Civ Pro). Also, I am bored and avoiding write on.

Eh. To me preparing effectively for class means skimming the case and understanding the holding and why we read the case. Then I pay attention in class and take notes on what the professor says. But if I get called on to answer how much money was involved in a contract I will likely answer that I have no idea.

[Cupidity]

I forgot the most important rule of all:

1. No sectioncest
&
2. Beware Library Goggles.

[aliarrow]

.

[skw]

Tag.

Thanks to everyone for taking time to post advice.

[keg411]

I forgot the most important rule of all:

1. No sectioncest
&
2. Beware Library Goggles.

Killed my entire gameplan. Aren't the sections pretty big at BU?

If you really want to do the law school hook up thing - the best bets are upperclassmen, or people who AREN'T in your section that you don't have to see every day.

[JJDancer]

Tag.

Thanks to everyone for taking time to post advice.

[uwb09]

One tip: Take a few minutes and really think about why you're going to law school. It's okay if you don't have a solid answer, but think about what you want to get out of it. And when you're faced with decisions about what to pursue while in school, stop and think about it. Law school can get to be one big rat race, with people all gunning for the same grades and the same law review and journal spots and clinical spots and the same prestigious jobs and clerkships. It's easy to lose the forest for the trees. Before you kill yourself gunning for one brass ring or another, stop and think about what's going to make you happy and whether you're just doing it because everyone else is.

+1 for this

[Borhas]

As far as reading the cases, notes, etc... there's a significant learning curve involved in legal arguments... So all these tips may be useful, but to a certain extent you have to become proficient at reading law before you can really take the more efficient short cuts, so some of the tips won't make a whole lot of sense until after you put in your work. For your first semester I recommend you do all the early readings if you have time... later on in the semester when you've already become a quicker reader you can start skimming or even skipping assignments. The only person that will really know when you are ready to make the switch is yourself (though time pressure and stress may push you to make that choice anyway)

Furthermore some profs will want you to cite the rules you use on your exam. That means you may have to actually know the cases... but I've found that this sort of style is very rare. For the most part citing the rules you apply doesn't really get you any points.

[random5483]

1. Read 1L by Scott Turrow. It will scare you to death and get you prepared to put those insane hours in each week.

That booked sucked ass. It only made me want to punch him in his whiny face.

5. Prepare for EVERY class, go to EVERY class, and turn off the internet and pay attention/take notes in EVERY class. You should have a maximum 2 or so hours of free time a day for meals, exercise, TV (although I had a wife to make this happen). The rest of the day should be filled with briefing, outlining, going to class, practice exams. NO REGRETS. You never want to ask: what would have happened if I had spent that Saturday studying?

This is the worst advice I have ever heard. If you want to go bugfuck nuts, then follow this. Otherwise, find a nice balance.

Don't help anyone. Its graded on a curve, their success is your downfall. People will ask you to help them understand future interests, the rule of lenity, etc. Say "I don't know". No sharing of outlines, tutoring your friends, etc.

You're a fucking bag of cock. Die in a fire.

Your opinion about this guy may be very legit. But be thankful that he's telling you this. He's giving you a dose of reality. Contrary t what this website may tell you, his approach is very very common.

His approach is common for some students. However, success in law school is based on "smart studying" and not "excessive studying." I did the basic reading/book briefing/notes in class most of the semester. My notes were taken like outlines so I had to spend very little time each week outlining. Overall, I had plenty of free time and law school was basically a 40 hour a week commitment or so. The only time when law school gets hectic is right around 1 month before finals (legal writing memos, practice exams, finalizing outlines, excessive studying, and so on). There are exceptions to every rule, and many people spend all day studying and succeed. However, studying a lot will not get you good grades unless you are studying smart, but studying smart will get you decent grades even if you don't study a lot.

Don't get me wrong, at the end of finals I was really tired due to studying like I had never studied before (both semesters). However, outside of those two months of my 1L year (1 month before each final), I worked less than when I held a full-time job.

[JollyGreenGiant]

I would disagree with a lot of these (i.e. YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE TO OUTLINE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COURSE!! or USE X SUPPLEMENT or DON'T USE ANY SUPPLEMENTS) as some of these things are entirely dependent on the person. Here are 5 things that everyone should do.

1. Stay on top of reading --- your class notes will suffer if you do not.
2. Take practice exams -- I recommend all possible but at least take some.
3. Get enough sleep -- there is no reason, if you balance your schedule correctly, that you should be getting less than 7 hours of sleep a night if you want it.
4. Go to class -- kind of self-explanatory.
5. Socialize -- caveat: don't socialize so that you're neglecting either of the other 4 points. However, you will be much happier if you socialize with others rather than slaving away staring at legal doctrine all day.

[emorystud2010]

[ My adventure

[dixiecupdrinking]

Also: Be skeptical of anyone who tells you there is a correct way to succeed in school, or that their particular advice is necessary to doing well. There are no "right" strategies, there are only strategies that have worked and haven't worked for specific people.

[beachbum]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. Great stuff.

[Moxie]

I forgot the most important rule of all:

1. No sectioncest
&
2. Beware Library Goggles.

Killed my entire gameplan. Aren't the sections pretty big at BU?

If you really want to do the law school hook up thing - the best bets are upperclassmen, or people who AREN'T in your section that you don't have to see every day.

+infintity. UG girls are much better looking, fit, and less annoying. The lack of maturity is a small price to pay.

[northwood]

any tips for how to avoid sectionest, especially when the goggles come on?

[Moxie]

any tips for how to avoid sectionest, especially when the goggles come on?

Embrace it, and then the next day, drink so much alcohol that you forget about your indiscretion.

[holeinone600]

useful stuff

[schmohawk]

1. Don't freak out, it's still just school. (Remind yourself of this periodically throughout the semester)

2. Don't be afraid to ask a question in class. I think some people are afraid to sound like a gunner, but that's not gunning. Gunning needs no definition because it's just so plainly obvious when it happens. You'll see it the first week from the kid(s) who raise their hands at every opportunity. Avoid that. But ask questions if you got 'em. (Obviously, your internal social cue should alert you if the particular question would be better asked after class, but if it's relevant to the discussion, and hasn't been addressed, it should be welcomed).

3. If you've kept up with the reading, followed along in class discussions, and just have the feeling that you "get it", that means you get it. Come finals time, don't let others scare you with their outline/notes/flash cards. Everyone retains information differently. Just relax and answer the question.
3.1. But as others have said, you will need to practice your typing speed. Don't underestimate this. 3 hours will absolutely fly by in the course of an exam. I guess take practice tests; I didn't, but it probably would've bumped my top 25% ranking to top 15% or higher.

4. Understand that your family and friends are happy for you, but save for maybe your mom, they don't want to hear about how much reading you have to do via Facebook. It's pretentious, annoying, and you'll look like a complete tool.

5. I've ran out of things to say. Good luck guys.

[pkt63]

I imagine it varies, but what are office hours like? Everyone gives the advice to go to office hours and if even half the students take the advice, isn't it just like 15-30 people all vying for the professor's attention? Not that I wouldn't go, but I don't relish the idea of standing in line to ask my questions, when the best way to get to know someone really is in a more casual environment.

[yngblkgifted]

1. Don't freak out, it's still just school. (Remind yourself of this periodically throughout the semester)

2. Don't be afraid to ask a question in class. I think some people are afraid to sound like a gunner, but that's not gunning. Gunning needs no definition because it's just so plainly obvious when it happens. You'll see it the first week from the kid(s) who raise their hands at every opportunity. Avoid that. But ask questions if you got 'em. (Obviously, your internal social cue should alert you if the particular question would be better asked after class, but if it's relevant to the discussion, and hasn't been addressed, it should be welcomed).

3. If you've kept up with the reading, followed along in class discussions, and just have the feeling that you "get it", that means you get it. Come finals time, don't let others scare you with their outline/notes/flash cards. Everyone retains information differently. Just relax and answer the question.
3.1. But as others have said, you will need to practice your typing speed. Don't underestimate this. 3 hours will absolutely fly by in the course of an exam. I guess take practice tests; I didn't, but it probably would've bumped my top 25% ranking to top 15% or higher.

4. Understand that your family and friends are happy for you, but save for maybe your mom, they don't want to hear about how much reading you have to do via Facebook. It's pretentious, annoying, and you'll look like a complete tool. 5. I've ran out of things to say. Good luck guys.

Wow. That's the really shit you've ever wrote, and I don't even know you. I HATE when people do this!

[northwood]

I imagine it varies, but what are office hours like? Everyone gives the advice to go to office hours and if even half the students take the advice, isn't it just like 15-30 people all vying for the professor's attention? Not that I wouldn't go, but I don't relish the idea of standing in line to ask my questions, when the best way to get to know someone really is in a more casual environment.

if you have a question but dont want to stand on line for it- send an email to the professor

[Ty Webb]

One thing that I would add is to have a sufficient understanding of the underlying concepts of the course. As exams roll around, much of the focus will be on the black letter law, and rightfully so. But you need to make sure that - somehow, someway - you tie it all together and understand the foundation. Supplements can be especially helpful for this. I believe this is important for two reasons:

1) It will allow you the ability to make better arguments using the black letter law when the exam comes along. You'll see more angles and this is important on exams that are designed to exploit the lines between applicable doctrines.

2) Likewise, it's a good safety net. There is bound to come a time on an exam where you aren't exactly sure how something applies. If you have a solid understanding of the subject's primary goals, then you can piece together the applicable law.

[Sean1269]

1) Make your own outline, use other peoples' to check against your own

2) Outline and memorize early. Reason being it makes finals sessions easier. Second reason is it allows you to hedge your bets in case you fall ill during finals, at least you have a good chunk memorized then.

3) Exercise during the semester and try and eat healthy, solve the obesity problem

4) Read the casebook and treat every case like a mini-exam

5) Preferably type your briefs, because it will increase your typing speed over the course of the semester