TheSeaLocust's 1L Anxiety Meditation Retreat & Spa Forum

[justonemoregame]

I'm confused the germans bombed pearl harbor?

[TFALAWL]

Hey Mono, have you looked into CBT.... granted I'm not exactly a poster-child considering im below-median, but I took a 6-week clinic in college and I did notice about a 20% reduction in my anxiety.... so imo its pretty good bang for your buck - i plan on doing another clinic this semest

[nickb285]

..

[shifty_eyed]

By dogshit, do you mean B+s?

[BigZuck]

By dogshit, do you mean B+s?

Yeah, I was kind of wondering this myself

[rogers]

So uh, do y'all have any advice for a 21-year-old K-JD with absolute dogshit grades and literally nothing else to fall back on who sort of staked his entire life this, because the thought of copping Biglaw was sort of the only positive thing happening in his world as long as he was able to do better than dogshit?

I'm sort of looking for a halftime speech where a football coach has to figure out what to say to a team that's down 35-0, only they have no idea what they did wrong, and they have to go out and play the second half when there's a 98% chance that they'll wish they had just packed up and gone home instead. Either that or a hug.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG_f1GzmwHo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMVmhI1SUq0

I've always been partial to this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO4tIrjBDkk

[brotherdarkness]

.

[Mal Reynolds]

I just listen to the Independence Day speech every morning.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Yeah, I did say that, no worries brother. If I could redo anything in my life it would be the two days preceding my Torts exam. Knew I had fucked that one up immediately. I thought I put together a K's exam worth at least an A-. No go. I haven't gotten CivPro back yet but at this point I'm not holding my breath for the A I desperately need. I thought I had the other two classes down pretty well but I've got focus, motivation and organization issues to work on. It's definitely all on the table. I don't know what exactly I'll have to do but I will fucking do it. I appreciate the advice brother.

In a similar vein - I think I remember you posting about the focus/motivation/organization stuff as well. Would you consider talking to a counselor at school? I'm quite sure they deal with this kind of thing all the time, and the work stuff/emotional stuff get really tied together. (I don't mean this as a comment on your mental health generally at all - just that it can be really helpful to talk to someone about coping strategies, it's not always just a function of trying to power through on willpower. I say this as someone has had major procrastination issues.)[/quote]

No worries brother. I've been seeing one for anxiety and depression since October. I'm still going to talk to them because I've found it useful to try and vocalize some of this stuff, so that I can pinpoint concerns that were previously amorphous. The counselors seem a little off-point when it comes to practical application, though:

Me: "I'm just worried that this lack of focus is going to be harmful to me academically."
Moderately Attentive Lady: "Mm-hmm. And how does that make you feel?"
Me: "...worried."
Moderately Attentive Lady: (as though I'm a third grader) "Well, that's gotta stink, doesn't it?"
Me: "Well, yeah, but I was wondering if you had any advice for how to help me focus more efficiently."
Moderately Attentive Lady: (long pause) "Why don't you tell me about traumatic events from your childhood?"[/quote]
Ha. Yeah, that can be the problem. To be fair, sometimes it's because the counselor really does want/need to know what's going on in your head before being able to get to coping strategies. And sometimes it's because it's just not a good match. But sending you best wishes that things get better.

[rogers]

Grades start rolling in T-Minus 24 hours. Trying to remind myself that my self worth is not determined by three little letters, but it's hard. Law school becomes nearly all consuming during 1L and without much else going on our lives it's easy to think that grades are it.

[KD35]

So uh, do y'all have any advice for a 21-year-old K-JD with absolute dogshit grades and literally nothing else to fall back on who sort of staked his entire life this, because the thought of copping Biglaw was sort of the only positive thing happening in his world as long as he was able to do better than dogshit?

I'm sort of looking for a halftime speech where a football coach has to figure out what to say to a team that's down 35-0, only they have no idea what they did wrong, and they have to go out and play the second half when there's a 98% chance that they'll wish they had just packed up and gone home instead. Either that or a hug.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG_f1GzmwHo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMVmhI1SUq0

I've always been partial to this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO4tIrjBDkk

Not a halftime speech but this was my pre-exam video of motivation and it worked pretty well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6wRkzCW5qI‎

[brotherdarkness]

.

[KD35]

Grades start rolling in T-Minus 24 hours. Trying to remind myself that my self worth is not determined by three little letters, but it's hard. Law school becomes nearly all consuming during 1L and without much else going on our lives it's easy to think that grades are it.

Booze in hand while checking is TCR.

Booze is usually TCR for most situations in law school, from what I'm learning.

[sublime]

..

[Easy-E]

Still only one grade, fucking ugh.

Feels like September all over again, I have no idea what I'm supposed to know in con law. Feels like a history class. Also I'm slightly freaking out about the no-laptop policy for both my substantive classes (con and civ pro). I have shit-tier handwriting, I hold the pen wrong, and I get this weird impatience when I have to write where I'll just write the first few letters and just scribble the rest. Or I just skip ahead letters. It's truly godawful handwriting. On the other hand, I type at above average speed last I checked, and OneNote made it so easy to add/remove things as I needed. Now it's a fucking mess. Plus I can't have the briefs up anymore. I genuinely think I'm going to do worse because of this. Ugh.

And no grades.

[sublime]

..

[Easy-E]

Still only one grade, fucking ugh.

Feels like September all over again, I have no idea what I'm supposed to know in con law. Feels like a history class. Also I'm slightly freaking out about the no-laptop policy for both my substantive classes (con and civ pro). I have shit-tier handwriting, I hold the pen wrong, and I get this weird impatience when I have to write where I'll just write the first few letters and just scribble the rest. Or I just skip ahead letters. It's truly godawful handwriting. On the other hand, I type at above average speed last I checked, and OneNote made it so easy to add/remove things as I needed. Now it's a fucking mess. Plus I can't have the briefs up anymore. I genuinely think I'm going to do worse because of this. Ugh.

And no grades.

All 6 of my substantive classes are no laptop this year. And I have some of the similar problems that you do, although not as bad it doesn't sound like.

What I typically do: Copy canned brief into OneNote, print, take to class, so you have it both places. In the beginning of last semester, I took a few minutes after every class to transcribe my notes, which helped me learn it. It didn't take long for me to get lazy and stop doing that though.

Also, fuck around with different pens, I find that there is a range of resistance where my handwriting isn't QUITE as bad as it typically is.

The pens I have right now suck actually, they tend to smudge and generally write unevenly. It's incredibly frustrating to be told you can't use a laptop in class as a 25 year old. I pay rent, I have a 401k, I have a college degree (albeit a useless one), but I'm not responsible enough to be allowed to use a laptop in class. Both my professors make the argument "it makes for a more lively class". Really? Because it's just been blank stares every time you pose a question to the class. We're paying to be here, if someone wants to dick around on Reddit and bomb the class, that's his prerogative. Yes I mad. /rant

[beepboopbeep]

The pens I have right now suck actually, they tend to smudge and generally write unevenly. It's incredibly frustrating to be told you can't use a laptop in class as a 25 year old. I pay rent, I have a 401k, I have a college degree (albeit a useless one), but I'm not responsible enough to be allowed to use a laptop in class. Both my professors make the argument "it makes for a more lively class". Really? Because it's just been blank stares every time you pose a question to the class. We're paying to be here, if someone wants to dick around on Reddit and bomb the class, that's his prerogative. Yes I mad. /rant

Protip on writing implements:

Fountain: http://www.amazon.com/Lamy-Fountain-Cha ... extra+fine with Noodler's ink

Rollerball: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002FSZP5A/?tag=thewire06-20

Pencil: http://www.amazon.com/Rotring-Barrel-Me ... otring+600

All of my classes let us use laptops, but my personal preference is to handwrite everything. Having good tools helps immensely.

[lunaraeon]

The pens I have right now suck actually, they tend to smudge and generally write unevenly. It's incredibly frustrating to be told you can't use a laptop in class as a 25 year old. I pay rent, I have a 401k, I have a college degree (albeit a useless one), but I'm not responsible enough to be allowed to use a laptop in class. Both my professors make the argument "it makes for a more lively class". Really? Because it's just been blank stares every time you pose a question to the class. We're paying to be here, if someone wants to dick around on Reddit and bomb the class, that's his prerogative. Yes I mad. /rant

Protip on writing implements:

Fountain: http://www.amazon.com/Lamy-Fountain-Cha ... extra+fine with Noodler's ink

Rollerball: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002FSZP5A/?tag=thewire06-20

Pencil: http://www.amazon.com/Rotring-Barrel-Me ... otring+600

All of my classes let us use laptops, but my personal preference is to handwrite everything. Having good tools helps immensely.

+1 for Lamy pens. I was using a Safari for last semester until I lost it during an exam, now I have an Al-Star and it's even better. (And I've had no problems with Diamine ink, if you want a specific colour unavailable in Noodler's.) Pilot's Metropolitan fountain pen is also pretty fantastic, and looks spiffy, despite being relatively inexpensive.
Short plug for Circa notebooks, as well. Moving pages around is the best.

[Monochromatic Oeuvre]

A short summary of "Mono and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad 1L Year":

-Mono gets literally sick to his stomach when he hasn't finished his reading.
-The girl Mono likes might literally not know his name.
-Mono's beloved football team not only finishes 3-13, but also does not have its first-round pick, having traded it for a guy on one leg.
-Mono's last grade comes in and cements his awful GPA, making him pants-shittingly terrified of striking out at OCI. On the same day, he hears a guy and a girl loudly debating whether Skadden (which she is headed for) is better, or whether SullCrom (his destination) is. He contemplates assault for a much longer time than one should.

Get your copy of this exciting thriller today. $19.95 plus shipping and handling.

[smaug_]

A short summary of "Mono and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad 1L Year":

-Mono gets literally sick to his stomach when he hasn't finished his reading.
-The girl Mono likes might literally not know his name.
-Mono's beloved football team not only finishes 3-13, but also does not have its first-round pick, having traded it for a guy on one leg.
-Mono's last grade comes in and cements his awful GPA, making him pants-shittingly terrified of striking out at OCI. On the same day, he hears a guy and a girl loudly debating whether Skadden (which she is headed for) is better, or whether SullCrom (his destination) is. He contemplates assault for a much longer time than one should.

Get your copy of this exciting thriller today. $19.95 plus shipping and handling.

Shhhh. Everything will be OK. You have another term to work on your GPA. It is way too early to worry about jobs stuff. Talk to the girl. Everything will be OK.

In the words of someone smarter than I:

"Keep cool but care."

[skers]

A short summary of "Mono and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad 1L Year":

-Mono gets literally sick to his stomach when he hasn't finished his reading.
-The girl Mono likes might literally not know his name.
-Mono's beloved football team not only finishes 3-13, but also does not have its first-round pick, having traded it for a guy on one leg.
-Mono's last grade comes in and cements his awful GPA, making him pants-shittingly terrified of striking out at OCI. On the same day, he hears a guy and a girl loudly debating whether Skadden (which she is headed for) is better, or whether SullCrom (his destination) is. He contemplates assault for a much longer time than one should.

Get your copy of this exciting thriller today. $19.95 plus shipping and handling.

That's silly. Skadden is definitely better than SullCrom. Not nearly as gunnerish.



Really though, you're going to be ok. Take up a productive hobby. Like drinking.

[Presidentjlh]

I am at least one of the people on THE cutoff. Going to be an anxious semester, since I can't even drop one spot.

Welcome to the club, brother, lol.

I'm not frightened by this. I will work harder, do things I didn't do right the first semester right this time. No need to fear it right now.

You'll do fine as well.

[jbagelboy]

A short summary of "Mono and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad 1L Year":

-Mono gets literally sick to his stomach when he hasn't finished his reading.
-The girl Mono likes might literally not know his name.
-Mono's beloved football team not only finishes 3-13, but also does not have its first-round pick, having traded it for a guy on one leg.
-Mono's last grade comes in and cements his awful GPA, making him pants-shittingly terrified of striking out at OCI. On the same day, he hears a guy and a girl loudly debating whether Skadden (which she is headed for) is better, or whether SullCrom (his destination) is. He contemplates assault for a much longer time than one should.

Get your copy of this exciting thriller today. $19.95 plus shipping and handling.

Now Im going to ask you repeatedly for the identity of this mystery girl

[sublime]

..