Is there a different feel to second semester's classes? Forum

[trickydicky]

I am getting a totally different feeling this semester from last semester. The start of the year everyone wanted to talk and try to prove themselves.

Now it seems like a lot of people are willing just to "mail in the semester." I am guessing that first semester grades did not go the way that they hoped.....

Any thoughts?

[trickydicky]

the lack of grades is ridiculous. Sorry beta and all who are still hanging in the wind.

[jp0094]

This semester certainly seems less fun to me. Fall semester was torts, crim, and contracts and now I'm stuck with civ pro, property, con law, and IP (where we have to read full opinions & there is no casebook). So I'm enjoying the work a lot less atm. On the other hand, classes seem to be more active as a result of what I assume to be (1) people getting bad grades and now, as a knee-jerk reaction, volunteering a lot; and (2) that "scared to be called on" mentality is effectively eliminated.

But I know what you mean about the "feel." This semester has been decidedly worse (less fun, at times boring, less motivation) for me so far even though I got good grades. I'm hoping once classes get past the introductory parts, i.e. reading Marbury for the 5th+ time in my life, the semester will improve.

[joobacca]

This semester certainly seems less fun to me. Fall semester was torts, crim, and contracts and now I'm stuck with civ pro, property, con law, and IP (where we have to read full opinions & there is no casebook). So I'm enjoying the work a lot less atm. On the other hand, classes seem to be more active as a result of what I assume to be (1) people getting bad grades and now, as a knee-jerk reaction, volunteering a lot; and (2) that "scared to be called on" mentality is effectively eliminated.

But I know what you mean about the "feel." This semester has been decidedly worse (less fun, at times boring, less motivation) for me so far even though I got good grades. I'm hoping once classes get past the introductory parts, i.e. reading Marbury for the 5th+ time in my life, the semester will improve.

civ pro, property, and con law at once truly awful

[solidsnake]

Still in my first week and already loaded w/ reading. I certainly don't remember 1st semester starting off this way. That said, the knowledge and analytical skill gleaned from 1st semester definitely informs class discussion and case study in 2nd semester (at least so far). In other words, say what you will about the Langdell methodology, I think it's working.

[thexfactor]

This semester certainly seems less fun to me. Fall semester was torts, crim, and contracts and now I'm stuck with civ pro, property, con law, and IP (where we have to read full opinions & there is no casebook). So I'm enjoying the work a lot less atm. On the other hand, classes seem to be more active as a result of what I assume to be (1) people getting bad grades and now, as a knee-jerk reaction, volunteering a lot; and (2) that "scared to be called on" mentality is effectively eliminated.

But I know what you mean about the "feel." This semester has been decidedly worse (less fun, at times boring, less motivation) for me so far even though I got good grades. I'm hoping once classes get past the introductory parts, i.e. reading Marbury for the 5th+ time in my life, the semester will improve.

civ pro, property, and con law at once truly awful

I have the same schedule

[tome]

Civ Pro and Property were probably my two favorite classes last semester!

[Aeroplane]

I talked a lot fall semester, probably too much. I haven't talked at all in class this semester and don't think I will much (although that could change). I don't have any grades yet. The reasons for the difference are:

1) Last semester I had two small classes (~45 people) and one large one (~90). This semester I have three large classes. I don't like to talk when there are that many people. I rarely talked in the large class last semester.

2) Last semester all of my professors encouraged relatively vigorous discussion & volunteering. This semester 2 of my 3 profs lecture from powerpoint, and all 3 move smoothly from cold call to cold call w/o really leaving much room for volunteers. I don't know if I've seen a single volunteer this semester come to think of it.

3) The novelty has worn off some. I still really enjoy studing law, but it's not like fall when, after 4 years out of school and 8 years away from meaningful reading/writing/discussion (I was an engineering major), I was super excited to be in class and thought every day was like the awesomest thing ever.

Edit: actually I did take a few humanities/soc sci classes in UG w/some cool reading & discussion. So less than 8 years. And I did night school last year, but that was all math-y stuff. Anyway, point is law classes were totally novel in the fall, not as much now.

[sperry]

My classes are all weird and boring this semester. Last semester they were boring too, but at least they were somewhat straight forward. Plus a major legal writing assignment as a welcome back present. I love it.

[Leeroy Jenkins]

There is a silent desperation pervading the entire class. People are unsatisfied with their grades (unless you're one of the lucky 1 out of 10) and they know that unless they step it up, they will be unable to find jobs at OCI this summer. However, people who did reasonably well are looking at the percentile cutoffs from previous years and realize that GPAs increased from Fall semester to Spring semester--they will have to do better than last semester just in order to keep their class rank constant. Everyone knows that everything rides on Spring semester, everyone is desperate to change their study strategy to maximize success, with the goal of securing the ultimate prize: a 2L summer associateship position. The current economic downturn further exacerbates their feelings of despair and helplessness. Meanwhile, conversations with classmates lack camaraderie but are instead laced with hatred and disgust, with each participant suspecting that the other's overperformance on exams was the reason they didn't do well, and it's all that other person's fault.

This is the different feel to second semester.

Welcome to the rest of your life.

[Lawl Shcool]

Theres a whole new batch of people raising their hands, although i'm not sure if they are overcompensating for bad grades or enthused because of good grades?

Also everyone seems to be more relaxed and partying more, but that could just be a symptom of everyone being excited to see each other.

Academically, the classes seem to be more policy focused.

[annapavlova]

I definitely feel like this semester is different than last. When I gun, I'm getting more openly dirty looks.

[mac.empress]

Still in my first week and already loaded w/ reading. I certainly don't remember 1st semester starting off this way.

School hasn't even started yet and I'm loaded with reading. Our timetables and course outlines were emailed a week ago with the readings. I know our teachers said they were spoon-feeding us last semester but this is bullshit! Plus, the LRW work is killing me!

[steve_nash]

I've heard that grades tends to quiet most of the class down. That's all speculation on my part, though, because I still have no fucking grades, but whatev.

Grades make some people unbelievably obnoxious, but also humble a lot of people. Didn't shut up the gunners in my class, unfortunately.

[joobacca]

two weeks of classes so far (almost)
atmosphere is a little weird and not as loose as first semester and i think this is mostly due to grades coming out

i've noticed some people making phone calls and they looked upset. i guessed without any basis that it was due to grades

[kurla88]

There is a silent desperation pervading the entire class. People are unsatisfied with their grades (unless you're one of the lucky 1 out of 10) and they know that unless they step it up, they will be unable to find jobs at OCI this summer. However, people who did reasonably well are looking at the percentile cutoffs from previous years and realize that GPAs increased from Fall semester to Spring semester--they will have to do better than last semester just in order to keep their class rank constant. Everyone knows that everything rides on Spring semester, everyone is desperate to change their study strategy to maximize success, with the goal of securing the ultimate prize: a 2L summer associateship position. The current economic downturn further exacerbates their feelings of despair and helplessness. Meanwhile, conversations with classmates lack camaraderie but are instead laced with hatred and disgust, with each participant suspecting that the other's overperformance on exams was the reason they didn't do well, and it's all that other person's fault.

This is the different feel to second semester.

Welcome to the rest of your life.

...I'm not sure if this is serious or not, but it made me lol.

[rbgrocio]

I do have a different feeling this semester too.

First, I do not like my professors as much as I did last semester.
Second, I only like one class: Civ Pro.
Third, I get more annoyed when the same fricking gunner raises his hand and tries to use fancy words to express a point that one, it does not make sense, two, no one can know what the hell ur talking about and three, the professor things you are dumb ass for making that point but tries to play it nice.
Fourth, the students who thought they were bad ass are at the bottom of the class, and it is funny to see how they have made the move toward the front rows and raise their hands more often in an attempt to earn brownie points.
Fifth, I have a lot more fricking reading to do and I am getting sick of it.

[Nazrix]

2nd Semester is totally a chance to jump several spots, you could jump from median to top 20, with some work, lots give up. This is even more true 2L and 3L, at least here, work the same you have a good shot of going up.

[asaunde2]

I can't seem to get myself to do any work this semester. I got pretty good grades last semester and I think my system worked pretty well, but seriously I can't even get myself to crack open the casebook before 11 o clock these days. I don't know what the hell is wrong with me.

[Snooker]

Not a huge difference in terms of who is gunning around here. Two pretty hot girls who never said anything last semester has perked up a lot. I am not sure if the hot girls got great grades and decided to start gunning, or if they got shit grades and are trying to turn things around. Mystifies me.

[agumon]

I can't seem to get myself to do any work this semester. I got pretty good grades last semester and I think my system worked pretty well, but seriously I can't even get myself to crack open the casebook before 11 o clock these days. I don't know what the hell is wrong with me.

Same here.

[asaunde2]

Im hoping maybe after I've got the summer job stuff taken care of I'll be able to get back into the swing of it.

[apper123]

I can't seem to get myself to do any work this semester. I got pretty good grades last semester and I think my system worked pretty well, but seriously I can't even get myself to crack open the casebook before 11 o clock these days. I don't know what the hell is wrong with me.

This is standard I think, and I'm in the same boat. I just think in first semester it felt like hard or useful work early on and now you are either a) comparing your early workload to your final month workload and obviously they can't compare or b) realizing a lot of the "work" you did early on was a complete waste of time and reacting accordingly.

[nmoor1501]

I can't seem to get myself to do any work this semester. I got pretty good grades last semester and I think my system worked pretty well, but seriously I can't even get myself to crack open the casebook before 11 o clock these days. I don't know what the hell is wrong with me.

This is standard I think, and I'm in the same boat. I just think in first semester it felt like hard or useful work early on and now you are either a) comparing your early workload to your final month workload and obviously they can't compare or b) realizing a lot of the "work" you did early on was a complete waste of time and reacting accordingly.

Oh good! So it's cool that I am slacking right now. Woo Hoo

[rbgrocio]

I absolutely hate this semester!!!!! There is a TON more reading and two of my professors do not know how to teach. aghhhhhhhhh!