1L Exam Prep and Motivation Thread Forum

[Lyonsoccer87]

I think my brain is cramping...lol...Lately, as a part of my one class per day thing, I've been running through my outlines. Two of our classes are very long take home exams so those outlines are detailed (~80 pages...yeah, would never use except control + find is my friend) and I've been running through them so I can check for some understanding/be able to spot the issue when it comes up in the fact pattern. Mother of god, it is taking forever. Property in particular is a thorn in my side. There is so much material and, unlike con law or civ pro, it doesn't seem to fit together (some of it does but animals, finders, and covenants aren't super similar...that I can gather atleast). Any of you have any tips on how to cover all of this nonsense?

The answer to property is the Cali lessons! The Cali lessons explain property better than all the other supplements i tried. (understanding property by sprankling did help though)

[crossarmant]

The answer to property is the Cali lessons! The Cali lessons explain property better than all the other supplements i tried. (understanding property by sprankling did help though)

Can't say I've used the CALI lessons for Property. I've been using them for ConLaw and Crim; I take it they're incredibly helpful then. I'll have to start with this tomorrow.

[TTTLS]

The answer to property is the Cali lessons! The Cali lessons explain property better than all the other supplements i tried. (understanding property by sprankling did help though)

Absolutely. The Cali lessons are friggin' awesome for property. I highly recommend them.

[Sapientia]

What's the consensus on the best way to approach and open book exam?

I'm planning on treating mine like a closed book exam (i.e. memorize everything), but with a short checklist on the side. Thoughts?

[NYC Law]

What's the consensus on the best way to approach and open book exam?

I'm planning on treating mine like a closed book exam (i.e. memorize everything), but with a short checklist on the side. Thoughts?

Yeah you really need to have a good handle on it all beforehand and get the gist of it all. Memorize the important stuff. Really though for certain things you might be able to reference the materials if it's formulaic enough (like property, probably civpro too).
I referenced my outline quite a bit for property just to make sure I had the right rule and hit everything for each issue (he specifically stated he wanted the full rule and verbatim on the exam). Got an A-.

Something like torts though you really shouldn't need to reference your materials. You should know what you need to know well enough, and just go from there. If you have time to kill and want to throw in some policy or factor-tests then go ahead.

[Flips88]

all my exams were open book last semester. For the most part, I used my outline to help structure my answer.It's really helpful on elemental stuff so you don't miss one and so you keep everything organized.

[crossarmant]

What's the consensus on the best way to approach and open book exam?

I'm planning on treating mine like a closed book exam (i.e. memorize everything), but with a short checklist on the side. Thoughts?

For CivPro, I used my outlines almost solely as a reference to rule numbers, etc. Know that shit like the back of your hand. For both Contracts and CivPro I also constructed some flowcharts. I found flowcharts to be the most effective way to structure an answer for law school exams.

[Lasers]

i referred to my outlines often to cite relevant cases or policy arguments. know your outline so you can flip to relevant areas quickly. however, above all else, memorize the law. referring to the outline for actual rules isn't a good idea.

anyone here do practice tests yet?

[marmot8]

The answer to property is the Cali lessons! The Cali lessons explain property better than all the other supplements i tried. (understanding property by sprankling did help though)

Can't say I've used the CALI lessons for Property. I've been using them for ConLaw and Crim; I take it they're incredibly helpful then. I'll have to start with this tomorrow.

how are the CALI lessons for ConLaw and Crim?

[Lyonsoccer87]

The answer to property is the Cali lessons! The Cali lessons explain property better than all the other supplements i tried. (understanding property by sprankling did help though)

Can't say I've used the CALI lessons for Property. I've been using them for ConLaw and Crim; I take it they're incredibly helpful then. I'll have to start with this tomorrow.

how are the CALI lessons for ConLaw and Crim?

I never used CALI for crim, but if your class is using the dressler casebook then you just go buy understanding criminal law by him and maybe his commercial outline (very helpful) and you can pull off an A-

[crossarmant]

how are the CALI lessons for ConLaw and Crim?

I never used CALI for crim, but if your class is using the dressler casebook then you just go buy understanding criminal law by him and maybe his commercial outline (very helpful) and you can pull off an A-

I like it for ConLaw since trying to get anything resembling sense from the cases is next to impossible. It's pretty decent for Crim, but my casebook authors wrote "Mastering Criminal Law" which I've found pretty useful to complement the class.

ConLaw as a whole though is just one giant CF to me, some of the CALI tests had some rather useful flowcharts in them (me and those flowcharts) so I found it rather helpful.

[shock259]

I have a 2 week, take home paper as a final for property. Professor has said that there will be no doctrine or issue spotting. Any advice or thoughts? I've been taking copious class notes because I think the professor is expecting us to regurgitate his criticisms of property/law on the paper. Beyond that, I don't know. Not doing an outline or anything.

[FeelTheHeat]

ALMOST DONE with ConLaw outline...finishing touches on substantive due process before the Marlins opener, then can turn my attention solely to property and civpro. Looks to top off at 25 pages. What a bitch to put together.

[Eugenie Danglars]

I was ok in ConLaw until this week with the dormant commerce clause. I have no idea the difference between protectionist and discriminatory laws even though we spent three hours on it this is going to be ugly.

[FeelTheHeat]

Barely touched on dormant commerce clause...

[TTTLS]

If any of you are hopelessly distracted by the internet, here's something that can help: http://getcoldturkey.com/

[reformed calvinist]

ALMOST DONE with ConLaw outline...finishing touches on substantive due process before the Marlins opener, then can turn my attention solely to property and civpro. Looks to top off at 25 pages. What a bitch to put together.

So jealous. I just started with Commerce, and have been unable to get anywhere. Combination of mental fatigue and frustration that no matter how many hours upon hours I seem to put in, little progress seems to be made. I salute you.

[crossarmant]

ALMOST DONE with ConLaw outline...finishing touches on substantive due process before the Marlins opener, then can turn my attention solely to property and civpro. Looks to top off at 25 pages. What a bitch to put together.

So jealous. I just started with Commerce, and have been unable to get anywhere. Combination of mental fatigue and frustration that no matter how many hours upon hours I seem to put in, little progress seems to be made. I salute you.

Same boat. I'm going through Glannon Guides and looking over old outlines to try and get an idea of wtf I should be doing... and I just cannot muster the focus to actually get it done with full dedication. Maybe I can muster the energy this weekend.

[reformed calvinist]

ALMOST DONE with ConLaw outline...finishing touches on substantive due process before the Marlins opener, then can turn my attention solely to property and civpro. Looks to top off at 25 pages. What a bitch to put together.

So jealous. I just started with Commerce, and have been unable to get anywhere. Combination of mental fatigue and frustration that no matter how many hours upon hours I seem to put in, little progress seems to be made. I salute you.

Same boat. I'm going through Glannon Guides and looking over old outlines to try and get an idea of wtf I should be doing... and I just cannot muster the focus to actually get it done with full dedication. Maybe I can muster the energy this weekend.

Yeah. Calling it a mental health day for now.

[alicrimson]

I find it terrifying that people can produce such long outlines. I'm almost done with Civ Pro, and it looks like it's going to be 20 pages, tops. I guess maybe it lends itself to a shorter outline than most other classes, but still. I don't know how I would make a 50+ page Property outline, much less use one.

Our exam is a six hour take home that we can use ctrl+find for. Apparently its written to take four hours but we get the extra two to look it over. I'm thinking that I acquaint myself with where everything is and know how things fit together/work. Then use my ctrl find to make sure I get the rules down properly.

[reformed calvinist]

I find it terrifying that people can produce such long outlines. I'm almost done with Civ Pro, and it looks like it's going to be 20 pages, tops. I guess maybe it lends itself to a shorter outline than most other classes, but still. I don't know how I would make a 50+ page Property outline, much less use one.

Our exam is a six hour take home that we can use ctrl+find for. Apparently its written to take four hours but we get the extra two to look it over. I'm thinking that I acquaint myself with where everything is and know how things fit together/work. Then use my ctrl find to make sure I get the rules down properly.

Godspeed

[dabomb75]

Con Law exam is a 24 hour take home exam, first take home exam of law school.

Anyone have any advice on how to approach it differently from the standard 3 hour in-class? I have no idea how anyone could spend more than 8-12 hours on a 3000 word limit exam

[FeelTheHeat]

To go to the library for 3 hours or not...meh

[Dany]

To go to the library for 3 hours or not...meh

Not.

[crossarmant]

I just cannot get up motivation to work... I've had a Crim outline up for like an hour in an attempt to convince myself to whittle it down to 10-20 pages.