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1. I saw a few people at my LS tearing out cases from their case books and putting them in a binder. Then I got an idea. Maybe I could just mark up my cases (which works better for me than briefs anyway), and rip them out and put them in a binder, and put a page behind it with any relevant class notes. This way, I wouldn't have to get lost in a huge book of irrelevant pages, and I'd have a binder with just the cases we need. Also, instead of writing outlines of the cases in the notes, I could just look at my directly marked case. But the downside is that I would have everything (notes etc) in a binder rather than on my computer. However, I could still make my outline on the computer. Just wanted to run this idea by and see what you guys think? Do you think its best to have all notes on my comp and cases in the actual casebook? Or does the binder idea sound okay.

2. In undergrad, I used to participate in class a lot. I used to ask questions, and raise interesting points, speak my mind freely. However in law school I haven't yet participated and I don't know what's holding me back. Why do I feel more intimidated to speak up here? Has anyone else experienced this? It has nothing to do with being afraid of being viewed as a gunner....I really don't care about that and in fact most of the "well liked" people in my class do speak up so people don't care that much here, and at times I too wish I could just speak my mind so people can see that I'm not a passive idiot with no idea of what's going on.

fairy wrote:1. I saw a few people at my LS tearing out cases from their case books and putting them in a binder. Then I got an idea. Maybe I could just mark up my cases (which works better for me than briefs anyway), and rip them out and put them in a binder, and put a page behind it with any relevant class notes. This way, I wouldn't have to get lost in a huge book of irrelevant pages, and I'd have a binder with just the cases we need. Also, instead of writing outlines of the cases in the notes, I could just look at my directly marked case. But the downside is that I would have everything (notes etc) in a binder rather than on my computer. However, I could still make my outline on the computer. Just wanted to run this idea by and see what you guys think? Do you think its best to have all notes on my comp and cases in the actual casebook? Or does the binder idea sound okay.

2. In undergrad, I used to participate in class a lot. I used to ask questions, and raise interesting points, speak my mind freely. However in law school I haven't yet participated and I don't know what's holding me back. Why do I feel more intimidated to speak up here? Has anyone else experienced this? It has nothing to do with being afraid of being viewed as a gunner....I really don't care about that and in fact most of the "well liked" people in my class do speak up so people don't care that much here, and at times I too wish I could just speak my mind so people can see that I'm not a passive idiot with no idea of what's going on.

I didnt read numbered point 1 but I commend you for not polluting your classroom with 1L slop. No one wants to hear it. I salute you.

fairy wrote:1. I saw a few people at my LS tearing out cases from their case books and putting them in a binder. Then I got an idea. Maybe I could just mark up my cases (which works better for me than briefs anyway), and rip them out and put them in a binder, and put a page behind it with any relevant class notes. This way, I wouldn't have to get lost in a huge book of irrelevant pages, and I'd have a binder with just the cases we need. Also, instead of writing outlines of the cases in the notes, I could just look at my directly marked case. But the downside is that I would have everything (notes etc) in a binder rather than on my computer. However, I could still make my outline on the computer. Just wanted to run this idea by and see what you guys think? Do you think its best to have all notes on my comp and cases in the actual casebook? Or does the binder idea sound okay.

2. In undergrad, I used to participate in class a lot. I used to ask questions, and raise interesting points, speak my mind freely. However in law school I haven't yet participated and I don't know what's holding me back. Why do I feel more intimidated to speak up here? Has anyone else experienced this? It has nothing to do with being afraid of being viewed as a gunner....I really don't care about that and in fact most of the "well liked" people in my class do speak up so people don't care that much here, and at times I too wish I could just speak my mind so people can see that I'm not a passive idiot with no idea of what's going on.

1. This sounds like a big inconvenience and waste of time. Make an outline with the relevant information instead.
2. Why is that a bad thing? There is nothing wrong with listening to class discussion rather than participating in it.

I think it's more just about the fact that I actually feel intimidated to...and I'm wondering why I'm intimidated here when I wasn't in undergrad

.

I was thinking about it and I think (not sure if this is it) but maybe its because everyone in LS articulates themselves really well, like when they answer a question they sound like a textbook with perfect phrasing as if they practiced the answer...and I can't really do that..so I feel like I'll just sound like a fool

fairy wrote:1. I saw a few people at my LS tearing out cases from their case books and putting them in a binder. Then I got an idea. Maybe I could just mark up my cases (which works better for me than briefs anyway), and rip them out and put them in a binder, and put a page behind it with any relevant class notes. This way, I wouldn't have to get lost in a huge book of irrelevant pages, and I'd have a binder with just the cases we need. Also, instead of writing outlines of the cases in the notes, I could just look at my directly marked case. But the downside is that I would have everything (notes etc) in a binder rather than on my computer. However, I could still make my outline on the computer. Just wanted to run this idea by and see what you guys think? Do you think its best to have all notes on my comp and cases in the actual casebook? Or does the binder idea sound okay.

I don't actually see how this would be an advantage

fairy wrote:I was thinking about it and I think (not sure if this is it) but maybe its because everyone in LS articulates themselves really well, like when they answer a question they sound like a textbook with perfect phrasing as if they practiced the answer...and I can't really do that..so I feel like I'll just sound like a fool

Really? Are you sure about that? Half the stuff that comes from my classmates, and from myself, frankly, is pretty pointless. Students wouldn't need to be students if they had perfect answers all the time.

The binder thing sounds totally pointless. I use OneNote, make two columns, and put the in-class discussion notes for a case next to my reading notes. You could adapt that somehow, maybe.

I said maybe two things voluntarily all semester in classes and got great grades on my exams. It simply doesn't matter.

You need a binder full of women.

manofjustice wrote:You need a binder full of women.

don't we all

fairy wrote:I was thinking about it and I think (not sure if this is it) but maybe its because everyone in LS articulates themselves really well, like when they answer a question they sound like a textbook with perfect phrasing as if they practiced the answer...and I can't really do that..so I feel like I'll just sound like a fool

Yeah, about that... Maybe you go to a better school than I do or have "nicer" professors who toss softballs at you, but a large portion of the shit people say in my classes is inane and/or hopelessly wrong. But that's kind of the point, right? What would the point be of asking students easy and obvious questions? I wouldn't let the fear of being wrong or inarticulate stop you from participating in class if that's what helps you learn. I can tell you that the stuff I remember best is the shit I was loud wrong about.

1. This sounds like extra work for little to no benefit. Also, you obviously won't be able to sell your book back if you do this. If you really don't want to lug your book around, you could always scan the cases from your casebook as a searchable PDF, which you would actually be able to highlight and write notes on in your computer (this will work on both a PC and a Mac).

2. This isn't anything to worry about, everyone learns in their own way. Also, if you hear a classmate say something that sounds particularly brilliant, there's a good chance they're just repeating something they read in a hornbook the night before. I've heard classmates recite passages from the professor's hornbook almost verbatim in class.

rip the pages out, then highlight them, then bring to office hours w/ prof

I have seen casebooks that are printed on loose leaf 3 ring binder paper. That seems easier and safer than ripping out pages. Also, the ones I saw were always cheaper.

Tom Joad wrote:I have seen casebooks that are printed on loose leaf 3 ring binder paper. That seems easier and safer than ripping out pages. Also, the ones I saw were always cheaper.

Very credited. Half of my books this semester are loose leaf and in binders along with my women.