1L study schedule Forum

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PotLuck

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1L study schedule

Post by PotLuck » Tue Sep 10, 2013 3:57 pm

Hey Guys,

I have one more question. In terms of my study schedule, I want to make sure I'm studying the right things.

Right now my schedule is:

M/W
8am Read for classes wednesday
10:00am class
12:00pm lunch/prepare for next class
1:00pm Class
3:00pm Read for Wednesday or next monday classes.
6:30pm LEEWS/GTM
7:00pm No more law school stuff

T/TR
8:30a Class
10:30a Class
12:00p Lunch/prepare for next class
1:20p Class
3:00p Read for thursday or next tuesday
7:00p No more law school stuff

My weekends consists of about 4-6 hours each studying what I learned in classes and reading supplements. Should I be using my weekends instead getting ahead on my weekly reading? A friend suggested I do ALL of the reading as early and quickly as possible so I can spend the 2nd half of each class focusing on nothing but the final. Has anyone tried this?

In your opinions is this an effective study schedule? If not, do you guys have any suggestions? I looked at the guides and only one of them had a real schedule posted.

Thanks!

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Bronck

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Re: 1L study schedule

Post by Bronck » Tue Sep 10, 2013 4:48 pm

Do whatever works for you. It doesn't really matter as long as you stay consistent. I did all my readings over the weekend, did nothing during the week, and started outlining a little before Thanksgiving first semester 1L year and did well.

andythefir

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Re: 1L study schedule

Post by andythefir » Tue Sep 10, 2013 5:07 pm

The nuts and bolts don't really matter as long as you don't fall behind, although I like to break it up weekends/weekdays. Weekdays are for reading/class, weekends are for legal writing/outlining/upper level paper writing. Also, building in time for supplements is only useful if you don't understand a concept or are doing practice problems (CALI/Q&A).

PotLuck

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Re: 1L study schedule

Post by PotLuck » Tue Sep 10, 2013 6:20 pm

So you guys don't think I should worry about getting too far ahead in my reading?

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Bronck

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Re: 1L study schedule

Post by Bronck » Tue Sep 10, 2013 7:00 pm

PotLuck wrote:So you guys don't think I should worry about getting too far ahead in my reading?
Not at all. it's still super early. Just keep up with readings and relax a little.

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PotLuck

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Re: 1L study schedule

Post by PotLuck » Wed Sep 11, 2013 12:23 pm

Thanks for the input guys, I appreciate it. I'm just so nervous that I'm doing things wrong, but I guess that's what most 1Ls feel like.

dj_roomba

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Re: 1L study schedule

Post by dj_roomba » Wed Sep 11, 2013 1:01 pm

PotLuck wrote:Thanks for the input guys, I appreciate it. I'm just so nervous that I'm doing things wrong, but I guess that's what most 1Ls feel like.
Yeah I'm with you. Pretty nervous about what I should/shouldn't be doing.

I tried reading in advanced. It's not working out so well IMHO. I'm sure I can tweak my plan but I still need to figure it out.
So I spent last week reading ahead. It kinda bit me in the ass this week during class because I realized I have NO IDEA what my professor is talking about in class when I read ahead. Then I realized last week, I was so focused on the future reading that I couldn't focus on the present. I had forgotten most of the material we reviewed last week because I had so much info on the future reading.

I decided yesterday to try rereading today's material since i forgot it already. I realized it took me about the same time it would to read it the first time around.

Basically, reading ahead hasn't helped me but actually hurt me. I'm sure there are ways to do this but I haven't figured it out yet. I'm still working on it but seems like the general consensus according to 2Ls/3Ls I meet is don't worry as long as you don't fall behind.

Also I'm willing to give up my social time for reading/school work. That's not working out so well either.

The hardest part of law school so far seems to be finding a balance...

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Lacepiece23

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Re: 1L study schedule

Post by Lacepiece23 » Wed Sep 11, 2013 2:10 pm

dj_roomba wrote:
PotLuck wrote:Thanks for the input guys, I appreciate it. I'm just so nervous that I'm doing things wrong, but I guess that's what most 1Ls feel like.
Yeah I'm with you. Pretty nervous about what I should/shouldn't be doing.

I tried reading in advanced. It's not working out so well IMHO. I'm sure I can tweak my plan but I still need to figure it out.
So I spent last week reading ahead. It kinda bit me in the ass this week during class because I realized I have NO IDEA what my professor is talking about in class when I read ahead. Then I realized last week, I was so focused on the future reading that I couldn't focus on the present. I had forgotten most of the material we reviewed last week because I had so much info on the future reading.

I decided yesterday to try rereading today's material since i forgot it already. I realized it took me about the same time it would to read it the first time around.

Basically, reading ahead hasn't helped me but actually hurt me. I'm sure there are ways to do this but I haven't figured it out yet. I'm still working on it but seems like the general consensus according to 2Ls/3Ls I meet is don't worry as long as you don't fall behind.

Also I'm willing to give up my social time for reading/school work. That's not working out so well either.

The hardest part of law school so far seems to be finding a balance...
Take this with a grain of salt. However, anecdotally the people who did the best at my school (T14) were the people who were very balanced. The approach most took was to read for the first few months and only do the reading with the exception of the occasional memo. We would go out on weekends and work out during the week trying to create some sort of life balance.

Then the second half of the semester we would ramp it up until we were peaking at finals time. Meaning no going out 12 hours a day every day for the last few weeks. I think this apporach works best because we weren't miserable putting in these hours. I know personally that if I put in these types of hours all semester I would burn out. However, because I was in good physical shape, well balanced, and basically ready for some serious grind around finals I was able to stay focus and make my study time count around finals. Remember five hours of study time now is worth like one hour in December. You need to make sure those hours in December are the most productive they could possible be. HTH.

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