2L vs. 1L study schedule Forum

[doctoroflaw91]

Did your study schedule vary greatly between 1L and 2L year? I feel as though I have significantly less work as a 2L, due in part to the fact that I have a lot of seminars that do not require casebook readings.

Of course, as a law student, I feel that this isn't normal, and that I should be studying from 8 am until 9 pm like I did as a 1L.

[Mal Reynolds]

I love how you know the answer to your question but still need it spoon fed to you. I bet you still won't even listen after you get the advice that 2L doesn't require a lot of work. My instinct is that you're asking to justify your striverism and secretly hope other people are trying as hard as you.

[jbagelboy]

Completely different ballgame. I read when I'm on call for panel but that's it. Many of my friends haven't read for weeks. Besides the occasional reading and attending class most 2L's aren't "studying" or "outlining" or anything absurd like that. Maybe the inner striver will emerge from some folks around thanksgiving, idk.

That's not to say 2L isn't busy and annoying. all the extracurriculars, i.e. clinics, student orgs, journal/LR, that you sign up for as a 1L (if you were foolish enough to let law school dupe you into signing up for them) take up a lot more time than I thought they would.

Also if you feel that "normal" is studying from 8AM to 9PM daily, then 1L really fucked with your head bro. Get that checked out. You'll have the rest of your life as an attorney to grind away to the wee hours of the night.. enjoy your last two years of relatively fluid free time.

[banjo]

haven't read for weeks.

[doctoroflaw91]

Completely different ballgame. I read when I'm on call for panel but that's it. Many of my friends haven't read for weeks. Besides the occasional reading and attending class most 2L's aren't "studying" or "outlining" or anything absurd like that. Maybe the inner striver will emerge from some folks around thanksgiving, idk.

That's not to say 2L isn't busy and annoying. all the extracurriculars, i.e. clinics, student orgs, journal/LR, that you sign up for as a 1L (if you were foolish enough to let law school dupe you into signing up for them) take up a lot more time than I thought they would.

Also if you feel that "normal" is studying from 8AM to 9PM daily, then 1L really fucked with your head bro. Get that checked out. You'll have the rest of your life as an attorney to grind away to the wee hours of the night.. enjoy your last two years of relatively fluid free time.

Thanks for this. Your intuition that I've been tainted by 1L is certainly correct: I did well using that ridiculous study schedule and now I feel that I have to repeat it. I seriously need to find a way to free myself of those self-imposed shackles without letting my anxiety get the best of me.

[SLS_AMG]

Pretty much what jbagel said. I have one class that I consistently read for, two classes that I occasionally read for, and one class I have literally never read for.

If you're working from 8 am till 9 pm you're doing it wrong (and did it wrong last year). 2L is annoying, but not stressful.

All that said, I'm sure I'll be burning the midnight oil come Thanksgiving.

[sublime]

..

[Frothingslosh]

I have one class that I consistently read for, two classes that I occasionally read for, and one class I have literally never read for.

...are you me?

[Easy-E]

I read when I know I'm on call (one class has it split by last names), or for the one class that has a very small group. I haven't even bought/looked at a book for 2 classes.

[First Offense]

We still have classes?

[BigZuck]

attending class

Yeah, please tell me this isn't something we have to be doing consistently

[toothbrush]

attending class

Yeah, please tell me this isn't something we have to be doing consistently

i skipped 4 in a row of a 10 person bar class until i had to break the streak because i felt guilty ( on top of regularly skipping 1/3 every week since it started)

[iliketurtles123]

Wait are 2L's really not attending class?
I'm so behind this year and I'm getting worried but is everyone else behind?
It doesn't seem like it... People are raising their hands left and right in some of my classes. I hate them.

[AReasonableMan]

Never read even when on cold call. You could normally buy time asking the professor how they are doing and going somewhat in depth about your day when they parrot back, "Good. How are you?" By adding some comedy, you buy enough time to wikipedia the facts or elements to plug into whatever the hell is going on. The difference of a ton of work versus a tiny bit of work isn't that big for many people. If you can get an A on an exam, you likely have a definite floor. The benefit of an A versus an A- or A- vs. B+ is too remote after OCI that it's hard to care. At least with work, you're always being quietly judged, and the judgments have a direct impact on your future.

[Avian]

I feel the same way as OP. I've been doing the readings for class and I'm taking the same number of non-seminar classes this semester, but for some reason it still feels incredibly laid back. I think it's not having to deal with LRW which took up a disproportionate amount of time for the amount of credits. I haven't outlined at all and I feel like I've had huge amounts of free time all semester.

[doctoroflaw91]

I feel the same way as OP. I've been doing the readings for class and I'm taking the same number of non-seminar classes this semester, but for some reason it still feels incredibly laid back. I think it's not having to deal with LRW which took up a disproportionate amount of time for the amount of credits. I haven't outlined at all and I feel like I've had huge amounts of free time all semester.

I just turned in my paper drafts so now I have my one substantive law class...and the exam is over 4 weeks away.