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1L at T14. I attended every class, paid attention, took good notes, even made outlines. I feel like I have a good handle on the material. But as far as actually buckling down and studying, I just didn't. First exam is tomorrow.

Just wondering if anyone else is in the same boat, and how you're feeling.

*grabs bag of popcorn*

Do come back and let us know how it works out.

zot1 wrote:*grabs bag of popcorn*

Do come back and let us know how it works out.

ok

making an outline constitutes studying in my book

pancakes3 wrote:making an outline constitutes studying in my book

The only way I ever studied. Plus practice exams.

marshall1 wrote:1L at T14. I attended every class, paid attention, took good notes, even made outlines. I feel like I have a good handle on the material. But as far as actually buckling down and studying, I just didn't. First exam is tomorrow.

Just wondering if anyone else is in the same boat, and how you're feeling.

Making outlines IS studying.

Not studying is this: Attended 1/2 classes, 1/2 paid attention, took 1/2-ass notes, printed outlines that I'll skim on the way to the exam.

Although if "not studying" means never looking at old exams, I wouldn't want to try to figure them out for the first time at the exam itself.

My class notes were awful.

Property: something something fee tail.
Torts: don't scare people.

And still made it out. By mistake probably.

point taken re: outlines. in fact that's WHY i didn't study and, i suspect, why i feel like i have a good handle on the material. i'm just comparing myself to my classmates, who seem to be studying nonstop this past week or so, while i'm over here just watching netflix.

marshall1 wrote:point taken re: outlines. in fact that's WHY i didn't study and, i suspect, why i feel like i have a good handle on the material. i'm just comparing myself to my classmates, who seem to be studying nonstop this past week or so, while i'm over here just watching netflix.

I'm sure your superior intellect will carry the day. I have to assume your parents are footing the bill for law school or you are K-JD?

on one hand, having a good handle on the material is necessary but not sufficient to do well.

on the other hand, slaving away and memorizing sections of the restatement isn't even necessary.

the potential pitfall here is that you don't know the material as well as you think you do and you shit the bed on a closed book. probably would hurt on a racehorse too. otherwise you'll probably be median-pwned like most everyone else, and you'll be all caught up on Westworld to boot.

RaceJudicata wrote:

marshall1 wrote:point taken re: outlines. in fact that's WHY i didn't study and, i suspect, why i feel like i have a good handle on the material. i'm just comparing myself to my classmates, who seem to be studying nonstop this past week or so, while i'm over here just watching netflix.

I'm sure your superior intellect will carry the day. I have to assume your parents are footing the bill for law school or you are K-JD?

no, i have a 60% scholarship and i'm paying for the rest with loans. thanks for assuming though. ETA not K-JD either, I'm 26.

pancakes3 wrote:on one hand, having a good handle on the material is necessary but not sufficient to do well.

on the other hand, slaving away and memorizing sections of the restatement isn't even necessary.

the potential pitfall here is that you don't know the material as well as you think you do and you shit the bed on a closed book. probably would hurt on a racehorse too. otherwise you'll probably be median-pwned like most everyone else, and you'll be all caught up on Westworld to boot.

makes sense. kinda too late for me now so i'm just gonna see how it goes and adjust accordingly next semester.

ETA ETA oops i posted under my real account. but this is still OP

pls go to gulc

wyattg wrote:

pancakes3 wrote:on one hand, having a good handle on the material is necessary but not sufficient to do well.

on the other hand, slaving away and memorizing sections of the restatement isn't even necessary.

the potential pitfall here is that you don't know the material as well as you think you do and you shit the bed on a closed book. probably would hurt on a racehorse too. otherwise you'll probably be median-pwned like most everyone else, and you'll be all caught up on Westworld to boot.

makes sense. kinda too late for me now so i'm just gonna see how it goes and adjust accordingly next semester.

ETA ETA oops i posted under my real account. but this is still OP

"Real account" with seven posts, inclusive. I'm calling flame. If not, combining your attention to detail with your thorough preparation will serve you well on exams!

Where's clshopeful? These two need to be frands.

Making your own outline = studying. Spend tonight looking at a few old exams and outlining answers using your outline. You'll be fine.

For your remaining exams, I assume you've got a couple of days in between them. If open book, spend those days taking timed practice exams and reviewing them. Review with a group if possible (imo this is the only time study groups are helpful, reviewing exams together to see what extra points you could have each picked up). If closed book, spend half the time memorizing and half taking practice exams.

If you made your own outlines for each class and finished that process in advance of finals time, you're probably ahead of the game. Lots of those folks still studying are panicked b/c they're not done outlining, or are done with the one for their first exam but not later ones, etc.

Edited to add: this advice only holds up if your outlines are good. Have you compared them to outlines from previous years from people who scored well to make sure you're not missing things? This is important.

Assuming this was real, just why? Why do that? You don't have to be a panicky nutcase, but if you find yourself idle, thinking "yeah I got this", why not over-prepare a bit? Run practice exam or two (you did that I'm sure because not doing that would be stupid.)

And sure, you outlined, but was it good? How do you know? And MOST IMPORTANT - did you create and memorize a handwritten one-page outline that lists the elements of everything, all causes of action and defenses, etc? That you spend the first 10-15 minutes of the exam writing out so the rest of your exam is spent outlining answers and writing them out, which you can do fast because you won't need to think because everything is in your outline and you know everything in your mini outline will all show up somewhere on the exam? That you've spent hours committing to memory that you can reproduce it without thinking? You did? OK you're fine then.

NotMyRealName09 wrote:Assuming this was real, just why? Why do that? You don't have to be a panicky nutcase, but if you find yourself idle, thinking "yeah I got this", why not over-prepare a bit? Run practice exam or two (you did that I'm sure because not doing that would be stupid.)

And sure, you outlined, but was it good? How do you know? And MOST IMPORTANT - did you create and memorize a handwritten one-page outline that lists the elements of everything, all causes of action and defenses, etc? That you spend the first 10-15 minutes of the exam writing out so the rest of your exam is spent outlining answers and writing them out, which you can do fast because you won't need to think because everything is in your outline and you know everything in your mini outline will all show up somewhere on the exam? That you've spent hours committing to memory that you can reproduce it without thinking? You did? OK you're fine then.

It is really not surprising that this is coming from the same guy who said this:

NotMyRealName09 wrote:1L year I sort of slightly led a girl on first semester because I saw she had pre-existing outlines and I didn't really know or want to talk to anyone else and get some, right at the end while wrapping up a group project I showed her a picture of my fiance. It kind of worked out, so yeah, I'd assume untrustworthy until proven otherwise.

A. Nony Mouse wrote:Although if "not studying" means never looking at old exams, I wouldn't want to try to figure them out for the first time at the exam itself.

Yea, it's pretty dumb. While making your own outline is studying, knowing the black letter law isn't what will separate you. It's your ability to understand what the professor wants and apply the facts to the law. Doing practice tests is invaluable for that.

And if you already have the outline made, you could get away with minimal studying (like doing a couple practice tests...that's like 6 hours of studying).

2Ls and 3Ls can get away with putting minimal work in. They know how to attack a law school exam. And they have access to really good outlines (generally). But a 1L blowing things off? It's pretty dumb and immature.

Then again, I am competitive. I like to do well. Maybe this guy doesn't care about doing well. He'll likely get a job anyways.

KissMyAxe wrote:

NotMyRealName09 wrote:Assuming this was real, just why? Why do that? You don't have to be a panicky nutcase, but if you find yourself idle, thinking "yeah I got this", why not over-prepare a bit? Run practice exam or two (you did that I'm sure because not doing that would be stupid.)

And sure, you outlined, but was it good? How do you know? And MOST IMPORTANT - did you create and memorize a handwritten one-page outline that lists the elements of everything, all causes of action and defenses, etc? That you spend the first 10-15 minutes of the exam writing out so the rest of your exam is spent outlining answers and writing them out, which you can do fast because you won't need to think because everything is in your outline and you know everything in your mini outline will all show up somewhere on the exam? That you've spent hours committing to memory that you can reproduce it without thinking? You did? OK you're fine then.

It is really not surprising that this is coming from the same guy who said this:

NotMyRealName09 wrote:1L year I sort of slightly led a girl on first semester because I saw she had pre-existing outlines and I didn't really know or want to talk to anyone else and get some, right at the end while wrapping up a group project I showed her a picture of my fiance. It kind of worked out, so yeah, I'd assume untrustworthy until proven otherwise.

I didn't say I felt good about it, but I gots me my AAAAs, dont hate the player. And, bringing it full circle, as I made my own outlines from scratch starting after thanksgiving, I had those other outlines to compare mine to, to see what different ways to organize and style there were, how much was too much to put in, or too little. And I sure as shit wasn't jerking off in the days leading up to exam time. Once I finished my outline (usually day or so before exam), I then starting writing / rewriting / rewriting my one page exam outline, coming up with a series of long mnenomic devices (usually crude or dirty, the better to remember) by which I could write down the first letter of everything on my one page outline, and once those were down in my mind it was easy to recreate the one page outline almost without thinking. And that skeleton outline being in my face the whole exam helped me remember all the detail and minutia I wrote in my full length outline.

So much is at stake, not trying as hard as possible to get that A just doesn't make sense to me. I guess I was driven by the fear of being unprepared so I did all I could do, and I regret nothing.

^^I know its cute and all to say you regret nothing, but you really should regret leading someone on because you wanted their outlines.

You did it and its done, but its an asshole move. Unless you sincerely like being an asshole. Which is possible.

Maybe I just never developed a knack for or interest in memorization, but I didn't sit down and "memorize" anything during law school or for the bar. For studying strategies, I think I really do hate mnemonics more than anything.

marshall1 wrote:1L at T14. I attended every class, paid attention, took good notes, even made outlines. I feel like I have a good handle on the material. But as far as actually buckling down and studying, I just didn't. First exam is tomorrow.

Just wondering if anyone else is in the same boat, and how you're feeling.

Hope you're at my school!

Haha kidding, but let us know how it worked out.

Lettow wrote:Maybe I just never developed a knack for or interest in memorization, but I didn't sit down and "memorize" anything during law school or for the bar. For studying strategies, I think I really do hate mnemonics more than anything.

I think memorization was helpful for doing well in Undergrad, but law school exams are just different.

For one who was good at undergrad tests, to fall in the trap and think I'll automatically be good at LS tests would be a delusion.

There's multiple reasons why that may not be true--- (1) the students are smarter; (2) and more motivated/work harder; (3) the test are different. Rarely will you have multiple choice on definitions that you case ace just by memorization; (4) most are open book. So everyone has access to the information, and memorization skills are only marginally helpful compared to a photographic memory in Undergrad.

Anyway, got to make strides to be successful at these exams, because it's risky to take for granted that it will just come naturally based on UG success