Reading ahead 1-2 weeks? good or not? Forum

[AlanShore]

I saw a couple other threads on this topic but just thought I'd get some fresh perspectives.

Pros of reading 2 weeks ahead:
-can slack off on readings when memos are due without feeling stressed
-finish readings by mid november so there's more time to perfect outlines and take practice exams without worrying about doing new readings the last 2 weeks of class (this one is the main benefit I'm curious about)

Cons:
-personally, I'm a week ahead now and I'm briefing cases. I'm realizing this is a huge time sink. I'll likely take some sort of brief throughout the semester but a really short version because i'll want it for my outlines anyway. However, if I stay ahead or get even more ahead, I have to continue writing real briefs that are a page long or else I won't remember what the hell I read. This seems like a waste of time even if it does get me more time to just take practice exams at the end of the semester.

So the question is, if I read at a normal pace (2 days ahead or something), will there be sufficient time to take a bunch of practice exams at the end? I don't want to feel rushed at the end of the semester. Am i better off spending time with supplements and stuff instead of reading ahead and having to write briefs?

Thanks in advance.

[rinkrat19]

Will the reading be fresh enough in your head to survive a cold call? Or do you plan to review each day before class?

[AlanShore]

Will the reading be fresh enough in your head to survive a cold call? Or do you plan to review each day before class?

not sure about once I'm 2 weeks ahead. but, right now, i'm 1 week ahead and the briefs i've been writing are totally fine for me to survive cold calls. but, the briefs i'm currently writing are taking too much time so i'm starting to shorten them. my concern is that if i get 2 weeks ahead, i'll have to keep writing long briefs which i know is a waste of time compared to what i could be doing (going over my notes after class, clarifying questions etc)

[AlanShore]

so i guess alternatively, i can stay at this 1 week ahead pace and just benefit from not having to read new cases the last week of november.

[rinkrat19]

Nobody can answer this for anyone else. You have to guess what's going to work for you.

[AlanShore]

Nobody can answer this for anyone else. You have to guess what's going to work for you.

this is true. could you shed light on whether you felt you had a decent amount of time to take enough practice tests to make you feel semi-comfortable? (i realize no one ever feels comfortable going into exams)

[rinkrat19]

Nobody can answer this for anyone else. You have to guess what's going to work for you.

this is true. could you shed light on whether you felt you had a decent amount of time to take enough practice tests to make you feel semi-comfortable? (i realize no one ever feels comfortable going into exams)

I wasn't happy with my 1L grades, so I don't generally give advice on my own approaches, just common sense and "have you thought of this" type questions.

[bk1]

There are plenty of ways to do well 1L and there are probably plenty of ways for you to do well. That said, you should find what works for you. Here are a bunch of random thoughts based on what you said.

• Plenty of people don't read everything.
  Plenty of people don't brief everything (or brief at all).
  No matter what pace you read things at, you will have time for practice exams (you don't need to finish everything before you start PTing).
  Supplements work better for some people, but others do better with reading.

Also, who cares about cold calls?

[jarofsoup]

I think it helps to be a bit ahead when first year memos come do, or unexpected travel during recruiting season.

But, most importantly...who cares about cold calling.

[Single-Malt-Liquor]

There are plenty of ways to do well 1L and there are probably plenty of ways for you to do well. That said, you should find what works for you. Here are a bunch of random thoughts based on what you said.

• Plenty of people don't read everything.
  Plenty of people don't brief everything (or brief at all).
  No matter what pace you read things at, you will have time for practice exams (you don't need to finish everything before you start PTing).
  Supplements work better for some people, but others do better with reading.

Also, who cares about cold calls?

Logically, I know that a cold call doesnt really mean anything, but getting undressed in front of your section sucks. You'll think that everyone thinks you're an idiot and dealing with that is easier said than done for most.

[AlanShore]

I think it helps to be a bit ahead when first year memos come do, or unexpected travel during recruiting season.

But, most importantly...who cares about cold calling.

cool, thanks (and thanks to everyone else). my LRRW class is a year long and the only graded parts for this semester are at the end. i think my draft is due some time in the beginning of november and the final memo is due nov 25 and everything up until then is ungraded (but i'll still try obviously). so i figure if im a week ahead, i can work on my memo a lot that week and not have to worry about readings. if i can do both, great, i'll be done with reading and my memo before thanksgiving.

(edited for clarity)

[envisciguy]

I didn't read ahead (if I ever did, it was maybe 1-2 days) and stopped briefing cases about 2 weeks into 1L. Still had plenty of time for memos and practice tests.

[WahooLaw24]

I'm going to try to do the bulk of my readings for the week on the weekend and then spend the week reviewing things I didn't understand, clarifying points made in class, reviewing supplements, and taking care of LRW stuff. We'll see how it goes. I just have found it rather difficult to make sure I'm understanding everything when there is always 40 pages to be read for tomorrow's classes.

[laxbrah420]

Will the reading be fresh enough in your head to survive a cold call? Or do you plan to review each day before class?

This is not the right analysis. You shouldn't care about getting cold called on. If you do, pull up BNA headnotes or a brief you made ( ) and do enough to not piss the prof off. The actual analysis when reading ahead is (a) will you actually understand what's going on, (b) will it be fresh enough so when the prof is working with anyone in the class on the case, you remember enough details to understand what the prof is using the case for, and (c) what are you gaining and what are you losing in terms of your study time/free time? are you freeing up time to read supps? time to tailgate on saturday? time to go out with your girlfriend? or are you stressing yourself out, or getting behind on other classes?

Use common sense and fuck worrying about cold calls.

[AlanShore]

Will the reading be fresh enough in your head to survive a cold call? Or do you plan to review each day before class?

This is not the right analysis. You shouldn't care about getting cold called on. If you do, pull up BNA headnotes or a brief you made ( ) and do enough to not piss the prof off. The actual analysis when reading ahead is (a) will you actually understand what's going on, (b) will it be fresh enough so when the prof is working with anyone in the class on the case, you remember enough details to understand what the prof is using the case for, and (c) what are you gaining and what are you losing in terms of your study time/free time? are you freeing up time to read supps? time to tailgate on saturday? time to go out with your girlfriend? or are you stressing yourself out, or getting behind on other classes?

Use common sense and fuck worrying about cold calls.

good points, thanks. The bolded is why I'm probably going to stick to being 1 week ahead instead of 2. After a week, i started to not really understand what was going on and i felt it defeated the purpose of reading ahead then. Also, not being super stressed about getting ahead 2 weeks will also give me time to read supps. Other than that I have free time to work out (i do a lot of that), have dinner with friends etc.

[shock259]

I read ahead 1L. A lot. I finished all readings with about 1 month left in the semester. This gave me tons of time to outline/take practice tests. I would update and revise my outlines as we went over new material. Sometimes my outlines were off, but they were usually pretty close. Before class, I would try to take 5-10 minutes to scan over cases to jog my memory. But this wasn't always possible. And I butchered the shit out of some cold calls.

But I think reading ahead was helpful. Necessary? Almost certainly not. But I don't think it hurt. It really helped me have tons of time to outline/do practice tests.

[jbagelboy]

Jesus

Takes everything in me to finish the readings/briefings for the next day

How could you possibly do it for the next week?

I want to go to your law school.. (Or maybe you just need to go out more)

[AlanShore]

Jesus

Takes everything in me to finish the readings/briefings for the next day

How could you possibly do it for the next week?

I want to go to your law school.. (Or maybe you just need to go out more)

I was able to move ahead during weekends. During the week i just read the same amount as i would if i were not ahead but over the weekend, you can often read a lot more, especially since LRRW isnt very heavy yet.

i dont go out a lot (not out in the traditional sense). i work out a ton and have dinner with friends often, but i dont drink much and im not much of a night owl. im pretty boring, i guess..

[jbagelboy]

Jesus

Takes everything in me to finish the readings/briefings for the next day

How could you possibly do it for the next week?

I want to go to your law school.. (Or maybe you just need to go out more)

I was able to move ahead during weekends. During the week i just read the same amount as i would if i were not ahead but over the weekend, you can often read a lot more, especially since LRRW isnt very heavy yet.

i dont go out a lot (not out in the traditional sense). i work out a ton and have dinner with friends often, but i dont drink much and im not much of a night owl. im pretty boring, i guess..

Ahh. Well thats definitely true, one could catch up/speed ahead on fri-sun if they weren't hungover. I have to make some lifestyle adjustments :/ although its not just me, doesnt seem like many people stay in here (yet).

[PriOSkyVXS]

You should try out a few approaches to see which one works the best for you.

[AlanShore]

.

[smaug_]

I read in advance. In general I would stay a week ahead of where we were and accelerated a bit before exams to have time to outline/do practice tests.

That said, I'm sure you can blow off the readings and still do very well. I'd focus on figuring out what the test is like and just doing whatever makes you comfortable.