Southwestern Forum

[Danteshek]

Random Question: Can someone give me feedback on the best school supplies to buy to start off? Will I even take notes in class or are classes more for discussion and not true lecture? Anyhow looking for tips and tricks in terms of what is the best way to capture and keep track of information ..thanks!

Microsoft OneNote. It should be on your computer already if you have Office. Note-taking during class is essential.

[misled_drummer]

Can't use OneNote and most of the services from SW on a mac.

SW needs to show some support for us Mac owners.

[Danteshek]

Can't use OneNote and most of the services from SW on a mac.

SW needs to show some support for us Mac owners.

You need to stop being a diaper baby and switch over to PC. You can get a Sony Vaio from Fry's for $650. It will make your life much easier. If you want to take exams on your mac, you will have to partition your hard drive, and that will substantially slow your computer down.

[misled_drummer]

Can't use OneNote and most of the services from SW on a mac.

SW needs to show some support for us Mac owners.

You need to stop being a diaper baby and switch over to PC. You can get a Sony Vaio from Fry's for $650. It will make your life much easier. If you want to take exams on your mac, you will have to partition your hard drive, and that will substantially slow your computer down.

I made the switch to Mac about a year ago, but if you have $650 to donate toward a laptop (preferably not a Vaio) then I'll gladly stop being a "diaper baby".

My Mac is already partitioned with XP and running fine. I wasn't complaining, just making a statement.

[Soul Minded]

Is the idea behind taking notes on a laptop just that you can paste them easier into outline form? Personally I got through college just fine writing my notes out and recording important lectures. I feel like a computer is distracting and takes away from my concentration on the lecturer. Am I missing something here, is there a benefit that I am not taking into account?

[Danteshek]

Is the idea behind taking notes on a laptop just that you can paste them easier into outline form? Personally I got through college just fine writing my notes out and recording important lectures. I feel like a computer is distracting and takes away from my concentration on the lecturer. Am I missing something here, is there a benefit that I am not taking into account?

One Note makes your work easily searchable

[bigmnstyle]

I don't personally think there is a comparison between a mac and a pc when it comes to anything but esp note taking. It is extremely easy on a mac. Just use word and go to notebook view. And command f will get you every file you need on your computer via finder. I have heard good things about the one note but for those that have a mac (much better computer than a pc) buying even a 650 dollar computer would be a waste of money imo. Do what you got to do though!

[chango]

1L text books

What's the conventional wisdom, especially from current SWL students? I've so far rented as many REQUIRED books as I can (from chegg.com) and then bought the rest outright: grand total of $320, not including the professor printed material. Am I missing something? That seems ridiculously low. And yeah, they're all the current editions.

Am I silly to take a wait and see approach on the RECOMMENDED book list?

[Danteshek]

Yeah don't worry too much about the recommended books. Ask around to see what the best supplements are to complement your case books.

The only advice I give to everyone is to get and use Learning Criminal Law As Advocacy Argument, by John Delaney.

[Norwood]

1L text books

What's the conventional wisdom, especially from current SWL students? I've so far rented as many REQUIRED books as I can (from chegg.com) and then bought the rest outright: grand total of $320, not including the professor printed material. Am I missing something? That seems ridiculously low. And yeah, they're all the current editions.

Am I silly to take a wait and see approach on the RECOMMENDED book list?

320 sounds reasonable. i got all my books used off of amazon and it came out to be 250ish.

[Soul Minded]

who or how do I find out what study guides and horn books to buy, is that something our teachers tell us?

[Norwood]

teachers sometimes have recommended sources to complement their casebooks. However, many of them don't and won't even recommend using secondary sources.

Use the supplements if you find them helpful as you study and use them strictly as complements and not substitutes to your casebooks. As for which ones, well ask 2L or 3L and see which ones they recommend. Before buying them I'd suggest you sit down with a copy from the library reserve and see how it fits into your studying. Some people get As by religiously relying on these study aids and there's some people who get As without ever touching anything besides their casebook...it really just all depends on your study method.

[trick1]

how's the waitlist looking?
is it safe to assume that waitlist activity is pretty much dead since orientation is next week? -.-

[linkbruin]

how's the waitlist looking?
is it safe to assume that waitlist activity is pretty much dead since orientation is next week? -.-

I wouldn't give up all hope, but your last shot is someone not showing up to orientation. I'd say it's pretty grim at this point with a small sliver of a chance.

[Temka]

I don't personally think there is a comparison between a mac and a pc when it comes to anything but esp note taking. It is extremely easy on a mac. Just use word and go to notebook view. And command f will get you every file you need on your computer via finder. I have heard good things about the one note but for those that have a mac (much better computer than a pc) buying even a 650 dollar computer would be a waste of money imo. Do what you got to do though!

I switched from PC about 6 months ago knowing I would be attending law school. I had one note on my PC and did not like it all that much, maybe I just wasn't used to it. Using Notebook view on Word for Macs so far has proven to be the best for me. If one does really feel the need for a PC, there are netbooks available for $200 nowadays.

[bigmnstyle]

I just got my medical marijuana card. Since I am Now Legal, could this pose any problems with taking the bar exam? I am assuming no but just curious.

[linkbruin]

I just got my medical marijuana card. Since I am now legal, could this pose any problems with taking the bar exam? I am assuming no but just curious.

Just don't show up high to the bar exam or your C&F examination.

[bigmnstyle]

[Danteshek]

I just got my medical marijuana card. Since I am now legal, could this pose any problems with taking the bar exam? I am assuming no but just curious.

What disease are you suffering from?

[linkbruin]

I just got my medical marijuana card. Since I am now legal, could this pose any problems with taking the bar exam? I am assuming no but just curious.

What disease are you suffering from?

Needformarijuana-itis. Seems to affect most males in their 20s in California.

[Danteshek]

This why we need to elect STEVE COOLEY.

[chango]

When is orientation week?

Orientation August 12th and 13th. LAWS classes start the following week. Full class schedule begins on the 23rd.

Does anyone if there is a dress code for those dinners that we have during orientation week?

Anyone have an answer for this? I suppose in the absence of guidance the default would be "business casual" although considering how hot it will be during the day and how unlikely it is I'll have time to change before dinner, I'm pulling for "socal casual."

[linkbruin]

When is orientation week?

Orientation August 12th and 13th. LAWS classes start the following week. Full class schedule begins on the 23rd.

Does anyone if there is a dress code for those dinners that we have during orientation week?

Anyone have an answer for this? I suppose in the absence of guidance the default would be "business casual" although considering how hot it will be during the day and how unlikely it is I'll have time to change before dinner, I'm pulling for "socal casual."

Yeah I really don't know about this. I was thinking jeans and nice shirt for the whole day, but I really don't know and have not found any info about it.

[bigmnstyle]

Dante, what was the dress code last year for orientation?

And does anyone else have a medical marijuana card? lol

I suffer from "headaches" and not being able to sleep some nites like most people which is the actual problem and marijuana is the solution.

[SwollenMonkey]

Dante, what was the dress code last year for orientation?

And does anyone else have a medical marijuana card? lol

I suffer from "headaches" and not being able to sleep some nites like most people which is the actual problem and marijuana is the solution.

The card makes it legal for you to smoke marijuana. I've asked about this, too. I haven't received my card, but it doesn't look like it will pose any problems. Secondly, marijuana is becoming a bit more accepted little by little, and as a law student, I doubt there is anything major to worry about.

I'm not really sweating the medicinal marijuana card. Just don't get high in school, and you should be good. Get high on Wilshire like everybody else.

Think of it like this: The marijuana is your prescribed medicine. Carry the card at all times, or carry it when you carry an ounce or less of "The Kush".