Today's BarBri class was the first essay writing workshop. Our professor offered lots of general tips for the Bar including my favorite topic: panic. I still remember the freak out I had on my first year Contracts exam. I had just finished question 1 and I looked at question 2 and couldn't figure out what the heck the difference between the 2 questions was. After 5 minutes hyperventilating in the bathroom, I came back, made my best guess and pulled a decent grade in the class. Basically, our professor today suggested the same approach. What he said made absolute sense; between making something up and leaving the page blank, only 1 of those options gives you any chance of passing.
Today was also notable because I finally had some human interaction. I ran into someone I knew from work waiting in the interminable line for the ladies' room and actually had a 5 minute conversation. Inspired by the joy of actual conversation, I also called my former study buddy and heard all the details about her cross country move. Unsurprisingly, moving cross country and then immediately starting BarBri is not much fun. We talked for way too long because neither of us wanted to go back to studying. The good news is that I did manage about 3 productive hours in addition to attending lecture today, so I feel like I'm keeping my head (just barely) above water.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Back after a long weekend
It's just a little over a week into bar review and I'm already behind.
I do have a very good reason. This past weekend, I was the maid of honor in my best friend's wedding. While I was out of town, I missed 3 Bar Bri lectures, but it was (of course) worth it. While I understand that I do have to put some fun on hold this summer, that certainly does not include missing a once in a lifetime event. The wedding was beautiful and it was great to see all of my old friends (especially since I'll be spending an awful lot of time studying by myself this summer).
I did my best not to get too far behind while I was out of town. I was able to listen to one of the missed lectures online. I also read outlines and did practice questions during the 5 hour plane ride in each direction. I still feel a little stressed out by the assignments I haven't yet done (a full 2 and 1/2 days worth), but I talked to someone in class today who was in town all weekend and is still behind, which made me feel a little better. I'm sure that many people fall behind on a study schedule that calls for 8 hours of studying a day, 7 days a week.
The good news is that I was back in time for the second half of Torts. The lecturer was professor Schechter from GW, and his lecture was full of humorous anecdotes and examples. My favorite was his vivid example drawn from an old bar exam about an attorney who comes home from work one day and decides to smoke a little weed, not realizing that her stove had been leaking gas all day while she was out of the house. The tort issue had to do with whether her neighbor could use the statute that says, "Pot smoking is a misdemeanor" to prove breach of duty in the suit resulting from the ensuing explosion. The answer hinges on whether the harm that occurred is the type that the statute seeks to prevent. ("Munchies maybe, but certainly not an explosion.")
After my morning lecture, I was able to listen to about 3/4 of the Torts 1 lecture I missed yesterday. (Unfortunately, they don't allow eating in the video room, so I had to take time to eat lunch, which prevented me from finishing the whole tape). Tonight, my husband is going to cook dinner so that I can try and catch up a little more on what I missed. My goal is to be all caught up by Monday because ultimately I plan to study longer hours on weekdays and take at least 1 day off each weekend.
I do have a very good reason. This past weekend, I was the maid of honor in my best friend's wedding. While I was out of town, I missed 3 Bar Bri lectures, but it was (of course) worth it. While I understand that I do have to put some fun on hold this summer, that certainly does not include missing a once in a lifetime event. The wedding was beautiful and it was great to see all of my old friends (especially since I'll be spending an awful lot of time studying by myself this summer).
I did my best not to get too far behind while I was out of town. I was able to listen to one of the missed lectures online. I also read outlines and did practice questions during the 5 hour plane ride in each direction. I still feel a little stressed out by the assignments I haven't yet done (a full 2 and 1/2 days worth), but I talked to someone in class today who was in town all weekend and is still behind, which made me feel a little better. I'm sure that many people fall behind on a study schedule that calls for 8 hours of studying a day, 7 days a week.
The good news is that I was back in time for the second half of Torts. The lecturer was professor Schechter from GW, and his lecture was full of humorous anecdotes and examples. My favorite was his vivid example drawn from an old bar exam about an attorney who comes home from work one day and decides to smoke a little weed, not realizing that her stove had been leaking gas all day while she was out of the house. The tort issue had to do with whether her neighbor could use the statute that says, "Pot smoking is a misdemeanor" to prove breach of duty in the suit resulting from the ensuing explosion. The answer hinges on whether the harm that occurred is the type that the statute seeks to prevent. ("Munchies maybe, but certainly not an explosion.")
After my morning lecture, I was able to listen to about 3/4 of the Torts 1 lecture I missed yesterday. (Unfortunately, they don't allow eating in the video room, so I had to take time to eat lunch, which prevented me from finishing the whole tape). Tonight, my husband is going to cook dinner so that I can try and catch up a little more on what I missed. My goal is to be all caught up by Monday because ultimately I plan to study longer hours on weekdays and take at least 1 day off each weekend.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
First Days of Bar Review
Tuesday, May 20
Many of my class mates started PMBR immediately after finishing up their law school exams. I feel lucky that I am not taking the 6 day PMBR class because I was able to take a few (much needed) days off between my last exam and the first day of Bar Bri.
I arrive for my first day of class about 20 minutes early and the room is already almost full. I don't know exactly how many other potential lawyers are in the room with me, but it looks like nearly 200. To think that this is only 1 session at 1 Bar Bri location. Across California, thousands of people must be getting ready for the Bar. Coming into the room and finding a seat reminds me of my first day of law school. Everyone seems to be sitting with a friend or two and I am alone and trying to find the 1 empty seat in the room. (Unfortunately, the friend I planned to study with found out just a few weeks ago that she was relocating to the East Coast, so I am currently without any study buddy). I feel slightly out of place.
The introductory lecture begins. "California is considered one of the most difficult Bar Exams in the country," the instructor informs us. "The bad news is that's true." He then proceeds to go through the suggested study schedule and an overview of the Bar Exam format. Looking at the suggested study calendar, I am overwhelmed to see that every single day (including weekends) is full of tiny type. In addition to attending a 4 hour lecture each day, we should review what we learned, do and review practice questions and then read ahead for the next day. On top of that, PMBR suggests that I do 50 of their practice multiple choice every day (Bar Bri assures me that would be overkill, but I should probably do at least a few PMBR questions each day on top of my Bar Bri work). If I follow the suggested schedule, I will spend at least 8 hours studying every weekday and another 4 or 5 hours each Saturday and Sunday.
The lecturer moves on to IRAC, the preferred method for answering Bar essays. I am again reminded of the first day of law school when our orientation included a lecture on how to brief cases using IRAC (issure, rule, analysis, conclusion). Although I never briefed a case in law school, I have IRACed my way through 3 years of exams, so I am glad that at least I am prepared on that front. As the lecture continues, I become accutely aware that I haven't had any coffee or tea this morning. My mind drifts to my new cappucino machine ... coffee.. coffee... cofee... a new speaker is now giving us an overview of how many questions about each topic we can expect to find on the multi-state. Who cares. Just tell me where I can find a coffee shop around here. (It turns out there is none, but the industrious folks at the sushi shop next door have filled the void and sell coffee on days when Bar Bri is in session.)
After the lecture, I drive home in record time, eat lunch and spend the next few hours reading the Evidence mini outline. I then try to do some PMBR questions on Evidence. Everything is vaguely familiar, but I can't remember any of the rules. I wind up getting half the questions wrong, but cheer myself up with the thought that if I can get half right now, I should be in great shape after tomorrow's Evidence lecture.
Many of my class mates started PMBR immediately after finishing up their law school exams. I feel lucky that I am not taking the 6 day PMBR class because I was able to take a few (much needed) days off between my last exam and the first day of Bar Bri.
I arrive for my first day of class about 20 minutes early and the room is already almost full. I don't know exactly how many other potential lawyers are in the room with me, but it looks like nearly 200. To think that this is only 1 session at 1 Bar Bri location. Across California, thousands of people must be getting ready for the Bar. Coming into the room and finding a seat reminds me of my first day of law school. Everyone seems to be sitting with a friend or two and I am alone and trying to find the 1 empty seat in the room. (Unfortunately, the friend I planned to study with found out just a few weeks ago that she was relocating to the East Coast, so I am currently without any study buddy). I feel slightly out of place.
The introductory lecture begins. "California is considered one of the most difficult Bar Exams in the country," the instructor informs us. "The bad news is that's true." He then proceeds to go through the suggested study schedule and an overview of the Bar Exam format. Looking at the suggested study calendar, I am overwhelmed to see that every single day (including weekends) is full of tiny type. In addition to attending a 4 hour lecture each day, we should review what we learned, do and review practice questions and then read ahead for the next day. On top of that, PMBR suggests that I do 50 of their practice multiple choice every day (Bar Bri assures me that would be overkill, but I should probably do at least a few PMBR questions each day on top of my Bar Bri work). If I follow the suggested schedule, I will spend at least 8 hours studying every weekday and another 4 or 5 hours each Saturday and Sunday.
The lecturer moves on to IRAC, the preferred method for answering Bar essays. I am again reminded of the first day of law school when our orientation included a lecture on how to brief cases using IRAC (issure, rule, analysis, conclusion). Although I never briefed a case in law school, I have IRACed my way through 3 years of exams, so I am glad that at least I am prepared on that front. As the lecture continues, I become accutely aware that I haven't had any coffee or tea this morning. My mind drifts to my new cappucino machine ... coffee.. coffee... cofee... a new speaker is now giving us an overview of how many questions about each topic we can expect to find on the multi-state. Who cares. Just tell me where I can find a coffee shop around here. (It turns out there is none, but the industrious folks at the sushi shop next door have filled the void and sell coffee on days when Bar Bri is in session.)
After the lecture, I drive home in record time, eat lunch and spend the next few hours reading the Evidence mini outline. I then try to do some PMBR questions on Evidence. Everything is vaguely familiar, but I can't remember any of the rules. I wind up getting half the questions wrong, but cheer myself up with the thought that if I can get half right now, I should be in great shape after tomorrow's Evidence lecture.
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