[Chancetobe]

Originally Posted by SgtSmegma

I live probably 1/2 mile from the law school. It's nice

Honestly, it's not as much work and as difficult as people would have you believe. Just have a plan, understand the big picture, read supplements and start doing practice tests early. Don't get lost in the fine details of the cases. I know it sounds counterintuitive because all you do is read cases, but it's true. If you get called out in class one day and get tripped up over some detail it might be embarrassing but it'll have literally no impact on your grades, which is what you should be primarily focused on

Seconded. I cut every case down to a key holding, and possible the facts that that holding hinged on. I always sounded retarded in class, but did pretty well come finals time because I didn't waste time learning irrelevant things. Supplements were really helpful to me, and practice tests are key in your first year - mostly for timing purposes. You'll also start to see that many 1L class finals are formulaic. No matter there question, there will just be certain things you need to bring up. I got to the point where I went into the exam knowing almost exactly what i'd write (minus the specific analysis), and that really helped me beat the curve. Also, don't forget about analysis. The law is great, but it means nothing if it's not applied to the facts.

[SgtSmegma]

Originally Posted by Chancetobe

Seconded. I cut every case down to a key holding, and possible the facts that that holding hinged on. I always sounded retarded in class, but did pretty well come finals time because I didn't waste time learning irrelevant things. Supplements were really helpful to me, and practice tests are key in your first year - mostly for timing purposes. You'll also start to see that many 1L class finals are formulaic. No matter there question, there will just be certain things you need to bring up. I got to the point where I went into the exam knowing almost exactly what i'd write (minus the specific analysis), and that really helped me beat the curve. Also, don't forget about analysis. The law is great, but it means nothing if it's not applied to the facts.

PS - I was right about law review. Missed grade on by 2 spots. Doing the write on competition was miserable

[Chancetobe]

Originally Posted by SgtSmegma

PS - I was right about law review. Missed grade on by 2 spots. Doing the write on competition was miserable

Aw, I'm very sorry. To get you really excited... being on a journal is miserable too.

[SgtSmegma]

Originally Posted by Chancetobe

Aw, I'm very sorry. To get you really excited... being on a journal is miserable too.

So I've heard...

[SgtSmegma]

Got rejected to transfer to Vandy

[ArTkY_]

I'm so fucking tired of cover letters

[SgtSmegma]

Originally Posted by ArTkY_

I'm so fucking tired of cover letters

OCI or just mass mailing? I know it seems like a waste of time, because I spent like the past month sending those things out, but keep plugging along. If you get one bite, it was worth it. I got a call yesterday from a large firm that does not come to my school for OCI for an interview that I never would have gotten if I didn't take the initiative to send out tons of cover letters/resumes. Maybe a little motivation for you

[ArTkY_]

Originally Posted by SgtSmegma

OCI or just mass mailing? I know it seems like a waste of time, because I spent like the past month sending those things out, but keep plugging along. If you get one bite, it was worth it. I got a call yesterday from a large firm that does not come to my school for OCI for an interview that I never would have gotten if I didn't take the initiative to send out tons of cover letters/resumes. Maybe a little motivation for you

Both. I know it's worth it, just tedious is all. And congrats on your hit, I actually got selected for one (1) OCI. It's for a state job but it still felt good.

[SgtSmegma]

Originally Posted by ArTkY_

Both. I know it's worth it, just tedious is all. And congrats on your hit, I actually got selected for one (1) OCI. It's for a state job but it still felt good.

Yeah. Honestly a state job would probably be pretty nice. Awesome benefits/no soul crushing hours

[ArTkY_]

Originally Posted by SgtSmegma

Yeah. Honestly a state job would probably be pretty nice. Awesome benefits/no soul crushing hours

Agreed... it's just that soul-crushing debt that I have that's the problem. I've been applying to a lot of fed jobs mostly because of the better pay.

[S/T]

Just a few weeks into school and I can't stop picturing every single case in my head, no matter what it's about, somehow ending with the defendant's action resulting in a guy losing his arm and the guy saying some relevant variation of "And that's why you always leave a note."

[ArTkY_]

haha, if only that were the holding in a case.

[Chancetobe]

Warning to all of you: beware of Clinic and leadership roles. I'm only one week in and I already feel like I'd trade 3l for 1l. I'm in class or meetings quite literally all day, and my to-do list is 800 things long.

[SgtSmegma]

Originally Posted by Chancetobe

Warning to all of you: beware of Clinic and leadership roles. I'm only one week in and I already feel like I'd trade 3l for 1l. I'm in class or meetings quite literally all day, and my to-do list is 800 things long.

I already feel that way this year with journal and OCI on top of a full class load. Everyone always told me it was all uphill after 1L

[Chancetobe]

I keep telling my 1L roommate that she doesn't need to know every fact of every case, and that if she can limit each case down to 1 or 2 sentences she'll be a step ahead for the final. She keeps getting mad at me, and saying she thinks she is doing it the right way. I'm like... you are in your second week of law school, feel free to waste time, I'm just informing you that you are wasting time. Don't get mad at me.