Random Thoughts on Libaries, Internet, Constitution, & WHORE
Admittedly, there’s no official diagnosis to narcolepsy, but I’m suspecting that’s what I have because I find myself dozing off every 5 minutes or so. One moment I would be reading about “suspect classifications” and my next conscious thought was about something else completely unrelated to Con Law. I looked at my notes and somehow, I had jumped all the way to “non-fundamental rights.” Tomorrow is going to be a very long day.
I’m not sure how to keep myself awake. I’ve tried just letting myself fall asleep naturally. I ended up sleeping 12 hours and feeling like I barely slept a wink. I’ve tried taking sleeping aid but that knocked me off for at least 6 hours, which means if I don’t go to sleep early, I wouldn’t be able to wake up in time for the exams.
I’ve often wondered how often I’d fallen asleep in all of my classes. Looking at my notes, it seems that I’ve missed quite a chunk of lecture (esp. con law). So did my non-narcoleptic friends. It seems like our whole class had a black-out everytime we attend con law lecture. Now I need to figure out how to keep myself focused on this long exam.
It’s not that the subject matters aren’t interesting. They are. In terms of substance, I find this semester more invigorating than last semester. The problem lay in the fact that the schedule is too demanding. We simply couldn’t handle extra classes three days in a row at 8am in the morning. There’s only so much my brain could absorb in one day. More than one professor protested the schedule assigned to my section, but the person in charge of Records & Registration was unmoved.
Almost to the end. Almost. I just need to survive through 5 more days.
W.H.O.R.E. Witness Having Other Reasonable Explanation
Usage: Criminal Law
My favorite quote from my crim law professor:
“If I’m going to be labeled a W.H.O.R.E. by working for free or charging a fee, I rather be a high class W.H.O.R.E.”
The Library or Internet Decision
When the internet was first invented, I barely noticed it. When AOL began its mass CD-mailing campaign, I barely winked. When my brother taught me the purpose of internet (e.g. chatting, e-mailing), I finally began to believe that there is some sort of purpose to this technology called “internet.”
A decade after my first brush with the world wide web, I stopped frequenting the local library. The reason? I can look-up all the information on the internet. With the exception of textbooks, the internet has offered interesting articles in place of out-dated paperbacks. Why bother watch one hour of painful local news when I can simply skim and select the type of news that interests me at my own pace during the time of my choice?
The internet revolution has changed the legal world as well. In our research and writing class, instead of learning the library codes, we learn about using online database to look up case law and treatises. In fact, some of us grumbled when the instructor told us that we had to learn the “traditional” method of legal research — going through rows of old books to locate an annotated case from the early 19th century, and so on.
And now, I can’t imagine what I would do without the internet. It’s not only my source of entertainment, but an essential part of my academic and professional life.
The United States Constitution and Governmental Duties to Individuals
It is common perception that the U.S. Constitution is one of the most powerful documents in the world. The U.S. Constitution guarantees certain rights and protects citizens against government abuses.
It comes as a shock that in fact, the Constitution actually says very little about the government’s duties to individuals.
In general, the Constitution prohibits the State from depriving individuals of life, liberty, or property without “due process of law,” but as Chief Justice Rehnquist pointed out, the language of the Constitution does not impose an affirmative obligation on the state to protect individuals from each other.
What power does the federal government have? The broadest powers, as interpreted by the Supreme Court, is the taxing and spending power. When the federal government wants something done, it needs to entice individual states to exercise its powers through financial incentives.
There exists a tension between the desire of wanting the government to stay out of your life, but step in to help you when the time is appropriate. The problem is that no one seems to have a handle on the government.
Another tension is the relationship between the federal government and the state government. The Constitution implicitly grants the state immense power, stating un-enumerated powers (not reserved for federal government) are reserved for the states. Unfortunately, discprencies in state standards for health care and policing make one wonder why is there no national standard?
The Constitution is a flexible framework, but it is a silent document. Is it time to amend the Constitution to make sure it serves the general population and not expose the vulnerable people to political whims?
[thanks to stan.faryna, kaibara87 and shelley's case via cc]
1L Nightmares: Constitutional Law, Giant Snowball, Citations
Constitutional Law is getting out of hand. I started with uneasy feelings for this class, which then transcended into good feelings, then it plummeted down to negative on a scale of 1 to -1000.
I don’t get how Con Law works. I don’t really think I care either. I’ve never been quite involved in Con Law issues because I fail to see the point. It’s not going to get resolved b/c people take personal values seriously, and no matter what reasons you give to justify the outcome, people are going to get upset.
My Con Law prof often asked if the U.S. Constitution is just a piece of paper that’s outdated and useless. My answer is leaning closer to yes. Does this mean we can ditch Con Law now? I propose making Con Law into a 1 credit class or better yet, just get rid of the entire requirement. It’s simply too subjective of a subject and not enough “law.” I mean, really, HOW MANY LAWYERS END UP ARGUING IN FRONT OF THE SUPREME COURT? Just make Con Law an optional class or something. Or a Seminar.
Con Law should come with a warning: Not for 1L’s.
Did a Giant Snowball Hit Me in the Head…
because I didn’t see it coming…
Post-exam stress syndrome: Everything you say sounds like a concept from property.
I’ve studied and studied and studied…and yet nothing prepared me for this. The topics weren’t too hard, but the exams were 20-30% longer than the ones from practice.
Oh man…
What’s the Deal with Citations?
Can someone please tell me why lawyers are obsessed with citation formats? I’ve spent the last hour flipping through the Bluebook (a legal grammar book) and it is driving me nuts. There’s minimum information about when and how to use a full/short citation format.
After inserting the proper citations, I can barely read my paper without getting bogged down by page and volume numbers. Why can’t we just use footnotes or reference numbers instead?
[thanks to shelley and madmolecule via cc]
10 Ways to Ensure Success in Law School
If you’re considering entering law school or already a new student the intimidation factor can be overwhelming. Anyone who has gone through the rigors of a three-year law school program will tell you it gets less threatening as you advance. In order to get through these three years you’re going to need a lot of help. Here are some tips for you to consider as you begin your journey:
- Stay on top of your reading assignments. The workload will be unlike any you have encountered in the past and it’s imperative you do all the assigned readings. It is helpful to refresh with the readings just before you attend class.
- Speak up. Class participation is not usually factored into your grades so don’t be afraid to jump into a class discussion. It’s your chance to either strut your stuff or to clarify ambiguities you’ve encountered in the course materials.
- Go to class. Even if your professor doesn’t take attendance you should make every effort to make it to class. There are sure to be times when you haven’t done the reading and you feel like taking the easy way out. Avoid this urge and still go to class, at least this way you can hear what the professor feels is most important about a particular case.
- Listen to your professor. Only take notes of what the professor says. He or she is the one paid to present the material. Certainly listen to your classmates but don’t take their points and opinions as Gospel.
- Reflect on your notes at the end of each day. Take a close look at the notes you took earlier in the day in class when you get home. This will allow you to soak up and reinforce the day’s message. Repeat this process at the end of each week.
- Learn the rules. It may sound redundant, but you’re in law school so you should learn to accurately explain legal rules.
- Worry about the context. Classes are intended to revolve around discussions to reach a conclusion. Don’t be concerned with knowing the right answer right away – this isn’t the aim of a discussion.
- Find a comfortable seat in class. If you’re taking notes the old-fashioned way with a pen and a pad then avoid the guy pounding away on his laptop.
- Quality, not quantity. Put in valuable time, not just hours upon hours for the sake of looking good. Only you will know the extent of your effort. Make sure the time you study is done wisely.
- Classes are difficult. Accept the struggle that is going to accompany your journey. If one class session has you feeling lost, try to master the material in your own time and be prepared for the next meeting.
Susan Jacobs is a freelance writer as well as a regular contributor for CollegeDegree.com, a site helping students select an online college degree. Susan invites your questions, comments and freelancing job inquiries at her email address susan.jacobs45@gmail.com.
