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My Con Law prof often asked if the U.S. Constitution is just a piece of paper that’s outdated and useless.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.
Law Student Jobs: The Two Paths To Find Work
Everyone is probably throwing out their 2 cents for the 1L’s. I really do not have many specific advice. Because everyone studies differnetly and have different personalities, I would say that specific advice would probably not help at this point. After all, law school is an experience that you would just have to find out for yourself.
The best way to come into the law school, I find, is to have a very strong reason to be there. By this I mean to say have a “conviction.” Ask yourself, why do you want to be here? The stronger your reason, the better you can endure the stress that comes with law school. Again, this is a generality. Not everyone who comes in with a conviction will stay — they might change or realize that they simply do not care for law anymore.
There are generally two paths for law students in terms of finding a job.
1. The super student
2. The networking hardworker
The super student is someone who works hard, gets good grades (top 10-15%), make it to law review or some kind of prestigious leadership position (journal board, moot court/trial court team, dean’s list). He or she can study for hours and understand what the professor is saying. He or she is born to study or tries really hard and succeeds in academics. Many law firms, in particular the top law firms, take these people in for the interview.
The networking hardworker is someone who tries hard but simply is not ranked within the top 15%. The networking hardworker should focus on his/her strength (e.g. a specialty, concentration) and find out the key people in this area of law.
These are merely my observations. You may have a different idea and that may work better for you.
[thanks to victoriapeckham and shelly via cc]
