1L Down

The last exam is done, the books are on the shelf, and the first year of law school is over.  One down, two to go, but first it’s summer break.

Just Can’t Get Enough

I’m not even having bad dreams about the right exams anymore.  My only remaining exam is torts, and it’s this Tuesday.  So what do I dream about last night?  Criminal law and civil procedure.  Those exams were a week ago tomorrow and last Friday, respectively.

For crim law, I first dreamed that there weren’t enough exams, and I didn’t receive one.  While everyone else was working away, I was waiting thirty minutes for another copy to be found.  When I started looking at it, it was sixteen photographs from around the world.  I was supposed to write about criminal law for such fabulous vacation destinations as the south of France or Tahiti.  I had no idea what I was supposed to do.  It felt like some sort of criminal law travelogue.  It was not pleasant.  And everyone else was busily working away.

Then, I found myself wondering about civ pro.  I almost want to say that was after I woke up from the crim law.  I was worried which question it was.  Was it the Erie question?  The personal jurisdiction?  Subject matter jurisdiction?  I never knew what the question was, but I know I was worried about what type it was. 

Maybe tonight I’ll have a bad dream about first grade spelling tests.  Those were never fun either.

Criminal Law: Done

A couple of weeks ago, my criminal law professor told us we’d have up to four hours for the exam.  “Ha, ha,” I thought, “like it’s really going to take four hours.  No way.  Never.”  That the professor also added most people usually call it quits after three hours didn’t change my thoughts.  Then, maybe last week, she added that it should take three to three and a half hours.  I’m a fast test taker, so again, I figured I’d be done before that.

I stand corrected.  It was a long, long exam.  It just kept going.  The first person didn’t leave until after three and a half hours.  Only a handful of people left before I turned my exam in at the three hour and fifty minute mark. 

But, I’m now done with criminal law, especially the exam.  It was closed book, and the one I was dreading the most.  Civil procedure and torts are open book, I have a much better understanding of the material, and I’m writing my outlines to guide me through answering the questions.  It’s already betting better.

Exam Time

Tomorrow is the last day of new material for my classes.  There’s some review and wrap up on Wednesday; that’s my last official day of class for the semester.  Criminal law exam is next Monday (12/13), civil procedure next Thursday (12/16), and torts the following Tuesday (12/21).  Coincidentally, December 21 is the day I graduated from Purdue seven years ago. 

Criminal law is closed book and looks to be the toughest.  There’s just an awful lot of material to memorize and then apply.  Civil procedure and torts look easier, in comparison if nothing else.  They’re both open book and I’ve been tailoring my outline to guide me through answering the questions.

I just keep telling myself, with the curve, there’s a nine out of ten chance I’ll get an A or B.

First Bad Dream

This past Sunday night I dreamed about the criminal law exam.  It was not a pleasant experience.

It was fifty multiple choice questions (actual exam will be essay questions) in an hour (actual exam will be up to four hours).  I knew basically nothing.  I think I answered two questions.  For whatever reason, I wasn’t even guessing at the other questions.  And the subject matter was all over the place.  One question was what a set of control jets on the Apollo moon mission did.  There was a diagram.  This was one of the two questions I answered because I could figure out which way the jets in question would rotate the capsule.

In a way, it was a fitting start to the next exam.  It’s two weeks from yesterday, so there’s still plenty of time to prepare.  But from where I am right now, I think it’s going to be rough.

Physics Flashback

Today, in criminal law, the professor told us she couldn’t remember the last time someone flunked.  I’m not sure if she meant flunked her exam, or flunked out of law school, but the point was we shouldn’t stress too much about the exam.

It reminded me of physics as an undergrad.  Before one of the midterms, the professor explained to us that the class was curved.  He then added, “You aren’t all going to flunk.”  The way he said, I expected him to say, “Just you, you, you, and those in the back reading the newspaper.”

Day Early Update

So, how’d I do this past weekend?

1. Make flashcards for contracts and criminal law.  – Done for contracts, not done for criminal law.  That’s ok, the contracts exam is two weeks before the criminal law exam.  At least, that’s what I’m telling myself.
2. Draft my civil procedure research paper.  – Done
3. Update my resume for career services.  – Done
4. Outline criminal law supplement – Done before the weekend
5. Read torts restatement – Done before the weekend
6. Reformat criminal law outline for self defense – Did not happen

Weekend Study Resolutions Sponsored by Day Early

Yes, I’m a day early with my weekend study resolutions.  That’s because I’m leaving tomorrow afternoon after class to visit Go Blue Girlfriend.  It’ll be a fun weekend: ACS Cattlebaron’s Ball on Saturday night, Lion’s game Sunday afternoon, and lots of time to study Saturday during the day and Sunday morning.  And get a haircut before the ball.  It’s good practice for when I’ll be working all the time to get billable hours. 

Because I’ll be on the road tomorrow afternoon instead of making resolutions, and because I could use a break from studying at the moment, I wanted to get them done now.

1. Make flashcards for contracts and criminal law.  These are my two closed book exams.  The only way I can effectively memorize things is with flashcards.  There’s a lot to memorize.
2. Draft my civil procedure research paper.  Most of the researching is done, I just need to write the thing.
3. Update my resume for career services.  I’ve got a meeting Monday to review it and get helpful tips.  So I need to have something to review.
4. Outline criminal law supplement (hope to get this done before the weekend)
5. Read torts restatement (hope to get this done before the weekend too)
6. Reformat criminal law outline for self defense

Broad Horizons Update

Ohio State won, Michigan lost,  and Notre Dame lost.  All that was missing was Purdue winning, but it was still a good weekend.  As for studying…

Contracts: Done!

Criminal Law: Done!

Civil Procedure: Didn’t happen.

Torts: Didn’t happen either.

Weekend Study Resolutions, Sponsored by Broad Horizons

This evening I’m heading to my parents place to  celebrate my birthday with my family and Go Blue Girlfriend.  I’m staying there tonight and tomorrow night.  Saturday will be a fun day of watching college football, and also studying, which is almost certain to spill over in to Sunday as well.  (Seriously, when I get in my car to drive back on Sunday, there’s not going to be any studying after that when I get home.  I’m willing to admit that.)

That said:

Contracts: Get my outline updated and making sense for remedies.

Criminal Law: Outline the supplement for next week.  Outlining the supplement in advance is how I survive in criminal law.

Civil Procedure: Figure out a way to get the federal rules of civil procedure organized.  For the second weekend in a row.

Torts: General outline improvement to show the big picture of negligence.