If you could do one thing in your life differently...

Original post by mlp924

Jun 05, 2003 11:06 PM

what would it be?

Kathy116 Posted: Jun 06, 2003 01:02 AM

Re: If you could do one thing in your life differently...

You know that worksheet they hand out to you that tells you what to do everyday...FOLLOW IT! Trust me, it gets amazingly tough but stick to it! Especially on the weekends when you have to review ALL your notes! But it's worth it.

I DIDN'T DO ANY EXTRAS! It was P$ssing me off to hear all these other people studying from tons of other course books, taking other compact weekend courses for the multi-state. IT is NOT necessary to do all that. BarBRI is fine, and if you follow their schedule and their 'homework plans', you shoudn't have any spare time to do extra work, especially as time goes by.

Remember, it's is very important, at least in the first few weeks to give yourself ONE DAY a week where you don't do anything law related. Take that time for yourself to unwind, that's what kept me sane.

deby Posted: Jun 06, 2003 01:04 AM

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Kathy116 Posted: Jun 06, 2003 01:05 AM

Re: If you could do one thing in your life differently...

I was also a psych major in undergrad. I started out as bio...but then this professor totally creeped me out (that's a whole other story!!!!).

Psych was a great major...kept the door open for so many other possibilities!

Marcela1654 Posted: Jun 06, 2003 01:06 AM

Re: If you could do one thing in your life differently...

Thanks Kathy I started BAR/BRI 2 weeks ago and so far, I've been studying one weekend day and taking one weekend day off. I agree with you, I need one day off or else I'm going to go totally INSANE!

I've been doing everything they tell me to do, but I still feel like I'm not retaining I'm so scared July is going to come and I'm going to be clueless. This is just so frustrating.

deby Posted: Jun 06, 2003 01:08 AM

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Marcela1654 Posted: Jun 06, 2003 01:09 AM

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LOL. That's so funny that we were all psych majors. I guess everything happens for a reason. We were all meant to be in legal field for some reason or another.

deby Posted: Jun 06, 2003 01:12 AM

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Marcela1654 Posted: Jun 06, 2003 01:12 AM

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Deby: Thanks! Yeah, the first thing that I do when I get home is condense my notes. BAR/BRI still recommends that you do that. Then I do the homework that they give. Today I had some extra time so I did some Multistate Questions. I have all the PMBR books b/c my school gave us the PMBR course for free. But I find that the BAR/BRI books are MUCH better at explaining the answers. BAR/BRI books give you the right answers and explains why the other answers are wrong. PMBR books don't do that

Marcela1654 Posted: Jun 06, 2003 01:13 AM

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Kathy116 Posted: Jun 06, 2003 01:13 AM

Re: If you could do one thing in your life differently...

I know what you mean about retaining. Right now you're NOT supposed to memorize, just read over and over. Don't do drills or anything yet.

About 2 weeks before, or maybe even one week before, there will be this magical click in your brain, where things will all of a sudden make sense. TRUST ME! I freaked out, especially towards the end of Barbri, because I felt like I didn't know anything...and then it happened! To be quite honest...the last 2 weeks of Barbri I didn't go to...I found that I retained more staying at home and just outlining the course book myself for those particular topics. But the beginining and middle of the BARBRI course was excellent! Just when it got close to the end, I realized that my 2 hours of driving to and from the course location (1 hour each way) was a total waste of time, and I really needed more time to study.

In a few weeks, you'll feel like you don't have enough time to complete what they ask you to do. So, don't worry about not doing enough.

And, you're not supposed to remember EVERYTHING...not nearly everything!

Once you get through this, you'll feel amazing! I'm rooting for yoU!!!!!

Kathy116 Posted: Jun 06, 2003 01:15 AM

Re: If you could do one thing in your life differently...

I didn't even pick up the PMBR books, to this day I don't even know what one looks like..ha ha!

Yeah, I also condensed my notes at home, and found that they were very useful during those last few weeks of studying.

I remember at the hotel in Manhatten, the night before the exam (well, both nights, 2 day exam)..I just kept flipping through those notes, reading them over and over and over again.

Be sure to really CONDENSE them, it helps with the last minuet memorization!

deby Posted: Jun 06, 2003 01:18 AM

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Marcela1654 Posted: Jun 06, 2003 01:18 AM

Re: If you could do one thing in your life differently...

Thanks so much Kathy!! Thank god that what I'm feeling is not abnormal. I thought it was just me not doing enough or not studying the right way. I was starting to get really scared.

Thanks so much girls!! I'm going to go to bed now b/c I have BAR/BRI tomorrow morning.

Good Night and thanks again

Marcela1654 Posted: Jun 06, 2003 01:20 AM

Re: If you could do one thing in your life differently...

Kathy: Today was the first day I opened a PMBR book. I went to the courses my school offerred but didn't bring my books. I just sat and took notes

Deby: Thanks, I may have to take you up on that sometime

Rob-luvs-me Posted: Jun 06, 2003 01:46 AM

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Keep up the good work - I'm NOT looking forward to being in your shoes in Feb.

OK IF I had to do it over - I would have probably not gone to Franklin & Marshall - I got into all the colleges that I applied to - so I should have gone to one of those instead - like Vassar or Smith or skidmore or kenyon...probably anywhere else-

I would not have gone to law school - (and if I did I would have gone to albany and not decided to stay here b/c I didn't want to move away from FH)- but instead went for my masters and Phd in art history - so that I could work in a museum or aution house or art gallery.

Kathy116 Posted: Jun 06, 2003 01:52 AM

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IT's funny, because everyone has said they wouldn't have gone to law school! Maybe in 10 years we'll all change our minds when the BAR Exam is out of our system.

Kathy116 Posted: Jun 06, 2003 01:53 AM

Re: If you could do one thing in your life differently...

I just have one more thing to add....most of my friends who are MDs, and even most of my own MDs have told me that they wouldn've have gone to medical school, but instead have gone to law school!

I guess the grass is always greener on the other side!

deby Posted: Jun 06, 2003 02:08 AM

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deby Posted: Jun 06, 2003 02:11 AM

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Rob-luvs-me Posted: Jun 06, 2003 02:20 AM

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Thank you - I KNOW the grass is always greener on the other side - but I think that once you find a niche that nothing else feels quite right - it is finding that place though that is the hardest