Now that we have all begun to settle in, kinda, I thought it would be fitting to provide the1L’s with a list of the essentials on how to NOT loose your minds in the ensuing months! With some great tips from 2 and 3L’s you are sure to make it through with only a few (maybe more) minor scrapes and bruises!! So chin up, Its gonna get better!
1. GO TO THE GYM. Or if you despise the thought of working out or being in a testosterone filled entrapment, maybe a better option would be a nice jog (a plus given this beautiful weather, hopefully I wont jinx it). How about organized sport? Soccer? Ultimate Frisbee? I, myself, will be getting involved with some 1L’s to play some ultimate soon. Those of you who I am referring to, we will meet soon! Wamsley Cycles rents bicycles for $10 for 2 hours!
2. LRRW – This is a BIG one, so LISTEN UP!! The key to LRRW assignments ( well not “the key,” seeing as how substance plays a major role, but lets say, “a key”) is listen in class to what your Professor wants. They WILL TELL YOU! Go to their office hours if you didn’t get it the first time around. Make and outline, a plan, some sort of guide for writing (makes the process much less painful) For the love, GO SEE Jean Dailey, like seriously. GO! And MOST IMPORTANTLY of all, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT procrastinate. You’ll probably pull your hair out and curse yourself later if you do and have bad thoughts as to why you joined us on Law School Hill.
3. Coffee is indeed your friend, but SLEEP is a better ally. Try and get as much sleep during the week as you possibly can. I know that seems like an absolutely foreign concept at the moment, but trust me. Skimming your reading and getting 7 hours of sleep will prove a much better choice in class the next day, than cramming your brain + 3 hours of sleep and your face falling in your book 5 minutes into Contracts. Not Cool…
4. You’ve probs already figured this one out by now (and for those of you who haven’t, Bless your heart) but, PRIORITIZE your time. Figure out when you can effectively read, write, work and retain information. If you need a nap to make it through the rest of what you’ve got going on, then take 30. But figure out a schedule that works for you, and stick to it.
5. And most importantly, try to have a little fun. This would not include ragers with the undergrads or being a regular at Rock Top 5 nights a week. But go out SOMETIME, come out of your dungeon of an apartment or the library (which depresses me in general, but we will address that some other time) and go to a football game. Take a walk, make a new friend, play hop-skotch for all I care. But forget about school, take a breather, and quit asking yourself “WHY WHY WHY?! ?! ?! ?!” for a little while and just RELAX.
I hope this helps and if it doesn’t, come find me! I’m sitting at the BARBRI table every monday from 12-1:30. Hopefully we can work something out for ya then.
Stay Calm & Law School On…
