Month: October 2016

Categories
Daily Dose Law School

Study Break @ The Crafty Irishman

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Law school is stressful. Sure, there are those who shrug off the reading assignments and make it look easy – but I’m pretty sure they go home, throw off the facade and the panic attack ensues. Maybe it doesn’t, and you’re doing so great in school…but that’s not the case for me

Every now and then, the reading gets too dense and I need to take a break. Being at school in downtown Dallas makes it pretty simple to walk away for a yummy lunch, where we don’t utter a word about classes or assignments. 

We’re serious about it too. My friend Matt actually made us put our phones in the middle of the table for a lunch recently and said, “You grab it, you buy for the group.” Annnnnd…since we’re all basically broke graduate students, we left our phones alone until the end of lunch. I highly recommend you do this from time to time and get to know your peers. Most of them are pretty amazing. :]

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Right before midterms, a small group of us went over to The Crafty Irishman. It’s such a great place to snag a quick bite and (from what I hear, because I don’t drink them…) the beer selection is wonderful! This little gem opened a couple of weeks into law school this semester, and it has quickly turned into a class fave.

The fish and chips are good, but they’re deceiving. The batter looks crispy – that’s not the case. Which, is soooo disappointing. Sure, it’s flavorful, and the fish is (usually) well cooked, but this girl needs some crunch! Fish and chips should not be soggy. Sadly, this second trip was underwhelming. However, I will be back and hope that this dish has improved. I’m looking for some flaky-melt-in-your-mouth goodness, that was sorely lacking here.

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Whit and Patricia ordered the Shepherd’s Pie. It must have been scrumptious because I wasn’t able to snap a picture of either dish before it was gone. Thankfully, Shel is a bit more patient (and possibly not quite as ravenous as the rest of us). She enjoyed the Scotch Eggs and said they “sound disgusting but are totally delish.” For those that don’t know, these are egg-stuffed sausage rounds that are then deep fried and drizzled with a mustard creme sauce. Though I haven’t tasted them yet, I can tell you – she didn’t leave a morsel on the plate. I’d say that’s high praise.

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I for one am glad the Irishman is up and running. The owner is very approachable and always nice to the customers (except when you want to mix Irish Beers with “American Piss”) and the service is superb. I look forward to trying a few more dishes here, and maybe even sample some drinks. Lately, we’ve enjoyed lunch here; which is right before one of our classes. It’s not the easiest thing to recite case briefs and try to digest vodka. Take that as a tip, friends. Don’t drink and then go to class!

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Categories
Daily Dose Law School Recipes

Things to Avoid Eating in Law School

You should probably avoid pretty much anything I stress bake.

That’s right, I stress bake. Here’s a quick little reminder for you guys who are not aware of my sordid love affair with decadent chocolate cake and anything bathed in a creme.

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I mean, come ON! How are you not salivating?  You see, I have a real love and passion for food. I wouldn’t say I’m as adventurous as Andrew Zimmern, but I do enjoy tasting new and interesting foods – especially when they both smell and look delish!

During midterms, I baked double dark chocolate brownies, some with a hearty layer or mint chocolate; plus there were chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, waffles, and capellini with homemade marinara! Should I have been studying? Probably. Did I need the brain-break? YES.

Once I got through the thick of exams, though, my brain kept re-thinking the exam questions and trying to remember my answers. I re-lived new hypos (hypothetical questions and scenarios on the exam), trying to see if I could apply the law to my own ideas.

  • Note: You should really avoid this kind of cyclical and tedious behavior. It’s not good for you and ends in tears. Trust me. 

 

I ended up getting myself worked up and decided I needed something to focus on, so I dug deep into my belly and decided that what my little heart craved most was capirotada. 

I know – what in the ever-loving tort law is capirotada?

Capirotada is a Mexican Bread pudding that is traditionally eaten during the lenten season. One of my Tias (Aunts) is an absolute expert at all things Capirotada and I decided to make my own recipe, inspired by her yummy treats and hilarious jokes.

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I guess you can say law school has me feeling all sorts of ways and I needed to re-ground myself. Clean the slate. And, erm..avoid studying for contracts just a bit longer.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Vanilla (I used Mexican vanilla, but I’m not convinced that another form of liquid vanilla would taste too different)
  • 6-7 bolillos (small french bread like loaves, usually found in the bakery of your local supermarket)
  • 2 cups of water
  • 2 piloncillo chunks (piloncillo is a Mexican Brown sugar, packed tightly and in a small cone-like shape about the length of your hand)
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 6 eggs
  • 4 star anise flowers
  • 1 can of sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 1 cup of raisins
  • 1 cup of cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup of pecans (I picked up some candied pecans, and will not justify this delectable choice)

Steps: 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Grease (use butter, vegetable oil, or cooking spray) a 9 1/2″ x 13″ pan. Set aside.
  3. On the stove, place the piloncillo, star anise, cinnamon, vanilla, and water into a pot and simmer the ingredients until the piloncillo is completely dissolved and reduces by about a quarter. [This is the step where your house starts to smell like Christmas and all things wonderful and warm!] Set aside for about 20 minutes to cool.
  4. Cut the bolillos into bite sized cubes. Set them in a large mixing bowl.
  5. Take the star anise and cinnamon sticks out of the syrup.
  6. Scramble the eggs in a medium sized bowl. Carefully and slowly, add the cooled syrup into the egg mixture. Scramble again. [You should add the syrup a couple of ladel-fulls at a time.]
  7. Once the eggs and syrup are combined, pour half the mixture over the bread.
  8. Add half a cup of cheese, half a cup of raisins, and a 1/4 cup of pecans. Toss gently to combine the ingredients. Transfer them to the pan.
  9. Repeat step 8 with the rest of the raisins, pecans, cheese, and syrup.
  10. Now you place the casserole dish into the oven and bake, uncovered, for 20 – 30 minutes, until the top is slightly brown.
  11. While you’re waiting, you can make the glaze!
  12. Whisk the condensed milk and half a cup of milk in a small bowl. You can use less milk if you want a thicker, creamy glaze.

Once the capirotada is done, pull it out of the oven and pour the glaze over it.
Feel free to serve yourself a heaping slice with a nice glass of milk. You can eat capirotada cold or warm, but I’m pretty sure it’ll be gone before it has time to cool off.

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If you’re feeling like a daredevil and not counting any calories at all…you should try this with a small mound of vanilla bean ice cream. Oooooh!

Categories
Daily Dose Law School

Self-Care in Law School

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So you failed a midterm? Rock the Final!

 

During our Fundamentals Week, which is basically a crash-course in law school etiquette and expectations, one professor took the time to explain self-care in a way I’d never heard. She introduced me to Spoon Theory. Ever heard of it?

It is a great model to explain the use of energy and how to get more of it. The theory was written by Christine Miserandino. She used it to explain the energy available for someone with a chronic illness, but we can certainly relate it to the struggles of law school as well.

Basically, you start the day with a certain number of spoons. Now, if you haven’t rested well, or stayed up to the buttcrack of dawn working on that Legal Writing Objective Memo due at 7:45am, then you can imagine that you probably don’t have as many spoons as the student in class who finished and proofed their memo the night before. Throughout the day, you’ll need to use a certain amount of spoons to complete tasks. But, what happens when you inevitably run out of spoons?

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Well, you have to get yourself more spoons. That’s right! You can earn them. You can take a nap, polish your nails, walk down all the aisles in Target and talk about absolutely nothing with your best friend. Do something that helps you relax or simply makes you feel good.

Now you may be wondering why I’m sharing Spoon Theory. I feel like it’s good to remind you that you’re working really damn hard. You’re busting your butt to make the grade you want/need/feel you deserve…and if you overwork those neurons – you’re going to burst! Pump the brakes and Treat yo’ self!

Sure you need to study, but you also must take a chill pill!

 

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Take a BREAK, love!

Midterms are over.

A few of my classmates showed up to exams in pajamas. They looked defeated before even walking into the exam. If I could have transferred some spoons, I would have. But, I don’t think I had any to spare.

That’s law school though, right? We’re supposed to be permanently exhausted, allergic to the sun, and scrambling to type up outlines.

NO. You’ll be a better student if you can get enough sleep to keep your days straight. Trust me. Your deadlines don’t seem to whiz by if you’ve taken the time to calendar them before taking an hour off to take your dogs to the park.

Now, don’t you dare lose your pool noodle and say that I told you to throw caution to the wind…because that’s not what I’m saying. I’m telling you to make time for you.
YOU.
Just YOU.

Law school is hard. Don’t make it harder by forgetting to take care of yourself.
Don’t stress about the exams you just took.
Focus on what you can improve on before getting to the Final.
You’ve got this.

Categories
Daily Dose Law School

Law School – Remember to Breathe

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Law school exams are terrifying. Maybe you are not of the same opinion, but I personally do not do well with uncertainty. Truly, I do not mind taking the exam. Waiting for grades to post however is what I find stressful.

This semester, midterms were a welcome break from classes. There is so much information poured into my brain on a daily basis, I was ecstatic to find a few hours a day to apply what I’ve learned. 

Now that exams are over, I’ve decided to alter my study methods. I recommend you take a long hard look at what is working for you, and what is not. Your legal education, especially in the 1L year, is tantamount to solidifying amazing internships and positions later on.

Pre-midterms, I read and briefed nearly every case for all classes. This is especially important in legal writing and research because it is impossible to keep all the cases straight without creating a case chart. I also dedicated at least 3 hours a day to reading and synthesizing my notes from each class.

Post midterms, I am spending at least two hours talking about the law aloud. I added this method to my study time and it made a world of difference for my understanding. You have to APPLY the law! Meaning, you need to actually work with it, change the fact pattern, and get down into the trenches of those circumstances.

Take the next few days to examine what you are doing well and what is time wasted. Law school, much like life, is about working smarter not harder. Learning the material is different for everybody, but you need to learn what works best for you.

This week is the best time to determine where you stand in each class, what you need to do to earn the best grade you possibly can, and to take stock of your abilities and shortcomings. This is no time to relax and lull yourself into a false sense of security.

These past 8 weeks flew past me.
You can bet I have set a plan in action and set meetings with professors to make sure I am making use of every tool available.

Make the best of your law school education as well. Get out there and be awesome!