So the Hubs and I have started training for the #Bearathon at Baylor. We started the Fit Girls Guide challenge and it’s been a really great few weeks, but it’s also been challenging fitness journey, too. I’d missed carbs and well…
I splurged on carbs this week – in a BIG way. Between Italian food, Greek, food, and chocolate cake – I did the damn thing. When one of my besties suggested we dine at Casa Verona before our Christmas light tour of Highland Park, I was a bit put off by the Greek/Italian fusion. Truth be told, I was quite skeptical that yet another Italian-inspired restaurant would be anything more than bland sauce and doughy pizza. I was not expecting much from this little spot over on Walnut Hill (9840 N Central Expy #300, Dallas, TX 75231) and was pleasantly surprised to have stumbled across an excellent bar and pizza worthy of a Roman piazza. Welp, hold onto your hats folks – because this tiny Dallas eatery packs quite the punch.
My last trip to Rome included the best Margherita pizza I’ve ever had. There’s something delectable about simple ingredients: fresh-made dough, mozzarella, garden-snipped basil, and fresh cracked pepper. Doesn’t that just sound phenomenal? I’m already drooling. So, imagine my surprise when we walked into this quaint spot behind Snooze, off of 75 in Dallas, and the smells knocked me back into that beautiful town with a Nonna making the dough by hand.
I love this spot. My only real complaint so far? The lack of social media. This place is tiny, probably does most of their business during lunch hour – c’mon Sam! Get yourself a webpage and display these gorgeous dishes! Need help? PLEASE message me. I’ll help!
The waitstaff was attentive, helpful, and had zero problems splitting the bill for us. The bartender also knew their way around a shaker. Plus, the apps were so tasty! I tend to avoid eggplant, but this dish was tasty! The Beau ordered a New Old Fashioned and I savored every sip of my amaretto sour. This girl was beyond happy. OMG. Casa Verona was such a great find. Their pasta carbonara was excellent; creamy, cooked to perfection – and they let me add broccoli! Seriously, happy soul right here. I would have added a picture of it, but @Ilizaschlesinger would have a conniption. #AMAZING
Their pizzas were ::puckered kiss:: spectacular! Truly. Perfect crust-to-toppings ratio, with a crunchy-meets-flaky crust and just the right amount of cheese. Also, they weren’t over-sauced. I mean, who wants runny pizza? This place does it right. I really can’t say just how wonderful this restaurant is – you just need to go. Thank me later.
The short version? You failed the Bar and are now living on the tiniest one-person island. Drifting aimlessly, helplessly, in a sliver of existence you never knew you’d be trapped within. And it sucks so damn much.
The long version:
People suck. You failed the Bar and now, suddenly, many of the people who were cheering you on and trying to encourage you through the long wait before the pass-list posted are now nowhere to be found. Not all of those individuals are law grads, either. Sure, you can tell yourself that those “friends” don’t know what to say, and that’s why they haven’t called to check on you because they’re speechless.
Well, let me be the first to say – FUCK THEM. Friends stick around. They’re the ones who say, “Well, shit. That’s crappy news, but I’m here whenever you need me.” Or, “I don’t know what to say, but I love you and this test does NOT define you. I know it doesn’t feel like it now, but it’s going to be alright.” Even a sincere facebook post is better than not saying anything, jeez.
Friends are there, for the good AND the bad.
If you found yourself alone, adrift, and feeling like you’re the dumbest person in the world right now because you failed the Bar exam – you are NOT alone. I failed. I missed the mark by 3.5% and I must say, what a spectacular fail that was. In Texas, the Board of Law Examiners sends out 1 email if you passed and 2 emails if you failed, usually within just a couple of minutes of each other. I received one email and waited nearly two hours for a second one. I thought I was safe, but when I opened my message from the BLE, after several hours of technical difficulties and even a removed login button on the site to keep it from crashing, my letter said:
FUCKING SPECTACULAR TUMBLE DOWNHILL, right?
Yeahhh, I don’t quite know if I’ve ever gone from feeling elated to what appears to be my rock bottom in a nanosecond. I couldn’t help but cry. The tears came up hard and fast and the sobs that racked my body felt like they would never stop. There’s a gaping hole in my ego now. Maybe I needed it, deserved it even. Maybe one person is not allowed to be so incandescently happy. I went through every “maybe” I could muster, every maybe except the one my deep-dark critic wanted answered: “maybe I didn’t work hard enough…”
I posted my failure publicly because I knew that I wasn’t the only person in Texas to fail and just couldn’t bear the thought of someone feeling this lonely without knowing they can reach out to someone who’s going through the same thing. Because let me be clear: you’re going to feel alone for a while.
Even my husband didn’t know what to do or say. He held me and let me cry for what felt like forever. After a while, I finally said “I think I’m done. I need to stop crying.”
And his response was “why?”
So I said, “because it’s stupid. Crying isn’t going to change anything. I need a plan.”
And this man said, “you need to acknowledge how you feel. Just feel all of it and then we can move forward.”
So — feel this failure. Take a beat and re-set. Then, when you’ve grieved this setback in your career, start your preparations to tackle this mountain in the next go-around. We will get through this; even though it feels like it right now, I promise you – you are NOT alone.
2. You Get Unsolicited Advice.
Some people want to help, so they’ll encourage you. Those individuals have a special place in my heart because that small kindness and daring to say “hey, I love you even though you’re not a lawyer yet and can’t really help me with anything” truly melted a bit of this self-loathing away, ultimately making it easier to step out of this bleak reality of having to mount up for a second attempt at the hardest exam of my life.
But then there’s nitwits who can’t argue their way out of damn cardboard box – who passed the exam – and want you to know how much better they are for passing on the first try, so they have to give you their study advice. The kind of cringe-worthy tips from people who probably don’t know you, your study habits, couldn’t tell you where you sat in class, and are just trying to tout their success in your face. To all those jerks – you can go shave your back now. Yeah, I’m looking at you, classmate.
You need to remember this: there’s all sorts of reasons why someone fails the Bar exam. You could have given that exam everything you had, but still failed because some subsection of your mind refused to focus on family law spousal maintenance rules because you were terrified about your grandfather’s stage 4 cancer diagnosis. Or, you might have been worried about the results before you got through day one, trying to calculate what passing or failing might do to your life; putting a wedding on hold, adding a little one to your family. Quieting your mind may be a herculean task. There’s a litany of causes for a bad exam day. Don’t feel like you have to take the advice being hurled your way, because you may have done everything right and still faltered. Just do your best to push past the bullshit advice some people give you and hold tight to the nuggets of wisdom that make you feel better, which encourage you in the right direction to passing the exam next time. I want you to remember how truly shitty this feels, so that when you do pass the bar, you don’t become one of the assholes giving out fudgiscles of “advice.”
3. You Either Start Planning or Start Panicking.
I’m a planner. But I have some friends that are freaking out. Either reaction is valid. I needed to feel more in control, create a hit list of things to review, practice, and make corrections moving forward. With everything going on in my life at the moment, I do not have the emotional bandwidth to freak out. For me, I go wiiiiide and the panic just becomes a cacophony of never-ending reasons why I’m not good enough to make it through this exam. So here’s my new mantra: You already did. Taking the Bar exam again is completely surmountable.
4. Your Finances Might Take A Hit.
I think the most terrifying aspect of failing the Bar is the simple fact that I won’t be able to begin paying down my loans for several more months. My budget got a whole helluvalot tighter and I’ve had to add the stress of prepping for the February Bar on top of making calls to my student loan lenders (because, private school loans are a beast), hoping against hope they will grant my extra forbearance.
For those worried about whether they can do this again, I suggest you take a hard look at your bills and other needs. Prioritize what you can, make calls for those loans, and apply for a bar exam loan. Look at every option at your disposal and tackle the problem. You are brilliant. You are educated and fully capable of getting yourself through this shitstorm of an experience.
5. Everyone Is Awkward Around You.
Everyone. Your mom. The Professors. Friends who passed. I’ve been walking around in a foggy mess, trying to save myself, all the while pretty much ignored by some of the people who I felt I needed most. I say felt because I’ve made it this far without some of you and I don’t plan on begging for a friendship that obviously wasn’t important enough for you to reach out. Adios, pseudo-friends.
The awkwardness goes away when you approach it head-on. Take that with a grain of salt. I’m not trying to fight anybody, but the second my intelligence was questioned for this failure I stepped to that plate right damn quick. This exam is not the great equalizer. As my mentor told me, “there are plenty of shitty attorneys that passed the Bar.”
Failing this exam does not make you lesser. Some people are awkward around us because they are trying to figure out what they would want to hear. I mean, what the hell do you tell someone who’s entire vision for their life and career was just up-ended in splendid fashion? You can’t send a meme. You sure as hell can’t laugh it off…not yet anyway. To all those people struggling to figure out a way to help re-takers through this haze, I implore you: offer a hug, a smile, or a text with a simple “I’m here for you.”
Do something, damnit. Even if you can’t find the words. Those small actions can go such a long way to making us feel like we aren’t alone. Knowing we have someone rooting for us, after this setback, means everything.
6. You Put Yourself Through It Again.
I want to be a licensed attorney. I know you do, too. So here’s the thing – we’re going to do the damn thing again. Only this time? We’re going to pass. Set yourself up to study more efficiently and effectively. Practice more questions. Do whatever you need to do and correct your shortfall. Meet with your Bar Readiness professors, even if seeing them makes you feel bad about yourself. Just go. Put yourself on the best path to ace the Bar next time. Make the necessary adjustments and then smoke it like a cheap cigar.
Waiting on your future is a level of mental fatigue I honestly could not fathom until now. There’s a complete difference between planning your life goals to get to a certain point and playing the waiting game for an answer from reaching one of those goals that decides your fate. Right now, the response I’m waiting for comes from the Board of Law Examiners and – to be perfectly frank – I am terrified.
No one talks about this feeling enough, this utter panic in realizing you effectively put your life on hold until the pass list is released. It stays with you, seeps into your every waking moment and is a constant thrum at the base of your skull, all the while adding tension to your day. It’s the first thing I think about when I wake up, as my thoughts turn to client meetings and my tasks for the day; fleeting ideas of taking client consults alone, or not having to constantly have my work checked and re-checked by a senior attorney. Then I inevitably think about pass results throughout the day, when I answer texts or calls inquiring about whether results were released. The countless “so! when do you find out?!” questions are staggering and the litany of boilerplate responses (see below) inevitably string themselves atop each day.
While we are waiting on results, most of my law school friends have kept quiet, neither of us wanting to reach out to another because we’re concerned about the dark twists our conversations take from “how’s the weather?” to “welp, Lousiana got their results already, we obviously failed.”
This feeling isn’t rational. I’m not telling you it is. Iam telling you this feeling is valid. It’s completely acceptable to feel panicked, anxious, nervous, and insecure. As of right now, we’re in a Schrodinger’s state and the pressure is palpable.
From past exams, we know that the Board may release results any time after week 12 of impatiently waiting up until the day results are promised: November 1. So, anytime I get an email notification, I freak out a little bit. I’m struggling with the I need to know and How about no one tell me anything emotion arc.
And oooh child, let me tell you! This wait is rough. This waiting period teetered into hazardous when the essay portions were released; I am a glutton for punishment and already went through each essay, desperately trying to remember what I’d written, wondering and hoping it will be enough for that 675.
I’m sure you’re feeling this dread, too. But, if you’re not an over-eager law grad with a patience problem, and you’re instead a family member or friend trying to get an inkling of insight as to what we’re going through, then here’s some free advice:
Don’t say any of the following to your Bar-taker friend or loved one:
“Oh. You’re so smart, of COURSE you passed!
“Ugh. Stop worrying, there’s no point.”
“I’m sure you did fiiiiine.”
“Why are you still thinking about that test?”
“Just get over it. It’s done and you can’t do anything about it.”
“Well, it’s not the end of the world. You can take it again.”
they’re all cringe-worthy
Seriously. All those things are not advisable and any combination of the above phrases are sure to make your friend feel like poop. So, don’t do it. Typically, people who went to law school and a) graduated, or b) are within 8 hours of graduating, may sit for the exam. So, to some extent, everyone sitting for the Bar is smart, but there are some who naturally are better than others at taking exams; plus, many of us studied like fiends and still feel like it may not have been enough. For me, this one exam is the difference between an hourly clerk pay or a salaried associate position. It’s the difference between adding to our family and putting those thoughts on hold until I can forego the intense stress toll that prepping for the bar puts on my body.
It matters. a whole helluvalot. So please don’t go around brushing off the stress and worry and terror of this exam, or the weight it adds to the shoulders, when your friends are concerned about results.
We haven’t crossed the finish line yet. We’re almost there. I, for one, feel like I’ve been holding my breath for 12 weeks and – although I realize this exam does not define me – I am still waiting to exhale. This process was grueling and I can only hope for pass results because I truly do not want to go through this again.
I just wanted you to know that you’re not alone. This immense pressure is felt by most, if not all, of us. We’re in the same boat, hoping for good news. Only a few days left, folks. 16 to be exact – because I know you’re counting.
You’re gearing up for law school orientation. First, let me congratulate you for getting here. You are a certified badass and all your hard work resulted in this freakout overwhelming feeling to prepare before classes begin. Don’t fret. You will be amazing. You’re probably trying to figure out what to wear, what to pack, and if you need to print anything or read something before Day 1 of Orientation.
Take a breath. Re-read the instructions sent to you by admissions, or the professors running orientation, and follow them to the letter. Add some snacks to your backpack, gum or mints, a notepad, and make sure to carry two pens, two highlighters, and your laptop + charger.
Wear something business casual. Landing somewhere in the middle of professional and casual is the best option. You won’t feel overdressed and won’t feel like a schlub. It may sounds silly, but dressing confidently goes quite a long way. Trust me on this.
Depending on your orientation schedule, you may have a quick few hours or a long week with your classmates. UNTDCOL (my alma mater) hosts a week-long orientation for students. There’s a long list of tasks to complete, including preparing your laptop, signing into research sites, and lessons on how to brief cases, as well as a prep class for torts or contracts. It’s our school’s take on gently introducing students to the law school experience.
These first few days of orientation can feel tense, mostly because the type-A group (which is pretty much everyone in your class) is trying to size each person up. I highly recommend being kind. The people in your class will become your family. You will spend an inordinate amount of time with your law school classmates. So, do yourself a favor and play nice.
Orientation will speed past you and the nerves you’re feeling now will likely ramp up before your first actual class. Take the time this week, if you haven’t already, to start your first week reading assignments. Don’t put this off. You need to brief your assignments and prepare for class. Don’t get ahead of the syllabus though. You aren’t even a baby lawyer yet. Getting too far ahead will cost you, dearly. Wait to get a foundation in each class before jumping too far forward in your reading. It seems odd, and goes against everything your overachieving self believes, but don’t do that! You’ll thank me later.
Need advice on how to brief your cases for class? READ THIS.
This monster of an exam is nothing short of a hat trick. Truly. Day one lulls you in, and if you feel good about your performance, it’s almost like the Bar tees you up for a spectacular tumble downhill on Day numero dos. But Day three? Friends, Day 3 of the Texas Barexam is the State’s Legal pièce de résistance
Day three is the Texas essays. If you’re not afraid, you should be. The sheer amount of law covered on these 12 (yes, twelve) essays is behemoth. I worried about this part of the exam. I kept thinking I wasn’t prepared, and there was just no way I would ever feel prepared. Without an eidetic memory, there’s just no way to guarantee you’ll memorize everything on each essay. Plus, sometimes your brain just freezes. Mine stuttered in the middle of typing a Business Associations essay and – I swear to you – I knew what I wanted to say, but suddenly experienced this Broca’s aphasia of sorts and typed “It’s a special suit, only a shareholder can file…” and that was it. I got frustrated and wasted several precious seconds just praying I would remember the freaking legal term. By the time I got through the last subpart of this particular question, I remembered the term: derivative.
I’m not going to lie. In the midst of my freakout, I prayed. Full on Our Father + Hail Mary because I couldn’t think of anything else to do and the image of my grandparents praying over me via face time on Monday was the only calming thing I could think of. If you’re prepping for the Bar in February, I strongly encourage you to have one thing, just one, that will instantly calm you. This exam pushes your brain to the brink of its limits, and then teases you to push yourself just a bit further. There are exceptions that I laughed about knowing because my brain was saying, “yes girl. Type that answer.” But really, my inner voice was questioning where the hell that knowledge was coming from. Turns out – because, yes, I sure as hell checked my answers when I went back to my hotel after submitting the exam – those ‘shots in the dark’ I thought I was taking, were 100% accurate. It’s amazing how much knowledge your brain can store in three years + 8 weeks of busting ass and studying.
Day three was stressful, but not nearly as terrible as Day 2. Multiple choice questions, especially on legal topics, are the shittiest way to test your knowledge of the law. I absolutely loathed giving multiple choice questions when I was teaching, and I detest them even more as a student. Give me a chance to apply myself any day. I felt much more in my element on day 3 and, if you’re a stronger writer, I imagine you’d be in the same boat.
In addition to making it through the Bar exam, I witnessed someone begin the process of tanking her legal career. Let me tell you – the Board of Law Examiners is not here to deal with your bullshit. They are tasked with ensuring that people who pass the Bar are, in fact, able to competently serve the legal community. So, when they tell you not to bring in study materials, effectively violating the honor pledge, they REALLY mean it. After three years of law school, on top of the undergraduate (and possibly master’s degree) you’ve earned, you should be well versed in exam etiquette. A student broke the rules and likely lost her Bar card in the process. Word to the wise: don’t be that student. Put the time in and study, hard. There’s no reason to attempt to cheat your way through this test. Like I said, there’s just too much damn material. Study it and do your absolute best. Don’t be the idiot who tries to cheat and loses their chance at a Bar card.
Just don’t do that.
Now that the Bar is over — as I write this advice from my airplane seat, a mere 3 hours after finishing my exam — do your best to stop thinking about the exam. I know, it’s really hard to do. But, try nonetheless. Enjoy spending a few days doing something you love. Take a trip (I wrangled 10 friends and we’re headed to New Orleans for the weekend), or lounge by the pool. Hell, spend time with your family and all the individuals you ignored this summer to study. Check in on those who encouraged you and supported you these past ten weeks. Do something that makes you happy.
You’ve earned this time. You can get back to working, clerking, or whatever you plan to do while waiting for results (which, ever so rudely do not get released until November). Let’s hope for passing scores and the opportunity to clink champagne flutes in a few months, friends!
We got wrecked. Anyone who says otherwise is [I’m fairly certain of this] lying. Those six hours were brutal and I know I must have looked like crap walking back into the hotel because, without saying a single word to her, one of my classmates said “yeah, girl. we all feel that way.”
Seriously, if you know someone taking the Bar Exam this week, please, for the love of all things holy, send them some love. This test really effs with your mind. It’s so easy to talk yourself into the wrong answerbecause yeah – the Board of Law Examiners likes to test the finer points of law and wants to try and trip you up. I caught myself arguing my way into a certain answer and then, after bubbling in the response, realizing I’d read the fact pattern too fast and the answer was actually something entirely different.
I walked out feeling like I’d been hit by a freight train…and that was only after the first half of the day! I opted to grab lunch and eat in my hotel room while sifting through a few more criminal law topics and torts issues that I felt I didn’t know quite like I should. I didn’t decompress. There was no time to prattle on or chat with my guy (who I kindly told to leave me alone so I could review). Maybe I should have — but I chose to run through my outlines again, just to refresh my brain. A choice I’m sure I will repeat again tomorrow.
There was so much reading. 100 questions in the morning and another 100 in the afternoon. The BLE was not playing, y’all. Those fact patterns were lengthy. I read pretty damn fast and found it difficult to get through them all. Ugh. The migraine resulting from today was spectacular. But you know what? Wemade it through Day 2!
I’m incredibly proud, albeit a few inches smaller.
Overall, I expected Day 2 to be harder than Day 1. As hard as it actually was? No. I didn’t think it would be that bad. If I fail the Bar, it will be because of this day. Let me be real honest here. The MBE section was tough, and I’m feeling properly blundered. Thankfully, the MBE section is scaled. So, let’s hope for that good ol’ curve!
Tomorrow is the last day of the Bar Exam. My advice to you (and me) is this: Thinking about how you did so far, is fruitless. Study up, rest up, and then have a damn good breakfast and show that Bar who’s boss tomorrow! You’re gonna write amazing things!
Do great work! I’m rooting for each one of you. <3
Well folks. Day one is complete. I don’t feel like hurling, so I’m going to mark this down as a win. Check-in went relatively smooth, except for the palpable stress levels among the students and the Board staff. There were a few students trying to quiz each other while checking in and someone kindly said “there will be none of that here.” I couldn’t help but smile and silently thank them.
The exam room was freezing! I was so happy I opted to bring my Alpha Phi sweater. There was enough outlet space to plug in my laptop and I was directed to sit near one of my law school classmates (solidarity, yo!). This convention center is giant and, the frustrating bit is we aren’t allowed to have even a casual “hello” or small chat at any point in time. So, here I am wanting to give as much emotional support as I can to my friends, who I saw a couple of times when walking in or out of the restroom, and I couldn’t even give them more than half a smile. I mentally high-fived them and sent all the best vibes I could muster.
If you’re reading this – I love you. I’m rooting for you. You’ve got this!
Despite the fact that I’ve worked on multiple MPT exams and Procedure & Evidence questions in less than the allowed time frame, I still managed to run right up against the clock. I went back to double-check my P&E answers, mostly because I had a fleeting moment of sheer panic at the thought of accidentally inputting the answer for the wrong question number. It seems moronic, and much akin to a straight-up first world problem, but my heart stopped racing when I browsed through them to ensure each statement rested safely within the confines of its proper question slot.
I was really worried the software would glitch. Thankfully, it didn’t.
The morning started off early, with a Belgian waffle and a vanilla latte because – let me tell you – if I was going down, it wasn’t going to be because I was hungry and uncaffeinated. I’ll be damned. Typically, I don’t eat a big breakfast on an exam day. I was nervous and excited and I just didn’t want to press my luck. I mean…did anyone know how far away the bathrooms would be?
Yes, these are things I think about. Don’t you?
As soon as I finished the exam today, I was feeling good. But then all the things I could have done better, or should have included, hit me like a ton of bricks. It’s a law student sickness. I am sure you suffer from it, too.
Did I really just delete that?! FFS.
Not one to wallow, I allowed myself 3 minutes to think on it, internalize, and then…I let that shit GO! There’s two days left and there is no time to fall apart. Please, don’t torture yourself. Today is done. Tomorrow is going to be better and Thursday will be the best day yet! #TexasEssays
Why so effing chipper? Well, being a gloomy-Gus doesn’t really help matters here. I’d rather be in a good mood, ready to tackle the day, than pissy about something that didn’t work out. Or worse – angry at myself for failing to do something in the last section of the exam because, my dear, there simply isn’t a damn thing you can do to change that. Keep moving FORWARD!
I can state, unequivocally, that I am so elated to have attended a law school that focused on bar readiness and application of the law. The drills and constant progress checks made so much sense today. I forgot a civil procedure question – in the middle of typing my answer – and I closed my eyes and [swear to you] heard Professor Tamer scolding me about missing it on a quiz.
Must deliver thank-yous to the epic profs who got me this far. Seriously, clutch.
Prepping for Day One is a bit odd, because the style is part quick-fire (the P&E) and part extended logic (for which you cannot actually use much of your attained law school knowledge, as it’s a closed-universe task). I’ve got to tip my hat to the Board of Law Examiners for easing us into the fray.
After the three hours today, I came back to the hotel to eat lunch and nap. I needed to re-charge the batteries. Unfortunately, I ended up having a nap-nightmare involving rogue vegetables, a kind police officer, and a street race while in a vehicle with the brake lines cut. So, I guess that gives you an idea of where my headspace is; make of it what you will.
I’ll be spending the next couple of hours reading through sample essays and decided I wasn’t going to subject my brain to any more practice problems for the MBE (I think 1500+ is just going to have to do). My biggest complaint today lies with the fact that this hotel room is not conducive to studying. However, I managed to make friends with the spa staff and found myself a great little hidey-hole to increase my own productivity.
Here’s hoping your Bar Exam experience is a good one!
I’m not sure how to feel right now. The Bar exam begins in 2 days and I honestly don’t feel calm, but I’m also not in a full-blown panic. I’m antsy. I can’t quite put into words the exact feeling coursing through me right now, but I can tell you that I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders tonight. Definitely questioning if I know-know everything, or if I just know everything. Because, I’m not entirely sure it’s ever enough.
There are 37 subjects on this exam. Did you know that? Someone asked me today “do you feel ready?” And my only response to her was, “well, there’s 37 subjects on this test.” But that’s all I needed to say because she responded with “well, damn.” Yes, girl. Damn indeed.
There’s exceptions to exceptions and we’re required to recognize laws at the drop of a hat. It seems easy enough in practice, when you can just tell your client that you’ll look into the matter and get back to them. But under a time-pressured exam, it’s entirely different. I have to figure out a way to let my examiner know that I truly understand the law, with around 600 words per essay (of which, there are 12). And the best advice I was given is something along the lines of “Just keep moving forward and fake it if you have to because you simply will not know it all.”
I’m trying to figure out how to tackle this experience, hoping to convey these emotions and internal monologue. Before I even walk into this exam, I’m doing all I can to clear my mind of the stress and concern caused by the hundreds (yes, hundreds) of hours of preparation I’ve put into gearing up for this three-day test. At this point, I want you to know that there’s still time to review, but there’s nothing left to learn. I promise you, I’m racking my brain trying to figure out what else I can do, but I’m drawing a blank. You’ve put in the time. You feel bruised and battered, brain a little worse for wear, but it will get you through this.
This exam is just that – a test. At this point in your education, you’ve taken hundreds of exams. Each hurdle got you here. You’ve dreamt for this opportunity. Don’t shy from it; go forth and conquer! It’s only three days, in the span of thousands. This experience will not break you. Lay everything you’ve got into this exam because knowing you put the aggregate of your energy and effort into it is all you can truly ask of yourself.
Good luck to you all and may the curve be ever in our favor!
Today was beyond stressful. I spent more time than I care to admit trying to print my notecards because I’d like to flip through them and give my eyes a break from the digital screens I’ve subjected them to these past 10 weeks. But, that plan went to hell when I tried not one, but three different printers, and failed to actually print a useful (double-sided) page.
Instead of taking home this epic array of multi-colored, indexed, and carefully crafted notecards, today was a lesson in futility. Because, what else can I possibly expect this close to the actual Bar Exam? This entire excursion proved fruitless. Rather than flip out or cry, I decided to simply deal with this ish. I changed the format of my notecards and opted to use them digitally, viewed from my iPad, while working through essay questions and quick-outlining. After this hellish summer, I flat out refuse to fall apart now. Neither should you.
Keep your focus, that same drive and perseverance that dragged you through law school willpull you through this exam.I know you’re tired. I am too, friend. But keep going. We’re almost there. Take a break if you need to; that brain needs some rest. I’m not going to tell you to veg-out and watch a show, because this is crunch time. Your breaks shouldn’t be incredibly lengthy, but they need to be valuable. Really take the time to decompress for the short period you’ve stepped away. It’s hard, but do your best to stop thinking about partnerships and fiduciary duties, the fraction that a child takes from their parent’s separate property if the parent died intestate, and all the countless other nuggets you’ve been reviewing.
Take your pups for a walk, or spend a few minutes giving them tummy rubs, they love you and those few minutes with them will re-vive your spirit. I promise.
Re-focus and get yourself back to the grind. You’re going to give this exam everything you’ve got.
I’ve realized that I loathe Barbri’s Property outline. I actually graduated from law school and yet, reading their property outline confuses the ever-loving hell out of me. The condensed version spans more than 60 freaking pages. yes, the CONDENSED version. I searched high and low for other options, including re-reading my own course notes and textbook from 1L year. That helped, but it was still too much to review. Luckily for me, a really helpful guy happened to read my blog and kindly suggested I use a new study tool.
I must tell you that I do not consider myself an auditory learner, at least not one that can simply listen to a lecture and nothing else. I’m a multiple-modality learner, which requires me to doodle or write along to what I’m listening. Sometimes, when the audio is too long or not engaging, I find myself drifting. So, I wasn’t too sure Crushendo would offer me anything worthwhile. But this is the freaking BAR EXAM, so there was absolutely no wayI was going to avoid trying it out. Here’s my honest review, folks:
This program combines a written outline with a series of audio files. You can read the outline, which is considerably shorter than the Barbri work, and then listen to the playlist for each outline. The playlist includes audio files which are broken into digestible lengths (approximately 4 minutes each). I can listen to them while running at the gym, or while cooking; both scenarios offer me the chance to focus on moving, while also using neurons to work through concepts. Another aspect I love about the outlines are the pictures and mnemonics they incorporate. They’re pretty funny and memorable, albeit really corny or weird. But hey, they suit their purpose!
I had a chance to speak with Adam, creator of Crushendo, and he told me about the history of the company and why they started. These outlines, several times edited and improved, were what he created to get through the Bar Exam himself. He aced it on the first try and scored in the top 5% nationally. [In case you needed to know whether his study tools are useful, they are].
I’m really thankful he had the foresight to create these outlines because I’ve found them invaluable in preparing myself for the Texas Bar Exam. If you’re a law student, especially a 1L, I highly recommend you purchase these MBE, MPT, and MEE (for those states using the UBE) outlines and essay tools. This program allows you to prepare with MBE multiple choice questions, as well as MPT and essay exams (for the UBE only). They include point sheets and you can self-grade to see where you still need improvement. SO USEFUL!
I can’t tell you how much I wish I’d found Crushendo during my 1L year. I’m just thrilled these outlines found their way to me. If you need a crash-course for the MBE, these outlines might be just the ticket for you. If you’re barely beginning your law school career, do yourself the favor of purchasing this course content. Once purchased, you havelifetimeaccessto the program; whenever they update with more MBE questions or essays from the NCBE, you have instant access to the content. How great is that?!
