Categories
Advice Law School

Prepping for Your 1L Year

6 THINGS YOU MUST DO BEFORE LAW SCHOOL (2)

 

Right now it doesn’t feel real. It hasn’t sunk in that in just about a month, you will begin your first year as a law student. By now you’ve received your information on orientation or Fundamentals week, and you likely attended a new student event (or two). Before classes begin, take some time to set your priorities.

I honestly only completed these six tasks before enjoying the rest of my summer. It was hugely important to me to make sure I was ready for law school. But I didn’t go nuts trying to read everything on the suggested reading list, or dive straight into city ordinances. I mean, come on! You have time to dive into research later, for now – cover the essentials.

  1. Apply for Financial Aid + Scholarships
    • Many of you may not know this, but you may qualify for a Direct PLUS loan. It’s government Financial Aid, and comes in handy! If you need extra aid to help pay for tuition or books – check to see if you are eligible!
    • Scholarships are fewer at this level of education, but they certainly exist. Check your institution’s financial aid page for updated scholarship applications and opportunities. Looking around online isn’t a bad option either. Free money is out there, and many times scholarships go un-used. Take advantage of these opportunities!FSA-Eligibility-11.16.12
  2. Buy/Organize a Desk or Study Space
    • You need a designated place to study or get work done. This is a fact. You may not always feel like trudging up to the library to study, and your kitchen table doesn’t usually allow you the flexibility of leaving your books flayed about. This means you need a DESK! There are many affordable options, and I strongly recommend you get yourself one – quick!
    • I purchased a desk, chair, and plastic chair mat for less than $400 at Nebraska Furniture Mart. The products came mostly assembled, and were not difficult to set-up. My desk area is bright, quiet, and perfect for holding many of my study materials at a time. That said, I had to purchase an additional book shelf and wall shelf to accommodate my 1L books and supplies.
    • I also recommend you get a desk lamp. My boyfriend surprised me with a wonderful one, which I mentioned  HERE.IMG_9686IMG_9763
  3. Set a Schedule
    • If you already know your class schedule (and, you should) – then take a few minutes to organize your planner. If you don’t have a planner, use your computer/phone/google to get your digital calendar prepared.
    • Block off time for class, then block off study time. Next, block off time for meals, family, and grocery runs.
    • I suggest you add your family members to your calendar, this way they are aware of what you’re tasks are and know when it’s ok to try and call or steal you away for a movie night.
  4. Rent Textbooks
    • Why buy books when you can rent them? I considered purchasing them for my first semester, but opted to rent (when the rental was cheaper). My favorite site for comparing book prices is BIGWORDS.
      • Type in the ISBN of the book you need, and then select the best option for your wallet. Read the reviews from the seller before choosing an option. I’ve had great luck with timely and affordable rental options, always delivered to my door. 🙂
  5. Buy School Supplies
    • oh.my.GOSH.bestday
    • Buying new school supplies is one of my all-time fave things!
    • Pens, pencils, highliters, post-its….you’ll use them ALL! Everything’s on sale, and you (most definitely) will run through multiple packs of each item. Stock up now, while you have time!
  6. Relax + Meet Incoming Students (Your New Friends!)
    • You will gain nothing from reading ahead. I repeat, NOTHING.
    • Even though you think you know how to read and write well – the fact is, you have no clue how to brief a case or wade through legal concepts. Which means there’s no point in using up your precious down time, before the mayhem begins, trying to get ahead of your classmates.
      • By all means, read cases your professors ASSIGN. But, do not go beyond that scope. This year is a marathon, not a sprint. Pace yourself, young padawan – “burnout” is real.
    • Meet up with some newbies for coffee, or dinner! I felt much more confident walking into orientation week knowing I had a few friends in the mix. We met for sushi a few weeks before class, and asked each other all kinds of “baby questions” like – where’d you find the class schedule? Or, what are you thinking of wearing for day 1? Are you actually going to brief any cases?
      • You’ll love having this built-in support system, so reach out and meet people! It’ll make orientation week much more memorable. <3

smart

 

Trust me when I say that you need to enjoy this time. Your 1L is coming up fast, and it will be stressful. Get yourself in the proper mindset for classes, with this list. You’ll thank me for it later.

 

Categories
Advice Law School

Working with Sharks

Getting the Most From your Internship

 

You just spent an entire year drilling legal theories, concepts, terminology, and cases into your gloriously gyrificated brain. You’ve studied for several years to get to this moment — accepting an unpaid internship. Make no mistake about it, working this hard, only to spend 140 hours of your much-deserved summer, is a hard pill to swallow.

But you know what?

You secured an internship! That’s freaking fantastic! There’s a heap of law students that wish they were in your shoes. Don’t you dare pass up this opportunity to move your career forward. Make your mark.

Here are a few tips for you to make the most of your 1L Summer Internship.

intern

 

  1. Be Kind.
    • This seems so completely unreasonable to write down. Of course, you should be nice and respectable. If you have any sort of home training, you’ll be a decent human being because that’s the right way to behave. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Our Dean (a retired Judge) shared this story with us during our first week:
      • He hired a clerk for his chambers. The young guy had great grades and a good suit; looked professional and carried himself well. On the first day of his clerkship (if I am not mistaken) the Judge’s court coordinator, who had spent more than a decade working with the Judge, asked the young man to move some boxes for her. Such a simple task, right? Well, this guy told her that he didn’t spend his life working through his undergrad and law school years only to get a clerkship where he had to do secretary work. Now, imagine what this nice woman said the Judge…?
    • Do not be that jerk. If you can be helpful, that speaks volumes! Make a coffee run, organize files, direct lawyers to the proper courtroom. Do what you can to make people want to have you around. Niceties go a long way.
  2. Dominate Your Tasks.
    • This internship is a foothold for you to further your career. That said, make sure you see every task assigned through to the finish. Do not cut corners, because it will show. These Judges have a plethora of experience, which means they can easily tell the difference between great work, and half-assed work.
    • Own your work and make it stand out – in a good way. Polish your writing assignments, give them a look-over, and edit several times before giving them to your law clerk or Judge.
  3. Re-Read Everything You Publish. Twice.
    • This goes hand-in-hand with the previous tip, but I wanted to echo it. Read your work. Step away from it, and then read it again. Go line by line if you have to – because skimping on this is just a bonehead move. Judges and Attorneys want to trust in your abilities, so make it easy on yourself and proof-read your work before handing it off.
  4. Represent Your School with Fierce Pride.
    • Getting this internship could mean potential internships for the students that follow. Keep your eye on the prize. Your work with these judges and attorneys might open the door for other students looking for the same opportunity. By working hard and being memorable, you might be able to inadvertently offer a hand-up to a fellow student. Be the change, little shark. 
  5. Offer Simple Answers.
    • So often we read convoluted cases and lengthy explanations, written in legalese, when fewer words would suffice. That said, you’re still a student. Take the time to figure out a simple way to explain what you need to get across to your audience.
    • Pro Tip: Simple and elegant are not mutually exclusive, don’t let your creativity falter.

 

potential
You’ve got potential.

 

The work you do is important, it can change lives. Learn everything from this internship. Ask questions, especially when uncertain on a particular topic. The judges and attorneys know you aren’t perfect. Their choice to hire you is reflected in what they hope to teach you. Make the most of it!

 

Categories
Law School

Law School Madness

Learning to find your balance is a struggle, made only more difficult by attempting to reach your happy place, while putting your mind through grueling law school courses. You may find yourself asking “how does everyone make it look so easy?” The best answer I can give you is this – they’re great actors. Let’s be clear – law school is a drama-filled think tank with the best and brightest in their respective classes. Everyone is wound tighter than Shirley Temple curls, and nobody has time to deal with your shit. So trust me when I say that your peers are putting on a façade, to make you feel inferior. It’s an intimidation tactic. What these students are great at is striking a comfortable balance between varying shades of frenzied mayhem, and some are better at it than others.

LawandOrder

Some students excel at being selfish, which is fantastic, because law school is where being all about “Team YOU” comes in handy. Put yourself first. This step in reaching a happy medium is crucial. Your family wants time with you, your boss needs you to focus on the task at hand, your significant other begins to feel neglected, and the people in your life start to get upset because they feel you are tossing them aside. But, what they may not realize is the number of balls you juggle is more than they could handle, more than most anyone could. You made it, gained admission to law school, and now have to bust your derrière to stay here. You will likely work harder than ever before, or you’re truly gifted and don’t have to study at all because you’re brilliant. [On that last bit – I call bullshit. You need to study.]

self-esteem
Finding your balance means you will likely lose a friendship (or more) while working through your legal career. The unrelenting assignments, extra-curricular activities, and study group sessions will consume you – if you let it. I found that the most successful law students are well-rounded, and skilled at balancing their tasks. Taking the time out of your day to work out, read a book, or watch a movie allows your brain to re-set and re-focus on its goals. It is critical to understand when your brain needs to rest, because it is in those moments where you strike the perfect balance between your studies and passions. Otherwise, you’re going to burn out. I experienced true burn-out after my 3rd final during our first semester of 1L year. I walked out of the exam, took a few minutes to grab a coffee, and sat back down at my computer to read through notes. I must have read the same sentence 3o times before realizing I’d shut down. There was simply no energy left to process anything. So I packed up my crap, trekked to the parking garage, and drove myself to a movie theater. You have to know when to throw in the towel, because breaks are part of that school-life balance.

shambles

During my 1L year, I felt flustered because there were so many panicked voices in the halls – all trying to figure out how to study, when to study, how to brief, should they brief, is the assignment actually graded, is it ok to take a lunch break? The tension was palpable, and I simply could not be around it. Realizing my own stress-level rising reminded me that I needed to step away from it all for just an hour a day.

understand

When I need for the questions or worries of my day to fade away, I turn to running. I run at least two miles to clear my head, three times a week. On top of running, I choose to rock-climb. It is essential to have my brain focus on my feet hitting the pavement, or finding the next hand-hold on a wall. My balance involves shutting the world out to let in my inner-peace.

I strongly recommend you find your balance, whatever makes you happy and re-centers you, before the semester begins. Make sure to make time for yourself, every single day. If you are in a positive place, then studying will be easier and you’ll grasp the concepts quickly. However, an angry or frustrated mindset will likely land you in a crap-tastic mood and that’s a recipe for failure. Always re-focus.

nap

 

Categories
Law School

Shaking Up Legal Education

[I wrote this piece for the UNTDCOL Library Blog, and wanted to include it here as well.]

Girl-at-Dance
UNT Dallas COL – Library Blog

 

Studying Law is akin to quenching your thirst – mouth wide open, excitedly expecting a trickle of water from a fountain, only you end up on the receiving end of an open fire hydrant. Standing there, continuing to gulp down the torrent of water, is what separates your undergraduate years from your law school ones. Now, imagine working hard to get through doctrinal classes while balancing your extra-curricular activities, networking events, and (required) community service hours, with the near-constant fear that all this work may be for naught. That would be 1L of an experience, right? Well, that was our reality.

The third entering class at UNT Dallas College of Law walked through the doors last August, practically buzzing from excitement. We knew the risk of choosing this particular institution – not being accredited is a harsh place to stand. We shared the gut-wrenching disappointment with our upper classmen when we were denied provisional accreditation last October. Some of our classmates opted to leave in favor of establishing themselves at another schools. Most of us stuck around, and for good reason.

Studying at UNT Dallas College of Law is more than memorizing cases and being the gunner in the classroom, because there is a sense of competitive cooperation that runs rampant through these halls. Our faculty and staff push us to not only learn the concepts of law, but to apply them in the real world. We are immersed, daily, in what the legal profession expects us to be – considerate, competent, and professional practitioners. There are countless opportunities to continue perfecting our knowledge and skill-sets. This institution breaks with convention, pairing traditional legal concepts with an innovative practical application requirement. We effectively learn the iterative legal process where we learn to apply what we know and aim for progress, while striving for perfection.

The ideas pioneered here finally earned recognition. The American Bar Association extended provisional accreditation this June. This means all students (including those who just graduated) can sit for the Texas Bar Exam for the next three years. We breathed a collective sigh of relief and cheered when the news broke. That pressure rested on our entire law school family, but none more than the 3L class.

Observing our graduates from the circulation desk, hyper-focused on bar-prep, I am confident their efforts will be rewarded. They paved the way for my class, and will continue to pave the way as our alumni. I am proud to have chosen to attend UNT Dallas College of Law, and I hope you are too. We have come a long way in these last three years, working to balance the legal needs of the Dallas community with the school’s approach and vision.

Some of us may run for political office, hang our own shingle, or even take the bench. With the support Dallas has given, UNT Dallas College of Law is the premier location for your law school education. An outsider no more, now – she’s the prettiest girl at the dance.

 

Categories
Law School

The Law School Story

Feminists

 

Choosing to attend law school is a monumental decision.
I’d say deciding to apply, putting yourself through an LSAT exam (and all the crap that entails), applying to multiple programs (if you’re a bit more Type-A, like myself), and impatiently waiting on acceptance/rejection letters (then ugly-snot-crying your way through reading them) takes a whole heap of effort. Therefore, your want/need/desire to attend law school is enough of a motivator to push you through the doors of any legal institution.

However, your exact reason to put yourself through the rigors of law school will differ from every other student you encounter. So, the big question isn’t “should I go to law school?” but rather, “why do you want to be a lawyer?”

lawyer

Your answer to this question will not define you. In fact, how your answer changes throughout your legal education and career is what guides your course.
In my first year of law school, I learned both areas of law I am certain I will not likely pursue, and others that make my soul sing. My peers have changed their minds numerous times, as have I. The law is trial and error, truly. This means you have the opportunity to change your mind along the way. What you feel passionate about today, may change tomorrow. It is so important to understand this notion. You grow and change, every single day. 

Your reason for attending law school does not have to stand up to your classmates’ stories. You’re going to feel the need to one-up your peers when you (trust me, it’ll happen) ask them why they chose law school. Here’s a secret – you don’t have to have a reason at all! Your answer can be as simple as: It was my next step.

There need not be a “why” or any qualifying statement further.
Choose why you want to go – and then make it happen.

I thought I knew why I wanted to attend law school but, once I was accepted and had to make a choice on which one to attend, I realized my reason for attending needed to be about me, and no one else.

You see, I took a winding road to law school.
I used to be a 3rd party logistics broker. Having started as an intern, working my way up the ladder, I enjoyed the benefits of a lax schedule and great pay. Thinking I was doing well, taking a break between medical school and undergrad, I spoke to my manager about moving onto my next step. I wanted an M.B.A.

My manager told me that “a woman doesn’t need an advanced degree.” He went on to tell me that my aggressive qualities wouldn’t likely land me a managerial role in the company. Then he said, “but, you know – do what you want. I mean, you’re going to get married soon anyway.”

huh?

3 weeks later, I quit. I decided it was best to make a difference somewhere else, preferably a locale that didn’t mind my “aggressive” personality.
In a 180 degree move,  I’d taken a position as a science educator in a Dallas high school.

For three years, I taught Anatomy & Physiology. In my time with the district,  I also coached a robotics team, several academics teams, and the volleyball and basketball teams. I threw myself into building up my students, molding them into avid learners. My goal was to make a change in their lives, and better the education received by the students on our campus. But, it wasn’t enough.

I needed to impact more change. While teaching, I earned my M.B.A., and decided to apply to law school. My entire life I told people I was going to medical school. I attended all the science camps, space camp (because, being a flight medic was my ultimate dream), engineering camp – you name it, I trained in it. Medical school was where I was headed. However, every time I told someone I was planning on being a pediatric oncologist or flight medic, the response was always…

“Are you sure? You seem like you’d be a better attorney.”

It wasn’t until I started classes and took my first set of exams that I finally understood what everyone meant. I could be a good doctor. I studied hard, I learned the material, I loved my courses and enjoyed science. But I had to work sooooo hard for it to work.

Law school is different for me. I love every second of it, even the terrifying and stressful moments (like during a timed exam). It feels right.

I chose law school because my path led me there. I witness injustices in both business and education. My life’s purpose is to positively impact every field in which I work. Leave the world a little bit better – my mission.

I’ve chosen to take the Patent Bar, so I may continue to use my science expertise. I would like to work in various pro bono areas, to keep me grounded.
All the time I spent running away from what others expected, actually brought me back to what they saw me doing. It’s quite funny, when you think about it.

Studying law is not for everyone, but it’s exactly right for me. <3

 

Categories
Daily Dose Reviews

Mesero – Dallas

Summer

The Beau and I brunched at Mesero on Sunday. We took the pups, which was a riot – because getting to the patio (with a blocked entrance…fire hazards be damned) was challenging.

Our original plan was to eat at a pet-friendly restaurant (which is a short list in Dallas proper). Now, I’d eaten at Mesero before and was not super thrilled to go back. However, we were now trapped by cars on all sides and there was no end in sight to get our Jeep back from the valet…so off we went toward the bright umbrellas (seriously, they’re ORANGE). The seating hostess was nice, but when we got to our table, the group nearest us leaned over to say the service was sub-par. One patron went so far as to point out which waiter to avoid!

Their brunch menu is small, but the portions are HUGE. Here’s wahat you need to know:

  1. They portion control the tortilla chips. Which is completely NOT okay.
    I’m a firm believer in spreading the chips and salsa love; if you see two people at a table, and you serve chips in a tiny 10oz container that can only fit 14 crisps (yes, I counted them) – then, by the sweet Gods in heaven, bring more chips!IMG_1531
  2. The plates look great, but that does not necessarily mean they’re good. My french toast wasn’t cooked. It was a burned glaze on the outside and a mushy cinnamon-flavored mess on the inside. Normally I don’t send food back, but the Beau insisted because they were completely inedible. They did a better job on the second try, but it was still undercooked. 🙁 One redeeming quality is the whipped cinnamon butter that comes with the warmed maple syrup to drizzle over the toast. Absolutely sinful. And yet – tragically – not enough of a reason to come back to this pop stand.IMG_1533
  3. Their chilaquiles (eggs + chicken + salsa + corn chips) were fantastic. Honestly, their salsa verde brings all the ingredients together in a magical concoction. I’d certainly order that dish again. But I probably will not be back here. Two times, you’re out. Their dinner is pricey and you don’t really get much. Basically, if I can make it in my own kitchen – then why bother going to the restaurant?
  4. In a crazy twist – the cocktails are pricey! Nearly every drink cost more than an actual brunch dish. What in the actual hell? Just know, if you do order one (we ordered the Meserita) then you’ll be plastered on just one drink. Fair warning.

wait, what?

Overall, we were not too pleased with this brunch spot. I felt like I could seriously teach the Chef a thing or two about Mexican cooking (or whatever they think they’re actually making…). We will not likely be back, barring some sort of kitchen-staff overhaul and a change in menu options.

I hope you’re enjoying your summer break!

Categories
Advice Law School

4 Things You Must Do After Finals

beachready
Congratulations on making it through finals! <3 You earned yourself some much-needed time off. But before you can go traipsing off on worldly travels, you need to get a few things handled first:

  1. SAVE your DATA!
    • You worked so hard all year. Prepare for the worst! What if your computer crashes forever? Mine did right before midterms. Thankfully, I didn’t panic. I save everything important to dropbox and to the Sharepoint system for our campus.
    • If you haven’t done so already, BACK UP YOUR FILES! Those gorgeous law school outlines will be plenty helpful when studying for the bar. Do yourself this little favor and take the time to save your hard work. Create zip files and email yourself backups too! Trust me. Your future self appreciates you.
  2. Organize your DESK.
    • I know this sounds lame but, if your desk looks anything like the hellacious disaster mine does, you need to CLEAN it up! Seriously. Go full-on Monica Gellar. Re-organizing your study space will prepare you for a few things: summer classes, summer internships, and the peace that comes from ordered spaces. Get yourself a filing cabinet and organize all your 1L classes. Go through any paperwork you have and determine what’s needed and what’s superfluous. Again, this will make it easier to find your study materials in the future. The Bar exam is right around the corner and you’ll be happy to have retained your study aids and materials for future use.monica-shredder
  3. Return Your Textbook Rentals.
    • Forgetting to send them back, even for just a day, is a waste of money. Maybe you have those extra $$$ to spend, but I sure don’t. Send your books back on time and you won’t rack up late fees. Plus, you can cross one more task off your list. [I really love doing that]
    • If you bought all your textbooks, then you may want to hold onto them and sell them to the next class! You can ask professors if they’ll be using the same textbook, and offer to sell yours to incoming students for a cheaper rate than they’d have to pay at the bookstore or Amazon. It’s pretty much a win-win situation. You sell your books for a bit of cash and have moolah to buy your next semester’s books too.
  4. Plan Out Your Summer.
    • Just because classes are over doesn’t necessarily mean you have nothing to do. It does however mean that you need to be more lax with your time. You’ve been selfish (I really hope so) all year. This summer, make time for more friends and family events, or go try a few new restaurants. Some of you may be interning for judges, or working at law firms. [I am studying for the patent bar…yes – more studying.] Make time for more fun activities, which you can intersperse amongst work commitments and possible classes (if you’re taking summer courses).  Don’t lose track of your planner/calendar. Keep up with the good habit of knowing your schedule, otherwise it’s easy to fall out of sync and forget to keep yourself on track.

wedding-planning-gifs
I sincerely hope you enjoy your summer. This part, right after finals…waiting for grades to post…it’s the most stressful time. If you’re worried – there’s nothing you can do about it now. Take a few steadying breaths and be thankful you’ve made it through your first year of law school. Congratulations!

Categories
Reviews

Splurging Is Good for the Soul

IMG_1335

The beau’s brother introduced me to SOYLENT 2.0.
We ordered 12 bottles of Nectar flavor. It tastes like fruity pebbles milk, or a melted strawberry milk shake. I didn’t think it was all bad, but it certainly is a different taste. The aftertaste is great, which is nice – because meal replacement shakes (in my experience) aren’t always so kind to my tastebuds.

Skeptical though I was, I gave this nutrient-rich, plant-based shake a try.
According to Soylent, each shake provides 20% of your daily requirements, and is packed full of energy with only 400 calories. 

As a busy law student, this shake has come in handy. I keep it refrigerated and either drink it for breakfast or lunch. I plan to continue drinking them for the next month, replacing a meal here or there (the consistency of always skipping lunch bothers me, so I am going to work them in on hectic days).

So far, I’m enjoying them.

But, I also enjoy a fun brunch. We moseyed on over to Maple Leaf Dinner in North Dallas. As fairly new patrons, this being our second visit, we opted to try a large spread – so the friends we invited along were in for a treat! The french toast is, in my opinion, the best thing they offer. Everything is wonderful, but the french toast was rockstar-level yummy.

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Cheers to a great week!

Categories
Law School

The Night Before Your Final

bookstack

The week before Finals is stressful. Deadlines. Meetings. Coffee Runs. Mentor Lunches. Dinner with your neglected significant other.

But now, everything feels like you’re moving in slow motion; no class means you have time to binge-watch every episode of all your favorite shows, which you’ve dutifully ignored and tended to your reading all semester. Right?

Now, here you are, the night before your exam. I really hope you studied. In fact, I am damn well willing to bet, you studied. You completed your readings. You finished your assignments. You discussed class topics with classmates, or even your (gasp) non-law school friends and family.

Without realizing it, you’ve done nothing but think of law school concepts for the past several months. Everywhere you look: torts. That case in law&order? Absolutely, in no way, followed proper federal question jurisdiction procedures. [I, personally, have taken to reciting, out-loud, criminal law elements whenever they come to mind.]

topanga

 

We are all striving for perfection. There’s nothing wrong with that, per se.

But, what doesn’t kill you may just leave you with a giant ulcer.
Now, as much as I love the rush of deadlines and pressure to get something done, I simply don’t enjoy the madness before an exam.

Which is why I am sharing this little piece of brilliance with you.
You’ve studied ENOUGH. Cramming one more piece of information on res ipsa loquitur will not help you.

Sleep, however, will help you!

Rest that gorgeous brain. Pack your backpack, download your exam, and then put your laptop in your bag. Be ready to go in the morning. Get in bed by 10pm. [I know you’re going to surf the interwebs on your phone, or read one last reddit thread…]

My advice is simple: Stop studying.

Your exam is less than a day away. There’s no damn point in wrecking yourself before getting to the gut-wrenching part tomorrow.
Rest up. Be prepared. You’re fierce. You’ve got this.

Categories
Law School

5 Tips for a Great Study Space

organized

 

Sometimes [ok, more often than I care to count] I find myself procrastinating. I think we all do it, from time to time.

One of my best friends says she “can’t seem to study until the entire house is clean, [she’s] prepped her next three meals, and there’s nothing left to distract her.”

Another one of my law school besties forces herself to come to the library because then “it’s just you, your books, and zero excuses.”

shocked
Amazing self-discipline, right?

My point is – every student has their own moment of distraction. Many times, my moments last a few hours.

What? Baking brownies for friends that might come over later obviously takes precedence over studying Civil Procedure…right?

oprah
We’ll have none of that, Oprah. 😛

In all seriousness though, sitting down to study takes some serious focus. Here are five tips that will help you find [or make] the perfect study space!

  1. Desk space!
    • Studying law is a hefty experience. There’s so many books! You need to find an area that can hold up all those books. I’d say a good, sturdy table, about 3 feet by 2 feet, will serve the purpose well. Anything larger would be wonderful, but not wholly necessary.
  2. Lighting
    • This is KEY. Lighting is important. I don’t do well with yellow lights, so my study space requires white light. It’s a must. Thankfully, the beau purchased an adorable Pixar-esque lamp. I love him. The lamp – just to be clear. He’s perfect, and I’ve named him Trevor. He’s adjustable and, combined with my other lighting, can lighten or darken my study space.
  3. Comfortable Walking Area
    • I am a firm believer in taking BREAKS! Which means I don’t always like to study in the library. There’s almost always someone wanting to kick me out of a study room (which can only be reserved for two hours) or there’s simply too many fantabulous friends around; we distract each other and can quickly turn to different (more like cute cat videos on youtube) activities.
    • That said, find a space you’re comfortable walking away from for a bit, somewhere you’re comfortable leaving your belongings for a quick minute or two. Personally, I frequent some nearby coffee shops and eateries. The staff know me, so I’m comfortable taking a call and walking away from my laptop and books (let’s face it, the books cost more than my macbook.)
  4. Sounds
    • Ambiance, people. The sounds has to be perfect. I have found a perfect study combination. Spotify’s Instrumental Pop Songs playlist and (judge me, if you must) Hogwarts Rooms. I’ve personally been hanging around in the Hufflepuff common room lately. The chirping birds and raspy quills add to my study mood.  #HermioneRocks
  5. Perfect Distraction Level
    • As I’ve told you, studying new material with friends is always a non-starter for me. I need to capture the material before reviewing it. So I prefer to study alone and then review with a few people. It keeps my study group small and everyone is easily held accountable.
    • Find a spot that doesn’t necessarily have all your comforts, or maybe even one that does. Just know, you need to find your middle ground and keep yourself focused. Law school is only three short years. Put in the effort and you will pull off the grades you deserve.

 

Happy Studying!