Sunday, August 20, 2006

I'm a Survivor

I have completed my first week of law school. Whew!

I have had all sorts of adventures.

I missed a class. I had looked at my LRW schedule wrong and thought it started at a different time. I arrived about thirty minutes before it was over. I pressed my ear to the door and listened to the last part of class. Afterwards I went and talked to the prof, who said I was more than welcome to come to his later section and I could sneak out when I needed to go to Civ Pro. I think Prof LRW is going to be my favorite. It's my smallest section and he really seems to want to be available to us.

That same day I forgot one of my books. Mr Delictis kindly brought it to me after I broke down and called him. I thought about buying a copy from the bookstore then returning it after class, but it wouldn't have my highlighting and notes in it.

I got called on in class by Prof CrimLaw, who I think is the most hardcore. I got called on and had the right answer!!!!!!!!! who hoooo!!!! I wanted to stand up and do the happy dance right then and there, but deemed it inappropriate and quelled that desire.

I feel exactly the way they said I would at orientation - like I'm merely treading water. I'm not briefing every single case. I'm worried that I'm not understanding everything (anything?). I am doing all the reading and I highlight the cases with different highlighters (blue for procedural history, yellow for reasoning, etc etc). This weekend I started making flashcards. It's too early for doing outlines, right? I'm worried I'm not doing my briefs correctly, although I feel more adept than some of my classmates who've never done it before(thank you, Delaney!).

However, I made it through my first week. I think I'm officially a 1L now.

In other news, LawMommy had her first day of orientation yesterday and I can't wait to hear all about it!

4 comments:

shell said...

Congrats on surviving your first week of law school! :) I have to go back to my old entries to remember mine.

If you want a head start, Prof. Bowman has provided some pretty good advice for incoming 1L's. Here's the link to his site.

Jeanne said...

Ha, I have the same 1L amnesia that shell does.

Don't start outlining yet - it will just be a waste of time for you right now. Just work on your reading, and on understanding where the cases are trying to lead you.

^kat^ said...

Yes, it IS too early to start outlining--give it a couple weeks, seriously (I probably waited a little too long to start, but outlining before you get the hang of the material probably won't do you much good in terms of exam study). One thing they told us again and again, and which I failed to do but should have, is to review your notes at the end of every week. Helps to get you thinking about themes and big-picture-y stuff that you'll eventually use when outlining, plus you'll be better prepared when you're called on in class. Oh, and congrats on making it through your first cold-call! :D

Butterflyfish said...

Yeah that Delaney book is awesome. I found I knew so much more of what they were talking about at orientation. lets see if that feeling lasts.

:-)