Drugs

Me:  "I think the answer to my problem starts with "A" and ends in "Derall"

Other:  "I could get it for you, but is that what you really want?"

Me:  ".........."

I've mentioned on here how important I believe a well-stocked medicine cabinet is.  It's essential, in case you didn't know.  Seriously, I have so many different kinds of painkillers for different pains/times of day, I could probably run a pharmacy.  If you need some Ibuprofen, I'm probably the girl to see.  I even have back up bottles under my sink because I hit a sale on extra-strength tylenol once.  But in the example above, I turned down the adderall.  Why?

Because in the words of my friend Orale*, who admittedly was quoting Cool Runnings at the time, "If you're not enough without it, you'll never be enough with it.  Or, in my own words (which are SO much better):

If You Can't Do It On Your Own,

You Can't Do It.

I'm not trying to preach at anybody here.  You do what you've got to do to get the job done.  But it's probably a bad idea to put something that you don't NEED into your body.  It's probably a really bad idea to put a prescription drug without your name on it into your body.**  Your doctor hasn't told you it's safe.  And nothing, not even law school finals, are worth harming your body.  

In my humble opinion, drugs (yes, even painkillers) should always be the last resort.  You don't need caffeine to keep yourself awake if you get some sleep.  You don't need drugs for concentration if you're willing to forgive yourself for needing a break once in a while.***  The human brain wasn't made to focus non-stop.  

So, you know, do what you've gotta do.  But be careful.  And maybe take up yoga before you resort to anything extreme.

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*Oh yeah, once you get a code name, you're somebody I spend too much time around.
**I'm not a doctor, so I can't actually make these statements, but I think it's a generally held axiom that someone should actually prescribe a prescription drug to you.
***Or maybe you do.  Once again:  Not A Doctor.  But if you think you need drugs, you should definitely see one of those.

Truth or Consequences

Consequences.  

The world is full of them.  And usually they're a hell of a lot more immediate than "if a butterfly flaps his wings in Tokyo..." (Which, let me say, is not really a theory that I buy.)  The consequences I'm currently dealing with?  I have PLENTY of time to study!  Instead I'll spend time with the Boy one weekend and then go take a four day weekend at home with my family the next weekend!

Consequences?

Didn't do that great on my final trial for trial ad and just started studying for finals TODAY.  (And I mean JUST STARTED.  Like, at noon today.)  So I'm both disappointed and feeling a little sick at the prospect of finishing everything on time.

But there are such things as POSITIVE consequences too!  Like the fact that I feel incredibly relaxed and my brain is full of oxytocin from the amount of chocolate I ate this weekend.  And I'm not that worried about my trial ad grade.  Why?  Because I worked my butt off for that class during the semester and rocked it weekly.  So, you know, I didn't put in the work at the end.  No big deal.

The trick is to think about the consequences ahead of time.

1.  KNOW THYSELF.  I don't accomplish things if I leave Chicago.  And I don't really accomplish anything other than reading in my apartment.  So I know that if I want to accomplish something, I have to go to the library.  If I don't go because I don't want to put pants on,* I know that I'm not going to get the work done.  Because I know how I operate.

2.  DON'T LIE.  Yeah, just because you know yourself doesn't mean you're getting anywhere.  This is where I usually get tripped up.  Sure, I know that if I stay in my apartment I won't get anything done, but I usually end up telling myself "You can totally work from home today!  You feel super motivated!"  My other favorite self-delusion is "Five more minutes of wasting time and I'll get back to work."  If you know the facts, go with them.

3.  FIND YOUR MOTIVATION.  I know I've talked about proper motivation before, but really, you can't be too motivated.  Sometimes that motivation is positive, like a margarita at the end of the day, or some tv watching before bed, but I like to think in terms of negative reinforcement when it comes to consequences.  That's why whenever I'm making a decision, big or small, I like to pretend all the consequences are in the voice of my mother.  That way I get that feeling of guilt-ridden guidance!

4.  THINK POSITIVE!  I know I just said to be negative, but make sure you consider the positive consequences that will flow from a decision as well as the negative ones.  Sure, sleeping in is a waste of time, but you know what's great about it?  That feeling of sneaky well-being.  Maybe you shouldn't go out on Friday night.  After all, you're broke and too busy studying.  But hey!  Life needs balance and you need to stop sitting and staring at a computer screen!  Just remember:  When considering your pros/cons list, really consider the pros of the situation.

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*Which is what happened yesterday.

The Day After Tomorrow

Is it just me, or is the first week back after Spring Break awful?  Winter break is three weeks long, and by the time it's over, you're about ready to go back.  Spring Break is one week long and when it comes time to go back, you feel as though you're being dragged back kicking and screaming.  Seriously, it's not like I even got to DO anything.*

The worst part is how you think, "Okay, I'm going to be really busy today, so I need to stay on schedule and keep moving through."  The thing is, I'm NOT that busy.  I even made a to-do list, but I don't have THAT much more to do than I did before Spring Break.  Two more activities.  Two.  That actually fit into my schedule fairly well.  It just all feels like too much.  I even woke up before 7 am solely because I was worried** that I would miss my first class because I overslept.

I also realized this morning that FINAL EXAMS start in a month.  You're welcome.

In other words, if I can stop myself from having an unnecessary stress-related heart attack until Thursday at noon, I will consider the whole week a win.

Please address all questions or complaints about the brevity of Spring Break to management in the comment box below.  Thanks!

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*I did get to go see The King's Speech.  It was super amazing.
**Also possibly because I've been on Eastern time for 10 days now, so my body was pretty sure it was almost 8 o'clock.

Look out!! It's A Linkstorm!!!

I have my last final today.  (Yay!)  Of course it's evidence.  And while I understand what conditional relevancy is, what the HELL does it look like on paper?  I find myself asking that for a lot of these topics.  "Well, sure, I know how it works, but I have no idea how I'm going to know what I'm looking at."  Of course, I just did 422 practice problems over the course of 2 days, and had a general 70% success rate.  That translates to B in law school world.  I can handle a B.  Which means I'm taking a study break to look at things on the INTERNETS.  And so should you.

So when you get a chance or need a 15-minute mental break, here are some fun things to go look at on the internets:

Law and Order fans should get a kick out of this one.  Don't feel obligated to look at everything, but you should definitely click through the coloring book and the Valentine's Day one.  http://brandonbird.com/artisticintent.html

Clearly Indiana lawyers suck at life since they are always getting disbarred for things like battery and prostitution.  I should probably be looking for jobs there, since there seem to be openings all the time.  http://abovethelaw.com/2010/12/another-lawyer-bites-the-dust-gets-caught-with-a-prostitute/

Good news, guys!  Lawyers didn't make this list!  (But we're probably number 11.)  http://gawker.com/5710624/the-10-most-depressing-jobs-in-america?skyline=true&s=i

Yes, I know this is sexist, but come on.  They compare Salma Hayek to International Shoe!  That is awesome!  http://abovethelaw.com/2010/12/fame-brief-salma-hayek-brings-heat-boobs-to-scotus-immigration-debate/#more-48073

Yes, I know that your ConLaw exam was difficult, but let's face it:  A world with no Constitution would be REALLY creepy:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a32OZe2pgnM

And as long as you're there.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VESzLBqx7KY

Scalia is the funniest SCOTUS justice!  And not because we all make fun of him!  (Also not because he is the funniest looking.)  http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/31/politics/31mirth.html?_r=2

And this, as a friend of mine said, is why you bring up cold feet BEFORE you cut the checks:  http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/12/jilted-bride-sues-ex-fiance-for-95k-for-cancelling-wedding.html

Sure, it's creepy.  But think of the hearsay implications!  http://www.abajournal.com/weekly/article/parrots_comments_aid_police_in_elder_abuse_case?utm_source=maestro&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly_email

See!  I TOLD all of you that Hogwarts was a dangerous place to be!!  http://www.lawhaha.com/harmless_display.asp?RecNo=33

Pressure! Pushing Down on Me! Pushing Down on You!

I know, I know I promised!  And it's still the weekend!  On mountain time.  Which I am not on.  So we'll call this Monday's post.  I guess.

Anyway, in my mad rush to study (I'm pretty proud that I've learned the basics of business organizations class in less than a week, thanks Barbri!) I made an glass-half-empty promise that I would put up my best exam tips.

Note:  These have nothing to do with your class material.  I cannot actually help you pass your exams.  They are not proven by any sort of scientific study, and as such would not pass the Daubert test.*  One size does not fit all.  This works for me, and may work for you.  So without further ado:

THE THINGS THAT HELP ME PASS:

5.  Get a good seat.  At my school, seats are not assigned, but they try to set up the classroom so that everyone will have empty space on both sides.  If you get there late, you will have to sit next to people.  They will get in your way, especially in an open book exam.

4.  Just wear the damn earplugs.  So they look ridiculous?  So what!  Have you ever heard rain on a tin roof during a really strong storm?  Can you at least imagine it?  That's the sound of 50 other people, typing furiously in hopes to get there exam done before the time is up.

3.  You know this.  Go into the exam telling yourself that you know the material.  Because here's the thing:  even if you don't, it doesn't matter.  You're taking the exam right then, no matter what, and you can't study anymore anyway.  Especially in a closed-book exam where you can't go hunt down a clue either.  Just tell yourself you know it and it's not a problem.

2.  Find your zen.  Most law exams consist of 2-4 essay questions over a 3 hour period.  This seems like a lot of time.  It IS a lot of time.  Or at least it's a lot of time in that you can take a breather.  Read the question, read it again and mark it up, outline it, write it.  Then close your eyes and count to five while taking deep breaths.  Clear that question out of your mind, you don't want to get confused.  And you have 5-10 seconds to do it!  Don't just keep rushing through!   If you don't have the extra minute to zen yourself, you weren't going to finish anyway.

1.  Get up and go.  I generally finish exams early, though not everyone does.  When I feel like there's nothing left for me to say, like I've explored every fact pattern and possibility, I pack up and leave.  There's no reason to sit there and torture yourself.  If you did your best, you did your best.  At this point, either go home or go wait for friends to get lunch/dinner together in celebration for finishing another exam.  But don't talk about the exam!  Remember, you did your best.  Don't second guess yourself.

Above all, just remember:  Stay calm.  You haven't studied this hard all semester to fail now, so YOU'RE NOT GOING TO.

Now, I need to remember all of this for tomorrow's (today's) exam in Business Organizations...

Do you have any exam tips?  Comment below! 


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*Did I mean the Frye test?  I don't start studying Evidence until Wednesday....

In Absentia

So I was thinking the other day, "You know, I promised myself I would keep up with the blog, but I just haven't been.  I'm feeling a little guilty."  And then I checked one of my other favorite blogs last night, and saw what basically felt like an admonition for not posting regularly.  It's like my internet hero swooped down and shook her finger at me for not complaining to all 20 of you who read this.  (And yes, I know there are at LEAST 20 of you.  I've checked the stats.)  So let me apologize.  And then let me say:

I AM STUDYING 15 HOURS A DAY FOR FINALS.

Seriously, LSBFF sent me a text yesterday that said, "Are you in the library or dead in a ditch somewhere?"  (It's so good to know someone cares.)

Point being, I have to go outline now (and forever).  Things are going to be irregular for a couple weeks.  But I'm going to throw up my handy dandy exam tips that have nothing to do with substantive material over the weekend.

Can I offer you some advice right now?  Quit trying to win on a technicality.  Professors generally don't CARE about technicalities.  They have 80 exams to grade.  Figure out the rules, a couple general policy concerns, and get ready to write an essay or two.  Seriously, there is NO POINT in trying to understand all of Wigmore's and Blackstone's advice now.  They are a million years old and all of their advice has been codified into one form or another by now anyway if it matters to a single legislature in the United States.  If it hasn't been, then their advice was probably stupid anyway.  Also, your professor doesn't care about it.  80 students, 240 essays to read.  They're just skimming for the rules and how you apply them anyway.

In other words: Study like myself and my father before me.  The KISS method:  Keep It Simple, Stupid.  My daddy taught me that when I was 11, and it hasn't failed me yet.

In the meantime, I'm going to try to hit 45 hours on Pandora by Sunday while trying desperately to understand what's going on in my courses.

For all you other law students/undergraduate students/graduate students in other disciplines:  Just hold out.  It's just a couple tests for the love of Pete.*

Go ahead, wish each other luck below.  You know that karma wants you to.

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*Who is Pete anyway?

Affirmation

Sometimes getting through the day here in law school is harder than you might think.  It can be no end of exhausting.  I've had major writing assignments due every single week lately, which is pretty tiring, though the last one is due this Thursday.  So at this point, my goal is just to get through until Friday.  And then its studying for finals right up until the end.  Here are the things I tell myself to make it all better.

I believe in getting up early and going for a nice, hard cardio workout or sleeping in early.  There is no in-between.

I believe in being able to take a joke.  If you can’t take it, you’re not really allowed to dish it out.  And dishing it out is the best part.

I believe breakfast is the most important meal of the day. 

I believe in telling the truth.  Lying is a waste of everybody’s time, not to mention and insult to their intelligence.

I believe in lying.  Telling the truth is a pain in the ass sometimes.

I believe there are no such things as challenges.  As soon as you decide something is hard, it gets harder.  It’s like when you’re running uphill:  if you imagine the road is flat, it’s not as difficult.

I believe that everything happens for a purpose.  And that purpose is to learn from it.  Even in your best moments, you can practice humility, and in your worst moments, you can practice bravery.

I believe in being thankful for my whole life, for every minute of it, and for everything that comes my way.

Basically I just want to be this kid:

What about you?  Is there anything you believe in?