Hello 2011 Graduates. I have returned to write more about getting ready to attend the ultimate party - - preparing and passing the bar examination. There are probably hundreds of bar exam prep courses all across the United States. They all have strategies and tactics for the multi-state essay, the multi-state bar exam, and the multi-state performance exam. Each probably has a reason or various reasons why some applicants don't pass the exam.
Well, I have done some informal research over the last 13 years. My research says that while applicants have some difficulty preparing for the law, the writing, and studying for the exam, that applicants have just as much difficulty organizing their lives in preparation to take the bar exam. Some applicants seem to have a problem shutting down their old lives for an eight (8) to ten (10) week period. Some people just can't seem to put one life on hold long enough for another type of life to take over. There is still a belief that studying for the bar exam is the same or similar to the type of study done for law school. That's not a bad analogy, however, try studying 15 to 20 topics in one semester. I'm sorry. A semester is 16 weeks. Let's change that to eight (8), and if we are very lucky, ten (10) weeks. Do you see the difference, here? Just checking.
So, let's return to prepare for the party. 1. Shopping: you have to buy and pick up all of the items for the party. The breakfast, lunch and dinner meals will not pick up themselves. Your prescriptions will not be delivered to you. Any dry cleaning? Must you walk the dog? Purchase kitty litter? When do you shop for the "stuff" you need? When do you run errands? When?
You shop at the earliest possible time during the day (early morning), or the latest possible time in the evening (at night). The local grocery store usually opens at 6:00 a.m. Okay, now you know that 6:00 a.m., is your time for grocery shopping. I know that you can barely drag yourself out of bed at that time. I also know that you won't be there at 6:00 a.m., either, but you know that the earlier you get up to shop for groceries, the sooner you will return home because smaller lines means that you get through the store faster.
I started the 6:00 a.m., run some years' ago, and then slipped up and fell into a later time slot. I stood in the "later time line" a couple of times and that was it for me. I returned to the 6:00 a.m. (or, as close to it as possible) time. No, I was not a beautiful woman at that time of the morning, nor did I try to be. Yes, you run the risk that someone will see you. However, I cannot tell you what it is like to be at the store first thing in the a.m., and back home at 7:00 a.m. Oh, and by the way, I did not say that you had to stay awake and continue on with the day. Usually when I shop at 6:00 a.m., and unpack (quickly); I get in a 90 minute nap, afterwards.
The goal is to control your quiet time and not to give it away to standing in long lines, looking for parking spaces, or chatting up with people that are not on your same mission. We are interested in using our time efficiently. Excuse me, your time. Key words. This is your time to shop.
2. The All-Night Drug Store: This is your favorite place of business - - an all night drug store, and do not forget it or forget where it is located, because this store is the key to a lot of things you will need to buy. You want a "go- to" store where there is less of a chance that you will be stuck in a long line. The 24 hour drug store carries just about everything you need.
3. Middle of The Day Travel: Rarely, if ever. Try, never. If you must have a pedicure or manicure, be the last customer. If you need to get to the barber or get your hair done, you will be the first customer. Or, you will schedule an appointment with the hairstylist until you get a date in which you are the first customer. I am always first to get my hair done and I will wait until a first-in-line time period is open. I am not going to wait hours for a one hour hairstyle. I'm not doing it. I suggest that you consider it as well.
4. Playing In A Sporting Event: Guys will want to play some sport somewhere with some other guys. Go. Do. Have fun. Remember one thing. Try a 10:00 or 11:00 morning game. Or, an evening game at 7:00 or 7:30 p.m. I prefer the evening game because you are not going to study first, then go play a sport, then shower and return to the library. I can hear you at the library snoring up a storm. Can you see it. You had a great 90 minute game, a nice, hot shower, and something to eat and drink. You made it to the library, full of zest, etc. Within 20 minutes you can't retain, or recite anything because you are now sleeping with torts, evidence and contracts on the brain.
Try the 7:00 p.m., game. After you finish that game, you can still do all the above, except now, when you decide to take a nap, it will be naptime in your home, in your bed. You won't have to worry about recovering and you will be at your best the next morning when it is time to study.
5. Watching A Sporting Event: Gentlemen, are you interested in watching a game, or golf, or whatever sport is on the television during the day, during your study period (eg., NBA Finals)? Here's what you do. If the game is 3.50 hours long, then you must dedicate, in this case, at least 7.00 hours of studying (include active testing p-r-i-o-r to watching the game). I know sports watching. I know that I rarely, if ever, return to what I was doing prior to the game. Why? There is always another game on right after the first one. So, to alleviate guilt and anything that would hurt your chances of passing the exam, I want you to double the amount of time you would spend studying (include active testing [writing essays and answering multiple choice questions]) prior to the game.
Think about this for a little while. I'm going to talk more about other outside influences in my next post.
Prof. Smith
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