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Post- Semester Blues: How to Bounce Back from a Bad Semester

January 21, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Post- Semester Blues: How to Bounce Back from a Bad SemesterThis week we welcome guest writer Stephanie Nweke to talk about how to recover if first semester didn’t go well.

It’s a new year, and a new decade. Congrats on making it through another semester, or if you’re a 1L, your first semester of law school.

Things happen unexpectedly during the semester, and it’s unfair that your class grade is usually the sum total of your performance on one exam. That’s why law school grades aren’t always indicative of how great of an attorney you will be.

Regardless of your satisfaction with your grades from last semester, you should always take time to reflect and prepare for the upcoming semester.

So, from my personal experiences, I want to share some of the things that have helped me bounce back!

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Filed Under: Surviving Law School Tagged With: , , ,

Preparing for a Fresh Start Second Semester

January 7, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Preparing for a Fresh Start Second SemesterThis week we welcome back guest writer Briana Borgolini to talk about starting things off on the right foot in the new semester.

Whether you feel satisfied with your performance first semester, or you think you could improve a bit, preparing for a fresh start second semester is something all law students can benefit from. The first semester is often stressful and difficult to manage for many students, which makes starting second semester with a good frame of mind crucial. Regardless of first semester’s outcome, it is important to remember that you can’t change it now. However, you can use it to reflect, and to set yourself up for a fresh start second semester. [Read more…]

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Five Different Time Management Methods: Getting More Done Without Feeling Overwhelmed

December 31, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Five Different Time Management Methods: Getting More Done Without Feeling OverwhelmedThis week we welcome back guest writer Alexandra Muskat to talk about coming up with a system for time management that works for you!

I have a unique love affair with time management and multitasking. It started as a child and crescendoed as an adult when I became a nanny to a high level executive’s three rambunctious, adorable, intelligent boys. There is nothing quite like figuring out how to juggle graduate school courses (I had a stint attempting an MLA in Gothic Literature), working on your own novel, and meeting the needs of a two year old who constantly attempted dangerous trapeze acts.

It was during that time that I figured out how to manage my days in blocks of time, and I took that efficiency method into law school and bar exam prep. Having your time blocked out, or following any of the time efficiency methods below, gives you structure and allows you to not feel overwhelmed, which in turn, helps you get more done.

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Thinking Ahead to Winter Break

December 17, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Thinking Ahead to Winter BreakThis week we welcome back guest writer Briana Borgolini to talk about what to do to make the most of your winter break.

For most law students, the thought of winter break approaching provides much needed relief during the hectic time at the end of the semester. No matter which year you are in law school, the semester was likely somewhat stressful and exhausting, and it is nearly time for some well-deserved rest. While the most important thing you can do over the break is to recharge for the next semester, there are a few things students may consider doing to effectively and efficiently utilize winter break. [Read more…]

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Why Law School Friendships Are Essential for Your Sanity

December 10, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Why Law School Friendships Are Essential for Your SanityThis week we welcome back guest writer Christen Morgan to talk about the importance of friendships in law school.

If someone were to ask me what my absolute favorite memory of law school is, it would undoubtedly be the hours my friends and I spent on the first floor of our library, with our case books, highlighters and supplements splayed across the table, as we talked about everything under the sun besides the work we were actually doing. This ritual quickly became routine, the person who completed class the earliest would scout the ideal table, one with ample seating, close to the entrance but most importantly on the first floor. This was the only floor with limited talking restrictions and as loud as we were, we were tired of getting reported. [Read more…]

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Self-Care During Exam Preparation

November 26, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Self-Care During Exam PreparationThis week we welcome back guest writer Briana Borgolini to talk about how to get through exams and keep your mental health and personal well-being on track by continuing your self-care!

As relieving as it can be to know that the end of the semester is near (and a break is inevitably impending), it can also be a very hectic and stressful time as finals are approaching. The end of the semester can sneak up on many students, and the realization that there is a lot to do in a relatively short period of time can be overwhelming. It can be all too easy to let self-care fall to the side when things feel so busy, but there are certain things that are very beneficial to make time for. [Read more…]

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Law School Midterms: How Effective Preparation Can Also Set You Up for Final Exam Success

October 15, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Law School Midterms: How Effective Preparation Can Also set you up for Final Exam SuccessThis week we welcome back guest writer Christen Morgan to discuss how preparing for midterms can also help you to prepare for final exams.

Imagine learning that your fate in achieving a specific goal would all be based on one factor? Well if you’re in law school you’re probably well aware of this dilemma. Unlike your undergraduate courses, in law school there aren’t a variety of exams, homework assignments, pop quizzes and papers that factor into your final score, giving you the flexibility to track how you’re doing and improve accordingly. Law school grading is typically based on one final exam which is the judgment of how you’ve done all semester. Therefore, if you wake up on the morning of a final exam not feeling your best, your performance on that day outweighs all the work you’ve done that semester, so good luck because it all boils down to that one score. Unless, however, you receive the gift of a midterm exam! [Read more…]

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Essential Law School Supplies You Never Thought You Needed

August 27, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Essential Law School Supplies You Never Thought You NeededThis week we welcome back guest writer Christen Morgan to talk about some of the supplies that you should get going into law school – that you might not know about!

Whether you’re just starting law school, you’ve been there for a few years or you’ve already graduated and started prepping for the bar, you can’t deny the necessity of having the right supplies. The right supplies can make the difference in keeping you organized, more efficient and I’d even go as far as saying they can keep you well rested. Not sure what to get? I’ve put together a handy list of eight essential items that could be super helpful throughout your law school experience. Some of these items are non-traditional supplies that I either swore by during law school or wish I had during my time there. So read below and start stocking up!

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Filed Under: Preparing for Law School Tagged With: , , ,

Five Ways To Prepare For Fall Semester

August 13, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Five Ways To Prepare For Fall SemesterThis week we welcome guest writer Hillary Vaillancourt to talk about easing into fall semester after that summer off from law school.

Transitioning from summer break to fall classes has its challenges. For some, the summer was spent at a law clinic practicing one area of law or at an internship maybe touching on a few legal subjects. For some, especially incoming 1Ls, the summer may have been spent working a retail job or simply taking time off.

No matter how you spent your time this summer, law school will be a big change come fall. Even if you spent time practicing law in a clinic or internship, the type of cases you’ll read in law school and the subjects covered will likely be different than what you experienced over the last few months.

So how do you prepare for fall classes?

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Ways to Stay Mentally Healthy in Law School

August 6, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Ways to Stay Mentally Healthy in Law SchoolWe welcome back guest writer Alexandra Muskat to discuss mental health  in law school and some advice for keeping yourself mentally healthy during the stressful time that is law school.

Nothing about law school has stayed with me more than the comments I got when I was applying to school. My roommate’s response was, “Why? It’s like supposed to be…awful.” Then, a few weeks after I sent my application in, I spoke to a friend who was a first year, and she told me she was dropping out after one semester. The anxiety and depression had just become too much for her, and she wasn’t willing to continue the downward spiral.

To say these remarks scared the crap out of me, and added to the fear I had about starting law school, is an understatement. I don’t think I can actually do it justice. My first year was fraught with anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts. It’s hard for me to admit that my mind spent time in that dark place, but I think it’s important to be upfront about the emotional struggle I went through in law school because it ultimately led me to the path I’m on.

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