Law school-thanks for getting me through it!

rachel3

Cathlete
Cathe, I took my last law school exam yesterday. I am the mother of 3 boys and commuted to school 3 hours per day. However, with exercise videos, 95% your exercise videos, running and lifting I got through without any loss of fitness. (and no weight gain) I found that although I had very little time over the past 3 years I could still get in workouts by using your dvds. Best of all I have kept my stress levels under control and will graduate with my sanity in tact. Now, how are we going to get through the Bar exam?;-)
 
Wow Rachel! That's incredible. A three hour commute on top of all else too? Congratulations. You managed an aweful lot successfully, how great for you. Hugs to those lucky 3 boys and good luck on your Bar exam. Keep us posted!
 
Congratulations on completing law school! Cathe pulled me through the bar exam a few years back and she'll pull you through too!

Study hard! Good luck!

Christine
 
Rachel,
Congratulations!

I only wish I had discovered Cathe before my last semester of my third year of law school.

That bar exam will be no problem after what you have already accomplished. Just go to the bar review classes and do what they say--you'll be fine! The only thing I didn't do was condense my notes. Anyway, I had more time to workout during bar exam prep than during law school!

Good luck.
:D
 
I can get freaked out about the bar if I let myself but I figure I got through all three years and paid huge tuition so I should be fine. But then again with the kids I will really have to try and super focus. Exercise keeps my mind clear.
 
Congratulations Rachel! Law school is insanely difficult, so it's quite a big accomplishment to finish. I'm sure you'll do great on the bar!

Gina
 
Oh no, now everyone here is starting to scare me---I will be starting law school in the Fall. The following two-word phrase, "insanely difficult," has got me in stitches. Man, WHAT am I getting myself into?

Sherry
 
I think that one word really describes the experience "insane." Although I am graduating from a top 20 school and everyone there is very, very intense and competitive, academics weren't my biggest concern. I think keeping my distance, literally and figuratively, probably helped get me through it. Most of my colleagues have lost all of their non-lawschool/lawyer friends and can really only talk about one thing, yep, law. I am an older student, I will be 35 on Monday and am the mother of 3, so I have a much different perspective than those that go straight from undergrad to law school. I am happy that I didn't lose my identity while I was in law school. (and turn into an robot/study machine like many of my colleagues) Just try to remember not to lose who you are while you are there. If you workout everyday now, do it in lawschool, if you read poetry now, do volunteer work now etc.. do it in lawschool, if you have a sense of humor now, well try to keep it in law school...you get the idea... just don't forget what makes you who you are and you will be fine.
 
Ditto to what Rachel said! It's other students freaking out in law school (studying constantly, study groups, cliques) that can freak you out if you let them. Just "Fuggedaboutit" (if you are a Dark Angel fan that will be funny to you).

You'll be fine.
 
That's a relief. Thank you ladies for your quick responses to my incesant fears about law school.

In some ways, I wish I were an older student so I would have more life experience to bring to the whole experience. I am only 23 and I have been out of school for 2 years now.

Although the school I'm going to is not a top-tier school-UNLV's Boyd School of Law, hence my screen name-my school just recently made the top 100 law schools in US News Reports (number 82, which is impressive considering that the school only recently opened in 1998).

I am praying that I will maintain my sanity and, since I am kind of reclusive my nature, I won't gravitate towards the cliques that are an inevitable part of university life. However, I do plan on joining a club (maybe Public Interest Law) and will strive to get on Law Review, for I hear these are necessary prerequsites for landing the highly-coveted law firm jobs.

Again I want to say thanks for appeasing my worries, or at least somewhat lol. :7
 
Hi Sherry,

I'm sorry if I scared you! I have a friend at Pace Law in NY, and I know she's having a rough time- and happens to be very intelligent and used to working hard. I agree with the others- maintain your individuality and try not to get too caught up in- I don't exactly know what word I'm looking for lol! I'm sure you'll do just fine, especially since you were accepted at such a tough school.

Good luck!

Gina
 
Rachel,

I was also in my thirties when I went to law school, and it was much better that way.

I found bar exam studying to be quite manageable. Those bar exam prep courses are so organized, you always know exactly what to study and how much. I wish life and law practice were more like a bar review course with someone always telling me exactly what to do!! LOL!!! There is really very little thinking involved, just memorization. In fact, I would advise that you put your brain on hold and just MEMORIZE. I took 2 bar exams in 3 days and I don't have bad memories of it at all, except the part where my car broke down on the way to the exam on the 3rd day. That part sucked. I was crying when I arrived, but I still passed somehow.

I don't think SNM was in existence while I was in law school, but I had the FIRM and I had Susan Harris and I loved it!

Lots of luck!!

-Nancy
 
Oh wow, my worst nightmare! I have heard it is mostly memorization, but it still freaks me out a bit. Cathe helps me de-stress though. Yes, if only someone could tell me all of the caselaw and code sections that apply each day in practice my life would be a breeze!
 
Hello all. I thought I would chime in, since I recently finished law school (almost a year ago) and passed the bar exam (approx. 7 mos ago; it takes so long to get those darn results!). I definitely agree that exercising and doing other activities outside of law school and the bar exam help the process.

As far as the age at which you attend, what I think is most important is maintaining some sense of perspective. I began law school at 23, did well, and kept my sanity throughout. Working out (I didn't discover Cathe 'til I finished, so I had to make do w/ other instructors), keeping in touch w/ folks outside of law school, taking time off to blow off steam--all these things helped tremendously. Admittedly, I had the advantage of having a pre-law-school career (I was an elementary school teacher for 2 years), but I don't think this is absolutely necessary. There were folks who came right out of college that did fine.

I also think it's a great idea to get involved w/ Law Review, clubs, etc. Those connections and experiences could be very important to your post-law-school life. I would also suggest taking this opportunity to do as many clinics, internships, externships, and associateships as possible. Take this time to find out what kind of law you want to practice. This is a great time to do it b/c you don't have to make any long-term commitments. B/c of a law-school clerkship, I found a job that I never would have thought of doing, but that I absolutely love.

Anyway, it's good to find other Catheites, Esq. (and soon-to-be Esq.). Best of luck on the bar exam and in law school. Sherry: I also sent you an email.

Tracy
 
Rachel, as one of the old war-horse lawyers around here (I graduated from law school in 1980) I just want to belatedly chime in to welcome you to the profession! :D

And to all of you other youngster lawyers and almost-lawyers, don't be intimidated by the schooling or the bar exam -- I felt that all of it (and a lot about practicing law) boils down to an endurance contest, and all us Catheites are chock full of endurance! :) Good luck to all of you!!

http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0903/sport/sport-smiley-003.gif Kathy S. http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0903/spezial/spudniks/spudniklifter.gif
 
Hi Tracy! It's always great to meet another Catheite who is also a lawyer! What state do you live in?
 
Again, a blast from the past! Seven years later, I'm now a practicing attorney. To think, I was so worried about law school, getting on law review, and passing the bar. I managed to get on law review and pass the bar on my first attempt. Sometimes it's fun to read your old posts to see how far you've come as the years have gone by. I have just now come out of "lurk" and plan to post on here more often. Yay!
 
Totally agree

I worked full time and went to law school at night. Very stressful but very rewarding. Working out got me through everything. It was fun when I needed some down time, it was the best when I needed to burn off stress. Cathe made it so I could do it around my schedule. I was in work by 8, left at 5:30 to get to school for 6. In classes until 10. Then studying as much as possible. Cathe was the enjoyable me time that I needed.
I took one week off for the Bar - two states so three days of testing. The Monday before to study and the Friday after to sleep. Then back to work.
You can do it. Organize and make that you time!
Thanks Cathe - you helped me through it as well. Now as an attorney with three kids who works remotely I still enjoy my Cathe time for the time I need to me!
 

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