2006 Bar Exam

The System

2006-11-17T14:40:00.000-08:00

yaz: What is our system by the way?
Bruin7089: Do we really need a system?
Bruin7089: what systems are available?
yaz: Texting
Bruin7089: So text messaging is the way to go huh?
yaz: I think so
yaz: So if it is positive for both sides you can then call and go out and get wasted
Bruin7089: and what if a side fails?
Bruin7089: Gets wasted alone?
cuyaz: Then it is up to that side to call
cuyaz: Defer to failing side

Blah Blah Blah

2006-07-28T17:14:00.000-07:00

yaz: I dont know what kind of mood I am in
yaz: Just a blah mood
Bruin7089: have to find something to do
Bruin7089: and not just something
yaz: No shit
yaz: This is day one and I want to go crazy
Bruin7089: for the past two months we've had a goal to accomplish and scheduled our days around that goal
Bruin7089: so now you have to find a new goal
yaz: Yeah it is almost an emotional let down

The MBEs Were Hard

2006-07-28T16:44:00.000-07:00

For a lot of people. Myself included. Here's to hoping for a huge bump when it's scaled.

The Next Few Months Are Going To Be A BItch

2006-07-28T10:33:00.000-07:00

The day before the bar exam I spoke with one of my aunts who wanted to wish me good luck but also said, "You better pass." A buddy of mine, after the first day was over, got, "How did you do?" and "Did you know all of the answers?" After the bar was over the first question my mom asked me was, "How are you?" second question "So how did you do?" third question "Did you know all of the questions?"

My Best To All This Week

2006-07-23T17:14:00.000-07:00

I don't mean to be overly dramatic over some silly little test, I merely continue a tradition in hopes of inspiring those who may harbor doubts over the coming days. And no matter the results, having experienced this firsthand, I respect all who give it their best shot.

Good luck to all taking the bar exam this week.

He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian.'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say 'These wounds I had on Crispian's day.'
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day
...
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

Some Advice

2006-07-22T22:30:00.000-07:00

For those precious few moments left before the exam and during.

What To Pack?

2006-07-22T12:25:00.000-07:00

At least a couple of people are ahead of me on this task.

Some Nice Ground Rules

2006-07-21T21:13:00.000-07:00

Nothing against the well-meaning words of support but for some reason it doesn't seem to help and is becoming more annoying than anything else for some reason. And please help out afterwards, as we try to forget about the bar exam as soon as possible by never reminding us of how the summer of '06 was spent.

Some Great Quotes About The Bar

2006-07-21T06:13:00.000-07:00

The bar exam, however, is not law school, and it is not the practice of law. It is a contorted alternate universe where mediocre and good enough are the proven roads to success. As such, now is the time to stop trying to be perfect and to get comfortable with your mediocrity.
--David Galalis, Massachusetts

Like the Super Bowl the key is not to bury the opposition but to play not to lose. Not going to matter if you passed by 1 point or 100 points. Nobody will know or care. I think the 2 keys are reading and not freaking out. This is a mind game. So don't fall for it. Relax focus and visualize.
--John Davidson

My biggest fear about the bar exam was the number of people who were convinced it would not be difficult for me. While I mostly agreed with the assessment, I was worried about the effect of that assumption proving invalid.
--Darrell G. Stewart, San Antonio, Texas

It's European

2006-07-20T14:05:00.000-07:00

No laptop bags allowed into the testing centers so I suppose I need a men's carryall version of the bar exam purse.

Embrace Feeling Stupid

2006-07-19T06:33:00.000-07:00

I found the following relatable:

In science, feeling confused is essential to progress. An unwillingness to feel lost, in fact, can stop creativity dead in its tracks. A mathematician once told me he thought this was the reason young mathematicians make the big discoveries. Math can be hard, he said, even for the biggest brains around. Mathematicians may spend hours just trying to figure out a line of equations. All the while, they feel dumb and inadequate. Then one day, these young mathematicians become established, become professors, acquire secretaries and offices. They don't want to feel stupid anymore. And they stop doing great work.

Hopefully, after the bar is over and we've felt more than our fair share, we won't mind feeling dumb and inadequate again.

At Least We Have Our Health

2006-07-19T06:26:00.000-07:00

Yes, I've Lived A Very Charmed Life Up Until Now

2006-07-18T19:45:00.000-07:00

Seeing that I haven't had malaria had an acid bug fall on my face; been jumped by five muggers at the same time; or puked into my own diarrhea; I would probably have to put studying for the bar high up on my unpleasant experiences list.

Bar Exam Math

2006-07-18T19:37:00.000-07:00

It's No Big Deal

2006-07-16T22:38:00.000-07:00

Pardons board member Jesse Gallegos has withdrawn as the governor's nominee to head the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice after telling legislators he never took the bar exam, when actually he had failed it.

"It's something I forgot doing," Gallegos said Wednesday. "It's something that people find hard to believe, but that's what happened."

"I forgot that I took the bar exam and failed it," Gallegos said.

If it's forgettable, how big of a deal could it be? So no worries ok?

I Hope There Isn't A Swimming Section

2006-07-13T09:03:00.000-07:00

The Wall Street Journal takes notice of the misery and links to this essay, an excerpt:

The California Bar provides a list of twenty-three approved items, including "up to two pillows without cases," "silent analog watches, timers and clocks not measuring larger than 4x4 inches or smaller," and "ear plugs or plastic material normally associated with the sport of swimming." Huh? Is there a swimming section on the California bar exam? Maybe that's why so many people fail. Or maybe they fail because the questions are written by the same guy who wrote the "not measuring larger than 4x4 inches or smaller" clause. That leaves clocks measuring… exactly 4x4 inches? I guess so. It must stem from some episode in which a test taker tried to wheel in a "good luck" grandfather clock. Or something.

Even putting aside the hours of enjoyment you can have packing your test-day clear plastic storage bag, preparing for the bar exam isn't a heck of a lot of fun. Most people say the worst part is doing hundreds and hundreds of practice multiple choice questions, but I think the worst part is how doing those multiple choice questions makes you feel about the world. Nothing good ever happens to the people in practice bar exam questions. Everyone who crosses the street gets hit by a car, every doctor botches the surgery, parachutes never open, contracts never get fulfilled, anyone who uses a lawnmower ends up in the hospital, as soon as you write a will your whole family dies, employee benefit plans never pay out their benefits, computers all get viruses, your friends are always intoxicated, stealing your farm equipment, and driving it into the barn, police search you all the time for no good reason, you can never find a good place to hide your weapons, banks never recognize a signature as a forgery, and the forger always flees the country.

Bar Exam Essay Predictions Are Out

2006-07-13T08:20:00.000-07:00

Of course there's this little disclaimer from the guy who makes the predictions for Barbri:

There's just no guaranteeing which subjects they'll actually test on. And as Sakai says, he does these predictions for fun - there's no method to how he actually comes up with his predictions - it's just a hunch from looking at what's been tested in the past.

And I just have to mention that for the July 2004 bar, he was completely wrong. On all but two counts. Sorry, but I ain't playing those odds.

And there are even a couple of conspiracy theories out there.

Don't believe essay predictions from Sakai at BarBri or anyone else. It's my opinion that the CalBar Examiners are now actively trying to throw off people who look for patterns. Be ready for anything.

Should I have taken the BAR/BRI predictions about what would be on the test? Absolutely not (I'm convinced Sakai is working for the State Bar).

Anyway, here's one set of non-BarBri predictions for the California bar exam essays:

Corporations,
Evidence,
Professional Responsibility,
Constitutional Law,
Community Property, and
Remedies.

And if I remember correctly, BarBri's predictions are:

Corporations,
Evidence,
Criminal Procedure,
Trusts/Professional Responsibility,
Community Property, and
Constitutional Law

Do with those lists as you please. And for many more predictions that will make your head spin, you can go over here. From a quick glance at that message board, it appears that Con Law, Evidence and Professional Responsibility are a consensus pick to be on the Bar.

Great Question

2006-07-11T20:09:00.000-07:00

I'd go through everything on Paul's list. But I wouldn't go through everything imagineable - I mean seriously, an armadillo? So I do have my limits, though I would probably go through that whole armadillo thing too.

I Guess This Is One Way To Get Motivated

2006-07-10T08:31:00.000-07:00

Don't kill the tiny people.

I also dreamed I was taking the MBE, but it graded itself as you went along, and every time I got a wrong answer these little tiny people on the page would be hanged. No pressure! So I was sitting there getting all the answers wrong and all the little people were crying and begging me to save them and I was sobbing about how stupid I am and killing them all.

I'm fairly certain that this imagery is going to seep into my own bar exam studies.

Inside Exhibit Hall B

2006-07-10T08:19:00.000-07:00

This is where I'll be taking my exam. For more videos about the Ontario Convention Center click here. And yes, I'll be staying at the Marriott which means I'll have to deal with this.

People Will Use Anything As An Excuse To Take A Break From Studying For The Bar

2006-07-09T15:32:00.000-07:00

I like to use sleeping, eating, going to the gym, going #1 or #2, watching tv, blogging, reading blogs and other websites, daydreaming about life after the bar, people watching at Starbucks, napping, listening to music, figuring out the meaning to life, and watching paint dry as valid reasons to take a break from studying.

True

2006-07-09T15:30:00.000-07:00

Too bad it's not an acceptable response to any essay or MPT.

Every Minute Helps

2006-07-06T22:27:00.000-07:00

Bathroom? Who has time to go to the bathroom during the bar exam? That would take too much precious test time. I'm bringing some empty water bottles or if that's not allowed then a pair of Depends will do.

What Mile In The Marathon Would This Be?

2006-07-05T17:48:00.000-07:00

It seems like now is the time to get serious, come up with a study schedule, stick to it this time around, all while trying not to freak out in front of everyone and not getting physically ill either.

It's possible.

There's still time to learn enough and memorize enough to pass the bar - even if you're only starting now to seriously study for it (look to #5).

Look Into Your Bar Exam Crystal Balls

2006-07-03T08:24:00.000-07:00

A popular game bar exam takers like to play is to guess what topics are going to be covered on the essay portions of the exam. Apparently if you go through enough of the past exams you can notice trends and predict those areas of the law that will definitely be tested on and those areas of the law that will definitely not be tested on.

I heard a prediction that there will definitely be an evidence essay and probably a criminal procedure essay (possibly though this might be part of a crossover with the evidence one) and maybe a community property essay on the Cal Bar.

I'm not into predicting what's going to be on the exam mainly because I'm too lazy to do the necessary analysis and also because of my laziness I would probably just focus on my wrong predictions and fail the essay portion of the exam.

Anyway, if any of you would like to make some predictions regarding your state's exam, then feel free to leave a comment (please leave a comment). But what may be a little bit more fun and more telling is to leave a comment about what your dream bar exam would test on.

In the most general terms my six essays would test on:
1. Community Property,
2. Torts,
3. Criminal Law/Procedure,
4. Wills & Trusts (Or just Wills please),
5. More Torts, and
6. More Torts

What can I say? I I <3 Tort's too.

Poolside

2006-07-02T23:39:00.000-07:00

Not a bad place to study if not for the fact that the same heat that was causing me to drop beads of sweat onto my review book also liquified the binding glue of that book. Now my book comes in three distinct parts. It was that hot today. Hot enough to unglue a MicroMash book but not hot enough to unglue a National Bar Review book, which coincidentally is the reason given as to why Kathleen Sullivan was rumored to have taken that prep course.

The kids splashing water all over the place, a place that included my book, was a bit of a drawback too but all in all I'm considering returning to that poolside, if not to prepare for the bar then to at least arrive at Ontario with a decent tan.

The Long Lost Update

2006-07-01T23:40:00.000-07:00

Not much to say. Been studying, which means I've been learning just how much of this stuff I don't know. From now until about July 14 or a couple of days after, I plan on learning the things I don't know or as much of it as I can anyway. Hopefully, combined with what I apparently already know, which is not all that much, it will be enough to pass.

I hope everyone else out there is beginning to make steady improvement or planning on to shortly.

Bar Exam Admittance Card

2006-06-23T15:44:00.000-07:00

Received it today so I guess I'm actually expected to take this thing.

From July 25 -27, hell will be located at the Ontario Convention Center in Exhibit Hall B.

Do They Even Have Suggestion Boxes in Pyongyang?

2006-06-21T22:05:00.000-07:00

Think the North Koreans would take to the suggestion that they point that new toy of theirs at Ontario?

It's Just Like Law School

2006-06-21T21:41:00.000-07:00

From Tab and Brandy

The word around BarBri is that certain people are lying about their study habits in order to either 1) freak people out, or 2) convince people they shouldn't study. So people who've been observed partying claim to study 12 hours every day, and people who claim to never study are actually members of the psychotic Nazi study group.

So in the end the truth is being told by lies? It's almost as confusing as Property. Wait... I take that back, nothing is as confusing as Property.

They Really Have No Clue: By "They" I Mean Those Who Haven't Taken the Bar Exam

2006-06-17T13:38:00.000-07:00

I was asked today by one of my aunts if I was ready for the bar exam.

UPDATE:

“What if I don’t pass?” I asked my eight-year-old daughter.

“Then you won’t be able to be a lawyer?” she wondered.

“Yup.”

“You can do something else,” she said, “There are help wanted signs all over the place. I saw one in the bakery.”

Click to find out how this story ends.

Is A Four Hour Time Good Enough To Pass The Bar?

2006-06-13T22:28:00.000-07:00

Everyone says it's a marathon, not a sprint and therefore you should pace yourself. But what exactly does that mean? I understand that means you shouldn't go so fast that you burn yourself out but doesn't it also mean that you have to be at the pace where you're not going too slow? And isn't that the bigger fear, the fear that you're going too slow, not that you're going too fast. How do I know that I'm going at a 1o minute a mile pace when I should be going at an 8 minute a mile pace? Is the right pace simply the one where you're completing all the tasks of your bar prep program right on schedule? Not doing less than scheduled because that would be too slow and not doing more than scheduled because that would be too fast? Or is there something more to it?

Anyway, the following is a post over at P.A.S.S. The Bar Exam regarding burn out.

I see how some people have just had it. Others want even more time to pull it all together. Either way, it's cool. Give yourself a break. It's normal. It's very personal. And, bottom line, either way, you have no choice. You are taking this exam on July 25, 26, and 27, and YOU are going to pass! Done deal. No options. No way around it. You'll go in then, and do your best.

So, how do you get through until then? A couple of thoughts. 1) Exercise. Most people are stressed, quite normally so. The best way to burn off the excess stress is to burn it out, with exercise. 2) Pace yourself. Take breaks. Remember even during the bar, you get close to a 2 hour lunch break between the morning and afternoon sessions. So, feel free to take long lunches now, each day. Stop fully and relax. Then get back into it. And, when you've put in a full day of studying, take off at night to relax before you get a good night's sleep. And, make sure to get a good night's sleep, each and every night. 3) Last, but not least, get comfortable with "practice test days." One way of coping with the actual exam is to walk in with a "been there, done that" --attitude. You've been writing practice exams all summer. Those days, tell yourself, "This is just another practice exam." Do your best. You can handle it. I know you can!

Above all, be kind to yourself. This IS one of the hardest times in your life, one of the steepest mountains you will ever have to climb. The good news is, once you get through, it's a lifetime license.

Not Exactly Incentive To Pass The Bar

2006-06-12T22:02:00.000-07:00

On the bright side, it's probably not so bad if one doesn't pass the bar.

Dating as a lawyer? OLS's recent post made me think, I don't even know what that means. I know almost no lawyers who are "dating," and I am certainly not one of them. In law school it seemed like virtually everyone was married or in a committed relationship. Well, now the numbers are even more daunting because all those committed relationships turned into marriages shortly before or after the bar exam. Of the lawyers I know who are "dating", most of them are very seriously dating someone they met prior to entering practice. And then there are the single female lawyers who share a sort of despair that suddenly all they have is their career and the half hearted wondering if they can convince themselves that a career is all they need. And the single male lawyers who seem to think that they don't need any social skills because they can just announce they are lawyers and women should drop to their knees.

Mnemonics

2006-06-11T22:34:00.000-07:00

If you're into that sort of thing. Not that you should be memorizing things now.

The World Cup

2006-06-10T07:30:00.000-07:00

How am I supposed to be able to focus on my bar studies with the world's greatest sporting event going on?

Oh, that's right, I'm an American.

So True

2006-06-10T07:26:00.000-07:00

So July 8th Is the Drop Dead Date?

2006-06-09T06:19:00.000-07:00

You are SUPPOSED TO SUCK at both MC and Essays at this point. Yes, suck is right on schedule. If you suck a month from now, then there's a problem. Please please stop beating yourself. Go out and buy another one of those divine cupcakes.

I'm actually hoping there's a little bit more time than that to finally get it. I'm hoping it's like first semester of 1L when most people seemed to get it right before exams began. And of course, I also hope everyone continues to improve as they progress through their bar studies.

It Is Like 1L All Over Again (But Way Less Fun)

2006-06-08T21:18:00.000-07:00

I'm in agreement with the following:

My brain seems again to be regressing to the first year of law school days when everything - especially unshoveled sidewalks outside of Starbucks - was a negligence suit waiting to happen and I yelled at TV lawyers for getting things wrong. I'm not really watching TV and I'm not going to Starbucks, but the law taking over common sense and normal human interaction is happening again. Someone makes a declaratory or conclusory statement and my automatic response is, "Do you have any evidence to back that up?" Trading food supplies with my roommate and the subject of value comes up, I point out the peppercorn theory of consideration, and she responds that she liked me better before I decided to go to law school. Fun stuff.

I guess the tendency to see the world as one huge hypo is bound to happen when the study of law consumes your life.

It's no picnic.*

*My entry for understatement of the year.

Uh "Nivvy Poo" Is Right

2006-06-07T07:34:00.000-07:00

Brandy is a schmuck. I find myself feeling way behind too as I'm sure most others do, but then I have something to drink and I'm over it. Feel free to try.

I <3 Summer Weather

2006-06-06T23:02:00.000-07:00

Inspired by this and the following IM conversation:

OE: ha, not at all...it was just an observation now that summer is here and I seem to see a lot more outdoors excursions.
Bruin7089: i see
Bruin7089: it's inspiring me to make my own poll
OE: Aha! About what, pray tell??
Bruin7089: short shorts or mini-skirt hmmmmm?
OE: Oooh...good question.
OE: It depends.
OE: Short-shorts for the cute, girl next door type, mini-skirt for the kinda slutty, kinda easy type.
OE: If I had to pick one, I'd prefer the mini-skirt.
OE: If only for the upskirt potential.
Bruin7089: me too
Bruin7089: i was thinking along the lines of easier access
Bruin7089: but whatever

Not really bar related except that both of us are taking the bar and apparently have more pressing things on our minds than studying for the bar. Anyway, feel free to leave an explanation of your vote.

Con Law MBEs

2006-06-06T22:24:00.000-07:00

So in my last three sessions of doing 30 MBEs on Con Law I have gotten 76% right, then 48%, and finally 60%. What does this mean? Who the fuck knows. I'm just hoping of not getting into a pattern of one step forward and two steps back. I'm also hoping that I didn't just waste my best performance on practice.

So What's Your Incentive For Passing The Bar?

2006-06-06T13:29:00.000-07:00

Are you ready to introduce yourself to people, "Hi, my name is Smith. I'm an attorney here in California." Are you ready for that? What does it mean to you to have this license?

I ask because for some people, the dream of becoming a lawyer is powerful incentive, the goal will propel you to success. For others, this may ironically be a stumbling block. Why? Because some people either aren't ready to or do not want to work as lawyers. Subconsciously, there may be demands to live up to other's expectations, or you may just know lots of lawyers who hate their jobs. If a part of you even resonates slightly to this hesitation, please do not let it stand in your way.

A couple of truths to remember: 1) Passing the Bar and getting licensed will give you credibility, no matter what you decide to do professionally down the road. 2) Passing the bar does not require you to do any one job. Having the license will open many doors ---some predictable, and some you might never have envisioned. There are infinite ways in which the skills you have developed can be transferred into an equally infinite number of interests ---professional and personal.

I would not say that being able to practice law is my biggest incentive to study for and pass the bar. Right now it is more a fear of not knowing what to I will do if I should fail the bar that is motivating me to put in the time and effort.

Anyway, I am curious as to hear what is driving others to pursue success on the bar exam, especially from those who do not want to be lawyers.

For Those Who Don't Know

2006-06-05T12:51:00.000-07:00

Studying for the bar exam is like this, it's like the one studying for the bar is a goat and the bar exam is like some crazed man coming at you with an umbrella. It's exactly like that.

There Are Only So Many Ways

2006-06-04T15:53:00.000-07:00

To say that studying for the bar exam sucks that is. Which is reason enough for the light posting around here. I'm also self-studying so there really isn't much material in the way of dumb conversations I can quote.

But I'll try to post on a daily basis. Like I'll try to at least do 50 MBEs, 3 essays, and go over 2 outlines each day for the next 7 1/2 weeks.

How Would One Go About Getting Their Mom To Be A Bar Exam Grader?

2006-05-31T18:38:00.000-07:00

What's A Title?

2006-05-31T16:20:00.000-07:00

Apparently, this whole bar exam thing transforms your typical law student into something more pleasant. That would probably make it worthwhile if I did not have to go through it myself.

It's Only The Beginning

2006-05-30T19:40:00.000-07:00

Is there anything more discouraging than the beginnings of bar review? Grinding through the outlines, trying to memorize it all, and comparing not so good answers with the model answers.... How is one expected to keep their spirits up through all of that?

I guess the only way is for one to have faith in that enough progress will be made with continued effort.

Anyone Know Of A Place To Eat In Ontario?

2006-05-26T17:56:00.000-07:00

I feel very bad for the kids who are going to be stuck in Ontario for 3 days. That's where I took the bar exam last year and the sparse location didn't help on test day.... Ontario gets oppressively hot in the summer and I was sweating an unhealthy amount whenever I went outside for more than 5 minutes. Additionally, there really isn't a lot around the Ontario Convention Center except for a bunch of hotels. It was a daily adventure involving a lot of driving when trying to find a place to eat dinner w/ friends. After being stuck in a large room w/ thousands of other people taking a stressful test all day long, spending another hour in a car to get food is not fun.

For those of you going to Ontario in July, keep all of this in mind. Especially make sure to find places to eat beforehand to minimize the amount of time at night trying to get food.

I'm not sure that I'll have much of an appetite on test days. I was planning on just bringing a box of energy bars and bottles of water to sustain me throughout the three days of testing. But it would be nice to have a decent dinner with drinks after testing is completely over. So if anyone has any suggestions about eating out in Ontario please leave a comment or two.

If Studying For The Bar Exam Were Personified By...

2006-05-25T20:12:00.000-07:00

Then I probably wouldn't mind so much that it's blowing my summer away.

Memorial Day Weekend

2006-05-25T15:16:00.000-07:00

So who is taking tomorrow off and making it a four day weekend? Anyone? Anyone?

Not talking to those of you who are not studying for the bar, I hate your kind.

Free LA-Area Bar Exam Lecture

2006-05-24T17:23:00.000-07:00

The National Bar review, a long-time Bar Review course, is offering a FREE LECTURE on the substance of the most recent Bar Examination, pitfalls, and specfic writing tips for achieving a passing score.

The lecture is from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at The La Cienega Tennis Center in Beverly Hills, 325 S. La Cienega Blvd. It is open to the public, and there is ample free parking on site. SCU is not sponsoring this event; you can direct questions to Fedora Nick, 888-634-9099, fedora@nationalbarreview.com

Tennis afterwards anyone?

Which Is The Bigger Lie?

2006-05-24T13:42:00.000-07:00

1. I love studying for the Bar!
2. Alessandra Ambrosio...

and I had dirty sex.

This is not so much an attempt at humor as it is an excuse to post a pic of Alessandra.

Did She Take BarBri This Time?

2006-05-23T21:06:00.000-07:00

Well if a former dean and professor at prestigious law schools, as well as a Democrat favorite for the Supreme Court bench can pass the California bar exam, then I've got very little to worry about.

Where To Show Off That I'm Going To Be A Lawyer?

2006-05-23T06:37:00.000-07:00

yaz: I need to start looking for places to study
Bruin7089: like?
yaz: No idea
Bruin7089: i need two different places to study
yaz: Why two?
Bruin7089: i like the coffee places for when i'm just going over outlines
Bruin7089: but i need someplace different for when going over MCs and doing Essays
yaz: Somewhere quieter?
Bruin7089: i think so
Bruin7089: but i'm not sure
yaz: MAybe burbank library for me
Bruin7089: do you like quiet places?
yaz: No not really
yaz: But that is mostly because I like to be distracted

And taken from the same post linked to from my last one (lots of good stuff in that one post if you haven't already read it):

I spent my study time between three or four places. I was at a little coffee shop in town most days, with earplugs or headphones on, making index cards or taking practice tests or reading and noting the elements of the answers of all the past Maine Bar Exam essay questions about negotiable instruments or trusts and estates or professional responsibility. I worked at my kitchen table or my drafting table making posters about criminal procedure or hearsay exceptions. I sat out in the sunshine in my yard a lot. I took practice MBE tests on my green loveseat. I didn't study anywhere else, really, but I did drag a book or two around with me everywhere else I went. In retrospect it was ridiculous. I don't know whether at the time I really expected I would steal away and study at the grocery store or at dinner at my parents' place, or if I just wanted sympathy, but I always had a book or my flash cards in my bag or in the passenger seat of my car.

So where do you plan on spending most of your time studying?

So It Begins

2006-05-22T06:18:00.000-07:00

I don't think people appreciate the misery of the bar exam. Even if the actual study schedule is reasonably manageable, as mine was, the anxiety and the perception that you're hugely far behind, that you'll never get it all into your head and that you'll space out or be unable to parse what's in your head into the specific answer format they want, that nagging doubt is always with you. It was relatively mild in me; I know I'm smart, I know I remember things really well, I know I'm good at tests, so far I've never been in the bottom 40% of any test I cared about. By contrast some of my classmates were hugely affected by the process; they became stressed out robots who could only talk about or do one thing: study. But even for me, with a degree of confidence and a commitment to sailing and seeing friends and enjoying life it was quite unpleasant, and something I hope never to do again.

I think what's really going to be tested over the next couple of months more than anything else, is one's self-confidence. I'm trying to start with the attitude that I will cram enough into my head and that I will learn to answer in a format that is passable. We'll see how long that lasts.

Good luck to all studying for the bar exam.