Dun Dun Dun... Exam Time
Well, 8 weeks of studying have come down to this: the last weekend before the bar exam. I have 3 days left to finish studying before the first day of the exam next Tuesday. I'm going to probably spend the next two days finalizing my memorization of as much law as possible. Then on Monday, I'm going to try to take it a little easy, just some light review. I will check into my hotel that night and try to relax. Maybe work out a bit to kill nervous energy. The hotel is supposed to have a fitness lounge.
I have had a few freak outs over the past weeks. It's a real roller coaster. One day I feel fine, and the next I am anxious and panicky and have a hard time focusing or sleeping or just being calm. I feel like I could use another month to really feel ready for this exam, but I don't know if it would make a difference.
I wish I could say I feel like I have this in the bag, but I just don't. I don't know how it will go. I feel maybe cautiously optimistic, but I do recognize that smart, dedicated people can and do fail the bar exam for a number of reasons. I have friends who walked out of the February exam having no idea if they passed or failed. I probably won't know either.
My biggest fears are (1) not waking up in time for my exam, and (2) having my computer crap out during the essays portion.
To combat number 1, I've had Mr. E wake me up when he leaves for work for the past two weeks. The first week, I would sometimes get up right away, but usually go back to bed for another couple hours, because it is just too damn difficult to be awake at 6:45:AM, dammit. I'm serious. But this week it's do or die time, so I have actually gotten up with Mr. E. I usually have to sit around for a couple hours to mentally wake up before I can start studying, but I'm getting to the point where I am actually somewhat coherent by 8:AM, which is when the exam will start. I think adrenaline will get me there on game day.
To combat number 2... I don't know, it's up to chance. My MacBook is 3 years old now, and it still seems to be in fine working order, but I have heard personal stories from people who've had their computers die in the middle of the exam. Legibility-wise, I can write for about 5 minutes, and you will maybe be able to read the first half of what I wrote. So we're talking disaster if I have to write for 6 hours. It would probably fail me. So let's hope that doesn't happen.
I am feeling good about the multiple choice, so as long as I can get through day 1, day 2 should be ok, I think.
As far as the essays go, I am worried about getting a question (or several questions!) where I just have no clue what the law is. I did a practice exam earlier this week and the very first essay I opened was that way: I had not a single clue what to write. I hear that happens to people sometimes, and in that case you just have to look at the facts and try to identify what might be a legal issue, and then make up some law to apply. Sometimes people guess right. Anyway, after that crappy practice test, I have been incessantly reading essay answers, trying to familiarize myself with lots of fact patterns in case something similar comes up.
Here's hoping that the past two months were good enough to prepare me.
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I have had a few freak outs over the past weeks. It's a real roller coaster. One day I feel fine, and the next I am anxious and panicky and have a hard time focusing or sleeping or just being calm. I feel like I could use another month to really feel ready for this exam, but I don't know if it would make a difference.
I wish I could say I feel like I have this in the bag, but I just don't. I don't know how it will go. I feel maybe cautiously optimistic, but I do recognize that smart, dedicated people can and do fail the bar exam for a number of reasons. I have friends who walked out of the February exam having no idea if they passed or failed. I probably won't know either.
My biggest fears are (1) not waking up in time for my exam, and (2) having my computer crap out during the essays portion.
To combat number 1, I've had Mr. E wake me up when he leaves for work for the past two weeks. The first week, I would sometimes get up right away, but usually go back to bed for another couple hours, because it is just too damn difficult to be awake at 6:45:AM, dammit. I'm serious. But this week it's do or die time, so I have actually gotten up with Mr. E. I usually have to sit around for a couple hours to mentally wake up before I can start studying, but I'm getting to the point where I am actually somewhat coherent by 8:AM, which is when the exam will start. I think adrenaline will get me there on game day.
To combat number 2... I don't know, it's up to chance. My MacBook is 3 years old now, and it still seems to be in fine working order, but I have heard personal stories from people who've had their computers die in the middle of the exam. Legibility-wise, I can write for about 5 minutes, and you will maybe be able to read the first half of what I wrote. So we're talking disaster if I have to write for 6 hours. It would probably fail me. So let's hope that doesn't happen.
I am feeling good about the multiple choice, so as long as I can get through day 1, day 2 should be ok, I think.
As far as the essays go, I am worried about getting a question (or several questions!) where I just have no clue what the law is. I did a practice exam earlier this week and the very first essay I opened was that way: I had not a single clue what to write. I hear that happens to people sometimes, and in that case you just have to look at the facts and try to identify what might be a legal issue, and then make up some law to apply. Sometimes people guess right. Anyway, after that crappy practice test, I have been incessantly reading essay answers, trying to familiarize myself with lots of fact patterns in case something similar comes up.
Here's hoping that the past two months were good enough to prepare me.
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