Break = Break

Its finally winter break… I cannot being to tell you how excited I am to just HIBERNATE for these next four weeks: catch up on some long over due sleep, Netflix, maybe read a book, gym.gym.gym and spend time with the pup - I feel like I've barely paid any attention to him (thanks mom and dad for dealing with his spastic ways). I’ve never been so exited to just do absolutely nothing but lay in bed. I honestly can’t rememberer the last time i’ve had nothing to do… I think it was June? 

I feel like a broken record when I say this but I cannot stress enough how important it is to take care of your health when going through any higher education program. If you aren't at your best, your work won't be either. While thanksgiving break wasn't much a break, winter break is. There’s no class, no homework/readings/test, no papers. You’re free for about 3.5 weeks or so. The final days of break - if not early, will be spent preparing for the first week of spring semester.

It’s not allllll netflix and sleep

Although while 90% of my break will be spent resting up, there are a few things that I need to knock out:

BOOKS

this has been nothing short of a hot mess. thankfully i don't need as many as i did the first semester - i don’t have to buy any new books for LCR II. But the books that i do need have been such a pain in the rear to get; Property is a custom book and they only print so many at a time - I ordered it when the professor released it, it was back ordered so now I'm waiting to find out if/when I can get it. Criminal and Constitutional Law both require the 2016 edition which wasn't released until December 16th… the day of my last final. I got on December 17th to order and they were sold out of both of them… I still but in a purchase ordering but yet again I'm waiting to find out if/when I’ll get them. Although I did have luck with my elective - Negotiation - the book was only $10 brand new - why cant they all be than cheap?! and it came in the mail yesterday… Is it sad that I already want to read through it… uh yes.

Resume

THIS IS A MUST. The resume you used for your undergrad and even your law school application has to be reworked. Thankfully, our student life office has a pdf document that we can use as a guideline. I’ll be sure to do a post just on resume’s once I start it next week.

Office Makeover

I was fortunate enough to have my parents agree to turn my old room into an office space. Over the summer, my cousin and I made a wall length desk that I am absolutely obsessed with but I never got around to doing the finishing touches for the whole room - large white board, new storage cube, organization bins, binders, etc.

Revisit final LCR paper

This is also a must. At least for me, the final LCR paper is the one I will be using as my writing sample for externship/internship applications. I want it to be in tip top shape. Even though we haven't received our grades/ papers back, I plan to edit the final I turned in and fix it up as much as I can, then combining that with the edit from my professor.

Any supplies for next semester

Readings/Notes for the First week or so

Winter Break Plans?

Sleep. Netflix. Gym. CHRISTMAS. A good leisure read. Four weeks is probably going to fly by but its completely okay. It’s only my 4th full day of break and I already feel re-energized and myself again… Those last two weeks of finals was draining. I felt like a complete zombie, scattered brained and frazzled to no end. I even made sure to get at least 5 hours a sleep at night - I literately cannot function on 2-3 hours a sleep like most, I would have been setting myself up to fail.

But with break sleep is endless along with Netflix. Speaking of which I’m hoping to find a new show to dive into because I’ve watched the vampire diaries about 4 times through already and I don't know if I can do it again just yet. So here’s a list of a few “law related” shows that have caught my attention:

How to Get Away With Murder

The Deep End 

Conviction 

Law and Order SVU (definitely an all time fav.) 

As well as a few random shows that have been recommended to me:

Parenthood

Black Mirror 

Gossip Girl 

The Originals 

The list is full and the time is short.. I am definitely going to start with HTGAWM and possibly parenthood or gossip girl which ever I enjoy more after the first episode. But I also want to get through a book or two as well because leisure reading is hands down one of my hobbies.. I’m a sucker for a good fiction novel and have my eye on a few:

The Whistler - John Grisham

(all of his books are based around the legal profession & extremely hard to put down once you pick them up)

A Man Called Ove - Fredrik Backman

Never Never - James Patterson and Candice Fox

I hope that all of you enjoy your break and take the time to RELAX once the holiday madness is over.   Go sledding, ice skating, coffee or a movie with friends, or be like me and spend time in bed with Netflix. whatever it is, enjoy it and take advantage of it. YOU'VE EARNED IT.
Happy Holidays && Enjoy this time with the ones you love!
xoxo H

Where Do I Even Begin?

justifiablyblonde.blogspot.com

Honestly, I don't even know how to remotely approach the crazy ride that I took a front seat on for my first semester of law school. There were so many twists and turns, successes, failures and lessons learned that will definitely shape my approach to tackling the spring semester. Over these next 4 weeks, I plan to dump it all on you so be ready because there's a lotttttt - && because I don't plan on doing much over break other than netflix, blogging and hibernating.

"So how's law school?"

you'll get this question so many times within your first semester that you can pretty much count on it being the first thing you're asked. I can't tell you how many times I lied and said it was great or I was doing well when in fact I could barely remember if / what I ate for breakfast that morning yet alone sort my life out while figuring out how to do this whole "law school" thing. 

It wasn't completely horrible though, I did have a few break downs.. questioned whether this was really for me but thanks to my lovely best friends, I got through it. I can finally say that the first semester is over and I made it - now grade wise... I don't even know. Its hard to guess where I am at because of the curve and I find that I always beat myself up over exams. I did not feel confident with my last exam though that is for sure, I was drained. I should have studied more than I did, covered more ground because I sat in this exam thinking over and over again "WTF am I being asked" and shunning myself for not being more prepared. So before I go into all the topics I have planned, here are a few tips to consider before going into the next semester whether you're in law school, grad school or undergrad:

Tips.. I got lots of them.

If You Don't Like Coffee, You'll Learn to Love It. 
its really that simple. I could not have made it through this semester without my DD every morning and most after noons. 

OUTLINE 

&& stay on top of it. This was my number one mistake was not staying on top of outlining. But I only have myself to blame. I will admit, my lack of outlining came from my stubbornness to admit I didn't know how to. My 4 years of undergrad was spent outlining papers for english papers. I never had to outline for an exam let alone take a cumulative one. I thought I knew what I was doing but once midterms had gone well I thought I was doing it all correctly... come finals I realized how completely wrong I was and how far behind I was. It was a struggle. 

Manage your time

seriously outline your day's to the minute. It was so easy for me to be like "eh I have all weekend to do this" and before I knew it, it was Sunday and the work piled up. I shot myself in the foot with this quite often because of a lack of organization and motivation. 

Organize. Organize. Organize. 

You know what does and does not work for you. I've learned a lot about myself as a student this semester and have already begun to make a list of things that need to be tweaked for the spring semester. I'm usually a fairly organized person but this roller coster ride threw me for a loop when it comes to staying organized when it comes to notes for class, readings, etc. 

Study Group

Find a group that isn't made entirely up of your friend group. Pick a time to meet at the very least one time a week. STICK TO IT. I was in a group made up entirely of my friend group, and don't get me wrong I loved knowing the people in my group, BUT it was entirely too easy to push back the studying and lose focus. I know that next semester it needs to be a bit different when it comes to study groups because they're important. you need to be talking about the material - if you can explain it to someone else, you're one the right path. 

Take time for yourself. 

If you don't, you're going to burn yourself out. That's exactly what I did. I expunged all my energy on midterms when I should have saved that turbo boost for my finals. After midterms I was drained, unmotivated, lacking focus. I needed a break and instead of taking a personal day I pushed myself for another three weeks before I had a melt down. While the melt down was needed... I should have taken that needed me time wayyyyyyy before and things would have been okay. I wouldn't have burnt myself out like did. The other thing I regret was letting my gym time go. I enjoy staying active, it relieves stress and keeps me feeling energized, focused and on track. I let it go way too easily blaming it on not having time when I actually did. 

Upcoming Posts

Finals Crunch Time 

Notes/Organization

Midterm Madeness

BREAK = BREAK

Preparing for the Legal Interview