Note Taking: Laptop v. Paper - Which Do I Prefer?

I've been asked multiple times and have even asked this question myself a few times:

"When it comes to note taking do you prefer to hand write or type your notes?

First and foremost you need to figure out which your PROFESSOR prefers. Typically once the syllabus is released it will have the class guidelines including "use of electronics / laptops use". If the professor doesn't mind the use of laptops, then use yours. If they do mind, well your stuck using the traditional pen and paper method.

If the professor doesn't have a preference I prefer to type my notes.

Why? because I tend to type faster than I write - I find it easier to follow my typed class notes versus the written ones because hand written notes are usually rushed - you're trying to get down as much as your hand will let you. I find that I am a pretty quick typer so I basically have a transcript of the course which helps when it comes to outlining.

What apps / programs do you use to take notes?

There are many places where you can create notes. It really all comes down to which you are most comfortable with using. I'm someone who likes my notes to be super organized especially when they are typed. Each class has its own folder on my desktop which is broken down into class and home work notes as well as specific assignments for those classes. I've tried a few different note taking methods, each which have their own pros and cons. 

Word - The first semester I just used plain old Microsoft word for my notes. But I found this to be a pain in the butt because I had so many word documents - each class, each homework assignment and then my outline. It was hard to keep track of everything and sometimes the formatting got all haywire during class and would put me behind because I had to fix it to move forward. I also didn't like that it was equally as challenging to put in any form of flow chart, graph, diagram, etc. For example my Civil Procedure professor always drew out these extremely helpful diagrams in class. microsoft word never let me do them because of formatting issues and it would drive me nuts because then i would have to hand write them, snag a photo and insert it into my notes later on. It was just too many extra steps that I just got tired of doing. 

OneNote - About half way through the fall semester I saw one of my friends using Microsoft OneNote to take class notes. Over the winter break I decided to check out OneNote to see if it would be better for class notes. It was. In OneNote you can make a "Notebook" for each class, add multiple sections to those notebooks which can be further broken down into sub-sections and as many pages as you wish to those sub-sections. During the spring semester I created a notebook for each class I had and then added various sections and subsections that were needed for those classes. 

For example in Crim. I had three sections:

Class Notes

Homework Notes

Tutoring Notes

Then under both class and homework notes I created subsections for each week and color coded them - so week one in both sections was gold. From there you could add additional pages to each subsection so I used those for each class day. As for tutoring notes, I would try to color code them so they would match to the days we were covering but  we went over a lot of material so I would usually make a heading as to which topics the session was covering and then copy and paste from there to my outline. 

If you still are satisfied with either of these programs there is another great option -- Evernote. Evernote is similar to OneNote but takes it one step further. I actually just stumbled upon Evernote so I haven't used it yet for school but am thinking about using it this semester. I got the chance to play around with the app/program a bit and so far it seems fairly easy to use.

Similar to Onenote you have the option of creating notebooks for each of your classes along with sections and individual pages for those sections. But Evernote has the option of adding things that you "screen shot" "highlight" "note" etc. on a webpage and store them in Evernote for use within your notebook. Here's an example:

1. Once you download EverNote you will have the option of adding EverNote to your search bar. This icon will only show up when the app is open 


2. From here Open EverNote and Create your NoteBook.

3. While searching through safari, if you find something that you want to screen shot and place in your notes, you have the option to do this. All you do is click that little elephant icon on the search bar and down drops a menu. You can take a screen shot of the entire web page or just what you need, create specific notes relating to the page or add even create audio recordings.

4. Once you take that screen shot, create a note or recording, hit the "Save to EverNote" button, this  will synch what took a you screen shot of to the app by creating a new note. If you don't hit synch, it won't show up in the app. 

5. From there you can either work directly in that new note or copy & paste the content from one note to another.

Finally, Evernote allows you to synch your notes to multiple devices which is a lot harder to do with Word / OneNote. I think overall the app is really handy, especially with the web browser options. It's definitely something I will be trying this fall. 

If, however, you are stuck with the traditional pen & paper method there are some tricks that I have picked up along the way.
Shorthand / symbols - In undergrad I always just wrote as much as I could without short-handing everything and it definitely made it difficult in some classes when I went back to go over things. (I missed a few major points here and there, or just stopped in the middle of a sentence because I couldn't catch everything) During the fall semester my LCR professor provided us with a list of shorthand to use when taking notes. In classes that I was stuck with hand writing my notes I would use symbols like ∆ for defendant, π for plaintiff; H for holding R: rule; b/c because etc. etc. (I actually began using these in my typed notes too because it was just easier than taking the time to type it out fully.)
Below find a list of shorthand options that you can use for note note-taking:

Here are some helpful key combinations to use when typing your notes:

If you have any questions or suggestions for other apps to use, short hand options or anything helpful that is note related be sure to reach out to me!

Supplies, Supplies, Supplies

I'll admit it, when it comes to school supply shopping I have a slight problem. I buy more than I use and have to have things that match or in some sort of color scheme. Last year I provided a list of some of the things I purchased to be prepped for 1L year. Check out my former post 22 & Still Excited About School Supplies if you get the chance. This year most of the supplies have stayed the same because, well, they worked great the first time. But one thing that has been added to the list is the Plum Paper planner.

Plumpaper Planner - Last year I read a post by Nikki, author of blog Brazen and Brunette, about the Plum Planner (be sure to check out both of her posts on the plum paper planner - Professional Post Grad Planner & The Best Planner for Law School)  I wanted one so badly after going through the website But I had already purchased my planner for the year and didn't really have the extra money at that point to buy one. Well this year I made sure to snag my plum paper planner && I am loving it. Actually better put, I am absolutely obsesssedddd with this planner. Be sure to use the code BLONDE10 when placing your order to receive 10% off your planner. The coupon is valid through October 31, 2017!

The Break Down:

Size - 7" X 9" - its perfect, fits nicely in my bag with my laptop. The binding is sturdy and does not seem like it will loosen like ones from target, Walmart, etc.

Front Cover - there are so many options that you can use to create your front cover. I chose stripes - Rugby Dusk - and put my initials - in the "stylish" font - at the bottom in a Lavender color bar.

Layout - I decided to go with the Student Planner because well I'm a student and I personally like the vertical setup. It allows you 7 spots to add in your classes - you can either type them in or leave them blank (I left my blank because classes are different each semester). I also chose to the the colorful scheme and to have it punched and bound.


Inside details - My planner is a 12 month planner starting in August 2017 --> 2018. I decided to put the year on the cover as well. (it just looked cute

The thing that drew me to this planner the most besides the layout were the "extras". I'm a list maker and a note taker on pretty much anything and everything going on in my life - my laptop is filled with sticky notes, my white board has about 10 list's on it right now, and my legal pad is just covered. I made sure to add in 2 extra pages of  "to do lists" and "note" pages at the end of each month.

To Do List Dispersed Add ons -->

<--- Fitness Planning Section
I also included a fitness planning section because I  want to stick with my fitness goals that i discussed in my previous post.

Last minute things: Finally at the end of the planner there are pages for Contact Information, Passwords, additional note pages && a two sided pocket folder. Overall I am extremely happy with how this planner turned out and impressed with its overall quality.

Highlighters - These are literately the greatest thing everrrrrrr. I absolutely despise how bright the normal BIC or Sharpie highlighters turn out when using them in a case book - its blinding, distracting and they tend to bleed. I love that these are mild - they're super soft on the eyes and aren't screaming at you off the page. The one thing I will say is that I tried to use the same colors for all of my case book IRACS (I'll get to this in a bit) so they died after about 5 - 6 weeks. I think it'd be smarter and more efficient to choose about 3-4 per case book and use those colors only (until they die out obviously)

Legal pads & Notebooks- I've used legal pads more so as an intern than in law school. I tried to use them for class notes once and it was too much of a pain to write on that back of them while still remaining bound and I just flew through the pages. It felt wasteful. But when it comes to interning I've found legal pads to be extremely useful since I'm not jotting down as much information. its more or so a quick reference thing. Though if I cannot use my laptop in a certain class, I am still the typical cheap $1 college-ruled spiraled-notebook girl.

Pens / Ink (blue & black) - I am really pick with pens so I typically purchase the fine point Zebra F-402. We all have that one pen that makes our handwriting look, well, great. This is the pen for me. I have about 5 of these that I just constantly refill the ink with blue or black and I absolutely love them -  I actually go a little nuts when I misplace them.

Pencil Pouch - It's extremely frustrating when you have to dump out your entire bag just to find one measly pen or pencil. I can't tell you how many times I have taken out every single thing in my bag to  find a pen wedge in the side of my backpack or tote. I'm someone that likes to keep things in one  convenient place so I prefer use a pencil pouch - or even a makeup bag - to store pens, pencils and highlighters rather than using the pouches inside my backpack or tote. It just makes it easier when I switch bags to just grab the small pouch from one to the other.

Extras:

Flash Drive - I put all my documents from the seamster on a drive - especially writing samples and outlines. 
Flash cards 
Loose leaf paper
Binders - pictured is a 4" binder from target. I use one binder for two classes. In each class section I print out class, homework and tutoring notes and put them in divided sections along with the class outline and any additional handouts. 
Folders - Typically I use 1 for 2 classes.
Post-It notes -I use an un-healthy amount of these
Book Stand - you'd be surprised at how much your neck will hurt after looking down so much within the first few weeks
book light  - I used this quite a bit while reading in bed or reviewing before going to sleep

Carrying Bags:
I have multiple bags that I use for school and it really depends on how many classes I have on that day specific day to determine which bag I use.

Tote - On days that i have one or two classes where the books are light i prefer to bring my michael kors tote. It fits my laptop, books, folders, notebooks, charger and planner perfectly without being too compressed.

North Face - On the days i have more than 2 classes or large books to bring  (like Con law) I use my north face back pack. I love this backpack but i do get nervous putting my laptop in there with my books because its not as big of a bag as I would like.






Small Drawstring Backpack - I also am about to purchase a smaller drawstring backpack from amazon. Somedays I get annoyed with the tote bag if I have extra things to bring to school - change of clothes, gym bag, lunch bag, extra books, etc. etc. so this smaller backpack will be great for those days to make carrying everything less chaotic. If anyone has some good recommendations for bags let me know!

Lunch Bag
All last year I would bring my lunch in a plastic bag that you get from a grocery store. It was efficient and not a pain in the ass until my lunch spilled on my text books more than a few times - having red wine vinegar spilled all over my con law book was something I think my classmates hated me for, for about 2 weeks.

When I started my summer internship it took one spill in my tote bag for me to give in and by a lunch bag (I put it off for so long because I felt like an elementary school student with one) I found one at TJ Max for $10 and I made sure to get one that fit my tupperware because a lot of them only fit smaller containers. I also wanted one that zipped, I was fed up with the spillage at that point. So far so good and free of spills.

LAPTOP - Check out my post on the Laptop Dilemma for a bit more background info on why I decided to go with the MacBook Pro for law school. Long story short, I had nothing but issues with Dell laptops in undergrad - I went through about 5 of them in 4 years. When it came time for law school, I wanted something reliable, easy to navigate, worth the investment and something that would last. I love apple products and while it was a bit pricey, it was completely worth the purchase. I've had it for a year now and I have yet to have one single issue with it - other than the occasional forgetting my iCloud password.

If you are interested in purchasing a Mac I would definitely look into the promotional deals that Apple offer's around back to school time. I took full advantage of the promotion/deals last year and got my Mac at a discounted price and received a pair of beats head phones with my purchase. It was a great deal.

P.S. The cute sticker && keyboard cover are from amazon. 

The 1L 15 lbs. - Its Actually A Thing.

Disclaimer - before reading any further, please please please note that this is all based off of my personal experience. The products and services mentioned below are ones that I have found to be helpful with MY own goals. Please conduct your own research and make your decisions based off of your own personal inquiries. What I post below is merely recommendations and nothing more. 

I was lucky in undergrad when it came to not gaining the dreaded “Freshman 15”– I stayed active through college volleyball and once I had to give that up I consistently worked out. I ate healthy about 85% of the time and forced myself to get to the gym. At that point my body hadn't gone through any major changes - the joys of being a woman. But that all changed once I headed into 1L year. Fall semester wasn't much of an issue - in fact I lost weight from the stress of adjusting to classes, a breakup, consistently forgetting to grab my lunch off the counter and getting to the gym at least 3 times a week. But Spring semester was a completely different story – it was like a switch flipped and instead of not eating when I was stressed I overate – I lived off Starbucks coffees/sugary drinks and their yummy pastries, ordered from Grub Hub while I was at school or fell victim to my parents wanting to go out to eat all the time instead of making meals at home. I gained about 15lbs from all this and my lack of motivation to get to the gym. To say the least this has been the most self-conscious I have ever been in a long time – so what am I doing to change this feeling? Well there’s a couple things I have done to kick start my motivation, self-esteem and healthy habits.

1. I got a tattoo on my ribs.

Stupid I know but I’ve been wanting one for a long time and while I was down in NC visiting my best friend I decided now was the time to do this – if I have one on my side (no it didn't hurt, my sunburn hurt 20x worse than the small needle stabbing me) && it has become one of my motivations to work out and be happy to show the simple three words "Miss you already". Honestly it has worked, especially since it's "bikini season".

2. Gym membership

Unfortunately, I had to purchase a gym membership because even though I am 15 minutes away from my school’s gym (and its right down the road from work) my parking pass is not valid during the summer so I would have to park almost a mile away to walk there which would be fine except I can’t get to the gym until around 8 at night and I’m not a huge fan of walking places by myself at night. Instead I purchased a gym membership to planet fitness for $15 a month without a year long contract. It’s perfect because PF has all that I need and I can cancel it before school starts without any penalties. Even better is that one of the besties signed up too and we have been going consistently together – having a workout buddy (or even joining a fitness community like bodyspace) is definitely helpful in getting that motivation to get to the gym, which tends to be the hardest part. 

3. Fitness && meal plan

SHEDFAT – I decided to purchase a fitness / meal plan to help reach my goals and I did this because over the years I’ve learned so many different workouts from my time as a college athlete that I just don't know what to do in the gym – there are too many options. I purchased a 12-week plan, and I'm am currently on week 4 and ABSOLUTELY LOVE the plan. It’s easy to follow, kicks your ass and you see the results quickly but you have to stay on track especially with the meal plan. But so far it’s been good and I’m not going to lie I get off track but that's because I’m not the type of person that can eat salad and quinoa 24/7 ... it becomes a snooze fest - I like flavor.

If you aren't ready to throw down some cash for a similar 12 week plan I have also tried the 21 Day fix – I tried this last year and I loved it but it was complicated to do while living with my parents. Our schedules collided making it extremely impossible for me to get the workouts done when no one was home, without waking everyone up or being in the way.

4. New gym clothes

Splurg a little. Buy yourself a new pair of sneaks, pants, shirts, sports bra, socks, hat whatever. I find that whenever I do I can't wait to wear them especially if you feel good in them. Im a sucker for Nike and under amrour but I am in the market for a good pair of running shoes so any suggestions are appreciated (comment below)!

5. Ditch the Scale

I've come to the conclusion that weighing myself constantly has been one of the things that has pushed me to over eat. In high school I had an eating disorder where I would weigh myself about 5 times a day and depending on what the scale said would determine if I would eat and what. Once I got to college I continued with that very unhealthy lifestyle until I almost passed out on the volleyball court from a lack of food. It scared me enough to where I knew I needed to take care of myself or else I was going to do some serious damage to my body. I threw out my scale, began eating healthier options - fruits veggies etc. I put on weight but it was muscle from volleyball. I was happy. Now, not so much. But I have been trying to stick with the phrase "its not what the scale says, its how your clothes fit and how you feel when you look in the mirror".

Instead of weighing myself, i take progress photos and compare them to see the changes that are happening. I limit to weighing myself once a week on Sundays if that. I've noticed that when I weigh myself and see an increase it causes me to stress and leads me to over eat for the entire day.

6. Meal Prep

Have you ever hear the saying "abs are made in the kitchen"? Welp, its true... for the most part. I find that meal prepping has played a significant role in my progress especially when it comes to unnecessary snacking. So how do I meal prep? First thing to note is that everyone meal preps differently, if they meal prep. I try and get it done on Sunday's because well Sunday is usually my refresh and restart day to get prepared for the up and coming week. I try and cook enough food to last me until about wed/tr. I really really really dislike left overs so I typically prep all my salads, rice, quinoa, cuts up all my fruits and veggies on Sunday and cook two-three days worth of meat so its still pretty fresh. Then I'll cook the for the remaining days on wed/ Thurs night. Like i said, the plan i purchased included a meal plan and it has been a bit hard to stick with at times (especially when my mom decides to skip out on grocery shopping) but for the most part I do okay. 

310 Shake - In addition to all the nonsense I also drink a protein shake. I really really love 310 shake - its a meal replacement shake when you mix it with fruits veggies etc. and it definitely does its job but I typically use it as a post work out / breakfast shake. I love that its light, not chalky, taste good, mixes well with other ingredients and isn't outrageous in price compared to others. I purchased the bundle and got the shakes, fat burners(thin and metaboost), teas and lemonade. As far as fat burners, be careful with these. I don't mind the one 310 includes but i know that my body can really only handle one per day or else I don't sleep/ feel woozy all day. Love love love the tea and the lemonade 

Really when it comes to supplements its a trial and error type thing. I highly suggest doing research on the product, how it fits with your goals, and testimonials from others who have used it before even purchasing a product. 

7. Sweet Sweat Band

I LOVE SWEET SWEAT like an unhealthy amount. I’m like to put in work at the gym, getting gross and sweaty is just something that doesn't bother me and sweet sweat takes that one step further. I love the band, it’s not uncomfortable in terms of fit – the material is light and soft– and it gives so it’s not super tight. You will sweat, A LOT when wearing this band especially if you use the thermal enhancer stick. Now I know that there are tons of people against using anything close to these products but it’s all personal preference and I really enjoy that extra sweat in my “problem area” (my waist) So if you’re looking for something to help sweat it out a little more definitely check out their product

Other options?

JUST STAY ACTIVE. Because it is summer there are definitely some days where I just don't want to be inside working out. I have purchased a few sets of dumbbells, resistance bands, exercise ball and a jump rope and I modify my gym workouts to be able to do them at home. If you don't have equipment at home or don't want to spend the money go for a walk - take the pup if you have one - go for a swim, hike, play outdoor sports (i'm hoping to do co-ed beach volleyball next summer), sign up for fitness classes (total body, spinning, yoga, kick boxing) Find something that you will enjoy and will challenge you.

I think its important to take a second and note that I'm not doing all this just to become any sort of stereotype. I have a goal, and that goal is reasonable for me. At the end of the day, I just want to be comfortable in my own skin and to do that I need to do this. More importantly I'm not doing this for anyone but myself. If you feel like you have to be or do something for anyone other than yourself, in a way that jeopardizes your happiness, then its not worth the time or energy. Do whatever you have to do to reach your happiness && do it unapologetically. 

Collaboration Post With Legally Foreign: Tips To Get You To && Through 1L Year!

Becoming a 1L presents many adjustments, hardships, failures & successes. There are thousands of unanswered questions that begin buzzing through your head as soon as you receive that acceptance letter. Want answers to some of those questions? Well then be sure to read through this great collaboration post with Cindy, author of Legally Foreign, where we tackle common questions about getting to and pushing through 1L year.

My name is Cindy Polynice and I am the author of legallyforeign.com, a lifestyle blog about my law school journey. I will be attending the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law located Baltimore, Maryland. I will be attending law school part time and working full time at a criminal defense law firm downtown. My undergrad alma mater is Stevenson University located in Owings Mills, Maryland where I majored in Legal Studies.

BECOMING A 1L

JB: What made you choose University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law located Baltimore, Maryland? (Is there a specific program they offer, area of study you are interested in, experiential learning opportunities, location, cost, etc. that helped you choose this school)?

LF: When I applied to law school, I only applied to four schools. Two were safe schools, one was where I thought I wanted to move to and slightly out of reach, and University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law was my dream school. I always knew I wanted to stay in Maryland and practice law in Maryland and Maryland only has two law schools to choose from. When all my acceptance letters came back to me, I was actually waitlisted to Maryland Carey Law and got into all the other schools I applied to. I was sad at first and disappointed in myself but accepted the fact that I had to choose from my other choices. I started planning my law life around my second-choice school; I even paid 300.00 for my first seat deposit for the school. Then, I got an email and it said that I got accepted to Maryland Carey Law school. It was a very hard decision for me and it took some time for me to make the decision to either go to Maryland or to the other school and lose 300.00. I asked around for advice and I got some great advice from some fellow law school bloggers. The reason I ultimately choose the school for was because of the ranking of the school in the full time and part time program compared to other law schools, the fact that I got a scholarship, the campus is beautiful, and it was close to home. Lastly, when I went to visit the school I felt like it was right place for me to be.

JB: Why did you decide to attend part time?

LF: I chose to attend law school part time because I realized that I cannot afford to go to law school full time and eat, live, and commute around comfortably without waiting on a refund check. I could take out loans but I took out loans for undergrad and so the less amount of loans I had/have to take out, the better. I know it is not the norm and most people go to law school full time for three years but the part time program appealed to me because I could work and go to school, which I did all of undergrad. I weighed out my options and realized that is the best choice for me. I am not getting much help financially from anywhere else and am pretty much on my own so I have to afford basic necessities of life and I need to work and go to school.

JB: What are the major differences between going full time and part time - for example - how long will it take to complete your degree as a part time student? How will it be spread out? 

LF: The major differences between going to law school full time and part time is that the full-time program is 3 years and the part-time program is 4 years long. Also, full- time takes place during the day and the part-time programs are usually in the evening so you would be taking classes at night because you have a job or other obligations during the day – for me it’s 9-5 at a law firm.

JB: What will your schedule look like as a part time student - how often will you go to class each week / when you will be going to class, how many / which courses will you be taking your first semester?

LF: I haven’t received my official schedule yet but typically as a part time student you usually take a smaller course load than the full-time students. The full-time students take 16 credits their first semester, we take 10-11 our first semester. We still take all the same classes just at a different pace and at night. For my program, my first semester I will be taking contracts, criminal law and legal analysis and writing. Also, my classes are scheduled Monday through Thursday beginning at 6:30 going till about 9:45 or so. Hopefully, I’ll be able to survive! #PrayforCindy

JB: How did you come about working for a defense law firm? is this an area you are interested in pursuing? what will you be doing there? 

LF: That is actually a post of mine, Bye, Bye Internship, Hello Paralegal But to make a long story short, Stevenson University has a mandatory internship program for all their legal studies students so that you can get practice in the field, as a paralegal before you graduate. My internship turned into a job opportunity and I got hired after my internship. Although my internship was focused on criminal defense, I am not sure what area of law I want to go into, I hope to figure that out in law school with all the specialty classes that I am going to take. Lastly, what I do at my defense law firm…… I work as a paralegal. I assist the lawyer with everything and since it is a small law firm, I get to see a lot of what goes on first hand. I manage the calendar, interview clients, draft motions and legal documents, go to court, manage bills, and etc.

TACKLING 1L YEAR

LF: What should I be doing this summer to prepare for 1L?

JB: Enjoy your summer. It’s one of the last times you’re going to have nothing law school related. But I do think you should be reading something…. anything. You want to get into the habit of reading quite a bit each night. During the first semester, for Torts alone I was reading a minimum of 40 pages of just case book material and it took at least 3-4 hours. My only suggestion is to read something you enjoy because leisure reading is a thing of the past once classes begin. You don't want to burn yourself out before the semester even starts so whatever you choose to read, enjoy it.

If you are looking for something to read that is law school related, there are a ton of “1L preparation” books out there. You don't have to read them all, if any. In fact reading too many of these can be hinder you because there are so many suggestions /opinions on how to prepare. Rather read one or two and pull the bare minimum from it. You want to go into your 1L year with an open mind especially when it comes to altering study habits, note taking exam prep. Two books that I have enjoyed are: “Coming to Law School: How to Prepare Yourself for the Next Three Years” by Ian Gallagher (one of the professors at my law school) and “Getting to Maybe” by Richard Michael Fischl and Jeremy Paul –I read this second one after the first semester.

LF: What should I expect out of 1L orientation?

JB: Orientation really depends on your school. At Syracuse, it was a week-long – check out my post for a more detailed run down of my orientation! The first day included headshot photos, class photo, the welcome ceremony and a convocation ceremony. The second day was paperwork and panels/ small group meetings with alumni. Day three we meet with faculty advisors and went through a ton of paperwork and campus policies. Finally, day four was pro bono work at a local farm and then a baseball game.

LF:I am going part time do you feel like the part time students and full time students interact? What extracurricular are you in? What do you recommend?

JB: At Syracuse, part time students attend classes M-F during the day like full time students but weirdly enough I don't think I’ve had any encounters with part time students. As far as extracurricular activities, I was advised to only try to take on 1-2 so I would still be focused on the 1L course load. I chose to partake in the Sports and Entertainment Law Society because when I came to law school I was dead set on pursuing sports and entertainment law – that has changed. But I enjoyed going to the general body meetings and the end of the year symposium.

When it comes to extracurricular activities, you don't want to overdo it. You need to remind yourself that you are here to learn. Don't bite off more than you can chew. It's a good range to join 1-2 extracurriculars because it's a great way to meet upper classman and see what a certain area of law entails. If you like it, you can run for positions as a 2L and so on, if not there are plenty of other opportunities for you to try new things – moot court, law journals, etc. Don't feel like you must join anything because you don't. Law school is what YOU make of it, so participate in things that you think are going to benefit yourself, your legal education and your future. Don't get caught up in the 1L ban wagon where everyone does or joins the same thing.

LF: How did you study during 1L year? Do you think you are going to change your study habits? 

JB: When it comes to studying is you do what works for you and if something is not working try something new. 1L year is a complete adjustment and that include study habits. So for me I begin by margining my class notes and reading notes into an aoutline -Check out my post on outlining. Once I complete my first outline I’ll cut it down as much as possible as I’m going through it on my own and with my study group. From there I decide what information to create flash cards, flow charts, acronyms, really anything that will help me learn the material and jog my memory. It’s all a trial and error process – figuring out what works best for you but also works best for that specific class material. For ex: I used flow charts for Civil Procedure but flash cards for contracts. I used only an outline for Property but a combination of charts, flashcards and outlines for torts. 

The “where” you study is just as important as the how - find study spaces that allow you to stay focused. Personally, I need complete silence when I do work to the point where I actually use ear plugs that my dad brings home from his machinist shop. I have a couple places in school that I’ll hide out in and an office at home. When I’ve been in one place too long, I’ll switch it up and go to the local public library, I have friends who escape school and go to Starbucks, Panera, the local park, wherever. 

LF: How did you deal with stress during 1L year? 

JB: It really depended on the day and my level of stress. I needed to do things that kept me active and released some of that stress – gym, taking the dog for a walk, intramural volleyball. But I also am the type of person that needs alone time so that was usually my Sundays. I had to press that “reset” button to mentally prepare for the week. Getting good grades is important, I mean its law school – but if you are not at 100% youre not going to do well. So taking care of your health needs to be right at the top of the “to do” list. 

 LF: Tips on getting books? Are you going to go a different route than your 1L year?

JB: My first semester I opted to do the textbook prepack through school because I didn't find out my finalized schedule until orientation. This worked well. The second semester I got whatever books I could cheapest from amazon but this didn't work out the greatest because two of my books were the newest edition (and cost about $300 a piece) and the third book was a custom made one by my professor. Though for the other ones it worked well. In terms of textbook shopping, it’s like undergrad textbook buying. If you’re looking for used books try and purchase ones that are in decent condition without a ton of highlight and margin notes – its distracting and at times confusing to go over someone else’s highlights/notes.

LF: Cold calling? What was it like your first time? and tricks for cold calling?

JB: HELL. Just kidding – it’s definitely nerve wracking but if you read and go over what you read, you’ll be fine. My first time was honestly a blur. It went by quick from what I can remember. My professor didn’t ask any questions that were not in the reading. I had a pretty easy going section my first semester where I wasn't the only person on call rather there was either one other person or four other “co-counsels”. It alleviated the stress of it because if you were stumped your classmates could help you out. But the other sections were a different story – some were on call for a minimum of 15 minutes and if you didn't have an answer the professor would wait. So it really just depends on the professor. My best advice for cold calling is do the reading, look over your notes and case briefs before class, and talk it over with someone else. Check out my post – Catching Up, Literately - reflecting on the first month or so of 1L year, including cold calls.

LF: Being prepared for class? How did you prepare? What do you recommend?
JB: READ. Always, always READ and take notes on what you read. You need to at least try case briefing at first, it helps pull out the issues, rule of law, application of the rule, holding of the case. After a while you might not have to do this or you’ll make your own version of it. Following case briefing/ notes, go through the class material for the day before class with at least one other person – I tried to sit down with a group about a half hour – and hour before class to go over the material for the day and it really helped. Talking about the material with others helps you learn the material.

I also used Quimbee. I found it to be extremely helpful to compare my case briefs to the ones one Quimbee – especially when I didn't understand the case. If I read a case all the way through and asked myself “what in the hell did I just read?” I would read the Quimbee case brief and then go back through the books case and do my own. It's extremely helpful as SUPPLEMENTAL material. I also purchase the Emanuel outlines and book specific supplemental (just search the case books author on amazon) to give further aid. If you can get your hands-on upperclassmen’s outlines for your specific professor those are helpful too but do not solely rely on those. You need to create your own outlines – it is its own version of studying. 

LF: Dress in law school? Is it business casual all the time or really casual?
JB: It really just depends on the day and what you have going on – if you have interviews, you come dressed for those, etc. but honestly, I was just casual dress similar to undergrad – people in sweats, people in dress clothes, people in casual clothes. 1L year is mostly just classes, you don't really start doing interviews for internships and what not until the middle of the spring semester.

LF: How is the financial aid process? Did you budget? Did you get any scholarships? If not, how was the loan process? Are there a lot of scholarships out there for future law students? Did you apply for any? 

JB: It depends on your school and how the school year falls. I did budget, but thankfully I don't have to rely on my refund checks as much as other students do for things like housing, food, etc because I live at home (it has its perks and downfalls). But the process was easy because my school was adamant on sending out reminder emails and had a financial aid timeline to keep track of things. 

Budgeting was a bit more difficult in terms of having personal funds to go out and enjoy myself at times – I wasn't working so I didn't have a steady income coming my way. Budgeting is important especially if you have to pay for housing, food, car, car insurance, etc. etc. I would highly suggest creating some sort of spread sheet with all your expenses – I sat down and did this when I had to figure out exactly how much I was going to have to take out in student loans since my scholarship didn't cover tuition completely. I took into account books, gas, some spending money, parking, any service fees the school had (technology), laptop (I bought a new one for law school – check out my post on my laptop dilemma), school supplies. Look at your bursar account to see the break down and then add what is extremely necessary – housing, transportation, food, etc. don't take more than you need, you have to pay it back eventually. 

In terms of scholarships, my school informed me of which I was eligible for / which ones I was going to receive. I honestly didn't do much additional research for additional scholarships but it’s worth asking your school if there are any additional ones that you can apply for. 

LF: Is it easy to make friends? Or are the people cut throat and very competitive?
JB: Yes, but again it depends on the school. I made friends early on through the class Facebook page and my participation in the Orange edge program -- we met up for drinks before classes and orientation started which was nice to see a semi familiar face at orientation.

Syracuse is not cut throat. For the most part everyone is extremely friendly and willing to help each other out. Towards finals is a bit of a different story, you mostly stick with your study group and focus on going through the material and completing hypos (practice problems). But I have heard stories about the competitive, cut throat atmospheres at other schools. I personally didn't mind sharing outlines or material, but there were many who felt that keeping helpful material from others was to their advantage and didn't pass it on. Which is fine for them but that's not how I saw things. At the end of the day, it’s you taking the exam. You have to know the material. You have to apply it. You could have a golden outline from someone else, all the supplemental material in the world to help you, but if you don't know it and know how to apply it, you aren’t going to do well.

LF: Explain the curve? Were your grades what you expected?

JB: The curve is stressful. You can walk out of an exam and think you did great but actually did not and vice versa. It really just depends on how well the rest of the class did. Which sucks. The best way I can describe the 1L is curve is that for each class you typically have one grade for the entire semester and that is based on the final exam. But the “fun” part is that only so many people can get the A and so many people have to fail. Here is how Syracuse breaks the curve down:

So say your Torts class has around 80 people in the class only 5% of that class can get the A (that's 4 people) and 2% have to fail (about 2 people) and so on. In other words, you’re competing with one another for your grade. That's why it’s crucial to be consistently going over the material, doing hypos, meeting with your study group and taking advantage of tutoring if there is that option.

As for my grades, my first semester I did better than I expected which was a great confidence boost. Although spring semester I really struggled. I did well in all my classes except for one and I’ve been beating myself up about it. I’m still figuring out what I should do about it, in fact I will be addressing that in another post. But one thing I suggest is going back and reviewing your exam with your professor post semester. It is a great help to find out what mistakes you made and how to improve / see how your effective your studying habits were and where to make adjustments. 

LF: How did you deal with the culture shock of 1L year? if it was a culture shock for you?

JB: It was a big adjustment. I had taken a year off between undergrad and law school which was the best decision for me. But I had to get back into the swing of being in school full time again. It wasn't as much as a culture shock for me as it was for some. I am from nearby and I think a lot of the students just had a hard time adjusting to the Syracuse area in addition to law school. For me it was more so struggling to adjust to law school and not being able to do all the things my family or friends were doing. I live at home and it was definitely a struggle to have to say no to a lot of things – it was equally a struggle for them to adjust to me being at school late, in fact I felt guilty staying late so I would force myself to come home when I should have stayed. You have to learn to balance, say no, and have your focus be on school.

Want some more? Then go on andcheck out my other collaboration post - Tips for Starting Your 1L year - The 1L & 2L Perspective - with Nikki from Brazen and Brunette!

Spring Semester Recap - Welcome Back

Welp, I’m back after falling off the grid for almost a whole semester. I thought blogging while tackling the final semester of 1L year was going to be manageable but I was wrong. Unfortunately, this fell the lowest on the totem pole but I’m hoping over the course of the summer I can catch up on some posts and provide some great resources for those of you heading to law school, applying to law school or thinking about law school.

For the spring semester, I was enrolled in 16 credits  spread out through 5 courses. Property (5 credits) Con. Law (3) Criminal Law (3) Negotiations (3) and LCR II (2). Looking back on the semester, Property and Criminal Law were by far my favorite, con was easily at the very bottom. Compared to the first semester, Spring semester was challenging in new ways – more courses, more work, more reading, more balancing, more everything. Fall semester felt like a breeze compared to the spring. I struggled to say the least – I don't know if it was because we were in new sections and some were more competitive than others or what but I found it difficult to get into a groove, find consistent study partners that I worked well with and not let the home life take over. I had a much harder time telling people “no” and it was equally as hard  for some to grasp that law school life was separate from the home life that many were used to.

Overall, I did okay. My cumulative GPA dropped from the fall semester and I have been beating myself up pretty hard about that. But I will be diving further into that in an upcoming post for how to bounce back from a bad grade – what your options are, factors to consider, who to turn to, and which to choose.

On the upside, I am currently completing a summer internship with a local real estate attorney and absolutely loving it so far. I will definitely be giving an insight about what I have been up to with that and much more. I also have some other fun news to share but will be waiting a bit until everything is concrete, so be sure to stick around. 

For those of you who are new to Justifiably Blonde be sure to check out my About Me page when you have a second! If you are thinking about or applying to law school check out the following posts:

So Long Undegrad, Hello ...

Law School - 1, Criminal Law - 0

First things first: LSAC/CAS and Registering for the LSAT

What is even on the LSAT?

LSAT Prep

The LSAT Roller Coaster: My first LSAT Exam

The LSAT Roller Coaster: Take Two

I Took The LSAT, Now What? Applications, Applications, Applications.

What In the Heck Am I Going to Write About?

If you are heading into your 1L year, be sure to check out these posts:

The Entering Students Checklist

Some Much Needed Time Off

The Laptop Dilemma

22 & Still Excited About School Supplies

The Orientation Breakdown

Tips for Starting Your 1L year - The 1L & 2L Perspective.

The Spring Break Agenda: Tackling Outlining

Finally look beyond Justifiably Blonde for more insight. There are so many amazing blogs out there that add to what I have to offer, I have relied on so many of these fellow bloggers throughout my first year to learn the many tips and tricks to make this first year survivable. 

Beyond Justifiably Blonde

P.S. - I am looking for a fellow blogger who has recently been accepted to law school to do a collaborative piece, if you are interested contact me so I can give you more details (be sure to check out my collaborative piece with fellow blogger Nikki from Brazen and Brunette to see what a collaborative piece looks like!  Tips for Starting Your 1L year - The 1L & 2L Perspective. )