Tuesday, September 25, 2007

In retrospect, I was lucky during my Bar Prep days...

I experienced no long-term disasters to throw me off my study schedule. I know that some of you had some major distractions during those crucial weeks and months leading up to the exam. I had none of that. Or, at least, there was nothing that I couldn't deal with that lasted for days. I didn't get the flu. I didn't have to move. I didn't give birth (did anyone have a baby while they were studying?)

Of course, I had to deal with all of the stuff I wrote about. But that was either so long term that it just became part of my daily struggle, or it was so short lived that it was dispatched relatively quickly.

I bring this up because of what happened around here last week. I had some work to do that I couldn't seem to get started on because of a major disruption to my household. The work was important but it wasn't "Bar Prep" important. I don't know if I'll have anything to do ever again that is such a high priority, for such an extended period of time, as was preparing for the bar exam.

So as I struggled to get started on this project I kept thinking about how lucky I was that I wasn't "study-disabled" for days, or weeks, during those last months. If I do end up having to do it again I know I won't be so fortunate. The stars only line up like that once in a great while.

There are only 51 days until results are released. Before I started working, that number was relatively non-threatening. I was just an unemployed prospective attorney. I figured that that date would come and go and I would still be unemployed. The only change might be that my prospective attorney status could prospectively lose its prospectiveness. If you know what I mean. (;-)>

But now that I'm working, and there are things that prospectively hang on my attorney-ness, what happens on November 16th has become substantially more important.

Whatever happens on that date, I think I've used up my annual allotment of the uses of the word "prospective".

Anyway... with the difficulty I've had getting things done this past week, I've become more thankful that disruptions like this didn't happen in April, May, June and July.

Oh, and did I mention that there are only 51 days left until results are released? If you took the bar in one of those states with an "easy" exam and you've already received your results, count yourselves lucky (and don't throw anything at me.) (;-)>

Not only does California have the hardest exam in the country, it also has the highest number of neurotic wannabe lawyers for the three and a half months between the exam and the day the results are released.

Can I just go to sleep until the 17th? You can call me "Rip Van Poobah."

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

On days like today, these 51 days are killing me... No, I'm not a crazy psycho bi-polar emotional wreck - I'm just waiting for my bar results. I kind of hate those people in the other 49 states just a little bit.... (well, maybe not the NY'ers so much)

The Grand Poobah said...

Agree, I do. But whenever I try to compare the California exam to other states, I can't get a grip. I'm sure the other states have difficult exams, I'm just not sure how they differ from ours.

I know the MBEs are the same, but the writing part is very different. Our essays are one hour (or so) and some of the other states' essays are intended to be done in just 30 to 45 minutes. I wonder how much law they can cover in that limited amount of time.

And then our PT is three hours long compared to their MPT which is intended to take 90 minutes.

Well, whatever the difference, it is what it is. I know the mental challenge is certainly similar.

Yep... 51 days until we can get on with our lives.