Friday, January 11, 2008

Crimony, am I tired.

Actually, "weary" is a more apt description.

I've implemented an aggressive study schedule this week and boy are my arms tired! (rim-shot!)

For those who were around at this stage of my preparation for the July Exam and remember the study schedule I had set up, this one is almost as intense. It's a little more manageable though because I've built in some wiggle room. My study day starts at 8:00 am and ends at 10:00 pm, which means I get up at 7:00 and go to bed around midnight, but each of those hours is not reserved for Bar prep. I take one-hour breaks every three to four hours and I have a study group that meets a four times a week for a few hours.

The biggest difference this time is that I'm still working one of my part-time jobs. Jonathan has been nice enough to grant me a furlough for the duration, so I'm currently just working the other job, but it's only three days a week for five hours each day. I should be able to manage that for now but I'm planning on suspending that one about two weeks before the exam.

And I'm actually planning on writing a performance test before this exam! Who'd a thunk it, eh? I can't help but imagine that I could have passed the Bar in July if only I had written a few PTs under exam conditions before I had to write one that counted. In retrospect, it was somewhat negligent of me to avoid that chore. Not this time though. I'll be much better prepared in February than I was last July.

And speaking of being prepared ... I'm prepared to hit the sack. So because I don't snore, the next sound you'll hear is whatever it is that I sound like when I'm sleeping.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I could have passed too had I done a bit better on the performance tests! Any tips as to how to improve the performance writing skills is higly appreciated.

The Grand Poobah said...

APGIC: I'm hoping to figure that out in the coming weeks.

biff said...

It's not so much writing as it is copying. Word-for-word copying. You're just sort of reorganizing the material in the booklet under different headings.

The Grand Poobah said...

Biff: I think it's a matter of organization for me. The better my outline is, the better my finished product is. I wrote a PT yesterday. I kept myself to three hours, and I finished, but I kept referring back to the library for statutes and cases. I suppose a certain amount of that is inevitable, but I have to try to keep it to a minimum or else I'll run out of time.

Jonathan L. Kramer, Esq. said...

Focus, young Skywalker. Feel the force flowing through you.

As for referring back to the library for statutes and cases, remember the BarBri method of tearing out a blank sheet from the exam booklet. Use the sheet to organize the cases and statutes presented, and to reference back in the library to the material. On the same sheet you also list the cases that cite to the statutes so that you can quickly see the leading cases, as well as the per-contra cases.

Kick butt, you will young Skywalker.

YODAddy

The Grand Poobah said...

Why, Yoda, What long furry ears, you have! (;-)>

A great tip, that is. When next I write a PT, your suggestion, I will try!

thecalbaristhebaneofmyexistence said...

i'm so bad at using this blogging site, i think i just deleted my comment because i thought i had posted it twice.

in any case, i just wrote that your blog (and the others) have kept me sane the past two months, THANK YA!

Anonymous said...

Man...I totally feel you on what you're saying on your whole blog regarding the bar exam. It's going to be my 3rd time around 2/08. I NEED TO PASS this too. The scary reasons are setting in. I'm actually tripping out because a few months back I thought I read somewhere on the calbar website that you can use Examsoft with Mac OS Leopard only NOW I can't find any information on it! I think my brain has fried and I can't do simple tasks anymore. Do you have any idea about this?

The Grand Poobah said...

Anon: I found this on the Examsoft website...

Apple Macintosh Users:

Users with Apple MacBook or MacBook Pro laptops can run Windows through Apple's Boot Camp software. Not all institutions allow usage of Apple computers. Please check with your institution prior to attempting to install SofTest on an Apple laptop. Please note that ExamSoft does not provide support for the installation and configuration of Apple's Boot Camp.

But then I also found a few places that said the Cal Bar does not allow Apple laptops to be used on the bar exam.

Your best bet might be to buy a cheap $300-$400 laptop to use for the exam then sell it to someone at your school who also has a Mac and wants to type.