Summer classes are...easy?

So, tonight marks the last class for first week of summer session. One week down - six to go! At least that's how I'm dealing with being at school every day, instead of out by the pool soaking up the sun.

The really good news is that my classes seem to be pretty easy so far. I have an International Sales and Arbitration class that's awesome. The professor cancelled the final and hates the book pretty much. Most of the class is spent talking about current events, how they play out in the world, international events, monetary and fiscal policies, etc. We're writing in groups in that class, but it doesn't seem too bad so far. And then also Crim Pro with a professor that I've had before so I know what to expect and how to handle it. My terrorism class got cancelled, so it looks like only 6 credits this summer, then 4 during intersession and 9 next semester. My graduation plans have been post poned, but with the way things are going it looks like that's the best idea.

The thing about law school is that everything seems to happen at once. I had a fairly calm end of the semester with finals. I was relaxed and easy going, and so far my grades have gone up and proven how much better that is for me. And so far summer has been pretty easy, like I said my professors seem good, I have some group work, but overall its nothing too stressful. I have some SBA duties but they're easy and I always have people to keep me company while I'm staffing the book exchange. But I can already see my summer getting incredibly busy with finals and moving and trips and vacations. Thank god I'm only in school three days a week next semester. I can't wait to just be Mon, Wed, Fri and get my AWR and MPRE knocked out of the way.

But overall, that's how summer is going. That, and talking to all of the new prospective 1L's at school that are incoming. It's so nice to be relaxed about law school instead of being so nervous and amped up. I don't envy them those feelings at all.

Finals

What is it about the last final of the semester that makes people freak out? I don't get it at all.

These finals have been different for me. I'm not under a ton of pressure, as I've done the work all semester long. I've felt relaxed, happy, and ready. I'm in a study room right now with a memorized outline doing well on practice MBE's, and I did well on practice essays all day yesterday while making an amazing meal. Or helping to make it anyway.

The point is that I'm relaxed. I'm not freaking out, and I'm not working until I burn out. I took the time out this weekend to go to the Melting Pot with friends Sat, and to just relax and hang out Fri. Overall I feel like I've prepared, done what I could and am ready to be done for 13 whole days (and go to Disneyland!).  I'm glad that I'm not around people who freak out and study until they burn out.

This feels really good, and I'm excited to go into my final tonight and finally be done with my second year of law school. :)

Graduate - in May?!?!

So yesterday while at work I was looking at where I am credit wise, and what I need to do in order to graduate Dec 2013, which is my goal, and would be 3.5 years - or a full semester early for the part time program. Then I really started looking at it and realized that if I keep my current plan of 3 summer classes and intersession, and find a way to go full time and get an externship plus to do winter intersession - I will be a May graduate! Basically this means I'd have to take a lot more student loans and cut my hours down at work pretty severely. I don't know how my boss is going to feel about that, and I have no idea how it will work with the MPRE, my AWR and a full time class load and externship in the fall. I'm a little concerned about it, but am hoping to figure it out for the best. In the end, it would end up actually costing me ~$300 more, and that doesn't figure in the extra summer session that I would have to do as well as intersessions. So, I'm thinking about talking to my boss and seeing what I can do. It wouldn't be terrible to break my lease and move home for a year or so maybe (okay - who am I kidding that would be the WORST), but there are some plans in the works.

Things are going pretty well other than that. I'm not stressed at all about finals this semester, and am doing pretty well. I had Property 2 last night and didn't have any issues. I've done pretty much every torts MBE and Essay I can get my hands on and seem to be doing well. I start Con Law studying on Thursday. And I'm getting my first tattoo on Friday! I can't wait - I am really really stoked about it. This semester has been different - I don't feel stress to cram it all in at the last second. I feel prepared, and like I've done what I've needed to do in order to succeed, at both the midterm and final level. I'm hoping for really good grades this semester.

Other than that I'm glad that our track is kind of splitting off and going our separate ways now. People lie and talk and are generally mean to each other in law school - and I don't want to surround myself with those kind of people. I have good people in my life and that's how I want it to stay from now on. There's been too much garbage in the past.

That's my update. I'll post more when I know what I'm doing and when I'm graduating. Until then, adieu!

2L Status

The thing about being part time is that if you use summer and intersessions the right way, you'll be like me, who will be a 3L at the end of my fall semester! AND I'm still only taking 9 credits in the fall - and going three days a week! Trusts and Estates, Professional Responsibility, and Comprehensive law. I'm taking a heavy summer load, and a heavy intersession load, but I can't wait to graduate and get out of school! :)

It's exciting and terrifying all at the same time to be so close (yet so far) from actually graduating. :)

Oh - we had Barrister's Ball a couple of weeks ago. For as much crap as I talked about it last year - I actually had an amazing time with my friends! We had such a fun table and a fun group that I was laughing all night long. There was some drama towards the end, but hey - haters gonna hate - right? Or at least that's what someone told me that night.

I also was elected to the SBA e-Board which is so exciting. I'm glad to help, and I'm getting such good, positive feedback from my classmates that I'm really excited about it. Sounds like next year is going to be a really amazing year with a really amazing (for the most part) group of people. :)

Officially a 2L!

After a long semester with no updates, I am officially a 2l! This semester was one of the roughest, to be honest. Not only did I work full time, but I took a 12 credit course load, which left me with hardly any life to be spoken of. Next semester I'm only signed up for 9 credit hours, thank goodness.

Fortunately, this semester will also be the end of my required first year courses, and I can start to get into some electives and fun stuff. I'll still have to take classes like Professional Responsibility, but hopefully I can get some more interesting topics in, too. I'm ready to be done with Torts and Property, more than I can even tell you.

I hope everyone else out there is having a great break. I don't go back until January 30th, so I'm enjoying the last little bit of it.

I'll update soon (I promise!)!

Personal v Real Property

I had lunch with a professor from last semester that no longer teaches at my law school. I told him that I was having some issues with property. Not that it's that hard to understand two weeks in, but more that my Professor asks questions like, "Property is acquired by......." and is looking for a very specific answer. It's not like we're in the end of a case where the point is that property is acquired in certain ways. It's just an open ended question out of left field. So, I feel a little lost. I brought this up to my old professor, and he said - "well by now you understand that there are two types of property right? real and personal...certainly you've learned that by now". And well, no, we haven't. But tonight she brought it up when discussing replevin and theories of damages in property. Which is fine, she can teach in whatever way she wants to, but I guess I'm having a hard time seeing where this all fits in. We're working through all these acquisition theories, which is the way that it's traditionally taught, but it's incredibly confusing, thus far anyway. But, with his help, to put everything in the scope of real vs personal property, it's helping a little bit....I think. :)

So, that's that. Con Law is still taught by an amazing professor with a passion for the subject. He brought us all in our own little personal copies of the Constitution because he was so frustrated one night when his was misplaced. Love. It. He's great.

Torts and Civ Pro are both frustrating. I'm mostly frustrated with Civ Pro because my professor hasn't really taught us anything yet, other than rules of evidence. We're working on summary judgment supposedly, but we spend most of our time talking about his case and the applicable law, and his frustrations in his own case. Crazy, right? But I guess that that's an argument against adjuncts. I usually love them, but this semester I'm finding them frustrating.

So, that's my semester thus far. A little dreary, and not that fun. But I am looking forward to do projects for midterms instead of tests. I think that's going to be much, much better than essay's and mbe's. :)

Til next time. :)

Professors: The difference between good and great.

I had two classes last night. Two very different classes. The first one was okay. You can tell the teacher came straight out of the box with "getting to know you" exercises and flexed her Socratic muscles right away. She was into teaching, and spent time telling us how she's been a life long teacher and has taught every age. She also went over all the mundane details of the class, start times, end times, etc. She was a teacher, through and through. Didn't get me excited about property, but you can tell she loves to teach.

The second class? Con law. Taught by someone who lives, breathes, and loves the Constitution. He loves it enough to carry a copy with a torn off cover that's seen better days rolled up in his back pocket at all times. You can tell, that even after teaching it for years, he's fascinated by the document and how its interpreted and how it plays out in today's world. He talked about wanting us to have a curiosity, and a real thirst for learning and understanding the constitution and the role it plays in our lives. He didn't come out with any ice breakers, and barely talked about his syllabus, but spent the time sharing his passion for the Constitution with us, and in turn, it made us excited to get into the material.

The difference between the two professors? I'm intrigued by Con Law, and don't really care about Property. To see someone have such a passion, such a thirst and fascination with the material can't help but spark that kind of reaction in students. To see someone who loves to teach, but isn't excited about the material? It's just another class with another professor. So, so far? Looking forward to con law, not sure where I stand with Property. We'll have to see how today's classes and the rest of the week go before I pass any real judgments.