Let me first say that it is soooo nice to be posting again. If you are the "creative" type you probably know what it feels like to go through a slump. I have been completely unmotivated for months, but now that I have a little free time on my hands I thought it would be a good time to jump back into writing these posts because I really do enjoy it and they are somewhat therapeutic. 😊
Summer recap... so to start off, this semester I was in Constitutional Law I, Evidence, and Business Associations. To be honest, I was excited to start the semester and was looking forward to my courses....but then that all changed LOL. I can say, without a doubt, that this semester was the hardest term of my law school career thus far and I only have 2 semesters left until graduation. The courses were hard. The material was dense. There were a TON of rules to memorize and various nuances that just made it all the more difficult. I also quickly realized that I wasn't a fan of one of my professors teaching styles...and since we are being honest, I wasn't a big fan of the casebooks we used this semester either. But here is the thing... that is going to happen. You will run into teachers or professors who you might not mesh will with--and while I enjoyed all my professors this semester, I guess I just learn a little differently so I had to make adjustments pretty early on and it just felt like I was always behind in something. And while I wasn't a fan of some of the casebooks, I did find some really useful supplements, so it all worked out (I think...we shall see when grades post) LOL.
As I drove home after my last final exam on Sunday I took some time to really think about why this semester was such a challenge and it dawned on me that there were a ton of "life things" that took place during the past 4 months that added to the stress I was feeling. First my oldest son graduated high school--which is a HUGE accomplishment and a blessing, but we also had a lot of tough conversations about college. It was not an easy decision for any of us and as his mother I just wanted to "fix it" but this was something I had to let him figure out on his own...with a little (a lot) of motherly guidance. My youngest son also graduated from elementary school, which for most isn't a big deal...but he is my baby, so that was a transition. I work from home as a conflicts analyst for a large law firm with offices in Los Angeles, Irvine, New York, and now Chicago...so work has been busy, hectic...some days a little overwhelming so there were days that I simply didn't want to study. It is also the summer, so both boys were home all day and I did feel guilty for not getting them out of the house and doing more fun things. I tried to make it fun when I could or would tend to overcompensate on the weekends...which just dipped more and more into my study time. I also do most of the cooking, a huge majority of the cleaning, and I am a full-time single momma (although my sis helps out a LOT..thank you Allison😉)!! So it is not hard to see why I might have felt a little stressed or overwhelmed, but this semester it felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders and there were several days (like every other day) that I just wanted to quit! I also have a huge problem with asking for help...so that is something that I have to deal with.
I have a great job that I love...so I found myself asking--why not just work, be a mom, and remove the stress? Good question right... my answer is that for the first time (in forever) I am doing this for me. This journey started out as something that I said I was doing for my boys, but at the end of the day they don't care where I work or what my profession is. They want me to be happy and be their mom. So while using them as my "why" sounded noble, I had to make it even more personal. Yes, I am doing this for them, but I also have to do it for me! I want them to see that their mom really is a superhero (and so are YOU), so I find that I work extra hard so they can see firsthand that with a lot of hard work and determination they too can make their big dreams a reality! So yes, in that sense it is for them, but this is also my dream...my big goal...so I am also doing this for myself!
ANYWAY----- moving right along. So yeah, this semester was rough! I did my readings, I completed my assignments, I watched all my lectures, I created my own outlines, and the last 3-4 weeks of the semester I was getting up between 4-5am and studying. I created Anki cards (over a hundred of them)... I studied those, I used my supplements in the best way possible---so it is all out of my control at this point. I took my final exams the first weekend of August, so now we wait for grades to post (fingers crossed 🤞🏽).
Now let's talk a minute about supplements. I have seen a ton of posts from various other students talking about how they do NOT recommend supplements... and I get it! But, hear me out...if you need a supplement (like I did this semester), get the supplement. If it is between failing a class or using a supplement...I am going to vote for using a supplement all day! As I mentioned earlier, I had one class this semester where I was lost 99% of the time. Had I not purchased the supplemental material I would still be lost (and probably wouldn't have felt as confident as I did sitting down to take my final exam). So if you feel lost in your studies, advocate for yourself and find the materials that work best for you, even if they are a "supplement." But just to be clear...I am not saying to throw out your casebook or skip lectures. Supplements are just that...they supplement your assigned materials, and can really be a helpful learning tool. One major thing I have realized during this law school experience is that you have to do what is right for you. We all learn and retain information differently. For some folks, reading and taking notes is enough, others like to brief every case, some prefer making flashcards, some learn better by watching videos and taking notes, some prefer to learn in study groups, while others like to learn solo...we are all different, so the best advice I can give for whatever you are studying is to find a technique that works for you and stick with that---even if your method looks completely different from what others are doing.
Side note: try not to go into supplement overload LOL, which is exactly what I did this semester. I didn't know what I wanted or needed...so I got them all! Which was pointless because I didn't have the time or energy to use them all. Also... don't forget about bar prep materials. I bought the Smart Bar Prep outlines---they are fantastic!!! I also watched the Studicata Bar Blitz videos (which are designed for bar prep), but they helped so much in studying for finals.
So which supplements did I use a lot this semester"
Quimbee. I love Quimbee for multiple reasons and firmly believe in their supplemental materials.
Studicata. I have their monthly law school program, and I purchased the Bar Blitz videos and their attack outlines---they are great and were just what I needed this semester.
Smart Bar Prep. I also loved these outlines. They have 2, a more condensed attack outline (for memorization purposes) as well as a longer more detailed outline, more active studying. These were also very helpful in creating my personal outline and Anki cards.
If you don't use Anki, I highly recommend them. They are an online flashcard program that uses spaced repetition for helping with memorizing the materials. I will say that it helps if you already have an idea or understanding of the material BEFORE you make your Anki cards...especially for law school where you will need to not only be able to recite the law or rule, but also apply it.
So what's next. Well my"summer break," will be over on August 28th. My boys are both back in school...so I have just been working and trying to keep my mind busy LOL🤦🏽♀️. I do have a short list of things that I would like to do before the Fall 2023 terms starts on August 28th:
Go see Oppenheimer (if you have seen it...was it good?) and maybe Indiana Jones. I grew up watching Indiana Jones, so that would be a real blast from the past.
Go to Santa Barbara--we love SB and I enjoyed doing my residency there and the whole vibe of Santa Barbara, so I definitely want to go spend a whole day just hanging out.
Go get a fresh loaf of bread (LOL)...hear me out, it's the small things right, but when was the last time that you went into a local bakery and bought a fresh loaf of sourdough bread? For me...never! So I might as well do it now.
Organize my office space. Right now I have three screens and they take up way too much space. I would like to get a larger monitor for my WFH space and then keep my monitor that I use with my Macbook for school work...if I end up getting to this project, I will post about the process and take before and after photos😊.
Do a summer deep clean. This one is self-explanatory, but I would like to do a deep clean, move furniture, the whole 9 yards.
Clean/Organize our patio. We have a nice patio space and we do live in beautiful sunny southern California but we never use the patio...currently our upstairs neighbor likes to leave their dog out on their balcony...so we may have to address that, but I would really like to tidy up the patio, maybe get new cushions for our chairs and use the space once it starts to get a little cooler.
That is the short term plan...but what about long term
Well, as I mentioned the fall semester starts on August 28th, so I will be posting about that. We have a road trip planned to Sacramento that I would love to share through more of a photo/video post. In the spring, I will officially be in my last semester of law school with graduate scheduled for April 20th....so of course I plan on sharing that. A month or so later it will be time for bar prep, so between now and then I need to nail down exactly what prep course I plan on using...so you can join in on that process as well. We also plan on moving at some point before August of next year....so we will be busy--with lots to share🥰.
So if you are not already, please subscribe so we can continue on this journey together! And don't forget to follow me on IG @legallykathy. I plan on posting more frequently over there now that the semester from HE&@ is over with!!
