| | I'm halfway through my Bar/Bri course now, and realizing that I have just a little over a month before the first day of the bar exam... And I'm afraid I'm in a bit of a slump these days -- sometimes, I feel like there's just no way I can get all of the information shoved into my head before July 24, and that I must be crazy for trying to take two bar exams concurrently. :P Bear with me as I vent a little bit...
For the national multistate day (200 multiple choice questions), I'm responsible for knowing the majority law on six subjects. For the Pennsylvania day (essay questions), I have to know the PA distinctions on the six national subjects, plus the PA law on fourteen more subjects. For the New Jersey day (more essay questions), I have to know the six national subjects, plus the NJ law on ten more subjects. Thankfully, the NJ essay day has historically only been on the six national subjects plus civil procedure. But for the PA essay day (which is my first day of testing), everything is fair game...
It's just so much information to have to painstakingly file away in my brain. And the thing is, I'm not convinced I know how to study for it... I'm listening to lectures, taking notes, writing up "digest" versions of my notes, and doing practice multiple choice and essay questions, but is this the most efficient use of my time? Am I doing what I should be doing to memorize all of the things I need to memorize? Should I buy pre-packaged bar exam flashcards to drill myself further, or is reading and rereading my notes enough? Do any of you have any suggestions on how best to study and retain information?
And in one very real sense, all of this is so silly... I shouldn't be freaking out so much about the bar. But there you have it -- I'm still pretty scared. You'd think I would have learned by now to cede control over my worries, hopes, fears to God... Lord knows I've been in innumerable such situations before, and God has always been so faithful.
I also feel a little silly asking for prayer for my studying and taking the bar exam... There are, after all, so many other, worse, bigger things that we should be praying for. And this is, in many ways, an inherently selfish request -- prayer for my peace of mind, my ability to stay focused and calm, my endurance to the end of next month. But I do still covet your prayers.
This all puts me in mind of a Jennifer Knapp song, "Faithful to Me." I had it on repeat my first year of law school, and it's definitely appropriate for my life now...
All the chisels I've dulled carving idols of stone
That have crumbled like sand 'neath the waves
I've recklessly built all my dreams in the sand
Just to watch them all wash away
Through another day, another trial, another chance to reconcile
To One who sees past all I see
I'm reaching out my weary hand, I pray that You'd understand
You're the only one who's faithful to me
All the pennies I've wasted in my wishing well
I have thrown like stones to the sea
I have cast my lots, dropped my guard, searched aimlessly
For a faith to be faithful to me
Through another day, another trial, another chance to reconcile
To One who sees past all I see
I'm reaching out my weary hand, I pray that You'd understand
You're the only one who's faithful to me
You're the only one who's faithful to me
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| | Posted 6/23/2007 12:51 PM - 72 Views - 2 eProps - 1 Comment
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