Stress & Time Management

As a first year law student, you must find a place to study that works for you, a corner
in the library, the Neumann Center, your office at home or another library. The place
must be free from distractions and quiet.

GET ORGANIZED. Organization is the key to conquering law school.

MAKE A STUDY SCHEDULE that works for you and stick to it at all times. Post
the schedule everywhere and keep a copy with each of your books. Adhering
to a schedule will keep your stress down and will allow you to enjoy the small
bit of free time you actually allow yourself.
Each subject must have a notebook with each days notes on a separate page
dated.
Pasting a copy of your syllabus inside the front cover of your textbook works to
help keep up with reading assignments.
Begin your study session with a review of your class notes. Then check your
syllabus and prepare the topics for the next class day.
Be sure to read the notes at the end of each chapter in your case books and try
to answer the questions. This exercise will help you prepare for class and
enhance your participation in class.
While preparing for class, make notes and jot down questions that you may
have for the professor at the end of your notes.
Allow room under each topic in your outline for in-class notes.
In class, fill in the gaps left in your outline with Professor hypotheticals and
specific points that will clarify your understanding.
If your questions were not answered in class make an appointment ASAP to see
your professor or tutor during their office hours.

Law School Study Habits

Do not confuse studying with briefing cases. Studying is quite different. Studying
involves a consistent effort to learn (understand and at times memorize) the
substantive and procedural law. Briefing involves the art of summarizing cases and
compartmentalizing information for ready recall when being bombarded with endless
hypotheticals and what if situations. Briefing is only a small part of studying. You
must study the law and test your understanding by practicing questions. You may be
used to cramming the night before in undergraduate and pouring it on exam paper the
next day and making good grades. This approach does not work for anyone in law
school. There is simply too much information to cram into one night.

Brief all cases and study the substantial materials on topics covered in class.
Fill in any gaps in your notes and review your in-class notes after each class
period.
Keep a law dictionary next to you when studying to look up unfamiliar words or
familiar words that have taken on a different meaning in law.

Keep a log of all new words, with time you will become familiar with them.
It is recommended that you allow three hours of study time for each hour of
class time you spend per subject. Incorporate this into your study schedule.

Time Management
Time management is a learned skill. If you are on top of your time, you will be
successful. You must make a study schedule that allows for every event in your life.
That way you can keep track of what have done, what needs to be done, and what
must do as soon as possible. Making and following a schedule is the most effective
way to manage your time. Make a study schedule with the blank below.

Complete it by writing down the more permanent time commitments (all

classes, tutorials, eating times -- breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Add study periods for each subject. Schedule study periods in two or three hour
blocks with 5 -10 minutes break between each block during the time of the day
when you are most alert. Remember to block periods to complete your
Lawyering Process and Legal Writing assignments.
Be sure to include bed time. You need to rest the brain at some point so that
you can get maximum performance from it the next day. Most people must
have at least 6 hours sleep each night to be effective the next day.
Schedule your down time, usually Friday nights and Sunday mornings. You will
come to cherish these times of solitude.
Schedule other personal tasks or activities that are not so permanent like
shopping, going to the doctor, cooking, helping children, laundry etc.
Make several copies of the schedule and each week fill in the incidentals as it
suits your particular situation. Your schedule should have all of your activities
from when you get up in the morning till when you get to bed at night.

Weekly Schedule
Mon
6-7am
7-8 am
8-9 am
9-10 am
10-11 am
11-12 noon
12-1 pm
1-2 pm
2-3 pm
3-4 pm
4-5 pm
5-6 pm
6-7 pm
7-8 pm
8-9 pm
9-10 pm
10-11 pm
11-12 mid

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun