MidTerms

Well, midterms week continues. So don't expect much, but I did make it a point to wake up early after going to bed late this morning and do my post for UB.

Check it out by clicking here.

Check it out!

I put up my first post at the University of Baltimore Blog. (here)

Blogging: Is it worth it?

This is a topic I have very briefly discussed previously. Why bother with the blogging? Sometimes I don't know why I bother, especially when I feel like I have nothing to write, or worse, I already feel like I have written and read too much for anyone to survive.

Nonetheless, there have been some benefits, and overall this continues to be a positive activity for me.

One positive is that it does keep me thinking and writing. It is way to easy, after sitting through class all day, then going home and reading thousands of cases, to just sort of devolve into a lower life form. I think it is good for me to have to sit down once a week and put some thoughts together, with correct grammar and spelling.

Having said that, writing at a blog level is NOTHING compared to writing at a legal level. After spending hours writing, re-writing, then re-writing some more, it is relaxing to be able to just sit down and write.

The networking has already opened up some interesting contacts, including being able to connect with law school consultants across the nation. Also, I have been able to connect, on some level at least, with some fellow law students. In case you haven't noticed, I Don't Wear Skinny Jeans has been added to the reading list. Check out that one. Very entertaining. Also a bit of a contrast to my law school experience.

I am going to continue to work on the how I study post, but in the meantime, some news.

I have been selected to blog for the University of Baltimore this semester, on the school's blog. My posts will be going up every Wednesday, so be sure to check that out, by clicking here. It is another Blogger blog, so if you are reading this you can read that one. I don't know much about the nature of that blog just yet, but I think I will be focused more on my experience as a student, and less on the legal world or links from YouTube as this blog. I am going to sit right now and read all the other posts that people have left to get a better idea of the style and content.

Cheers all.

Awesome Professors

Today my contracts teacher was discussing a scenario where a man walked through Brooklyn with today's equivalent of $250,000 cash in his hand.

Next thing I know, he is waving a wad of dollars around, and he has this ridiculous baseball cap that says "BROOKLYN" on the front, and he is standing outside the classroom, knocking on the door, asking to be let in.

And now I know all about revocation timing.

I swear, I was only there because it was closer!

Wow, it has been forever since I posted! The work load has been getting steadily heavier though.

Also, I am planning a tutorial on how I am taking notes so far, but it is going to take me some time to put it together.

In the meantime, I studied in another library today. Since the University of Maryland is about two blocks from my apartment, I walked over there instead of taking mass transit over to UBalt.

What is very cool is that the schools have a system where you can get into either library with just your student ID, no need to sign any forms.

U Maryland's library is a lot newer than ours, but I guess in three years when the new building is done for UB (and I am off practicing law somewhere) ours will be the newest in town. So U Maryland did have some nice furniture! But at the same time, I guess I just feel at home at UB, even after a few weeks. Still, it was quiet, air conditioned, and had that "I am in the library I guess I have to do work" atmosphere.

But I still felt a little bit like I was cheating on MY library...

I am now officially a law student

I got cold called for the first time today!

You know what, cold calling has some benefits, I have decided:

I actually have incentive to try. Nothing is better than really prepping for a class, getting cold called, and being able to match every question your professor throws at you.

It also keeps a few kids from dominating the discussion. It gives everyone an equal chance to talk (at least with my professors using the deck of cards method) and I think the class benefits from hearing everyone talk.

It keeps me engaged. I think the nerves and anxiety are kind of fun. If you never have a chance to develop and practice that killer instinct, where will you be when you are out in the real world. Better to get called on and fall on your face in class, you have next class to try again. This might not be true in a professional setting.

It levels the playing field. It always drove me nuts in undergrad when some students would raise their hands to restate the professors words as their own. Professor: "Therefore, X equals Y." Student: "So then you could also say that Y equals X." Wow, genius. Thanks for that. But they always got great class participation marks. Additionally, students are no longer able to hide in the back, and then go to the professor for office hours to get participation points. Now, everyone has to earn them equally.

Man, and I love the challenge of it. You get your reading, and you can do it, or not. And then you sit in class, and you could go check your email, or not. And it all depends on how bad you want it. If you want it bad enough, you will put in the time reading the extra hypotheticals in the casebook, or you will keep all your notes open on your computer, plus your casebook on your lap, and your rule book next to you computer.

And the best professors are just like my high school soccer coach. A man of few words, but with a legendary resume. He never yelled at you to do anything, he just told you what he wanted. You did it or didn't. He never yelled if you didn't, he just moved onto someone who wanted it more than you. Anyone could be successful, if they worked at it. My professors are the same way.

I also think as students, from my peers, older students, and reading other blogs, make way to much out of it. Yeah, it is nerve racking, but I bet trying to argue to a judge is much worse. And yes, sometimes professors ask bizarre questions that you couldn't possibly understand, but if you really listen and think about it, you can probably learn more from getting one of those then being asked "What court was this in?"

I don't know why, but for some reason today's experience has me pumped up for school. I think getting called on was probably the biggest adrenaline rush I have had in a long time.