Finals Week(s)

Three essays & three exams later,

IT IS FINISHED.

No idea how I did, but I’m relieved to be done - studying for finals is just a different beast. If anyone told me pre-1L that law students study all day every day for weeks leading up to finals, I would have called BS. Or I would have assumed that those kids didn’t pay attention during the semester and I, obviously, would not be that guy. I was skeptical through my entire first semester until I took my first practice exam around Thanksgiving and it was an ABSOLUTE mess.

In that moment I realized that I, too, would be studying all day every day to prepare.

You’d think the Air Force Academy would have prepared me for stuff like this (I mean, kinda - what’s up stress workouts & no all-nighters 👋). But learning in law school is completely different than learning in college. For me, undergrad was a matter of showing up to class; taking diligent notes; occasionally getting extra help; and taking periodic quizzes to review the material. Finals were important, but rolling into them with a decent grade relieved most of the pressure. I always knew exactly what percentage I needed on the final to maintain my grade going in.

Well, HLS doesn’t believe in practice problems (unless they’re posed on the spot in class). They also don’t believe in telling us exactly what we need to know (the casebook method is more of a “Choose-Your-Own-Adventure” type thing). And they sure as heck don’t believe in “progress check,” so when you do get to finals, you’re fighting for your entire grade in one sitting.

Thank you, Socrates, for your wonderful method 👍

It sounds dramatic but my finals prep this semester was truly all-consuming. I legitimately studied from 7am to 9pm every single day between Nov 30 and Dec 18. I tried to give myself a one- to two-hour break each day to turn my brain off, which usually consisted of running or the arts & crafts below:

One thing I’ve noticed over my three finals periods is that there are Reading Week Stages, kind of like the five stages of grief. Instead of Denial, Anger, Bargaining, and Depression, however, my finals prep goes through Determination, Supreme Overconfidence, Overwhelming Panic, and Dread before I reach Acceptance.

I’m sure the stages look slightly different for everyone BUT - here’s my personal devolution. Complete with representative emojis, of course!

10 DAYS OUT FROM FINAL #1 😎

Wow, I’ve got so much time to prepare. Like, SO much time. This is awesome. I’m definitely going to crush these bad boys.

9 DAYS OUT 🙂

Okay I’m still good, but 9 days isn’t actually THAT much time. And I do have a ton to review. Just gonna keep chugging away on these outlines…maybe I should make a calendar. Yep, let’s make a calendar.

8 DAYS OUT 😏😏

Okayyyyyy we are in business!! I’ve put in some serious work on this outline and glanced at a few tests today, they all seemed reasonable…there’s just like one thing I don’t understand. Maybe two. But I’m so not worried.

ONE WEEK 🤩

I am going to DOMINATE. Seriously, I’m already on par with the best grades from old tests. I mean, I looked at the model answers as I went through the test but they basically said what I was already thinking. I’ll do it on my own tomorrow. Feeling GREAT.

6 DAYS 😳😳

Well…that was a tad premature. I took a full-on practice test today and I kinda forgot how hard it is to answer everything in just three hours. Also I…wasn’t sure about a few things. Maybe more than a few. Is - is this panic setting in??

Nahhh.

…right?

5 DAYS 😌

Wooooooh we’re in the homestretch now baby. Outline is basically done - I reviewed everything from yesterday’s test and I get it now. I really do. I’ll take another test tomorrow and I’m sure it’ll be great. I WILL nail this thing.

4 DAYS 🤯🤯🤯🤯

OKAY THAT WAS NOT GREAT. WHAT DO I DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

3 DAYS 🥴🤮

okay okay okay okay okay okay I still got this. Kinda tired though. Kinda just want it to be over. But I got this.

2 DAYS 😬

Alright, I’m back to stable. Also, reality. I’m going to be fine but I probably won’t change anyone’s life with this exam. Just gotta keep grinding. Forty-eight hours left. And MAN I’ve tried hard, right? Right. It might not be reflected in my grade but I feel like I learned a bunch so - mission kinda already accomplished.

1 DAY 😶

…let’s get this over with, shall we?

GAME TIME 🤓

I’m a big fan of minimizing day-off issues, so I get everything nicely prepped before downloading my exams. Pen and highlighter ready to go; exam software set up and waiting for Answer #1; stomach full and coffee + water close at hand. Clock set to a 3-hr countdown (as if it isn’t stressful enough, HLS won’t time take-home exams for us. It’s on you to submit at/before time runs out or else).

This semester, I got to choose when to take my 3-hr tests within a pre-set 24 hour window. I took the morning of each test day to give my notes a final once-over, squeeze in a short run and solid meal, and put on my comfiest sweats (the essentials). Then I banned Ben from the living room from 1 to 4 because woof that time flew by.

To be completely honest, I get super nervous before starting each exam. I really don’t know why - I think I’m terrified of my mind just going blank and forgetting everything I’ve studied (but I have notes, so…) Also, I secretly hope it’s some kind of fight-or-flight thing that gives me a little boost in mental acuity. Like chewing gum (which I didn’t do and maybe should have)

But boost or no, my Fall 2020 exams and essays are successfully submitted and I’m looking forward to this upcoming week of returning books, filing notebooks away, and watching some FREAKIN Christmas movies!!!