1L's - Talk about your first semester, your experiences and impressions!

[How do you feel, having completed the first semester?]

How do you feel, having completed the first semester?

I am pumped!  Contracts is my female dog!  I am pumped for this semester!

 17 (14.8%)

It has been a generally positive experience; I learned a lot.

 29 (25.2%)

I sent out my application to B-school last week.  Any more questions?

 16 (13.9%)

It has been an experience filled with both positive and negative impressions and experiences.

 26 (22.6%)

I must learn to sacrifice myself for the better good of mankind.

 27 (23.5%)

Total Members Voted: 93

[TLFKARG]

hmm..what are the gunners like at Boalt? I suppose I could start a whole thread about gunners but this one is already here.

Well this one female dog turned last semester's entire crim law class into a diologue between her and the crim law prof, who was also a tool. I was ready to slap her every time she opened her mouth!

At Boalt we call gunners "red hots."
 

[DOWNY]

"red hots," I like it.

I also like the term "gunner" because I picture someone wearing those old-school airplane goggles from WWI and spinning around wildly with a machine gun.

Aside from gunners, we call them fuckheads. Or at least I do.

[the REAL desi]

hey, another piece of advice from DESI about law school:

don't be deceived by "open outline/open book" exams.  treat the class like a closed book exam.  no time to flip through your outline during the test.  its just a security blanket to take along with you

[othius]

This may seem stupid but do most schools allow you to choose your schedule for your 1st semester or are you just assigned sections? Or if you're assigned, can you request early AM sections... just curious because I've always like 8am classes, and that'll keep me on a similar schedule to my wife a.k.a. the Bread Winner.

Great info so far, keep up the ramblings.

cheers.

[DOWNY]

assigned through 1l year, no choice on section or schedule HTH

[H2OLaw]

Yep you’re assigned your section before you arrive at school. I assume this is the same everywhere…

Did anyone else find the first day at law school like prison or military check in?

Here is how it went for me:

Showed up at 8 AM to check in, herded to the back of the school where I stood in line to have my pic taken, ID made and number assigned..

Told to go to room XXX next; there I gave only my number, not my name, and got assigned a locker

Next to a table where I was given a packet of info and code of conduct form to sign, again all by number

Meanwhile in each line nobody dared talk to each other, we all stood there with big glossy anime eyes like deer in headlights headed for slaughter

From that table I went to the med one where I got a Mumps, Measles and Rubella booster

Then off to the bookstore where there was a huge pile of boxes marked with: 1b, 2c excreta, you got your box that matched your section, gave your number and went back to the forum.

Next we got a 15 minute introduction and welcome from the dean/warden on how lucky we were to be at school X and then 45 minuets of honor code, don’t give legal advice, kicked out of law school horror stories.

We then got divided up by sections and toured the school, and listened to the advice given by the panel of grizzled LS veterans on what it took to succeed and “fit in”.

Next to the Westlaw table where again, based on my number I was given my card and pin and told how much lexis sucked, next it was off to the Lexis table where I was told how much Westlaw sucked ( But Westlaw had better freebees, I got a mug, a water bottle, and a pad of paper, from Lexis all I got was a handful of pens, and before I left I went back and got another handful. Yes I’m cheap…)

Finally I was given a schedule for the next few day’s festivities, a spiral notebook with the schools logo and a 13 cent pen with the schools name on it.

Short of stinky bus ride and getting my head shaved it reminded me a lot of boot camp.

The next day was fine, and things got normal and all the parties and mixers started but that first day left me with a very Orwellian feeling.

[DOWNY]

Pretty good synopsis. I got wasted on my first day- they provided a reception with beer. On the way home I drove into a newspaper box and the cops didn't care. Minnesota kicks ass for a TTT.

[the REAL desi]

the registrar requested that we email her if we had certain family/health obligations that required us to either have morning or later classes.  but that seemed irrelevant because most 1L classes are at the same time.

[Bubbazzz]

Posting mainly so this is in my unread replies -- great thread! 

Also, a question for Ruskie and any others who have thoughts on this.  You mentioned that you had to learn to manage your time, which you didn't do in undergrad.  I'm in the same boat...I don't think I've ever managed to get a full night's sleep the night before a paper was due.  (Meaning, I've mainly pulled all-nighters.)  I always resolve to change this, but it never quite happens.  Were you this bad in undergrad?  If so, how did you turn it around in ls? 

Any stories from reformed disorganized types would be very encouraging. 

I know i was like that in undergrad. its hard to explain, but you are almost forced to manage your time wisely. For instance, I only had one paper this past semester, the objective memo. There is no way that that thing can be written in one night. (well, it can, but you will fail). Everyone around you will be doin work all the time. Instead of "well, where the hell are we gonna get drunk this weekend?", it becomes, "ok, so what time are we meeting at the library?".

[russian_concussion]

Instead of "well, where the hell are we gonna get drunk this weekend?", it becomes, "ok, so what time are we meeting at the library?".

N-N-N-NOOOOooOOOO!!!