done with first exam, feel severely crappy

[1Lchica]

Few more questions for you helpful people:

- I just realized how craptastic my outline is for my exam Monday. So I'm reworking it. As I do it, though, I'm trying to move chunks of text and figure out how it fits together, doing it very slowly. Do you think I still have a good chance of learning the material and doing well Monday? (I hope so, because we only have two days between each exam.)
- Also, do you guys MEMORIZE your outlines or just make sure you're familiar? For my last final, I know I'm going to have to memorize stuff because it's closed-book... but I just don't see otherwise how to memorize so much stuff. Although, after that torts test, I felt like I looked at my outline way too much.

I'm trying to stay positive!

1.  I still feel like you're obsessing over your outlines way too much.  But that aside, if you've been working all semester, then you probably know more than you think you know, and can solidify everything by Monday.

2.  God no, I don't memorize my outline.  I read through it a lot before the exam, I put it in a binder, I tab everything, highlight important stuff, and will even write stuff in the margins.  I use my outline throughout the entire exam, but I've gone through it enough and have it tabbed well enough that I lose little to no time at all flipping through it.

I agree ,I AM obsessing too much over them. But seriously, you should see the one for this class. It has so much irrelevant stuff in it that I'm forcing myself to sort through it, so I'll be going through class material at the same time.

I feel like I'm suddenly feeling positive and productive again, after having a huge cloud over me for most of the semester. I'm gonna keep working!

Yeah, tabbing is definitely helpful, and I underline and stuff like that as well. 

[vaplaugh]

All my exams were closed book... so, I memorized.  I did one short outline (1-2 pages) to make sure I knew all the major issues in the class, and then I converted the longer outline into PowerPoint slides (techno-savvy flashcards) that I studied for about a day and a half.  Memorizing blows.  Plus, I think it made me answer exams too "rule-heavy" becaues we have to memorize all the rules.

[redjay]

well I appreciate that I will remember more come bar exam time...but thats years away for me and I think I'd rather play paintball naked in the snow, with nail guns, than continue memorizing the UCC

[cesco]

The original post in this thread is bringing back memories of my 1L post exam anxieties. 

I ended up having a meltdown after my Contracts exam second semester.  Embarrassingly enough, I went home and cried (sobbed actually)...I was SURE I got a C.  My analysis seemed horrible... In thinking back to the two questions on the exam, all I could remember writing was a repeat of offer/consideration/acceptance - over and over and over again.  I ran out of time and didnt get to re-read my first answer, and my second answer seemed like total crap.  I hit submit (5 minutes late) and left that exam extremely disappointed.  I agreed to take a classmate home, and on the drive home he proceeded to tell me all about how he nailed the exam, and how he found a whole lot of "hidden" issues.  This lead me from feeling disappointed to feeling absolutely awful (hence the crying meltdown).

I ended up getting an A. To this day, I still have no idea how.  I even picked up my exam and read it over.  While I dont think it was nearly as bad as I thought, I certainly dont think it was the best thing I've ever written. Just goes to show that you cannot anticipate your outcome - or how your classmates will perform.

I was talking with a professor that I do research for about 1L exam grading, and he told me that many 1Ls miss the "analysis" boat all together and just puke out rules on the exam. You likely have an advantage over your classmates just because you have spent time reading this board and familirizing yourself with what is expected on an exam.

Once they are all over with you just have to RELAX. (much easier said than done, I know).  And dont talk to classmates.  The post mortem does nothing but make everyone feel miserable.

[laurenlaw]

I honestly think that EVERYONE has that reaction.  I actually had to call my mother and cry.  I'm a grown woman.. calling her mother.  I think that exams reduce us all into weak beings until you're desensitized to their power.  I just keep telling myself that it's completely unpredictable, and hope that I'm just being hard on myself.

[jacy85]

One thing to realize from all the posts about people who did a "post-mortem" with a classmate:  anyone that tells you they found a ton of "hidden" issues on an exam probably completely missed the point - there are more than enough obvious issues to spot an analyze. Those that find "hidden" issues are probably not seeing what they're supposed to, and are wasting time on things that are completely irrelevant.

[juliemccoy]

I seriously just want grades to come out... although I am not sure how much that will do to loosen the knot in my stomach... but at least the not-knowing part will be over!

[Luigi rules]

There's nothing like totally blowing an exam and coming home to 4 rejection letters from firms.  Though, after that exam, I'm more worried about getting a 2L position than a 1L job now.  Blaugh, I hope that this T14 thing means firms will hire me even though i suck.  hmm

[1Lchica]

Luigi, I'm right there with you - I've gotten three rejection letters, LOL.

Also, can I get an AMEN for being sick of those people who are all confident and cocky after an exam, and are like "that wasn't too bad at all!" ugh. Law school exams are not easy, what the heck.

[1LMan]

Where are you both in law school?  Don't stress OCI right now.  Not many people are going to land 1L big firm jobs, it's just not going to happen less being at a top 5.  Sure, there are exceptions, but those are for the top of your class generally.  Most firms try to fill their class with 2Ls and anything left goes to 1Ls.  Just take your exams, wait patiently (4-6 weeks) and try to relax.

Where do you both go to school?