Soon-to-be-1L: What materials do I bring to class in law school?

[jhandin]

Hey,

I'll be starting law school in August.  I'm sure these topics will be covered at orientation, but I'm curious now.

What are the typical items brought to class on any given day of class?  Laptop?  Textbooks?  Anything specific that has helped you in the past?  Do students find it easier to take all notes on a laptop?

Also, they say that for every hour of class you have each day, that is 2 hours of studying you must do.  Why so much studying?  What kind of studying is there to do?  Outlining?  Reading?  Please explain.

Thank you in advance!!

[lawtransfer22]

I take my books, the briefs I create for the cases, and the notes I take out of the book with me to class. My friends like using their laptops to take notes but I find it distracts me more than it helps.

Second your time calculation is a little low. To score at the top of your class you will need to put in approx 3 1/2 - 4 hours per hour in class, thus for 15 credits you should be studying 54-60 hrs a week. It is not as bad as it sounds, you will be able to put in 3-5 hours on campus during the day leaving only 3-4 for home. At the beginning of the semester the reading and briefing is going to take you forever but you should get faster as the semester progresses. Outlining shouldn't begin, at least for 1st semester 1L's until at least the 1/4 mark. If you try to start before that you will not have enough material and the product you produce will likely be low quality since you will still be learning how to brief and identify issues.

Stay away from canned briefs such as high courts and so on, they are useless. They are the law students guide to being bottom 1/3.

Lastly, quit worrying about LS. Enjoy your last summer, do not buy any other those guides to law school or success books they are also useless.

[nealric]

You must always remember to bring at least two-dozen eggs, a frying pan, some bacon, and a hot plate.

Oh...


And if you don't want to do PE, you must bring a note from your mommy.

[botbot]

Airhorn.

[likewise]

I take my books, the briefs I create for the cases, and the notes I take out of the book with me to class. My friends like using their laptops to take notes but I find it distracts me more than it helps.

Second your time calculation is a little low. To score at the top of your class you will need to put in approx 3 1/2 - 4 hours per hour in class, thus for 15 credits you should be studying 54-60 hrs a week. It is not as bad as it sounds, you will be able to put in 3-5 hours on campus during the day leaving only 3-4 for home. At the beginning of the semester the reading and briefing is going to take you forever but you should get faster as the semester progresses. Outlining shouldn't begin, at least for 1st semester 1L's until at least the 1/4 mark. If you try to start before that you will not have enough material and the product you produce will likely be low quality since you will still be learning how to brief and identify issues.

Stay away from canned briefs such as high courts and so on, they are useless. They are the law students guide to being bottom 1/3.

Lastly, quit worrying about LS. Enjoy your last summer, do not buy any other those guides to law school or success books they are also useless.

This dude's crazy. I smacked the edge of the top 1/3 putting in 1.5:1 (outside time: class time) first year and 0.25:1 in my second and third years. Students (not me) who establish "smart" working habits and get top grades (top 10% / top 5%) generally treat law school like a full-time job, arriving at 8AM and leaving at 5PM. I go for the "lazy/smart" working habits.

Anyhoo, you'll get your syllabuses and books (ONLY BUY REQD TEXTS) before your first class, and you'll likely have an assignment to read. Bring the book you were supposed to read from, your laptop, a highlighter, and a pen.

Do NOT work 80 hours a week. This is marathon, not a sprint. You need reserves for the last two weeks of the semester and two weeks of exams. 30-50 hours per week building to 40-60 during those last four weeks will do you just fine.

[likewise]

Hey,

I'll be starting law school in August.  I'm sure these topics will be covered at orientation, but I'm curious now.

What are the typical items brought to class on any given day of class?  Laptop?  Textbooks?  Anything specific that has helped you in the past?  Do students find it easier to take all notes on a laptop?

Also, they say that for every hour of class you have each day, that is 2 hours of studying you must do.  Why so much studying?  What kind of studying is there to do?  Outlining?  Reading?  Please explain.

Thank you in advance!!

Now I'm pissed that I even replied cuz you posted this THREE frickin' times. Dude, you SHOULD work 100 hours a week. It's the only way you'll pass.

[Talk Is Cheap]

-Laptop with MS word; organize the windows so you can have half the screen for notes and half the screen for your class' chat and/or Tetris.

-Book for the class

-Snus

[Ninja1]

-Laptop with MS word; organize the windows so you can have half the screen for notes and half the screen for your class' chat and/or Tetris.

-Book for the class

-Snus

TITCR. Helps you focus. Rest is solid as well, though Open Office will work just fine.

[wdd81]

Some people take their laptops. I find it easier to type notes on my computer because I'm a slow writer. You'll need your textbook as well most of the time in order to refer to it when the prof is talking. If you bring your laptop, try to avoid sitting next to people who don't use laptops because they can be hostile toward computer-users. You'll probably end up surfing the internet in class like most people, and non-computer users sometimes get upset if they see people surfing the internet. But if you sit to other computer-users, they usually won't mind.