for those that have started law school

[->Soon]

People aren't too afraid to talk in my classes.  However, I've found that you can volunteer to answer one question that you know and then be asked a series of 5 more questions that you have no idea how to answer, so I don't always raise my hand even when I know something.  My professors aren't nasty if you don't know the answer, but sometimes they'll make you suffer for a little bit before moving on.

The most painful times in class are when the professor calls on someone who doesn't know what's going on and rides them for like 30 minutes.  It's just bad for everyone.  I really wish people would stop being so self-conscious about looking like an idiot and be more confident about what they say, it's not like the rest of us give a *&^% and then we don't have to waste 10 minutes on "uh... umm... I think... maybe... ummm...." etc etc.

It is VERY cliquey for the people who aren't married.  And some of the people who are married are on the fringes of law school socialization because they just go home to their spouses.

if you dont know, why just not say so?

[fuwaf]

People aren't too afraid to talk in my classes.  However, I've found that you can volunteer to answer one question that you know and then be asked a series of 5 more questions that you have no idea how to answer, so I don't always raise my hand even when I know something.  My professors aren't nasty if you don't know the answer, but sometimes they'll make you suffer for a little bit before moving on.

The most painful times in class are when the professor calls on someone who doesn't know what's going on and rides them for like 30 minutes.  It's just bad for everyone.  I really wish people would stop being so self-conscious about looking like an idiot and be more confident about what they say, it's not like the rest of us give a *&^% and then we don't have to waste 10 minutes on "uh... umm... I think... maybe... ummm...." etc etc.

It is VERY cliquey for the people who aren't married.  And some of the people who are married are on the fringes of law school socialization because they just go home to their spouses.

if you dont know, why just not say so?

Some people will, but others are probably too afraid to just admit they don't know because it shows they're unprepared for class.  No one wants to tell the professor they can't present a case because they didn't read it, so they try to stumble along.  For other questions, I will gladly look like an idiot and say I don't know instead of trying to pull something out of my ass, but I'm not as freaked out as some about getting called on.  I looked like an idiot in Torts earlier this week because I was IMing when the prof called on me for some little question and I wasn't paying enough attention to know that my answer was right so I said I didn't know.  My feeling is that everyone's going to look like a dumbass eventually, so whatever.

[->Soon]

bump.

more info por favor?

[aerynn]

My profs don't let you off if you say you don't know.  They go to a question you do know then try to lead to the answer they were going for.

The work is so different from what I expected.  You read 2 pages 2 twice, take careful notes, then go to class and have a prof point out slowly through questioning 20 things you didn't notice about it.  Then at the end you find out the next case completely reverses or changes the rule established by the first, so all that work is just for historical interest.  Then you read a 3rd case and you find out the second was the odd one, and the rule to take away is the one established in the first.  It is like playing Where's Waldo, but with words instead of pictures and all the words are in a foreign language, so you have to translate them before playing.

[->Soon]

My profs don't let you off if you say you don't know.  They go to a question you do know then try to lead to the answer they were going for.

The work is so different from what I expected.  You read 2 pages 2 twice, take careful notes, then go to class and have a prof point out slowly through questioning 20 things you didn't notice about it.  Then at the end you find out the next case completely reverses or changes the rule established by the first, so all that work is just for historical interest.  Then you read a 3rd case and you find out the second was the odd one, and the rule to take away is the one established in the first.  It is like playing Where's Waldo, but with words instead of pictures and all the words are in a foreign language, so you have to translate them before playing.

what r ur first classes?

do they have a "lawyer language" one?

[fuwaf]

No. 

[SCgrad]

People aren't too afraid to talk in my classes.  However, I've found that you can volunteer to answer one question that you know and then be asked a series of 5 more questions that you have no idea how to answer, so I don't always raise my hand even when I know something.  My professors aren't nasty if you don't know the answer, but sometimes they'll make you suffer for a little bit before moving on.

The most painful times in class are when the professor calls on someone who doesn't know what's going on and rides them for like 30 minutes.  It's just bad for everyone.  I really wish people would stop being so self-conscious about looking like an idiot and be more confident about what they say, it's not like the rest of us give a *&^% and then we don't have to waste 10 minutes on "uh... umm... I think... maybe... ummm...." etc etc.

It is VERY cliquey for the people who aren't married.  And some of the people who are married are on the fringes of law school socialization because they just go home to their spouses.

if you dont know, why just not say so?

Some people will, but others are probably too afraid to just admit they don't know because it shows they're unprepared for class.  No one wants to tell the professor they can't present a case because they didn't read it, so they try to stumble along.  For other questions, I will gladly look like an idiot and say I don't know instead of trying to pull something out of my ass, but I'm not as freaked out as some about getting called on.  I looked like an idiot in Torts earlier this week because I was IMing when the prof called on me for some little question and I wasn't paying enough attention to know that my answer was right so I said I didn't know.  My feeling is that everyone's going to look like a dumbass eventually, so whatever.

Better to look lazy than stupid.

[aerynn]

I have torts, civ pro, crim, and "legal skills" which is "don't talk like a lawyer" class to try to innoculate us against producing more of this terrible language we are learning to read.

[redemption]

So, OGs -- it law school like a madrassah or what?

Follow up questions for the people who've done social science & humanities in UG: Are you appalled by the simplistic treatment of "policy", and "fairness", or do you not care all that much?

[Alamo]

So, OGs -- it law school like a madrassah or what?

Follow up questions for the people who've done social science & humanities in UG: Are you appalled by the simplistic treatment of "policy", and "fairness", or do you not care all that much?

Why do you assume that fairness, policy, "good faith," reasonableness and other such ambiguous concepts are treated simplistically?  They're at the heart of pretty much every aspect of law, even civil procedure!  Like my contracts professor says, fairness usually cuts both ways . . .