Monday, November 15, 2004

Tuning classes out....zzzZZZZ

I don't know what it is lately, but I can't seem to concentrate on anything for longer than 2 minutes. I stare at my professors, and I see their mouths moving, but I rarely hear what they're saying. Every now and then I'll tune back in and catch a snatch of something, just enough to confuse me even further. What's wrong with me? I think I may be on the verge of burning out.

I can't wait for Christmas to get here, so I can sleep in as much as I like. Of course, that would require getting through finals, which is most definitely not cool. I'm running scared just like everyone else, and it gets worse when I remember that our classes are curved. In essence, it's not enough to do well, we have to do well relative to each other. I don't really think it's fair that our classes are curved the first semester when we're still getting used to things and trying to figure out how to take exams. It's especially not cool when we receive no feedback on how we're doing and our exams end up being 100% of our grade. Too bad this law school isn't like those few top schools that don't even give grades. They just give P = pass or HP = high pass. Wouldn't that be great?? Then I wouldn't be losing any sleep over first semester grades.

I know that as long as you work hard to get to where you want to go, your grades won't stop you as long as you have the drive. But it's still stressful for me knowing that when the time comes my abilities will be pitted against the 220 other 1Ls.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm having the same problem concentrating lately...I wonder if that's normal 1L burn out. To be fair, after factoring in all the people who've dropped out, we're really only pitted against about 200 other 1Ls, rather than 220. However, that won't help me if I can't stop making grocery lists and thinking about other things during class.
-Anna

Anonymous said...

wow, 20 people already dropped out? i'm in the summer section and 1 person dropped out of there the first week of classes. Don't worry about exams, they're not too bad, just outline and IRAC, there's not a whole lot to it

hufflepuffer said...

I'm trying my best to outline, but I'm very behind. One 2L told me if I ran out of time just take someone else's outline and make it my own - add stuff in or delete as I see fit. It looks like it may have to come to that.

I think about anything and everything during class...my friends I left behind from undergrad, previous boyfriends, my parents, books I want to read, how badly I want to sleep, what I want to eat for dinner, etc.

Anonymous said...

You're not behind. I always outline the last two weeks before finals start. I think it's better that way because everything is fresh when you take the exam.