Some students may believe their academic path will fail after being admitted into law school. On the contrary, these law students are thinking wrong.
The most successful law school graduates are aware of this fact. They also know that maintaining certain behaviors or habits is necessary if you want to perform well on challenging tests continuously.
Successful law students share the following top 10 habits and some helpful advice for handling the sometimes exhausting burden of legal study.
1. Attending classes regularly
Preventing absenteeism is a must. Be there, take part, and be a committed student. If you find yourself drifting off during class, probably, you didn't adequately prepare; you're far more likely to pay attention when you've studied the material, retained the most important lessons, and given some consideration to how you may use what you've learned.
There is a distinction between just attending lectures and actively engaging during the entire presentation. Avoid the error of using your phone as a distraction or leaving your favorite social networking site open on a tab on your laptop.
Again, a significant portion of law school is self-education; doing the pre-work should improve your ability to concentrate and participate in class. Make little adjustments to help you be completely present with your friends and lecturers, such as scheduling specified study time or joining other study groups when required.
2. Advancing in the reading
As a law student, you have a responsibility to educate yourself. To achieve that, you must go over and above the reading assignments; you must read the material (at least twice or three times) and try to teach yourself how you would apply it before studying it in class. Reading beforehand reinforces your general understanding.
Another excellent justification is that you can better prevent falling behind if you get ahead in the reading.
One case of illness or unforeseen setback may quickly turn into feeling lost for the remainder of the semester. Keeping a firm knowledge one step ahead of schedule may eliminate the possibility of slipping behind and lessen possible unneeded stress.
3. Keep practicing
Do not assume that your undergraduate study methods will work in law school. Understanding a significant amount of information presented quickly is an entirely different matter.
Practice is the foundation of the legal industry; thus, attorneys don't work; they practice law. Today's best attorneys are those who regularly practice and work hard to become experts in their field. It only requires that you indulge yourself and boost your abilities. You might also wish to brush up on your speech, writing, and arguing skills, which are necessary for success in the legal profession.
Make study and memorization of content a top weekly priority as the cornerstone of your legal education. Regularly memorizing courses in manageable chunks can help you perform better on tests than scrambling to learn everything at the last minute. Additionally, you'll do better when asked to apply the information in court cases and real-world scenarios.
Applying what you've learned is the key to succeeding in law school and pretty much any other area you've studied. Bottom line - you'll be far better equipped to pass your law school examinations and that annoying little Bar exam if you've diligently studied the law over time.
4. Planning all the work
When you suddenly find yourself surrounded by due dates for assignments, practical examinations, and a mounting stack of sticky note reminders, this proverb truly comes in handy. Although it might seem obvious, too many students lag because they have poor organizing abilities. Avoid having it happen to you. Invest in a paper planner, a virtual assistant, or a digital scheduling software – whichever will enable you to manage your time effectively, arrange your work, and keep tabs on your objectives.
The ones that stay current with their study and find the chance to keep up on their reading are the ones who have sorted out how to excel in law school. You must educate yourself on the law to some level as a law student by reading pertinent literature before your lectures. By doing this, you get more familiar with the material and have the opportunity to ask the lecturers for clarification if necessary. You might also need to create a law school study timetable to allocate time to each course properly. This might be helpful, particularly during exams, which can be difficult.
Consider both your short-term and long-term obligations and objectives so that your planning may serve as a road map for your total success. This entails regularly planning time for studies, externships, and extracurricular activities to ensure everything is covered.
5. Asking Questions
You're losing out if you don't interact with your lecturers to benefit from their extensive aggregate expertise.
Raise your hand if you have a query since it's likely that at least one of your classmates also has it. Plan a time to see your lecturer during work hours if you are feeling a bit shy or have a topic that isn't related to the current lecture.
In conclusion, always be willing to seek guidance regarding law school and your long-term professional plan. Rely on your academic support team, including professors, classmates, mentors, and others, for skills-related questions.
6. Asking for help
Asking for assistance when needed is one of the best study strategies for law school. One of the best habits for law students and any successful student is the ability to ask for help.
You will have to write, revise, and research essays for class on topics that might be challenging. As soon as an issue arises, you should speak with the teacher for personalized guidance if you don't grasp any course content.
If you need assistance with a law essay but don't have the time, getting in touch with experienced writers who can do it swiftly and effectively could be preferable. You do yourself a favor in the long run by asking for assistance.
Apart from legal education, law students should also seek help for financial education. During your law study, if you need financial guidance regarding loans, credit cards, insurance, or any other financial issue, you should not hesitate to take financial assistance from professionals. Students often experience problems with credit card debt management or student loan repayment. Take help from a professional and consolidate multiple debts through options such as balance transfer, consolidation loan, or enrolling in a debt relief program. For student loans, get help from federal programs or a debt consolidation loan (for private student loans).
7. Taking Advantage of Free Resources
The departments and programs at many law schools are designed to help you at every level of your legal career. You're losing out if you're not making use of them. Make it a habit to become aware of the various advantages of using those free resources so you feel comfortable asking for assistance when needed.
The Career and Professional Development Office will help you with the résumé-writing process as soon as you're prepared. Until then, your Enrollment and Student Services Coordinator will assist you in planning your academic route. Between such turning points, you may enhance your abilities through seminars, practice tests, bar prep courses, networking functions, and other activities. Therefore, make it a practice to look for and use as many free materials as possible to complete your legal education.
8. Managing time
Time management is one of the most crucial elements of success in law school. Your first year of law school will be packed with time spent in the library, attending classes, making friends with other students, and, if you're lucky, spending a few hours a week at the gym to keep your body and mind healthy.
One of the first actual concerns of law school is learning effective time management. Life as a law student is a constant struggle, and if you don't manage your time well, it's possible to fall behind.
What is the remedy? Establish a reliable regimen that is simple to follow and gives you breaks. Your weekly schedule should provide time for class attendance, note-taking, reviewing for exams, visiting family and friends, going to the gym, and having some alone time. You will need to make time for yourself in your routine.
Without a reliable regimen, it's simple to burn out, impairing your performance. So, if you want to achieve, establish a rigid regimen and stick to it religiously.
9. Taking practice exams
Exams that your professor has already given are preferred. You may use this to learn how your lecturer creates their tests. Choose a previous test for which a sample answer is available wherever it is feasible. Doing so may compare your response to the example and gauge how well you did.
Ask your lecturer whether they will evaluate and comment on your answers if there isn't an example answer on file. But do not wait until the very last minute to ask your lecturer. Your lecturer is more likely to have time to evaluate your response the earlier you inquire.
10. Maintaining balance
Considering your years in law school like a sprint, you'll soon find yourself out of the game. It might be challenging to balance the high expectations of law school and the rest of your life, but it's essential to maintaining your health and engagement and preventing burnout.
Self-care is a habit formed by successful students. Plan your schedule to spend time with family and friends, keep up your healthy routines (both physically and mentally), and keep doing the things you enjoy. If you let the rest of your life suffer, law school will feel more like a punishment than the thrilling path toward the profession you had in mind.
Conclusion
Good law students are motivated, enthusiastic, and uniquely inclined toward working hard, but they often scale new heights of success by using strategies to work smarter, not simply harder. You will benefit immensely from adopting any or all of the behaviors mentioned above while you pursue your law studies and future job.
Author’s Bio: This guest post was written by Lyle Solomon. Lyle has considerable litigation experience as well as substantial hands-on knowledge and expertise in legal analysis and writing. Since 2003, he has been a member of the State Bar of California. In 1998, he graduated from the University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, California, and now serves as a principal attorney for the Oak View Law Group in California. He has contributed to publications such as Entrepreneur, All Business, US Chamber, Finance Magnates, Next Avenue, and many more.
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