Rainy Days and Mondays

It is gray and rainy here in Boston at the beginning of week three of law school classes. This weather seems appropriate for the shift in student mood judging from the meetings I have had with students so far today. They have many questions....

So, in keeping with my success syllabus, I have compiled a week by week list of answers to frequently asked questions:

1. Week One:
   1. Yes, it is going to be a lot, but you can do it!
   2. My advice? Do your reading! Brief your cases! And don’t forget to do something fun every now and then.
2. Week Two:
   1. Yes, the reading does seem to increase exponentially.
   2. No, I am not really using that word in the math sense, this is a math free zone.
   3. Yes, I know case briefing takes a while early on, but you will winnow it down from boxers to a thong shortly…and if not, come see me.
   4. Yes, that was an underwear reference.
3. Week Three:
   1. No, the model penal code is not the law anywhere.
   2. Yes, I’ve heard of Pierson v. Post[1].
   3. Yes, you should start outlining now, oh, but you are only through half of mens rea and that is the only thing you have discussed in Crim? Hmm. Maybe wait until you finish.
   4. Yes, we have a whole website devoted to videos and other resources on how to outline, and,
   5. Yes, we are sending you about 1.3 million emails a week about that, so you should know about it, but here is the link if you haven’t seen our billboard…
4. Week Four:
   1. No, we can not set up weekly two-hour meetings. Why? Um, because I have reached an age where I cannot commit to that much time for anything!?
   2. Yes, you should be outlining.
   3. Yes, we have a whole library full of study aids (on line and in person).
   4. Yes, you can still borrow mine (I finished law school, so I am not currently using it).
   5. Yes, I know that that class only has a final and no graded midterm.
   6. No, I don’t think that is a good idea.
5. Week Five:
   1. Yes, all questions about homicide will involve someone being dead.
   2. Yes, there are many crimes under the umbrella term of homicide.
   3. No, I don’t find that dark and creepy.
   4. Yes, this is hard and I know you have more legal writing assignments due soon as well.

This is just a start.  In the next installment, we will provide answers to questions about midterms, hitting the wall, and why they are called number 2 pencils.

(Liz Stillman)

 

[1] But, interestingly, have never read it. My property professor started with INS v. AP and didn’t look back….