Not only did I have to miss my favorite class (criminal law), I also had to miss the class that I have the most problem understanding (civ pro). On top of that, I always knew that no one took notes the same way and that getting notes from other people is difficult, but it's even more difficult in law school. Some people outline chapters before they come to class and add notes on to their outlines, some people brief their cases, take notes in the book, and take notes in a notebook, some people book brief and only take notes in their book, some people only take notes in a notebook, and some people (me) book brief and take notes in a notebook. Even though Grace and Caitlyn are letting me copy their notes, there's NO way I'm going to be able to get all the information I missed from lecture. I wouldn't be able to get that even if I got the notes from everyone in class!
Another reason I'm feeling the pressure is because I have two tests next week in Contracts and LLR. Don't get me wrong, I'm in NO way upset that we're getting more than one test in Contracts as opposed to the tradition of only having one final like I do in all my other classes. My biggest problem is that I don't know what I need to know for the test. Do I need to know the cases? Where the cases were heard? Their procedural history? What state and year they were decided in? Do I need to know the statutes and rules that are applied from the UCC, R2d Contracts, UNIDROIT, and Common Law? I'm sure I need to know the basic principles we studied like what constitutes and offer, an acceptance, a termination, a rejection, and a revocation- but do I need to know which case establishes which principle? I'm going to err on the side of information overload and learn everything. I sure am glad I'm good at memorizing things... The test is only 10% of our grade, but that 10% could mean the difference between an B+ and an A- or an A- and an A, and seeing as how my scholarship stipulates that I have to stay in the top 20% of my class to keep my scholarship, I need every point I can get.
The other test is the stupid LLR citation test. I don't even know what to expect other than utter hell. Daddy and Mr. JD got a peek at the Bluebook when I picked them up from the airport and couldn't believe there were so many rules. No one warned me about the Bluebook before I came to law school!
After trying to study for both of these tests, I have NO idea how I'm going to make it through finals. I am very grateful, however, that I get a chance to see what the tests are going to be like in Contracts and hopefully that will give me an idea of what the other tests are going to be like...
To wrap up I'm going to relate to you a short story about what happened to me in Wal-Mart that made all this studying worth it. I was wearing my Cumberland sweatshirt and a woman stopped me in the aisle and asked if I was a law student at Cumberland. When I told her I was she asked me what kind of law I wanted to practice, and when I told her that I wanted to do Health Law and Medical Ethics, she thanked me. She said that we needed more people on what she called "our side" to stand up to the pharmaceutical companies and doctors that "cut the wrong damn leg off", and thanked me for doing something to help people out. It made me feel really good inside to know that I can actually make a difference, and that people are counting on me to help them out in the future.
I love you all!
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