Choices!

So after finding out I had passed my dreadful exams I set out to choose the courses that will torture me throughout next year. There are, of course, compulsory subjects but I now have enough law courses to start electives. I'm also a dual degree student so even though I have enough credits, the general plan suggests I should wait until next year.

Despite this, I'm seriously considering taking a Medical Law elective in the first semester. I have 2 compulsory law courses, which gives me 2 other courses to take, which means I can still work through my Arts degree. I have a real interest in medical law, partly because I've had some work experience previously in the dental industry. I'm sure all the medical shows on TV help! 

It's a difficult choice and I'm not sure whether it is the right one to make. I was thinking about trying to contact someone in the Law School, but I suspect it would be difficult at this time of the year. As I'm going overseas in January I think I may wait until I am back in the big smoke and physically go to the campus and see what I can find out. 

I've heard mixed things about the subject, both that it is great and a lot of hard work. I'm okay with hard work, but when I have an interest in the area I find it much easier. I'm very interested in the subject, and I know I like, and respond to, the teaching style of the lecturer after having them for a Torts subject in my first year. The exam is historically open book, which makes me more than a little glad as I love these exams, especially if I have prepared great notes.  I also like the idea of taking an elective where I can work closer with the staff and students. 

I think writing this has almost helped me to make the decision! 

School's out for the summer!

First of all I'd like to apologise for my silence of late. With my exams and moving I haven't had much time to surf the net, not to mention the fact that I have a tendency to switch my brain off as soon as I exit my last exam each semester!

Ideally I would be spending the summer doing some work experience although, as a dual degree student, it seemed that I'm not quite far enough into my degree for most positions. In addition, I'm most likely going overseas in January so returning to my regional home seemed like the best option. 

Seeing as getting some work  experience isn't a true possibility here, I'd love to be lazing on the beach working my way through Les Miserables and other classics. Turns out I've done that too many holidays in my life so I'm attempting to be productive. You might recall that I was planning on entering a few essay competitions. While I did a little basic research early on, I've still got quite a bit to go. I had thought I'd be working on them as soon as I finished my assessment, but two weeks have passed and I'm just starting today. I made a decision that I didn't want to start working on the essays before results came out, just in case I didn't do as well as I had hoped and had to re-sit an exam. Thankfully I passed everything which is a huge relief! 

I'm actually really enjoying the work I've done so far, probably because these essays aren't for assessment and there isn't the stress associated with them. It is either that or a testament to how nerdy I truly am!

Procrastination!

Ahh, procrastination. A part of every student's life. Today has been partially productive although I spent more time than necessary driving around singing along to my favourite songs. I also spent an hour on the treadmill at the gym. I haven't been to the gym for months, but today seemed like the perfect time to start going to the gym again.

So that got me thinking about my procrastination habits. Yes, I have the usual bad habits, procrastinating by watching movies and facebooking, but I also procrastinate by doing actual productive things. Just recently, for example, I have renewed my passport,rearranged my desk and done countless loads of washing.

These things have always seemed the lesser of two evils. I suspect that I shall be spending many hours at the gym over the next few weeks.

Does anyone else productively procrastinate?

SWOTVAC or Death Week?

Today marks the beginning of SWOTVAC. Well, technically tomorrow morning, Saturday, is when SWOTVAC officially begins. In true law school fashion I have no classes on Friday (I've only ever had one class scheduled on a Friday in my 6 semesters), not that there have been many classes taking place this week!

For some reason I decided to look up SWOTVAC, finding that it is often known as Dead Week in the US! I think this aptly describes the week of torture!

After having inadvertently fallen asleep after I set my alarm for 5:30am, I slept in. I did a few jobs ini the city and began to print out the reams of paper that I plan to place under my pillow each night! After queuing up all lecture slides, legislation proofs and learning guide pages for two of my three law subjects. This proved rather difficult, just because of the great amount of documents I needed to print.

Of course, my amazing laser printer ran out of toner after a few pages. I quickly placed an order at a computer store and waited for my confirmation so I could go pick it up. After an hour, the time it usually takes to have an order confirmed, I got an email saying that the toner was out of stock. Disappointed, mainly because the price for my usually expensive toner is quite reasonable at that store. I grabbed my car keys and headed out to Officeworks where, despite the price being at least $40 more, I knew I could always find what I needed.

After two and a half hours of driving around, traffic, and odd jobs, I finally returned. My printer does this funky thing where it chucks a hissy fit and prints gibberish on the pages, usually when it stops printing, like when I run out of ink or paper. In the process all of the documents I had queued up were cancelled and I had to start afresh. Right now I'm at the point where I believe I got most of it but can't be sure. In fact, just as I was standing up to grab the latest pile of print outs I noticed a pile of printed slides that hadn't fitted on my desk. As I leaned down to pick them up I couldn't help but notice that both piles were exactly the same. Of course. Story of my life!

With two open book exams my life, hopefully, won't be too bad over the next few weeks, although I'm still rather scared. The last open book exam I had was this time last year and I found myself bringing in much more than every other student. I made a point of taking textbooks (why I don't know because they never get used), all lecture slides, my own note summaries and my question and answer books.

As an English Literature student, my focus over the next few weeks can't be devoted solely to the ins and outs of the law. Instead of an exam for English, which I would usually be wanting, I have yet another essay. Of course, this essay is due right in the middle of all my exams. Yay! My plan, or should I say my idea, is to get my head down and work through the essay over the weekend, hopefully finishing it off by Monday. The likelihood is slim, but it is definitely worth a try. Through the course of the semester, thanks to my nasty sinus infection and recurring nosebleeds, I missed a few of my english tutorials which, unfortunately count for part of my mark. Thankfully my tutor has been kind enough to allow me to hand in some notes on the literary theorists that we studied in the classes I missed so I've got that to do too. Thankfully I have notes from some of the readings I did so I just have to put them in a more legible form.

So that brings me to now, 9pm and I am still printing out the things I started printing 8 hours ago. Even after my sleep in this morning, I just want to go to sleep and wake up bright and early before heading up to the libraries at uni. I will most definitely have to be up there rather early if I want to sit somewhere other than the floor, just like I have before. Somehow I doubt that, even if I am there at the ridiculous weekend hour of 8am I will struggle to get a good desk with close proximity to an electrical outlet.

The weather has been rather good lately, perhaps I will spend time with Butler, Kolodny and Gilbert & Gubar in the beautiful sun!

To other law students facing the wrath of exams in the next few weeks, good luck!

Dear English Literature...

I was joking about breaking up with English literature last night on Facebook last night and, after seeing a post on survive law (link to come when I get to a computer) I decided I would break up properly.

Dear English Literature,
My oh my, you really are needy. I've enjoyed spending time with you and you obviously have enjoyed your time with me, but it just isn't working. I've always loved the time we spend, although it just hasn't been the same lately.

You know I've been seeing other subjects? At least I have been trying to. The thing is that you are just so needy that it is near impossible for me to spend time with them.

That is the thing, I truly believe you are more serious than I am and I'm not so sure that it is working out.

I don't think we should end it permanently, just temporarily. Even so, I'm struggling to consider ceasing our relationship. I'll tell you what! How about I put my anthology under my pillow tonight and you can drift into my head via osmosis.

Lovingly yours,

Obiter Girl

COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE

So it turns out I love coffee. This isn't new. I've enjoyed coffee for at least the past 5 or so years and I am sure I would have liked it earlier, had I tried it. I've gone through stages of drinking as much as I could but have always stopped for various reasons, usually cost. I am now, however, officially addicted.

No matter what my coffee drinking habits are, I've always tried to cut down/cease entirely around exams. I read something somewhere that made me think that it was the right thing to do. I figured if I can make it through exams without coffee then I'm doing something right. Enter Red Bull.

It's taken me long enough but I have finally realised that coffee is both cheaper and tastier than Red Bull. So now I'm hyped up on caffeine and loving it! HELLO EXAMS!

How flash cards help me ace law exams

Image:limonada / Flickr.com

Flash cards... we've all used them at some point. Children use them all the time while learning basic mathematics and learning how to read. People use them extensively when learning vocabulary. So what about using flash cards to study law? I use flash cards extensively. I usually start making them in the first few weeks of a semester but struggle to continue making them until exams are close. Yet again it happened this semester, although I'm still ahead of last year!

Flash Cards? Why would I want flash cards?

Lots of people know what flash cards are and how to use them, but don't actually know how they work. According to Wikipedia, flash cards work by engaging active recall, which supposedly works better than passively reading notes. I'm not the only law student who uses flash card (here and here plus many more) and there is a good reason why: they work!

So what do I need?

Image: ObiterGirl/obitergirl.blogspot.com

You're going to need some index cards, preferably 3x5. In Australia you can buy a box of 500 for around $15 or a 100 card packet for less than $5. I prefer to use plain white, although you can get a number of different colours.  

You'll also need your notes and some pens. I like to use permanent markers, at least for the prompt side, but you have to be careful that the pen doesn't go through to the other side.

If you want to put your cards on a ring you will need a hole punch and some clip rings. If you want to colour-code them for each subject you could put coloured-circle stickers on them. I used to do that but don't anymore.

So how do I make these?

Take a flash card and write your prompt on the front. Flip the card upside down and write the answer on this side. On the bottom right hand corner of the card draw three squares in a pen not pencil. If you want to flip through them on a ring (or two) punch a hole in the card and attach the rings.

What goes on these cards?

If you usually summarise your readings and class notes, making flash cards is relatively simple. Some people recommend only making your cards once you have outlined. Ideally that does make it easier, especially in exam preparation. If I've already made a summary, I use that to guide my flash cards. If I define something in my summary, I make a flash card. For a legal rule, I try and put the entire rule on a card, but it can be difficult. 

If you haven't outlined your work or you are making your flash cards throughout the semester it can be more difficult. If you summarise your notes week-by-week (because we all intend to do it!) you can use that. I know that when I am making my cards week by week I end up with many more than I would if I was making them in the last few weeks before exams. 

For cases I write the name of the case on one side (usually just the parties and the year) and the facts on the other. I break a case card into a few sections. At the top of the card I write what it applies to, particularly if it is an authority case. The next section is Facts, which I try to keep minimal. I also put the Issue and what was Held. If there is anything else that is important to the case, I also put that in at the end. I don't recommend making a card for every case that you are given to read or is listed or you'll never finish making them. I just make a card for the authority cases and any cases that are starred in my teacher's notes. At my law school important cases (ie: the ones we should read) are starred and we are expected to know these in detail. If the teacher went into detail on a case I make sure that I make a card for that one as well. Ideally you want as little information as possible, so try and keep it simple; some facts, and the law. 

What about those little squares?

When I'm studying properly with them I try and review the cards 3 times a day. Every time I get a particular card correct I use a pencil to tick one of the boxes. The next day's first review is important. If I get a card with 3 ticks correct again it gets moved to the inactive pile. Inactive doesn't mean that I don't review it again but that I only review it once per day as opposed to 3 times each day. My ultimate aim is to have all cards in my inactive piles before the exam. 

Why 3 times a day? I got the idea from here a few years back. The main part of this technique is getting the answer correct after a night of sleep. If you get it wrong then you don't know it, no matter how many times you answered correctly the day before. Does it work? It works for me. Having the squares and the goal of moving it into the other pile is incentive. Yes, gaining the knowledge should be your incentive and goal but when you're frantically studying, gaining knowledge for your future career isn't exactly what is on your mind!

So what do I do with all these cards?

I don't write questions on my cards because, let's face it, it's not necessary. If you write a term or legal principle and definition on the cards you can usually use them back to front. I like to answer the cards out loud, mainly because it means that I can't cheat! You could get a friend or family member to help but in my experience it is easier to work through them myself. It does take quite a bit of time to work through all cards, particularly at the end of a semester and if you have made cards for each case. The time it takes in itself if incentive for getting the answers correct and moving them into the inactive pile.

What about all my subjects?

Flash cards are a great way of studying, but if you are taking a full load of classes, particularly law classes, getting through all flash cards can be a challenge, particularly if you keep the cards grouped separately. So should you mix them up? I say no, and I'm not alone. While there are topics that can interact, in law school it's a little unlikely as each subject has a distinct focus. Keeping the subjects separate also makes it easier if you want to focus solely on a single subject.

Electronic vs Paper?

I said I wasn't going to talk about Anki and such but I just couldn't help myself. If you have a look online there are plenty of people who are advocates of electronic flashcards through programs such as Anki and Quizlet. Anki is great because it spaces your cards out based on how well you know them. Spaced Repetition is a well-known method of learning and, in a way, is what my method of revision with my flashcards does. My main issue with Quizlet is that there is such a large bank of legal flash cards so there is a temptation to use these instead of creating your own cards. There are many problems in this, not only because creating your own cards helps to solidify the knowledge but also because jurisdictional differences could result in you learning the wrong information. Anki has the benefits of an iphone application and accessibility from anywhere in the world, although I do believe that paper-based cards have their own benefits. 

Making the cards may be more time-consuming on paper, but actually writing the cards out helps to learn the information as well. Paper cards are portable regardless of whether you have a smart phone. There is also the benefit of being away from a computer or device capable of promoting procrastination!

I must say that I do use Anki, but I wouldn't use it for studying my class notes for exams. I have used it for French vocabulary and I prefer it to my paper based cards for that.

The Verdict?

Ultimately, flash cards are a great study tool. They are, however, a study tool and are not a replacement for any other methods of studying. I don't use flash cards alone, I still summarise my notes, make mindmaps (depending on the subject) and do past exams and practice questions. 

The Best of Plans

I'm a planner. I make endless lists and write ridiculously precise time tables. And when I say ridiculously precise, they're absolutely precise. I have seriously written them down to the minute before!

Even the best attempts to stick to a plan can go awry. That happened to me this morning. The plan was to be asleep by 10pm and wake up with 5:30am. Yeah, that's going to happen! The sleeping worked until it came to waking up at 5:30am! WHY WOULD I WANT TO GET UP AT A RIDICULOUS TIME? To go to the gym? That is hardly incentive!

Needless to say, I slept in to as late as possible. Fortunately, it wasn't hardly a sleep in by my best standards. Thankfully!

It worries me more than a little as tomorrow I'm supposed to be going to a professional breakfast. THAT WAS SMART!

Studying Law Song

While it's not a Friday night right now, I'm sure every law student, or past law student can relate to this.

Law in Pop Culture

I had a first year law subject where one of the weekly topics was the perception of law in pop culture. That week the two hour lecture was mainly filled by watching Legally Blonde. It was an awful subject, mainly because the lecture was one of those ridiculous 8am ones that are quite easy to sleep through, both in class and out of class. At 10am I returned home to watch the rest of Legally Blonde before continuing to the sequel. For the tutorial we had to watch some other show or movie where there is a perception of the legal profession. For the life of me I can't really remember the point, but I remember the discussions we had. 

A conversation I was having with some fellow students lately got me thinking. Someone suggested that watching a show like Crownies could be quasi-study. Since I became a law student I have spent much more time watching shows and movies that relate to the law. The Good Wife, Suits, The Defenders (before it was unfortunately cancelled), not to mention all the criminal investigation shows or the older shows that are on DVD. You name it and I watch, or watched it, at least for a few episodes. 

Most of these shows are set in the US and refers so rarely to actual law. The shows give such a romanticised view of what it is like to be a practicing lawyer and, while I am no more than a student, it doesn't take a genius to know that it isn't the reality. 

Crownies is different to these other shows. Not only is it Australian, but it also makes quite a few references to actual law and legal principles. That said, I'm not totally a fan. I hate the idea that it is set in an unnamed fictional Australian jurisdiction. I do, however, love the clothes that these recent graduates wear! It is, in a way, pretty cool to recognise principles that are being referenced. It is much less of a romanticised version of life as a lawyer, with one of the characters living in his office.

Even though I know it's unrealistic, I rather like to think that the romanticised version of events is how it will be for me as a lawyer. Perhaps a 21st Century Ally McBeal?

Harvest Box

Just a quick blog today about a pretty awesome website. I have very specific dietary requirements so it's important for me to eat healthily and i'm usually better off if I bring snacks with me wherever I go, just in case I can't find anything that I can eat.

I like the idea of trail mixes and nuts, but many of the pre-made mixes available at the shops contain traces of gluten or are really salty. I have tried making trail mixes myself, but I end up with large amounts and I'm bored of the combination long before finished.

Your Harvest Box arrives in the ordinary post in a neat little box!

I recently came across Harvest Box through a Scoopon side deal. Harvest Box send you a box with 4 snack-size portions of various healthy snacks. Don't be afraid! Many of the fruit and nut mixes contain chocolate and seasonings to sweeten, or spice up, the deal. Each box is $6.95 and you can decide what day (or days) of the week they are delivered. While you can't decide exactly what you get in each box, you can go through the menu and mark each mix as 'No Thanks', 'Try It', 'Like It' or 'Yes Please'. I can confirm that if you rate a mix as 'No Thanks' you will definitely not receive it - perfect if you have allergies. Just in case you miss excluding something you have an allergy to, the ingredients of each mix are printed on the plastic seal so you don't accidentally eat something that will make you sick.

Each of the mixes you receive is individually sealed

My first mix arrived today and I was very excited! I must admit, I was expecting the mixes to be larger, but they are a  perfect size for an afternoon or morning snack! Let's be honest, fruit and nuts are pretty filling!

The first mix I tried, Bear's Picnic has Canadian maple cashew and roast peanuts and its totally delicious!

As I said earlier, I got onto Harvest Box by a deal on Scoopon, giving me 2 boxes for $5. Usually a single box costs $6.95. I'm not 100% sure I will continue to get Harvest Box once I have finished my deal because as a student the cost is a little steep. That said, I most definitely spend more than $6.95 on McDonalds some weeks! If nothing else, Harvest Boxes give me a great idea of what delicious and healthy snacks I enjoy.

Now when you sign up for Harvest Box you can give friends their first box for free! I have a code I can give you for registration if you'd like to try it out! Just let me know in the comments!

With all my assignments finally out of the way, I just wish I could relax! Unfortunately, that isn't going to happen in law school! In the middle of all my assessment my timetable for exams was released, plus I ended up at the doctor!

After being in denial for weeks I finally went to the doctor. I knew I had a sinus infection, I just didn't want to admit so! I mean, it wasn't bothering me so I just ignored it. Of course all the stress of my assignments and late nights took a toll and I felt so bad that I dragged myself to the health service. One of the things I hate about being sick is that you have a perfectly valid excuse to procrastinate!

Thankfully my antibiotics have begun to work and I'm feeling much better... now! They had the terrible side-effect of causing sleeplessness! I'm all for all-nighters! In fact, sometimes I get great work done in the process. A productive or enjoyable all-nighter is nothing like the pain of sleepless nights. When I was younger I was a bit of an insomniac, but it wasn't nearly as bad as this past week! THREE NIGHTS IN A ROW WITH NO SLEEP! The worst part was that I decided to just lie in bed or watch movies to try and coax my body into falling asleep. Now that I'm past it I keep thinking about how much study I could have gotten done! It is then that I feel ridiculously nerdy.

Anyway, with the release of my exam timetable I've been scared into studying. This happens every semester. Thankfully I have 2 open-book exams, although my contract exam isn't. I've started to cover my walls with flow-charts and mind-maps and I've got a heap of flash-cards all lined up. I'm trying to go over any readings I may have missed, and even those I didn't, to make sure I didn't miss anything important and I'm trying to get into my study/exam routine, including my mornings/nights at the gym! With a month or so to go I'm hoping I haven't started too late!

If only examinable context was the only thing on my mind! I'm currently in the process of renewing my passport. It's my first adult passport so I have to do an interview, which absolutely terrifies me! I don't know why because I'm an upstanding citizen, but it still freaks me out! My family is possibly going to the US in January and I have been tasked with coming up with some things to do. I have been told numerous times that I should just make sure I'm travel planning in free time, but I have the talent to rationalise anything when I want to! I'm even making lists of clothes I want to take!

On that note, I'm off to start packing. Not. Maybe.

I've been AWOL lately, for 'productive' reasons of course. Somehow I ended up with a ridiculous amount of assessment all due in one week. On top of that I'm currently on "holidays" but somehow have to write a ridiculously long and boring essay for administrative law. This essay is, of course, worth a large percentage of my grade so I am, quite frankly, stressed out of my mind!


I have been a good little law student while offline, but I just want to plug one of my favourite blawgs at the moment: Law and the Multiverse. It's hilarious, quirky and is just full of awesome!


Law and the Multiverse looks at the "hypothetical legal ramifications of comic book tropes, characters, and powers". So you can just see how awesome it is! I got into a discussion recently with someone regarding a Batgirl comic where Batgirl  was called a murderer after she arrived to save the day but the badguy ended up killing someone anyway. Long story short, we had a gigantic conversation about where she would stand legally. Nerdy as it may be, I found it to be fun and, surprisingly, a good legal workout. 


I'm rather new to comics and not a huge fan but Law and the Multiverse has entertained me for quite some time! I definitely recommend you check it out! It's not Australian so obviously the laws differ, but the general idea is the same.  It's entertaining, thought-provoking and educational! 

Essay Competitions.... ultimate procrastination!

123RF Images

I'm currently looking at a few essay competitions that end in December. I've printed out all the information for both and have started doing some rudimentary research. I know what you're thinking "Oh that's great that you're getting started early". The truth is, however, that I really shouldn't have started yet. Why? Oh just a little thing called Assessable Essays. Yes, I have been writing essays for competitions instead of working on my university essays.

Now it makes sense, in a way, that I should be starting now. Looking at my assessment planner for the remainder of the semester, it makes sense that I should do them now or not at all. Let's be honest, once I finish my exams I won't want to be writing essays!  As such I figure that writing an essay is better than watching endless movies or wasting time on Facebook. Whether or not this is true will be revealed soon enough!

Speaking of Facebook, I've started using it again. I went for 2 months or so without  using it and wasting my time but I relapsed!

Lawyer Jokes

We all love them, right?

The senior partner replied in haste,

"Appeal immediately."

"You're a cheat!" shouted the attorney to his opponent.

"And you're a liar!" bellowed the opposition.

Banging his gavel loudly,  the judge

interjected, "Now that both attorneys 

have been identified for the record, 

let's get on with the case."

Confessions of a Law School Stationery Addict

Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos

I have a problem. I have a stationery fetish. It started slowly, having multiple coloured pens in my pencil case but I'm starting to think it has gone too far.

I have highlighters in almost every colour, at least two or three of most and a giant container of paperclips (which I don't use). I have at least 60 biros (no joke), which I rarely use, mainly just for exams. I have so many post-its and tabs, at least 12 different tabs labelled with things from 'To Do' to 'Whatever'. I have at least 15 Sharpies in black alone, and I don't even want to know how many coloured ones I have.

Like I said, I have alot of stationery. I'm fairly sure I could get through the rest of my degree without buying more!

I've read somewhere that law students seem to have a universal obsession with highlighters. I observed the extent of this in a recent english class when I observed that there were only two students that highlighted in their texts: another law student and I. I'm not sure whether the other students just don't like highlighters or if they wanted to resell the book later on. Either way, it seems fairly common among law students... right?

In the first week of this semester I made a giant semester planner with all my due dates, public holidays and the like. Even though I've had the planner on my wall for a few weeks I haven't really looked at it until yesterday when I was trying to make plans for the mid-semester break.

It appears that I have 3 pieces of assessment (weighted 20%, 30% and 40%) due within 4 days! The next week I have another piece worth 50%. This frustrates me no end as I won't be able to start most of them until closer to the due dates.

I miss first year with the law course co-ordinators communicating with each other to ensure that we didn't have too much assessment due at anyone time. Foolishly I thought this pattern would continue!

In the meantime I'm working on two essays for some competitions (The Governor-General's Undergraduate Essay Competition and Australian Legal History Competition). Neither are due until December but I know that once exams are out I will want nothing to do with libraries, research or essays. I figure it is 'productive procrastination'; I'm not wasting time on Facebook or YouTube but achieving something, albiet something only semi-important.

On that note I'm off to sleep. It seems that I have managed to become semi-nocturnal in little under a week after keeping normal hours for over six months. This must not continue and I must get back into the swing of things. First thing tomorrow I'm hitting the gym... maybe.

Studying in the library: Yay or Nay?

Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos

So even though it's fairly early in the semester and exams are so far away they can't even be seen with a telescope, I started to wonder about studying in libraries. Early last semester I studied and worked in the libraries quite a bit, but as the semester drew on and it got harder to find a desk I stopped using the library as much.

Now when I think about it, I worked much more effectively in the libraries than in my dorm room, most of the time anyway. If I took just one lot of work I got it done quickly, but I usually took books for a few subjects. I didn't work in the Law Library at my univeristy very much, mainly because there was a library that was 24 hours a day and filled with just desks. It was always easier to find somewhere to work there. It makes me wonder though, is studying in the library better?

Various articles (here) and bloggers (here and here) suggest it is good to study in a library because of the quiet, the access to information and distance from distraction, among other reasons. 

What are your personal preferences?

Playing Catchup?

It's inevitable that at some point in your studies you'll get behind and need to play catch up. If it's ever happened, you know how stressful it can be. It starts when one day you decide that you don't need to go to your class or run out of time to work on the assigned readings. You think to yourself 'Oh it's okay, I'll just catch up tomorrow', but it never happens! It's an endless cycle. If you miss one lecture it becomes more difficult to understand what is happening at the next. So how do you catch up without totally depriving yourself of sleep?

Step One:
Try and make a list of all the readings you need to do, questions you need to answer and lectures you need to listen to. Making a list will undoubtedly scare you into getting started.


Step Two:
JUST GET STARTED! The sooner you start, the easier it is and the less you'll have to do. The last thing you want is to be trying to catch up on 6 weeks of work before exams!


Step Three:
Grab a book, some pens and notepaper and head to a library. Take only what you need for one subject or you'll get so distracted that you will flit from one subject to another and won't get anything achieved.

Step Four:
Make yourself a promise. "If I finish reading and taking notes on those three Crim Law chapters I'll go to the movies!" It doesn't have to be something big or showy, something little works well.

Step Five:
If you have to catch up on listening to lecture recordings it is okay to listen to them faster then full speed, in fact, preferable. Some people work on listening at 2x speed but I personally stick to 1.3to1.4x. I find any faster and it is extremely difficult to take notes. Play around and see what works for you! You can speed up and slow down speeds in Quicktime, Windows Media Player, iTunes and VLC and I'm sure it works in other applications.

Step Six:
If you're desperate it is okay if you don't do all of the readings. While it's preferable that you do, the most important thing at this point is to get back on track.

I'm sad to say I'm playing catch-up at the moment. I know, however, that if I apply myself I can be back on track in no time! They say that a full-time law student should spend 40 hours per week, including class time. If you have a schedule you can find the time to catch up! The worst thing to do is to not start!

Balancing the Scales: When life gets in the way of learning

In all honesty, the title of this post would be more apt if it were "When learning gets in the way of life", at least for me! That said I have experienced life at both extremes and while it's usually the all work no play side, I think I know a little about what it's like when it's play all day and night.

In my first semester I remember I had a great balance. I went out and partied, I got my work done and I got great results. What's more was that I knew that I could have worked better, harder and generally just a whole lot more. From there things spiralled. I thought it was because I still wasn't spending enough time working so I tried to work harder the next semester. Obviously that was pretty much impossible as I had already eliminated any semblance of a life.

Instead of working harder I went the other way and got a life! What a life it was! I wasn't out partying but I enjoyed myself. I was having fun but I knew that the balance wasn't right. I knew that I was neglecting my work and would feel sick just thinking about how far behind I was. I was so stressed that there were times that I just wanted to quit. I didn't quit and instead sat down one night and made a list of rules that I was determined to follow for the next semester.

• Watching TV shows, movies or playing computer games is not a study break. Study breaks are away from the computer and desk, preferably outside. These things are allowed, but only at certain times, preferably after all work is done (I'm ashamed to say that I still break this one, watching certain shows as study breaks, but I make sure to try and leave my desk and go outside for most breaks)
• Sometimes it's okay to relax and socialise even if everything isn't done. Sometimes it is just needed. That said, it's not an excuse to avoid doing work.
• Keep business hours whenever possible. This is easiest to do if you schedule in what time you will work on certain subjects and try to keep to the schedule whenever possible.
• Don't make to-do lists. SAY WHAT?! I personally find to-do lists to be more stressful at times: you have a piece of paper filled with all the things that you need to get done. While crossing items off does feel rewarding it can be disheartening to find that you only accomplish a few tasks each day. Many people have a habit of underestimating the amount of time a task will take. Instead I just follow my schedule and in my timeslot for contract law, I spend however long I have allocated doing something for contract law. 
• Work outside of the bedroom whenever possible. I started working in libraries as much as I could and even outside in the sun at times. I found that the effort of leaving, combined with the great study environment forced me to get work done; I didn't want to leave the library until I had accomplished something. I find the less I take to the library the more I accomplish as well. I used to take books for 3 subjects and would get next to nothing done (I'd choose the fun task!) so now I just take one textbook and some note paper.

These are a few of the rules I made for myself. I don't follow them all to a tee (my schedule is extremely flexible at the moment) but I strive to stick to them as much as possible. I find if I work effectively and am organised I get more work done quicker, giving me time off. By sticking to 9-5 where possible I end up with nights off. Now I rarely finish at 5 but I don't have the need to pull awful all-nighters.

Do you have rules that you follow to keep your life-study balance in check?

Nietzsche and Potter, my day thus far

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It's rather ridiculous that I chose to take English Literature instead of Political Science. My reason for doing a dual degree was originally to dilute the heavy load of my law degree. I'm starting to realise that, by choosing English Literature I am greatly increasing my workload!

Just this week we had to read 20 pages or so of Nietzsche. For anyone who has read Nietzsche, you'll know it's not exactly light reading! This week it was The Birth of Tragedy and On Truth and Lies in a Non-Moral Sense and I'm fairly certain I no longer have any understanding of the concept of 'truth'!  I don't mind having heavy readings, but I'm realising that it's not a one-off. From our Nietzsche readings we have to do a piece of assessment in the next week, as well as reading a hundred or so pages of Freud and Marx. Somehow I have more pre-reading, and more time needed for preparation than for any of my law courses! So much for breaking up the workload!

On another note I checked my email this morning and saw an email from Pottermore with the subject 'Congratulations!'. I got so excited, thinking that the email was going to tell me all about how I could now use the site after qualifying for early entry last week, but alas, it was merely an email to let me know I will be getting an email at some stage, which I already knew! I couldn't help but be a little disappointed but at the end of the day, it's just a website. One that will get a huge amount of hits, but a website nonetheless.

Getting Started Early

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Time and time again I've been told to start studying early. I always try to start early, organising notes and the like. I always find it difficult to continue studying and keeping everything organised when the end of semester is so far away. The first week always goes okay, but week two and three are when it just becomes too difficult. I make flash cards and each semester I try to make them as the semester progresses, yet it's just a little to difficult. I'm not sure why. Maybe I secretly enjoy the end-of-semester stress... scrap that thought!

Starting assessment early is another thing that is difficult, but really quite important. In my International Relations classes I've found it so important to start working on essays early, if for no reason other than finding the resources needed. I've learnt the hard way that starting an essay a few nights before it is due isn't a good idea. Sure, you might not do too badly. You might even get a great grade. You'll just want to die from all the stress that you won't care about the grade!

So when I discovered an essay topic for one of my subjects had been uploaded last week I immediately began. It felt a little ridiculous, considering it isn't due until mid-September, but after I had a few pages of notes and had found some cases to use I felt like I was way ahead.

In a way, I think starting early like this is just as dangerous as starting late! I know that some of the most difficult and stressful assignments have been those that I've started early, fooling myself into thinking that  I'm ahead of everyone else. Surely I'm not the only one, right?

I'm going to try really hard not to let that happen this time! I'm not sure how it'll go, but I'm certainly going to try.

The Case of the Missing Textbook

Image: healingdream / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

So here we go with another semester. Into the third week and the work load has already begun. For a change my study has already begun as well.

Through school, and even early into university, I always thought it was an unofficial rule to let students be a little slack in the first week. Obviously someone forgot to inform my Contracts lecturer! For week one we had 2 chapters and a multitude of cases to read. To this day I haven't entirely finished one of those chapters for Contract week one. I have a good excuse though... I swear!

My excuse? A missing textbook! (Cue Law and Order sound effect)

At the end of last semester I carefully packed up my books and the older ones from first year were put into a box and taken to my grandparents. I was careful that I didn't pack any I could possibly need and wrote the subject names on the box to remind me what was there. I was at my grandparents  the Sunday before classes started picking up my computer and printer and my father asked if I needed the books:

Me: "Oh no, I was very careful in packing it"
Dad: "Are you sure? Just check again!"
Me: "See I wrote the subjects on the box. I don't need any of these"
Dad: "Okay! Let's get going"

On Tuesday I tore my room apart searching and I couldn't find either of my contract books or my old criminal book which I suspected I would need. I searched the college storage room and there was still no sign of the books. At 8:45pm I rushed to the Law Library and loaned out a copy of the text book just in case. On Wednesday I was starting to panic. My class was on Thursday afternoon and I always prefer to do the readings before class otherwise there is a chance I won't do them. I made a list of all the bags, boxes and crates I had packed and, checking each potential hiding spot, I still was textbook-less. At 3:30pm I rang my grandparents to check they were at home. The last thing I wanted was to drive across town in the after-school madness only to find an empty house and no way in. Thankfully they were.

I watched Bold and the Beautiful with my grandmother and had an early dinner. My grandparents are Italian, so the meal which only really lasted 15 minutes filled me for at least a week! At the end of the meal my grandfather put the books in my car and I headed off.

I began the drive, terrified that I wouldn't find the books. I was so fearful that after 5 minutes I had to pull over. Some tape had been placed on the top, so any onlookers would have seen me furiously stabbing something in the boot! The top layer of books were old politics texts and I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. I get to the bottom of the box and, thankfully, the books were there. They were laughing at me.

So that's the reason why I still haven't finished that chapter on rescission (and why spell-check had to spell it for me). I'll read it... maybe.

Introducing Obiter Girl

If you've somehow stumbled onto this little blog of mine, welcome!  I'm Obiter Girl, an Australian law student constantly searching for answers.  I have a love of English Literature and Politics and, let's be honest, am a bit of a nerd.  I'm living the college lifestyle and loving every minute of it!

While I don't have a crystal ball (not yet anyway!), one can expect me to be writing about law school, life and general observations of society, and the college lifestyle.  I'm fairly sure there will probably be posts on my various passing obsessions as well. How often I update will depend on whether I am studying or not (because let's face it, there is only so much study you can do, right?) and if I'm in one of my self-imposed technology breaks.

So for now, goodbye! Hope to see you here again soon!

Obiter Girl