I can attest to the general
observation that after your freshmen year in law school, the pace of time seems
to accelerate. Now, my second year in law school is about to end and junior
year then begins (if all will go smoothly).
Freshmen year is seen as the year
of the curve. This is when habits form and adjustments occur. This is the time
that you have to discover that particular rhythm and style of study that works
for you. Once that is discovered, the key to success is already in your hands
as so they say. In my journey in law school, these are several things I've discovered along the way that has worked for me.
1. Have daily
specific targets. I make it a point to quantify the number of pages I have
to read in a day in order to complete a book in a certain span of time. This is
really helpful for me. A 300-page book can be digested to as short as 10 to 15
pages of daily reading. The basic idea is to know what to read in a daily
basis. Normally the big subjects are given prime time daily readings.
2. Never wait until
the week before the exam to review. Make sure to allocate intensive review
weeks before the exam week. This is what one of our justices keeps on
repeating. Never cram and never wait for the last minute. As far as the common
mind is concerned, cramming is not that helpful. Repetition on the other hand
builds retention.
3. Note taking in a Codal notebook. This is a tip I got from a new
lawyer. I mounted photocopied codal provisions on one side of the notebook. The
space left is for the jurisprudences and notes for that particular codal
provisions. This is really helpful since in one glance, I can see the law
itself and its jurisprudence and principles.
4. Past exams.
Past exams are tremendously helpful. It does not only aid you in framing your
answer, it also gives you an idea of the more important provisions which professors
emphasize.
5. Nothing beats
passion. Law is school is a
frustrating experience for one. Oftentimes, hard work does not necessarily mean
success. A lot of factors have to be considered. However I did come to realize that
the key determining factor is passion. It is that inner source of energy and
motivation that propels us to study more even in the face of failure. That
bigger-than-your-ego purpose for studying law is the spirit that brings meaning
and life to the hard black and white print of the law.
In sum, just have fun. Looking forward to meet the new batch of novices of the Study of Law.
