Studying for the Bar Exam is … insert about 17 expletives and tired expressions here.
Completing law school is like a cruel joke. You spend three years working your ass off to get a doctorate and about 5 days after taking your “last final exam,” you’re thrown into the world of bar prep. For those that don’t know or maybe aren’t from the US, to become an attorney, you must pass the Bar Exam after you graduate law school (and complete a host of other paperwork proving that you’re a good person). And the Bar is probably the most important test these individuals will take, ever.
So naturally, I’m 2 weeks out from the Bar and felt like sharing my misery with all of you! Studying for the Bar is essentially a full-time job. And to be completely transparent, I don’t think I’d be getting a promotion any time soon based on my performance. Bar prep truly is a marathon. I’ve been studying since the middle of May and I. am. exhausted!
I’m at the point where I am no longer learning new material and I’m purely reviewing. But yet, I still feel as though I’m learning new material. (There is so much information to memorize it’s absurd!)
As someone with ADHD, my focus and memory skills are definitely subpar. Up until now, I’ve been able to adapt to schoolwork and make it work in the way I need to to succeed, but rote memorization and I do not get along. I’m trying a new approach of rewriting the rule statements (the explanation of the law) multiple times and then trying to go back to that question at a later time and see how close I can get to the model rule BarBri (my Bar prep program) provides.
It’s hard not to feel defeated during Bar prep and I’m pretty sure that goes for top students too. But I am going to put my all into this for the next two weeks and use all of the positive energy I possess in my rather pessimistic body and hope I pass on the first try.
To anyone else taking the Bar this month, or anytime really, I wish you luck and I hope you’re taking care of yourself. For everyone else, please wish us luck and let me know if you have any memorization tips and tricks!
with hope, kenz <3