One of the frustrating things about being a 1L law student is that it is very difficult to know whether you are making mistakes. The way law school is structured provides you very little feedback, so you might not immediately know whether you are studying correctly and mastering the material. Because of this, I want to share five mistakes that I see 1Ls commonly make.
1. Doing too much busy work.
Law students often feel they must study all the time.
And by that I mean some are in the library from the moment it opens in the morning until it closes in the evening (taking breaks only for class and meals). This adds up to an incredible amount of studying time. And the truth is there is no need to spend this much time working. In fact, you are likely better off not studying all the time, which can only lead to burnout.
When students tell me they are spending all of their time in the library, I first ask, “What are you working on?” Sure, reading for class takes time as does briefing. Also there are legal writing assignments to be done as well as outlining and practice hypos. All of these are worthwhile tasks. But I find that some students, instead of focusing on such tasks, actually spend time doing “busy work.”
What is busy work? Here are a few examples: retyping your notes from class, reformatting class notes or outlines, reading three different supplements on a given topic instead of one, and reading the entire text of a court opinion instead of the edited version that was assigned.
Yes, I have heard from students that they have spent time doing all of these things. But busy work will not get you good grades. Therefore, if you find yourself not having enough time to get essential tasks done (reading and briefing, outlining and practice hypos) evaluate how you are spending your time (on necessary work or on your own version of busy work). Remember to manage your time well so you don’t end up in the library all day every day.
2. Putting off “thinking” tasks such as outlining and practicing until the end of the semester.
I frequently hear students say that they can’t start outlining yet or they can’t start practicing yet because it is too early in the semester. This is simply not true.
Outlining is a form of study material where you synthesize your class notes and turn them into a study tool that works for you. You can do this as soon as you have finished a topic in class. If you outline throughout the semester, you will actually find yourself in a much better position come exam time, when all of your classmates are struggling to get their outlines done.
As soon as you have outlined an area of the law (and think you understand the substantive law), it is time to apply the law to a fact pattern. Waiting until the end of the semester is a mistake. You need to struggle with analyzing facts and law early in the semester, so you can get help and feedback before exam time. It is almost never too early to start practicing.
3. Staying away from professors’ office hours.
Many students find law professors intimidating. And, yes, some law professors can be intimidating, especially in class. But you might be pleasantly surprised when you go meet them in office hours. Some professors are very approachable and really like talking to students. I have even known professors who are a little disappointed when students stay away from office hours. You can get valuable advice and insight by spending time with your professors outside of class. So don’t overlook professors’ office hours.
4. Taking bad advice from 2Ls/3Ls.
Every year, a 1L will tell me about the great advice he or she got from a 2L or 3L whereas, in my opinion, it is terrible advice. It is important that 1Ls take advice from 2Ls and 3Ls with a grain of salt. You may not know whether the student giving you advice did well academically, has the same learning style as you do, or is just a nice person trying to be helpful. If advice sounds too good to be true (such as, you don’t have to do the reading) or doesn’t pass your own “sniff” test, I would ignore the advice. Remember, a 2L is just a 1L with one more year of experience!
5. Forgetting to take care of yourself.
Law students are typically stressed out and unhappy (a topic for another time). One of the things that perpetuate this is the fact that law students stop taking care of themselves because they get too busy. They eat unhealthy food, don’t exercise, and don’t get enough sleep. All this leads to anxiety and even depression. Your body and mind are essential to helping you find law school success. So, don’t forget to be kind to yourself!
Finally, avoiding these common mistakes will help you find success in your 1L year.