Alex Ruskell has taught courses on Bar Exam Preparation, Water Law, Contractual Drafting, Law and Literature, and Art Law. He has recently edited four books for law school students, covering the bar exam, the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam, first year success strategies, and first...
Where’s the stress coming from?
1. You are expected to master large amounts of complex material in a short time – consequently, most students need to study about 3 hours for every credit hour they take – this means 15 credit hours equals 45 hours of study outside of class. Your free “happy” time thus takes a hit (albeit, a temporary one – keep that in mind).
2. There’s always one more case, book, or study aid you could look at -- and it might seem like the other guy is looking at it.
3. Part of the law school curriculum is learning how to learn actively and independently – so you may feel a little out-to-sea.
4. Lawyering requires you to be able to generate as many questions as answers – thus, you may walk into a classroom feeling you know the issues, then walk out with an armload full of new questions.
5. Law school provides significantly less feedback than undergrad on your work.
6. Few of us have enough time, few of us have enough money, few of us are in the physical shape we’d like to be (especially with late night pizza raids and a primary diet of coffee and donuts), and few of us are absolutely clear about why we came to law school (a fact that rears its ugly head when we are having particular problems in understanding a class).
Symptoms of Stress
1. More colds and headaches.
2. You’ll worry more than you’ll work.
3. You’ll start problems with friends and family.
4. You’ll significantly change your personal habits (e.g., eat all the time, never eat, sleep all the time, never sleep).
5. You’ll get paranoid – “Ruskell is out to get me!”
6. You’ll run – skipping classes, skipping assignments, or do the work but never think about it (e.g., reading CNN.com in class).
7. You’ll freeze – you’ll start thinking everyone is smarter than you, that you should never have come to law school in the first place, that you’re one step away from being kicked out.
How Not to Cope -- Chemistry
1. Drugs, alcohol, and too much caffeine are just going to make things worse. The failed, “drunken” lawyer is a classic stereotype – also, any substance abuse will give the Board of Bar Examiners a reason to refuse your application for admission to the bar. Don’t fall into this sinkhole.
How to Cope
1. Have faith in yourself – Roger Williams would not have admitted you in the first place if we did not think you could succeed. You are an investment, and we do not want to squander our resources. Reassure yourself with the success you’ve already had in your life. Also, why are you here? Remind yourself of why you came to law school daily – be it social justice, emulation of an important role model, or idolization of a television or literary character. Make your goal a prominent part of your life (volunteer at the soup kitchen; put a picture of your goal on your wall, on your computer background, on your cell phone; read the role model’s biography; or watch “Law and Order” everyday).
2. Cultivate your life outside the law – although time is an issue, make sure you don’t neglect the important people and things in your life before law school. This is your support system – play with your kids, go to the movies, crank up the Wii, watch football, whatever (and don’t turn a normal “non-law” event into a law one by discussing tort liability with your buddies during a Patriots game).
3. Take care of yourself – Eat well. Get enough sleep (especially when you think you can least afford it – this is the most important thing you can do to help yourself). Get some exercise (at the very least, a 20-minute walk everyday). Stay positive. Don’t let yourself fall into the doldrums.
4. Get help – sometimes speaking with a professional is the greatest thing you can do. In most schools, law and medical students are the largest clientele of the counseling center, so don’t think you’re the only one.
5. General things -- See the humor in law school – it’s not the be-all and end-all of everything. Do not procrastinate. Spend some time alone. Develop or maintain a sense of spirituality. Try meditation or yoga if it sounds like something you might enjoy.
6. Set up a weekly schedule you can live and thrive with -- so you don't waste time worrying about what you should be doing.
7. Get your outlines up to speed and do practice exam questions from commercial outlines and other sources -- find out now how well you understand the key concepts in your courses.
8. Utilize your professors' office hours and any and all support programs offered by Academic Support. Set-up an appointment with me to go over your outlines, exam questions, etc.
9. You are not alone in this. Your friends, your family, your professors, and your school want nothing more than to see you succeed. Remember that.