IL Tip Today: What to do when hard work doesn’t work.

1L TIP TODAY

What do you do when hard work isn’t working?
When I was a 1L this time in October, I felt frustrated. A bit angry, even.
I had done all the readings and attended every lecture. I diligently took notes and outlined each week. I felt sure I understood everything from class.
But then there were midterms. 📌 A shock to the system.

What was I doing wrong? I was working so diligently. Tirelessly. But the only feedback I got was criticism.
In all my school life before, I had been able to read and memorize my way to an A in any class, if I chose to invest the time. Not 1L fall, though. I could not ‘get’ it with my past study skills.
What to do?

If you feel like I did, consider this:
✏️ As a child, when you wanted to learn to swim, you didn’t read books or attend lectures. You got in the water and started learning.
✏️ You learned how to apply the tips the swim instructor gave you by practicing.
It was wet, scary and outside your comfort zone. But you learned to swim, didn’t you?

You can learn how to answer any 1L exam, too. You just need some practice.
Start trying to answer past exams as early as you can. If you have not started yet, start now. There are a range of resources available with sample exams and model answers.

🔹Don’t wait until December. Last minutes are for memorizing answers, not learning how to write them for the first time.🔹

What are your questions or concerns? Give me push-back if you want. I respond to every considered comment and PM I receive.

Many thanks to @John McGraw @Kody Davis for the encouraging, non-law posts that helped inspire this Tip.