Dear 1L, I got a 35 on my Contracts midterm.

(35 out of 100.)

It was Oct 1993.
It was my first & only feedback.
I thought the world was going to end.
And it forced some intense soul-searching.

To be sure, like most 1L midterms, mine was merely a “practice” exam. But to me, it was devastating.

My initial, angry disbelief quickly became embarrassment. I also didn’t know what I’d done wrong.

I had done all the reading.
I had attended every class.
And I had studied SO much.

I knew the material by heart. I really did.

Really!

⬇️

Some takeaways:

I failed because the point was to apply the material I knew to brand new situations. I had no idea how to do this. Most 1Ls do not either—in early October.

You can learn. It just takes practice.

So, do your soul-searching. Kick and scream, get mad, cry. But get it out of your system and MOVE ON.

Plan to learn how to write an IRAC essay and start practicing.

A poor midterm grade should not matter.

I ended up with a flat A in Contracts.

You can, too!

Let’s GO!!!

💌 Amanda

#Dear1L