By chances, anyone else out there studying for the bar?

[stacie_d]

Wow, I am down to 2 weeks. I am really starting to feel the pressure. If there is anyone else out there, I would enjoy the company.

 

[skuttle]

I actually am supposed to be. I graduated in 2003, but had DS in early July so didn't sit for the bar in July 2003. I took the bar in February...passed 7 out of 9 which is normally enough to pass, but we have 5 parts that you have to pass 4 out of the 5 and I failed two of those. So, I'm retaking the two parts I failed in July and only have to pass one to pass the bar. Our bar is different for other places...we don't take the multistate thing...Louisiana is wacky with its laws.

Good luck to you! I know how stressful it is....I am much more relaxed since I only have to retake two parts this time, but I remember how miserable that week in February was! If you need someone to talk to, feel free to PM me.

If I can pass 7 out of 9 for our bar while working fulltime until a week before the bar and have a husband and 7 month old son at the time, you'll do great!!!

 

[cuterlt]

Congrats on getting this far stacie!!
It's been a while since I took the bar (February 1988) but I do remember how stressful it was. Many late nights studying. Get some good rest, and you will do wonderfully! I still have all my bar materials -
Good luck! I'll be thinking about you.

 

[TarraLee]

stacie d-- I'll start my 3L year in the fall, so I can imagine what you're going through. GOOD LUCK!

 

[r3ngels]

My brother is. You poor people I feel so bad for you... he is studying so much. What school did you go to? He graduated from Univ of Ala-
Roll Tide, Roll!!!!

Good Luck!!!

 

[stacie_d]

Skuttle, thanks for the encouragement, and congrats on your baby!
Cuterlt and Tarralee..thanks as well.

My DS is now 5. I also am, and have been married for quite some time (celebrating our 8th anniversary this August in Disney at WL!) I guess, more than anything, I feel like I need to blow off some steam right now.

(OK...now the stress starts to roll off... might want to stop reading now. The Lord knows the past few months have not been favorable to me...)

Dh is in his 4th year of Med School right now, and is at the hospital 14 hours or so a day. DS can't leave me alone to study for more than 10 minutes at a time...if I pass the Bar it will be a miracle.

And, in light of dealing with this normal family stuff, both myself and Dh have had an awful virus that knocked us both out of commission for several days. As if that was not bad enough, I am trying to deal with a terrible amount of guilt, as my grandmother (suffering from Alzheimers) passed away about 3 weeks ago from complication from the attempted repair of a ruptured arotic anerism, and I did not have the chance to get to the hospital to see her.

(Now, I am really starting to feel sorry for myself...) Just a month or so before before graduation, I was put on strict bed rest for about 3 weeks after complications due to a miscarraige/possible ectopic pregnacy (which is the second miscarriage in the past year (5th overall)--last May I ended up having emergency surgery for internal bleeding, eventually leading to a miscarriage.) Now I have two lab sheets of blood tests to be done before we try to conceive again, which I will have to wait until October to have done (when we finally get insurance). I have fallen down the steps in our new townhouse, and seriously messed up my ankle--probably shouldn't still be swelling 7 weeks later, but with no "real" insurance...what can I do? And, a week or so after I hurt my ankle, I came down with shingles.

Thankfully, right now, with two weeks to go..I don't think there is time for much else to happen. Wish me luck...and if you are still reading...thanks for listening, and please don't take my venting to heart...I am extremely grateful for all the opportunities that have been given to me.

 

[skuttle]

Sounds like you've had a rough time! I know it's hard to study,especially with a child and husband. It was so hard for me to come home from working all day and then have to study. I waited to do a lot at the last minute...like I said, I was only able to afford to take off the week before the bar (I had taken off and took out a bar study loan for the summer of July 2003 because I expected to take the bar that July but then I was put on bedrest in mid-June and DS arrived a month early and I just couldn't afford to take off that much time again).

Our exam is all essay for three days...by the third day I was mentally and physicall exhausted...I even became physically ill due to the stress and lack of sleep. I'll be honest... It was, by far, the most miserable experience of my life. But, despite all of the obstacles and despite not being able to study and prepare like most people, I survived and came so very close to passing (I missed one part by only 7 points!). I was very proud for what I had accomplished considering my circumstances. And after seeing how many people I graduated with were retaking parts in February, I'm not embarrassed or ashamed for failing two parts with everything I had on my plate at the time!

Just do your best...that's all you can really do. You've had a lot to deal with...much more than the average law student studying for the bar. And no matter what happens, be proud that you were able to accomplish what you already have.

I don't know when you get results, but we get them in September...so hopefully we'll both be celebrating in September!

 

[missypie]

Best of luck to you. I did it in July of '85. It took about 10 years before I didn't break out in a sympathetic cold sweat when the bar results came out. Devote your life to studying for the next two weeks. Indulge in whatever junk food you need to get you through (I lived on guacamole and peanut M&Ms.) The night before the first day, go to an escapist movie or on a bike ride. Leave plenty of travel time to get to the testing location. DON'T talk about any of the test questions over lunch with your friends. Do your best, then take a nice trip to forget it when it's done. The law of averages is on your side. You'll do great!!!

 

[Sandy V.]

Wow, this is bringing back memories. Like Missypie, my husband and I took it in July 1985. Very stressful time, so I understand what you're going through!

I admire you for being able to get any studying done with both a husband and young child - it was tough enough 19 years ago with only a husband.

Just relax and try and make your surroundings as comfortable as you can. We took our comfort stuff to our hotel in Denver when we took the exam to make things more like home - pillows, etc. We got into the habit of having a glass of wine before we went to bed after studying all day, so we carted that up there too.

Eat what you like during this time. During the exam, we brought in peanut M&M's and Cokes for an afternoon sugar rush - don't know if it helped, but it made us feel better. We didn't eat any fried foods the days of the exam. Be sure and wear really comfortable clothes, and bring a sweater just in case the room's air conditioning makes it too cold.

My husband couldn't stand to look at study materials in between the morning and afternoon exam sessions and in the evening, while I HAD to. Do whatever works for you. And, above all, DO NOT discuss answers with others taking the exam when you're finished. Most of the time, it only serves to undermine your confidence.

Just do your best - that's all anyone can ask of you. I wish you success!!!

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

I still very much remember taking the July 2001 NY bar. What stress! You just never feel prepared enough. But try to relax and you will do fine.

Absolutely nothing will top the night I stayed up to get the results....refreshing the computer screen every five minutes. But it all turned out OK for me, and it will for you too.

I hope you are planning to take some time to yourself after you take it! If not, you should try to squeeze some in....I had a bunch of wedding activities to attend to after my bar, and I will always regret not taking a few days to just relax, because after my weddng, I started my job.

 

[missypie]

If I were you I'd beg and borrow to put your child in child care for these last two weeks. You really need to study nonstop and undisturbed for 2 weeks and I'm sure you DON'T want to do this again.

Funny story about waiting for bar exam results. Back in the "old days" the results weren't on line, so you had to call. I was (am) at a big firm, so our recruiting coordinator always got the info. A friend went to a small firm in a small town, so was on his own to get his results. He heard that they might be out, so he called Directory Assistance for the Board of Bar Examiners and called the number they gave him. He asked if the exam results were out, the lady said they'd been out for several weeks, but no, she couldn't find his name on the pass list. After moments of dire panic, he realized that he had been given the number for the Board of BARBER Examiners, and his name was not on the pass list for the BARBER exam. Whew!

 

[stacie_d]

Thanks for all your encouragement.

DS is in day care part time (all day the rest of this week, starting today). And this weekend, My inlaws are going to get him and keep him until after the bar--so that will give me 9-10 straight days with no "real" responsibilities to distract me.