Law_Diary

South Texas College of Law
A Diary of my studies and activities

August 4th 2000

Orientation starts this Monday. But boy did they hit us running. I got a letter in the mail telling me to read chapters 1 - 10 and 15 of "Law School without Fear" and to write two briefs. We are to then to find out our class assignments. Each professor posts our homework assignments on the net and by the library. They are to be done before the first day of class.

So far mine aren't that bad. I have six chapters to read for Legal Research and Writing plus some light introductory readings, Several briefs to write and some light reading for Criminal law, and more light reading for Contracts. Torts and Civil procedure have not posted assignments yet.

I am grateful though because I have enough reading allready. Well I will post after Orientation .

Well it is now August 22nd. A lot has happened since my first entry. Orientation was scary as hell!!! I am not sure how to relate those first few days of uncertainty as I am not sure they are really over.

I will say this it was a shared exeperience of every one of the 375 some students who went through it. It was both exciting and overwhelming.

Law School is nothing like undergrad studies AT ALL!! For starters you learn by the socratic method. There are no lectures or text books. We are given case books and spending our waking moments reading and summarizing cases in attempt to hopefully extract a rule of law and a reason for law.

We then are expected to formulate all of those rules and cases into an outline (Our own personal text) from which to study from. But the scariest part is our whole grade is based on one 3 hour final. And I have been told three hours isn't enought time.

I have honestly spent almost every waking moment since my first day studying and reading. I don't see the sun, the phone, or even the t.v. I have am a member of a study group and my free time is spent w/ students discussing law.

I have made a lot of wonderful friends and there is profound excitement in what we are doing and a shared sense of fear that lends to an odd security. We are all doing it and all scared. I am convinced I will get a great education at STCL and for the first time in my academic career I am bustin my ass for it!

I have already met with the career services people and had my three years mapped out! Believe it or not my recruitment into a top firm starts at the begining of this Spring! Well I have to get back to studying.

I would like to tell you about one profesor and hopefully clue you as to what class is like. He is Professor Wheeler. (I have a great respect for all of my professors even him) We come to class having summarized about 20 pages of casebook and are randomly called to stand before the class books closed and he berates you w/ questions to draw out your understanding, the rules, reasons and attacks any unpreparedness you may have. he isn't afraid to make you look stupid and some feel relish's it. In a large class (204) it can be pretty intimdating. We do that everyday 5 days a week.

My goodness it has been a long time since I wrote in hear. It is now Dec. 5th. Midterms came and went. They aren't actually graded tests but just a sample test to get an idea of what the exam will be like. Only one professor graded them w/ a sample grade. Our entire G.P.A and class standing is based on our final. Which covers everything and anything that has been read or discussed since the begining of the semster.

I am right now in the middle of exams. I just took number three of five today. They have all been different just like our Professors. Torts was a series of essay questions based on one long story. What a bitch. Every sentence had atleast one cause of action....A lot of stuff crammed into a little time to answer. (Three hours). Criminal Law was suprisingly fair. Prof. Wheeler really "Hides the Ball" in class but his exam seemed very forthright. I felt good after his test. Torts I didn't feel great but wasn't worried about failing.

Research and Writing is very important because that is what the Law firms look at when selecting Clerks (how you get your final job). I actually had my paper done early ( a first for me). I did a lot of work and thought into that paper. I felt very confident about it. Was very nerve wracking since we weren't allowed to talk about them w/ anyone and it makes up 60% of our grade. Then we had a final of 85 Questions making up the other 40%. The questons were not easy but fair and I think I may have done okay.

My biggest concern is that I am getting done very early. I was done Torts almost an hour early. Crim Law I was done an hour early. I did spend that time reviewing and making sure I got all of my policy statements adn c/a out. God I hope I didn't miss anything. From the people I have talked to I am good. I did make a point to try and not discuss the test is over as that can only psych me out. (nothing you can do when it is over). Ryan and I talk though. We are usually slap happy after them.

I am up right now as I haven't slept studying for K. That exam is Thur. It is now Wed. morning. We have a four day rest then exam day off exam. cycled till they are all through. I have been studying w/ Larissa (great friend diff section--wiz at Research). Audra and Heather (great galls raunchy as all get out at 2 a.m) And Ryan. He has been a rock of stability. He comes over before each exam and we review. I just have K and Civ Pro left.

Thought I would tell you about my new friends here. They are all kind of in groups. Larissa, Brady, Ryan, Madeline, Jenine, sometimes Misty are the mailbox crew. We all smoke by the mailboxes right under the no smoking sign. Our Profs. admire our dedication to smoking in all types of weather.

Brady is what you expect from Texas, Kinda like Garth from home. Great guy heart of gold w/ luck w/ love like me. Very smart and I have a lot of respect for him. Ryan is the guy I met at Orientation. He is a Lamba Chi

I forgive him though. He is the kind of person I would want to work in practice in if I had my own practice. He is funny, sincere, and wrapped in bleeding liberal integrity. He will argue his point till he gets pissed and holds his ground very well. Many a night we spent up way to late discussing completely irrelevant arguments from Insanity to Psychiarty. Madeline is the "creeepy lil girl" You just turn around and she is there. Very sweet, looks like she is 20 and she is like 35. A real riot when she is drunk. Like her from the begining. Larissa is the person I am w/ the most. Tiny little blonde w/ an obnoxious accent. She is so damn great. She is like the younger sister I never had. We hit it off right away. She has been taking care of me when I was poor and I am incredibly grateful I met her. She lives in my apt. complex. If I am not home I am probably over there. I am usually there till atleast 2 am. We share a facination for Nick at Nite. Plus she came to Texas knowing no one either.

This state really is set up w/ cliques that were founded in uetero. Anyway Misty is very funny and nice. Didn't get to know her to well but none the less she smokes with us and all I can really say is that she seems bery dedicated to her studies and is usually very prepared. Jeanine is Brady's new woman. Great lady she is an EMT and I tell ya her and Brady hit it off right away. Started hanging out w/ here more after her and Brady hit it off. She reminds me of my brothers second wife.

Who is left. One of the first cliques I met into is The Gilliam Group as I like to call it. Amy, Bitsy, Shannon. Herbert towards the end. Amy is such a Texas girl. Pampered sweet and she will suprise you. A bueatfiul goal oriented woman. She always makes me smile. A habitual flirt who knows how cute she is! Bitsy is the Brains. Very analytical, matter of fact down to earth. She is a very honest and funny lady. She and Amy are bonded at the hip. Shannon "Hang em High Boudreax" is the best combination of brawn and beauty. She is very funny a real observer. A dark side you would never expect when you meet her. She is blunt and true. She it the kind of gun toater you want on your side.

Towards the end I got to know Placke. I can't believe I didn't get to know her all along. She is such a wonderful Republican. Funny sweet, beautiful and has "Blair hair" Sunny. The Londona boy you just can't help but love. Not an evil bone in his body. Always smiling always willing to help. The kind of guy everyone loves and just smiles at when he comes in the room.

I almost forgot about the ladies I study with. Audra and Heather. Audra is My Suzanne Sugarbaker. She is the person who doesn't mind how shallow I get. And reminds me how deep others can be. She knows someone everywhere. You need to know the best restaurant, the place to get a haricut, where to be seen, where to work, how to have fun. She is your woman. I can't believe she isn't married. She has the most intoxicating sense of humor. I am so impressed at her ability to laugh at herself and the way she is so grounded and secure. She is truly Suzanne Sugarbaker w/ depth. (and can be trashy and funny as hell at the drop of a dime) (HIGH MAINTENANCE FOR SURE). Her co-hort is Heather. My god is this woman a mix of extremes. She is the kind of woman who can change her own oil and then go in and cook a meal from scratch (and a damn good cook). She has overcome a lot. Has an amazing ability in understanding the law. She like Audra is beautiful on the inside and out (althought at finals you would never know it. Oh my ladies! Raunchy and laid back) When ever you are w/ them you know you are in for trouble. Heather is so laid back she is blunt and you can joke w/ her and I haven't been able to shock or embarass her yet. She always suprises me. Everytime I think I know her I learn something new. You never want for a laugh when they are around.

There are a lot of great people I am sure I have missed but that is enough for now.