You might have heard from your peers, professors or friends: Your performance in your first year of law school is crucial. And how well you do on your exams is dependent on your preparation. While studying for exams can be a stressful time, it’s important to remember that every person’s brain works differently. The tactic that works for your classmate might not work for you. Here are a few tips that I have found helpful over the last 2 years:

1. REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW. Just because you don’t have an exam until the end of the semester does not mean that you should wait until the reading period to begin your review. Law school is vastly different from undergraduate school and cramming just won’t work. Make time for frequent review over the course of the semester.
2. ATTEND REVIEW SESSIONS. Some professors and/or Academic Success Fellows hold review sessions prior to exams. This is a great way to clarify issues and clear up any confusing concepts. Moreover, helpful tips regarding how to write your exam answers in a way that will earn you the most points are often shared during review sessions.
3. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FEEDBACK FROM YOUR PROFESSORS. If your professor distributes a practice question and says that he/she will review your answer if you submit it by a certain time, DO IT! This is a great opportunity to get your professor’s input and make any necessary adjustments before your performance is graded.
4. CREATE A STUDY PLAN. Many students complain that they do not have enough time to brief cases, prepare outlines and/or take practice exams. They’re wrong! By planning your time in advance, you will have enough time to meet all of the demands of law school and have time to enjoy some outside activities.
5. REVIEW YOUR EXAMS. Meet with your professors to review your exams after grades have been posted. This is the best way to determine what you did well and what you need to improve.
6. DON’T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE COMPETITION ASPECT OF LAW SCHOOL. Only one student can finish at the top of the class. So instead of setting #1 as your goal, focus on doing your very best. Also, be supportive of and respectful to your classmates. It will make for a more positive law school experience for you and your peers.

When I entered law school. I had the same questions that plague most 1L evening division students: How on earth am I going to do this? I have a full-time job, 2 kids, and an hour commute to Widener Law. Is this even realistically possible for me? Now entering my second year in the evening division, I can confidently say the answer is yes. I believe one key to success is finding the time for YOU.

Law school is challenging. The reading is sometimes voluminous, intense, and difficult. Since most of my reading and studying happens on the weekend, I’ve had to implement some strategies to maximize the effectiveness of the time I have. One of the first things I chose to do was make Friday a “no school day.” My daughter and I made Friday night our “date night” and we often go out to eat or watch a movie and chat about the events of the week (she’s 12 so there’s no shortage of conversation!) If she would happen to fall asleep early on Friday, I’d crack open the books, otherwise, reading and studying starts on Saturday morning. I learned early on that some of these readings are dense and you need to give yourself time to digest and understand the material. I would read a case or two, and then get up and switch laundry over, or make something to eat, or take 10 minutes to just decompress. Then, I’d start the next case. Take the time in between cases to do your normal chores don’t allow these tasks to distract you from your studies.

Lastly, there were times that I really, REALLY wanted to do something and it was scheduled for the weekend. For example, concerts, Phillies games, and Ravens games sometimes fall on a Saturday or Sunday. You have to prioritize what is most important to you and, in my case, I did choose to go to some of these events (not all of course) even though it took away from study time on the weekends. It may have meant a later night studying (my usual time was about 10am-10pm with multiple breaks in between), sacrificing the date night, or it may have meant taking a day off of work to catch up. Law school life is a balancing act but, if you learn how to balance effectively, it can be the most rewarding experience of your life! Make the time to do little things that you enjoy, whether it be a hike, a concert, or a drive to get ice cream. The key to it all is moderation.