Two More...

One week of finals down. One week of finals to go. Only two more test! Can I just say...Woo Hoo! I am so excited right now to have finished my first two tests. I can hardly imagine what I am going to feel like next Friday afternoon. Can't imagine and can't hardly wait!

So, since my test on Tuesday it has been study, study, study! I will admit, Tuesday evening, like tonight was really hard to focus and get much accomplished. I think it is the crash from all the adrenaline and stress leading up to the test. Wednesday...luckily...my study juices kicked in...my eyes refocused and my brain began to reabsorb...thankfully. I got to my top secret study spot (apparently not so top secret anymore because there are a couple of 1Ls up here tonight unfortunately) at about 9 in the morning and didn't leave until 11pm. I spent the majority of the day covering the second half of my Civil Procedure class which was mainly the trial process and applicable rules. Fun, fun..."right" she says dripping with sarcasm! I was so glad to get so much accomplished on Wednesday because I only had Thursday left to be prepared for today's test.

Thursday wasn't quite as smooth as Wednesday. About halfway in I started to get overwhelmed and defeated thinking there was no way I was going to be able to retain all the needed information. Thankfully, I was able to calm down and refocus. It was also really helpful that when I started working on the first half of the class I had a really good grasp on the information. Now whether I REALLY had a good grasp or not is left to be determined. After calling it a night at about 10pm and figuring it was going to be as good as it was going to be I headed home.

The night before today's test was a lot different then the night before my Crim Law test. There was a surprising calm and hint...let me stress hint...of confidence. This morning that feeling remanded with me until about 45 minutes before the test and that is when I felt my nerves getting the best of me and I had to fight to regain control. Sticking to my routine I created on Tuesday...out the door by 7am...to The Beanery for granola, yogurt and coffee as I reviewed my notes...all went well until 8:17am, just 13 minutes before the test was to commence.

Why that exact minute? Well, it was at that exact moment, as I scurried toward the front entrance of the law school, that I noticed one of the students holding his Federal Rules of Civil Procedure book, which I unfortunately was not holding in my hot little hands! My stress level went from 0 to 10 in about 1 second flat! That book was authorized to be used in the final. Because of that I had painstakingly highlighted, tabbed it and whited out any comments I had scribbled inside so it could be my trusted ally and sidekick as I wrestled my way through the exam. Now...I had a mere 13 minutes to retrieve my book, get back to the school, get my exam packet, find the classroom it would be held in, set up my laptop and exam software and go to the bathroom all before the proctor said "You 3 hour exam starts now!" This was a tall order considering my truck was on the other side of campus. (Isn't that typical? All student parking at a college is a far away as possible from the building the student has classes in? Never fails! Ok...small side rant!)

So...I hustled and I mean hustled, with the cold morning air nipping at me, to my truck and back to the law school. I snagged a test, scooted down to the classroom, did all other necessary tasks and slid into my seat seconds before the exam began...literally seconds. So, for any future test takers out there...don't follow my lead! This is NOT a good way to start off a three hour test. Here are a couple of reasons why....my ear plugs were rendered useless for the first 20 minutes because of my heart furiously pounding after its unexpected brisk morning workout. Secondly, cutting it close made me forgo my strategic seating plan resulting in my sitting in the coldest spot in that classroom, a seat very well known to any student who has had a class in that particular room. Finally...my little unplanned detour 13 minutes before the test just plain wasn't fun! Not recommended.

So...once I settled in, it was time for the test. Good news! It was composed of four questions instead of one gigantic manic fact pattern. I think I liked that much better! So, because of that, I allotted 45 minutes per question. First two questions went down smoothly and I was as cool as a cat thinking..."Wow, I might actually be able to do this law school test taking thing!" Then question three rolled up. Yeah...I am still wondering if that question was written in French or some other foreign language unbeknown to me. I kept getting lost and confused and had to fight so hard not to get discouraged. After wrestling with it for 25 minutes to no avail I decided to move on to the final question. Thankfully I was able to knock that question out quickly and sufficiently so that I could go back to the final question for about 35 minutes. Still, I tanked that question. Luckily, I was able to find the applicable statutes but I still didn't unpack the issues as completely as I wanted to and won't garner enough points. Hopefully, the other three will be sufficient for me to pass the test. If they aren't, I will be so disappointed, but I really knew that class. At least I will leave law school confident of one thing...I will know the procedures from removing a case to federal court and remanding it to state court. Never know how much that answer will get me on Jeopardy!!! Thanks for your prayers. One more week!