About the Bar Exam...

Monday, July 25, 2011

My Lucky Bar Exam Shirt courtesy of Zazzle.com
There’s something about the last week of July that resonates with me. It was almost 6 years ago this week when I stepped into Madison Square Garden to take my first Bar Examination. Fresh off of the daunting feat of completing and graduating from law school two months prior, the Bar Examination is the culmination of 3 years or blood, sweat, and tears….literally!



And then there’s the two months of intense studying. Bar classes, endless practice exams, and multiple MBE questions. There are good moments, and bad moments. There are nagging doubts as to whether you can actually do this. And then there are instances when you know you can. The act of studying for a bar exam invokes several distinct emotions, all at the same time. You are happy to have completed law school, but afraid of what lies ahead. You are apprehensive, yet optimistic. You are one of thousands in the same predicament, yet you feel lonely and isolated. The myriad of emotions is common. And it all leads up to big exam during the last week of July.



This week, law school graduates all over the country will be taking the Bar Exam. Right now, thousands of eager, soon-to-be lawyers are settling into a routine that will repeat itself over the next few days: study, panic, study some more, panic some more, sleep, panic again, sleep some more, awake, and test. The one consistent emotion is fear, and a sense of “did I do everything I could do.” I am way too familiar with this feeling…been there, done that, wrote and starred in the made-for-TV movie. For all of you future esquires preparing to take one of the most important examinations of your life, please let me offer you these words of encouragement:



1. You know more than you think you do!


2. Don’t walk into the examination room with a defeated attitude. Own the fact that you are about to smash this test!


3. You are built for this! You made it through law school, now cross the finish line!


4. HE will never put more on you that you can bear.



Now go ahead and kick the Bar Exam’s ass! Do it like you’re doing it for TV! I’ll be waiting for you on the other side with a glass of your favorite martini to welcome you into an illustrious and exclusive group! Good Luck!


P.S. A special good luck goes out to Carly, Tamika, Darenda, and Luc!


4 comments:

Unknown said...

Go you!! We had a friend take the BAR exam for Texas recently and we knew how stressful it was for him! You have some great advice!

Katie said...

I think I would freak having to take the Bar in Madison Square to! Wonderful advice :)

I am following you from Commenthour!

http://www.seekreadblog.com

NV said...

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS!

Sorry I'm two years late with that one, but I just found out about your epic smashing of your Bar Exam... YOU ROCK! :D

Secondly, as a teacher (not of law... lord help us all! I only know what Law & Order teaches me in that arena!!), I want to say thank you. Test anxiety is a killer and sometimes the only way to quash it is to hear the experiences of those students who went before. Your advice is SO MUCH more powerful because it comes from YOU.

Taking the time to write this post and spread this wisdom when the Bar Exam is a part of your past is a beautiful act for those who follow in your footsteps.

For that you have just earned yourself an extra-special Martini for the Magnanimous! Enjoy!

Anonymous said...

Your advice is very helpful to all areas of life. Thanks for the tips. Wishing everyone luck on the bar exam....I can't even imagine how stressful it is.

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