That's it. I'm done

being paranoid about grades that is. I worked myself into a right tizzy over my summer grades: one because the prof is a notoriously hard grader and the other because I still to this day didn't know what she wanted. And I whined. And I worried. And I worked damn freaking hard. And it wasn't a big deal after all.

Unless, of course, the reason they weren't a big deal was because I freaked and worked so damn hard. Hmm. I see a place with white, padded walls in my future.

One final down, one paper down, the MPRE, down and one paper to go . . . and it's killing me I tell you

So last week pretty much sucked. Bad. Big. Ugly. Honestly, I don't recall being this tired after finals (or during) for Fall or Spring last year. Maybe it is the cumulative effect of going full time 3 semesters in a row. Whatever it is, I'm so tired I could cry.

This is also the first semester where I actually got to a point where I calculated what the minimum grades were that I had to get to keep my percentile. Sigh. It's that bad.

One class is totally done. I turned in my paper for that on Wednesday. There are only 16 people in the class, and I think that all but 2 are in the top 20%. What does that mean... the curve is going to be a bitch. We missed not having a curve by one person. And where does that leave me: I have no idea if the paper that I turned in was a total piece of shit. I would give myself and A for research and an E for effort for the writing part. heaven only knows what will come out of that.

Another class has a final and a paper. I had the final Wednesday too (yes, Wednesday was a really great day). It sucked. I can't explain exactly how it sucked. Well, yes I could. And I think that I will. My professor is on crack. That's the only explanation for it. Actually, there is another explanation for it: she's just plain evil. I hate her. A lot. So heaven only knows how I did on the test. And her paper is the one I am supposed to be working on as I type. Sigh. I still don't know exactly what the woman wants from me. And I still need to do quite a bit of research. So the goal is that I will finish the research (finding and reading) today, and write the little POS tomorrow. Edit monday. Re-edit and blue book Tuesday and turn it in. That's the plan anyway. Cute little plan, isn't it? Yeah, we'll see how that goes.

Oh and of course, just to add more fun to the mix, my law review topic is due now. So I spent last night and the better part of the morning trying to find something 1) novel and therefore not overdone and 2) interesting enough so that I wouldn't want to throw myself off a cliff in the next month or two while I research it and write it.

At least I only have this damn paper staring me in the face. When I am done with that, I have 4.5 lovely days of fun in the sun wiht my best friend in another state. No hubby, no kid, no law school. And I'm living for it I tell you.

I am cursed

Why why why!? I ask you again. Why? How is it possible that the one psychotic grade/rank gossiper in my school is the only person I see at campus tonight. She kidnapped me for almost an hour about the finer points of whether she would be number 3 or number 4. I don't give a rats ass. Don't tell me who got what. Don't tell me your ambitions... just don't talk to me.


On a happy note, I had a better grade than her in a class and I could see her visibly deflate at that. :) There is a god.

Hurrah!

Grades are in. And I didn't stink it up after all. Thank heavens for that. Now I can move on and continue doing what I've been doing.

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So thinking about it still... how on earth did I get the grade that I got in my con law class? It was pretty good. And while I like to think that reading close to 4000 pages (no, there aren't too many zeros in that number) helped, I have a hard time believign that I could do that well when I got nothing out of class discussion. It's the oddest thing. But then, I can't really remember what the test was about. That's the only good thing about how long it takes grades to be posted in law school... you can't remember what the test was on anymore :)

The 1L person you don't want to be

I guess that I should say people because there is certainly more than one category that you don't want to fall into. Now that I have my oh so significant (whateveh) experience as a one L, I think I've got a handle on who you don't want to be (BTW--"queen" is used here asexually... I'm not just down on girls. We've got plenty of guys who fit into these categories too:

• personal gossip queen--don't be the one that no one wants to tell anything too because they know that you will say that Billy and Jane made out at jane's instead of going to Property. Just don't go there. A) it makes you look like you're 12 and B) no one cares except for you.
• grade gossip queen--don't be the one that makes it their mission to figure out who got what grades in each class and who the top 20 students in ranking order are. It's icky. People don't want to talk to you because they think you are always angling for some piece of info to fit into your sick puzzle. You also make people crazy, even the ones who aren't grade-centered. You have a disease and it's catching. Just shut up.
• Job gossip queen--don't be the one to tell me that billy bob has seconds with x,y, and z firms. Isn't that billy bob's prerogative to decide whether to broadcast? Even if you think you are talking to other job gossip queens, don't ask, don't tell. We all will get along a whole lot better. Oh, and don't whine about the one interview you didn't get when the people you are talking with would have killed for just one interview, any interview. And certainly don't be gauche and talk about the trauma you are having picking between offers. Puhleaze. One of these days, someone is going to shoot you, and everyone will clap.
• Teacher/course gossip queen--it's good to share knowledge like oh, he likes to test from the footnotes or he always tests commerce clause. But it is NOT NOT NOT good to take random comments like that and make inferences about them and then pass those on as gospel. Seriously, we've got people running around thinking they can't get As unless, fill in the blank. And it's pretty ridiculous stuff. But it goes the rounds as credible because we are all paranoid. It's also not particularly fair to the teacher.
• Dating queen--male or female, don't systematically date your class. Just ew. People will know you are a skank. Period. Preferably, just don't date people in your class.
  
• Study Martyr--I could give a rat's arse how many hours you study, how late, how many supplements you read. If you have something useful to share, share it. if you are trying to get sympathy or intimidation points, shut up.
• "I don't like so and so" person--this is the one that is hard, and I've been in this category, I think we all have, but it's just ugly, especially if you go to a small school. I don't care how big of an ass the person you don't like is... just keep your opinion to yourself. I promise it will get back to them, and you will look oh so jr. high. You can not like them all you want. And you can know that everyone around you doesn't like them too even if none of you ever say a word about it.
• Loud person in the library or study hall--Just don't. Have some respect. People might think you are funny at first. But they will all hate you in the end.
• Person who is only nice the day before they run for something--enough said
• wannabe gunner--this is the guy who comments every class but contributes virtually nothing, other than possibly derailing the whole conversation. Shut up. I dont' care what japanese philosopher Justice Scalia reminds you of. You wanna suck up to the prof, do it on your own time, not mine.

You'll notice that actual gunner is not on my list. At this point, he's my friend. If you ask intelligent, relevant questions or give thoughtful relevant comments, I am all about listening to you. After all, the more you talk, the less likely I'll actually get called on. Seriously though. I don't mind thoughtful participation even from the same person everyday. It's just the people who repeat what the prof just said or who ask about their condo rules that drive me batty.

Can you tell I've been feeling a little pent up frustration lately? really, I like 95% of my class. 2.5% I don't know and the other 2.5% I can't stand. But that's my little secret. I'm just tired and stressed. And I wish the stupid BS would stop. Fat chance, but still.

This all goes triple for one Ls going to small law schools or who go to school in a small law community. And it goes octuple (is that real?) for those of you who go to small schools in a small law community.

Now, true confessions... some of those categories are about people I can't stand, but some of those categories I only realized when I took a hard look in the mirror. Yowza. Self-evaluation is painful at times but totally necessary. Peace out.

BTW, rankings are leaked again. And I know they don't rule the world, but @^%&!$@ is all I have to say about it.

I went, I saw, I interviewed... and now back to our regularly scheduled programming

So, it went OK. reasonably well. Let's face it, the only good thing to come out of it is that I got some practice in before the interview at the firm I really really want, which is next Tuesday. I did NOT get a call back for the firm from this week. And the only people I know who did each got a 4.0. Sick isn't it, that they are actually capable of getting 4.0s. even more annoying, they're 2 of the nicest people I know at school, really. You can't even hate them.

So here's my question of the hour: if you only want to offer to the people with the highest GPAs, why do you interview 12 candidates? really, doesn't this seem like a waste of time to everyone else? But who am I to complain, I did get practice interviewing, right? right.

As far the regularly scheduled program goes, I'm working on the appellate brief this weekend, all weekend, and if I am feeling particularly organized and ambicious, I am going to start my Con Law outline. Heaven Help me. Yeah, that sounds about right for a three day weekend, non?

I need to pick a segment of time to be a fun mom though... I am starting to feel like my kid thinks I'm only the hired chauffeur. Not good this early in the semester.

Happy long weekend everyone.