Hello hello friends! It’s been a while since I’ve posted, and I wish I had a better excuse. But in all honesty, law school has just been keeping me very busy these days. Today I’m sharing my top 5 tips for 1L students. I hope you guys enjoy this post and be sure to stay tuned because there are many more exciting posts coming soon!

1. Read this book: There are several books recommended for 1L students but this is personally my favorite! It covers literally almost everything you need to know about law school in general and succeeding during your 1L year.

2. Stay organized & prepared: This may seem obvious but this is key. Get yourself a physical planner and use it! Write down everything you need to get done in a day and block off certain times for different tasks. In terms of staying prepared, what works best for me is reading a week ahead. This is a lifesaver, and allows me to take time or even full days off from school work when I get overwhelmed. This doesn’t work for everyone, but I’d suggest trying it.

3. Get to know your professors & figure out what they’re looking for: I know this is harder to do virtually, but it’s not impossible! Go to Zoom office hours and make an effort to speak in class (even if you’re shy like me and the thought of speaking in class makes you nauseous). One important thing I learned during my 1L year is that every professor is different and they all want different things on exams. And since your professor is who is grading your exam, you need to put in effort to cater your writing style to them. If I hadn’t gotten to know professors and TA’s last year I would have gone about exams in a completely wrong way.

4. Start outlining super early! This is SO IMPORTANT! Please please please do not wait until reading week to outline. Start now if you haven’t already. Outlining throughout the semester not only helps you learn the material, but it will save you so much time and stress before exams.

5. Use resources! Don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re too smart to utilize resources. This is a mistake I saw so many of my peers make! Use Quimbee, use commercial outlines, use Examples and Explanations books, etc. These resources are here to help you and will make your life easier if you utilize them without relying too heavily on them.