Fall Break?? More like Fall work your tail off to get everything done . . .

I figured I hadn't posted about school in a while, so I should probably do that. They have a saying about law school. Maybe I have told you already? but I can't remember, so I am going to tell you again. It goes something like this:

First Year they scare you to death

Second Year they work you to death

Third Year they bore you to death

Now, I'm not sure about that last one, but I'm pretty sure the first two have held true so far.

On that note this is what is on my to-do list for the next week:

1. Finish Long Paper (14 pages and lots of editing to go)
2. Prepare for Con Law on Monday (I am on-call)
3. Finish reading for the rest of classes
4. Prepare oral argument for moot court try-outs.
5. Finish 2 Authority Checks for law review
6. Study for the Multi-state professional responsibility exam (MPRE) that I am taking on November 6
7. Apply for summer jobs (this one never gets off the list . . .)
8. Prepare judicial externship interest letter

Actually, when I write it all out, it doesn't look so bad now that I have finished all of my mid-terms.

Maybe I should explain some of this for you non-law school folk.

1. Long paper is a graduation requirement, but Law Review students are required to finish it their Fall semester of second year. It will be nice to have it done, but it is killing me right now! Okay, not really killing me, but slowly sucking all of my time away.
2. no explanation needed
3. . . .
4. Moot court comes in many forms. They usually consist of a first round where your school picks a team or two to represent them, next those teams write a brief and practice, practice, practice. Once the competition roles around the school pays for your team and coach to go out to the competition and, well, compete. The competition involves lots of judges judging you brief and your team giving an oral argument (sometimes multiple oral arguments) as if you were in a real trial. Our school sends teams to quite a few different competitions, but the one I am trying out for is the Hispanic National Bar Association one. I made it through the first round (of submitting a writing sample and letter of why you want to be one the team) and so now next week I have to give a short oral argument on my writing sample. I would really love to get on, I know it would take up more of my time, but it would give me some great experience (and the competition is in New Orleans this year!).
5. my weekly law review assignments . . . slowly sucking away my time, but again, totally worth it!
6. This exam is required to get admitted to the bar in any state. No, it is not the bar. It is just an exam to test how well you know the rules of professional responsibility (you know don't steal from your client, don't sleep with your client, etc etc). Me and some friends are taking it because we are taking our required Professional Responsibility class this semester. Turns out our PR professor SUCKS and isn't teaching us anything, so we are left teaching it all to ourself before Nov. 6th, fun!
7. ah, the never ending task, hopefully one will come along eventually
8. Every semester the school has spots for a couple of students to be judicial externs for some federal judges in the area. You have to apply to get the spots, but if you get it, you take it like a class and get credit for it. So of course I am applying . . .

As much as I long for the days of free time in the evenings and on the weekends to spend with my husband and puppies, I wouldn't trade this time for anything. I love being challenged and I love being able to have some awesome friends to spend every day with. And well, lets face it, I love being busy, because I am a busy body :)