We have a special edition of the Impact Blog today: two bloggers for the price of one! I teamed up with 1L blogger Isabella Calise to discuss some common 1L questions regarding finals (I not only survived my 1L finals, but I volunteered as a proctor with the Student & Academic Services office during my 1L year).

Isabella: Who did you have for 1L professors?

Catherine: I had Brodin, Johnston, and Hillinger for my fall semester. Lyons, Eisenberg, and Rana were my spring professors. These answers are based largely on my experiences from their finals, but I tried to be as general as possible with my advice. 

Isabella: When did you start studying?

Catherine: It depended on the class. Hillinger told me repeatedly to not outline until mid-November. Contracts is a hard class to outline ahead of time when it forms organically, and each concept builds on the last. Torts I started around Halloween. Civil Procedure was my hardest class, and I started that one early to reinforce the materials. 

Isabella: Tips for making your outline/using Routline?

Catherine: I am a big proponent of making your own outlines. I know some professors explicitly prohibit commercial outlines. That is the main reason I don’t use them. More importantly, I don’t engage with the material as much when I’m not forcing myself to make my own outline. 

In terms of formatting, do what works for your brain. I loooove big walls of text and bullet points. I HATE flowcharts. Unless that’s how I first learned the material (Brodin’s Erie Doctrine flowchart was a godsend), I do not make those. There will be some trial and error. It’s called a learning process for a reason. 

Isabella: When did you finish your outlines?

Catherine: Usually the day before the test. Realistically, I used them on practice exams, and I added in some last-minute edits. But be careful, everyone and their mother wants to print the night before/day-of the exam. Some outlines will take longer than others. With Torts, I was done pretty much around Thanksgiving. Contracts and Civ Pro took longer since they aren’t exactly taught in a linear fashion. Organization can complicate the process. 

Isabella: Tips for taking practice exams?

Catherine: Always double check with professors about practice sets and exams. Some professors love the Examples & Explanations books for the classes. Others do not like them and provide their own old exams leading up to the reading period. 

After checking relevant authorities, use practice exams carefully and strategically. Try to identify gaps where your outline is missing content. If you are distilling down a big “master” outline into an “attack” outline, did it work? Look at how questions are presented. For Torts, look for harms, points of contact. I would highlight those. Start to figure out how to work through the questions, not just how to answer them. 

For example, if you are at the end of an exam, go through your outline again. Was there a rule of civil procedure you didn’t look over or consider yet? Some people build a table of contents into their outlines for this purpose—just everything listed on one page to scan over and see if any bases are not covered. 

Isabella: What are the pros and cons of studying with a group/by yourself?

Catherine: Study group pros: We are social animals, and we like trauma bonding together! Some people like others holding them accountable. Cons: No matter how good friends you all are, you will want to kill each other by the end. Don’t ruin friendships over finals.

Solo pros: You are your own boss. If you are disciplined by nature, this is awesome. You dictate the schedule and really focus on yourself. After all, you are taking the exam alone, not with your friends. Solo cons: It’s a double-edged sword, you must hold yourself accountable. Isolation can seep in during this time. Everyone disappears until the day of the exam, and that can feel lonely. 

Isabella: Did you go to office hours during finals studying? Is that too late?

Catherine: I went more frequently leading up to the reading period, so a good chunk of November. I knew I would generate questions over Thanksgiving, and I didn’t want to have a million questions going into one last office hour when 30+ other people would be there. Some professors have finals office hours but don’t permit lurkers (i.e. people who just come to listen). Other professors don’t mind if you are there just to listen. Check with your TAs or your professor what their policies are. 

Isabella: Where did you study? Does the library get really crowded?

Catherine: I studied at home. I know some people have noisy roommates or prefer the library, but it was comfortable. I was less stressed on my own. The library is open late, but it will be a popular place. Take advantage of the fact you don’t have classes to explore alternate study spaces. The main campus library is pretty, and the Boston Public Library is worth seeing.  

Isabella: What’s something you wish you knew if you had to study for 1L Fall exams again?

Catherine: People always joke that they wish they started outlining sooner, but a lot of 1L fall exams are just experiencing going through the process. It’s not easy, but it is a necessary evil. You will learn a lot about how you handle stress, test taking, your own discipline, and how you prepare for anything big in life. I would emphasize learning from finals after exams are over. If the fall does not go well, learn from it so you can rebound in the spring. Though do take some time to rest during winter break before doing an exam autopsy. You will need it.  

Isabella: Were you surprised when you got your grades? In other words, did you/people you know end up getting the grade you guys thought you would based on how it felt after you took the exam?

Catherine: I felt my grades lined up with my performance. That barometer becomes less reliable the deeper into finals you go. You will be that gassed. One thing I will make a point of mentioning: Do not call out people who finish first or last during the exam. It is no way indicative of their grade. I was first to finish in both Civil Procedure and Torts. I have a stupid fast reading speed. I did very differently on both exams. Focus on yourself, not your peers. 

Isabella: Lightning round! Any random day-of exam logistics we should know?

Catherine: You will get emails with all these details, but these are the main points: 

• You can bring food and water/other beverages (no alcohol) into the exam room. Just be considerate of your other classmates. Please do not be that person with a bag of chips or something loud. 
• You can bring foam or reusable earplugs. There are 70+ of you typing at lightning speed at once. It may get loud. 
• Please double check everything on your laptop the night before. Look for any software updates, download the exam (usually released 24hrs beforehand), and KNOW YOUR EXAMPLIFY CREDENTIALS. ATR is on call day-of, and proctors can get help for major issues, but they really should not be called for you forgetting a password. 
• Your phone should be in your bag and completely off, not your pocket. If you want a watch, it can’t be a smart watch. Proctors will do time calls within 30 minutes and counting of the end of the exam. 
• Bring your laptop charger. Proctors do not have spares. The only thing they can provide are scratch paper and bluebooks if your laptop crashes.
• Ask your professors around the last week of classes/during the reading period if they will include time suggestions on their exams. They should tell you ahead of time if it’s an open/limited open/closed book exam. If you have a limited open/closed book exam, you will be locked out of any e-textbook you have been using. Scan the pages you need or have a physical copy if you like having casebooks with you. 
• Finally, only one person can leave at a time to use the bathroom, so check with the proctor first before you walk out. If your exam has a hard copy component, you must hand that over to the proctor while you duck out. I recommend going before the exam and planning fluid intake accordingly.

Isabella: Thank you so much for your time and insight. Any last words of wisdom?

Catherine: A few pointers! Peer coaches are available for individual appointments until the last day of classes and Nina Farber is available through to the end of the exam period.

If you want to learn the method behind the madness, look out for the email for proctor sign-ups! You can proctor exams for classes you have not taken. It helps dispel the stress and forces you to study or write a paper while proctoring. 

Finally, try not to identify with your grades. They are not an assessment of who you are or who you will be as a lawyer. They are just an assessment of how you performed on that particular day. If you want help on how to bring that performance up, there are lots of resources. Review your exam in January with a professor. Appointments with Nina Farber or a peer coach about study strategies are also an option.

Take care of yourself this finals season and good luck!

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Catherine Beveridge is a second-year student at BC Law. Contact her at beverid@bc.edu.