It was not until I started my 2L year that I realized just how much I have grown since first walking into BC Law in August 2024. I feel like I lived 20 years in one, but I remember my first class––Critical Perspectives––like it happened a week ago.

In my short time as a 2L, I have been lucky enough to have two amazing mentees with whom I can grace with my law school wisdom. I also learned a lot from them about what it’s like being a 1L in 2025. Each year recruitment moves up, and more pressure is added to the exam period.

While I give all the student-experience advice I can to my 1Ls, I realize my experience is just that––mine. In law school, perhaps the greatest lesson I have learned so far is how individualized it is: students learn material differently, do readings differently, and prepare for exams differently. I asked 3 friends the same set of questions about their exam prep and for any advice to the 1Ls heading into their first exam season. They came from each of the Fall 2025 1L sections, and all performed well on their first exams. 

Maddie, Section 1 (Profs. Hillinger, Johnston, and Brodin)

1. How did you study for your exams once classes ended? 

During the end of classes and reading days, I first focused on splitting my time between my classes to make sure my outlines were finished. Then, I started doing practice exams/practice problems, which, in my opinion, is the best way to prepare for exams! You get used to the rhythm of your professors’ exams and will have a better idea of what to expect going into test day. Also, practicing exam questions highlights what you may need to add or change on your outlines.

While I split my time between classes at the end of classes/beginning of the exam period, in the days leading up to each exam/in the gaps between exams, I normally only focused on the exam that was coming up, and spent most of my time on practice exams.

2. How did you mentally prepare right before the exam?

Like I said, the best thing to do to make you feel more prepared is to work on practice exams so you know what to expect when you sit down. But don’t forget that you know your stuff! Do what you can to feel prepared and comfortable when studying, but remember that you’ve been absorbing the material all semester, and nothing too shocking is going to pop up on test day.

3. When writing your exams, what did you have in mind?

I honestly didn’t have much of a strategy going into exams, other than taking things one question at a time. Don’t freak out, and just skip a question and come back to it if it’s tripping you up! Don’t waste a ton of valuable time on one question when you can get those points elsewhere. Having an attack outline or some sort of step-by-step methodology can help you know where to start with each question, too.

4. How did you reset in between exams?

While it’s important to put the work in, avoiding burnout is also important! If I have a few days in between exams, I will take off the rest of the day after an exam to relax, and start a bit later the next day. Also, studying with friends and taking coffee breaks to chat and focus on something other than school (even if it’s just for a few minutes) is always helpful––it’s nice to unwind and remember that law school exams aren’t the end of the world.

5. Is there anything you wish you could tell 1L first semester-you about exams?

I would just tell myself that everything was going to work out. 1L flies by, so enjoy it, even when things get hard.

6. What advice would you give 1L’s as they prepare for their first exams?

Your classmates are your support system in law school, so do your best not to compare yourselves with each other or start thinking about law school as a competition. Everyone is on their own paths and I promise things will work out for everybody! Celebrate your friends’ wins, because they are not your losses, and vice versa. Sometime soon you’ll be on the other side of 1L and the job search, and you’ll think back to how intense this time period was. Everybody goes through it, and it won’t last forever. Good luck!

Francesca, Section 2 (Profs. Garcia and Olson)

1. How did you study for your exams once classes ended? 

When classes ended, I started studying by watching the Barbri/Themis supplemental videos. I watched them for each unit to get the basic rules and structures down on my outline. This was especially helpful for Civil Procedure and Torts. After that, I would go through my notes and slides from class to fill in specific cases and notes. I think it’s really helpful to watch a supplemental video just to hear it explained again and in a different, more succinct way. This provides a good starting point to work from instead of just reading your notes and slides or listening to the recorded lecture. 

Once my outline was done, I tried to pre-write a few sentences or a paragraph explaining each major topic and rule. This helped me process it in my mind and it was easier when it came time for the exam to already have something written well to work off of. I also tried to do as many practice questions as possible and go back through my answers to see where I could improve. This helped me not only understand the topics more but also get an idea of what I needed to go back to.

2. How did you mentally prepare right before the exam?

Going into my very first exam, I was super nervous because I didn’t know what to expect. It was helpful to look back at past exams and practice questions to get a good understanding of what the exam would look like. I also tried to be done around 7-8pm the night before the exam so I could just get my bag together and get a decent amount of sleep so I didn’t wake up stressed in the morning. I think just being well prepared when it comes to having your outline printed and put together, having your bag ready to go and anything else you can the night before to just feel prepared and take some of the stress away the morning of the exam. 

3. When writing your exams, what did you have in mind?

I tried to make my answers as organized and clear as possible. When I read the question I would highlight, underline, even take notes in the margin when a rule or topic came up. I outlined my answer to make sure I did not miss any topics and fully answered the question. Then I made sure I explained them in an organized way that got my answer across sufficiently. 

4. How did you reset in between exams?

Because we had a good amount of time between each test, I liked to take the afternoon after an exam to rest. I would stop at Tatte or somewhere else to pick up lunch and a coffee. I tried to clean up my apartment and study area so I had a clean slate going into the next exam. I would use those days to just get organized and do some basic studying like figuring out what topics I needed to go back to. 

I think it’s really important to have a healthy routine during finals and find outlets instead of studying 100% of the time and overworking yourself. I tried to go to the gym at least every few days, especially when I felt like I was getting really overwhelmed because it’s a good reset and usually takes away a lot of the distracting emotions of finals season. It’s also really important to prioritize eating good meals. I would Doordash dinner a lot and it took a lot of stress away from worrying about what to eat and cooking and cleaning when I was studying. I also think it’s really important to get enough sleep during the whole two weeks. I always tried to be done around 7-8pm and go to bed early. For me, getting up at 6 or 7am and studying early in the morning is more efficient and less stressful so I just tried to stick to a good schedule. It’s a lot harder and less efficient to study if you’re tired, hungry, or overwhelmed so it’s important to make time for yourself so you can focus when you are actually studying.

5. Is there anything you wish you could tell 1L first semester-you about exams?

I would tell myself that exams are not as stressful as they seem. Especially going into your first ever law school exams, it’s really intimidating and I think that made it a lot harder for me to focus. Once you take your first exam you’ll feel a lot better, so try to not get caught up in the stress surrounding the exam because it will distract you.

6. What advice would you give 1L’s as they prepare for their first exams?

Find out what study method works best for you instead of listening to what everyone else says and comparing yourself to them. I spent a lot of time trying to do what I thought I was supposed to do based on what everyone else was doing and it ended up being a huge waste of time because it did not work for me. It’s really easy to compare yourself to your classmates and it just adds an unnecessary layer of stress. I like to study and outline alone and then review with a group after. I think it’s better to see what you know and do what you need to do. Sometimes it gets confusing and overwhelming to study with a group, so it’s important to have your own basis of understanding to work off of first.

I also tried to find other places to study besides the Law Library because I was so worried about what my classmates were doing and it became distracting. Finding a good place off campus like the public library, a coffee shop, or your house/apartment might be better. I also found myself going to the main campus library a lot, too. I think it’s refreshing to switch up your study spot so it doesn’t get repetitive. Studying somewhere where you’re comfortable and will have no distractions makes a huge difference. 

Will, Section 3 (Prof. Simana, the other 2 professors did not teach this semester)

1. How did you study for your exams once classes ended? 

I found that annotating my outlines by hand once I printed them out was a very helpful way to study. It helped me memorize the material, know how to navigate the outline quickly, and give myself tips/notes for when I am taking the exam.

In between exams, I would focus mainly on doing practice problems. In 1L you have so much time in between each exam, so it is important to use that time wisely. Practice problems are arguably the most important thing you can do to prepare. My preparation for each exam was slightly different depending on the class and exam structure. For example, I pre-wrote a lot for Civil Procedure, but I knew Torts would be a massive unpredictable issue spotter, so I focused on being able to quickly know rules off the top of my head. 

2. How did you mentally prepare right before the exam?

Getting a good night’s sleep the night before is by far the hardest thing for me. So, I would watch a comedy movie with my roommates the night before each exam to try to relax. Right before the exam actually started, I’d listen to music or watch TikToks––anything but look at my outline so I can get in a relaxed headspace. 

3. When writing your exams, what did you have in mind?

I would focus on maximizing my points per minute. Generally, that means not skipping steps in my analysis. It is easy to skip over mentioning the obvious on exams, but if you do not explicitly write out the obvious you miss easy points (i.e. if doing battery analysis in torts, you need to actually write that someone hit someone).

4. How did you reset in between exams?

I would take the rest of the day after an exam completely off, just eating a good meal and getting a good nap in. I would wait until the next day to start studying for the next exam. 

5. Is there anything you wish you could tell 1L first semester-you about exams?

If an exam feels hard for you, it feels hard for everyone else taking it. At the end of the day, you do not need to be perfect on exams because you are being graded in relation to your peers. You all took the same class, have similar outlines, and know the material like the back of your hand. If something feels new, odd, or confusing on the exam, everyone else also feels that too, so you should not panic and instead stay confident in your preparation and push through. 

6. What advice would you give 1L’s as they prepare for their first exams?

Take as many practice exams as possible in as close to exam structure as possible. Wake up when as you would for an exam, start at exam time, give yourself the same time limit, only use your outline etc. That simulation will make actually taking the exam feel much more comfortable.

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Shout-out to Maddie, Francesca, and Will for helping me put this together!

I hope this was helpful and informative, or at least helped you 1Ls gain some peace of mind, perspective, and confidence. To reemphasize some of the responses above, remember that you do know the material, and to do your best to focus only on what you can control. I wish you all the best of luck!

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Alexandra Staller is a 2L student at BC Law and Vice President of the Impact blog. Contact her at stallera@bc.edu.