bar exam, day three - aka, it's done!

Well, it's finally done.  Feels weird and...well, just weird.  I think it's really jarring to live out of a hotel room and do the same thing all day long, come, go, rinse, repeat...everything blends together after a while.

Today's portions were ok.  I don't know.  It's hard not to feel numb after a while.  The essays weren't great but at least the performance test, as opposed to Tuesday's, seemed manageable.  And it was a more positive way to end.  (I am also glad to be rid of the annoying dude who was sitting in front of me, he would not quit trying to talk to me about nonsense.  Bleh.)

It's funny to see all the different types of people who take the exam.  Just general age, backgrounds, etc.  Some people, I can't help but think, you want to be an attorney?  Who knows how things turned out...after a short hiatus, I think I'm going to start studying again.  If there is a next time, I'm thinking about trying out the BarMax app which seems to have positive reviews.  This BarBri stuff is/was just not very good materials-wise.  Just too generic and not enough oomph.  I think everyone feels the same after, just lost and confused.  And most of us were repeaters rather than first timers so we're even more clueless.  As we say to each other in the end, "it's been fun but I hope I never have to see you again, no offense."

Being a repeater obviously sucks, but I think it also gives you perspective on the exam experience.  The first time, you get all worked up and nervous and freaked out and it's a really horrible experience.  By the latter time(s), you feel like a pro and it's not so scary anymore.  You only worry about what topics they'll test you on, since it's such a nasty surprise usually, but it's nice to feel calm about things.  Well, until frustration sets in again if you find out later that you didn't pass and you realize you have to do it all over again, haha.  But, hey, a year ago, I took the exam and a week later, my hair started falling out like crazy - scary.  So, I guess I have a better perspective on things.  I can try my best and do what I can, and be happy that I'm employed, am relatively healthy, and have lots of great and supportive friends and family.  The exam is just something to be conquered and it will be eventually.  Have to enjoy life and every day I get to wake up and live it!  Good stuff.

Right now, I'm waiting for traffic to die down but I'm packing in a bit then heading home.  I'm going to miss living out of this suite but it'll be good to be home.  I'm looking forward to a nice night of rest.  Tomorrow, Matt and I have tickets to see the Lakers/Kings game, and we're planning on going a bit early before the game to have dinner at El Cholo near Staples Center and then head to the game.  Mmm, El Cholo makes the best blended margaritas!  I'm not too sure what the weekend will entail, but hopefully something fun and relaxing.  I *must* finish the ami I was working on for my co-worker/friend so I can give him to her on Monday when I head back to the office.  After being in a daze for the last week and a half, it'll be quite the adjustment to be back in the office.  My calendar for March is already full so it'll be a very busy month already, and who knows what else has been going on there since I've been gone.  Fingers crossed that everything is ok!

Time to pack up! :)

bar exam, day two

Survived day two!  It's always a relief to have a multiple choice day in the middle, it's a good break from a lot of writing and typing.  At least this morning started off with some hot water unlike yesterday haha.  I thought the morning session went ok but the afternoon session really dragged on!  I think everyone was pretty tired because it seemed we all shared the same sentiments.

My favorite thing about the multiple choice questions is how bizarre they can make the fact patterns.  Sometimes, they're so off the wall that I want to laugh in the middle of the exam!  My favorites are usually the ones about people who own wild animals as pets, sometimes the things that happen to these 'people' in the questions are just so crazy.  I have no idea how they come up with this stuff, some sick and twisted minds maybe :P

Anyway, just one more day to go and then I get to go home.  That's always a weird feeling.  I get to used to this routine and then I have to go home.  In a way, it's nice to be away and have this 'me time' to focus on things, but I know it'll also be good to be back home again.

p.s.  I have no idea if they ever look at the exam booklets again or just run the answer sheets for scoring, but...umm...someone might discover a sweet surprise (pun intended) if they do look because when I got frustrated or worn down by some of the questions around hours 4 and 5, I may have done some fun doodles to take my mind off things for a minute and re-focus.  Doodles such as one of a cupcake.  With a cherry on top.  AND a cute little smiley face.  Surprise! :)  Haha.

bar exam, day one

 

The internet is fairly stable here (surprisingly) so I thought I'd make a little post to take notes of my (mis)adventures.  Hey, I was trying to blog more often, right?  And yes, I know, silly picture of me (and Nyago! <3 him)...I took that a little while ago and as you can probably tell, it's been a long day.

Things out here in the boonies is pretty nice, like a mini vacay minus the whole 'I have to take this horrible, terrible, hellish exam' part.  Ha!  Matt was awesome enough to book me a crazy room, aka suite aka palace, so I'm living it up with more room than one little person like me needs.  I've been here since Monday, when I had to fight hellish traffic and rain just to make it here in one piece.  I nearly dropped all my food/groceries on the ground because of 1) the rain making my brown bags wet and 2) the flimsy-ness of Ralphs' new brown bags.  For your information, so you know, just because they may look like TJs awesome brown bags, alas they are not and in fact, are far inferior.  Not only did the handles break off on 2 of the 3 bags I brought here within the first few minutes, but then when grabbing one bag by the top, a big chunk ripped out of it!  Huh?  Lesson learned:  TJs brown bags >>>>>>>>> Ralphs brown bags.

It has been lovely and quiet though, just how I like it.  Although this morning didn't start off so well.  With so many people here waking up at the crack of dawn, I ended up taking a fairly lukewarm shower since the hot water was sucked up.  Does that even happen in hotels?  Apparently it does because I was freezing my tush off.  Nothing like a cold shower to wake you up!

I did, however, make it smoothly there and when you're an old pro like me, you know the drill.  Funny to see people fumbling around and all nervous and meanwhile, I know the routine.  As they say, it's not my first time at the rodeo?  I have no idea why that phrase keeps reverberating through my head (true story, I've been thinking that all day).  The proctors keep trying to tell me what to do and my response is, 'oh, I know, it's not like I haven't done this before.'  Oops.

My proctor is a very nice lady, maybe too nice.  Every time she comes around, she has a whole greeting prepared, starting off with, 'hi, how are you?' and 'welcome to (x) session' and 'thank you very much' and 'good luck on this section.'  Nice sentiments but borderline creepy when she stops purposefully and stares you in the eyes every time.  

The sessions today were...harsh.  I know, aren't they always.  The morning session was disgusting topics, aka Trusts, Constitutional Law and Evidence.  Umm, yuck?  The afternoon performance test was disappointing.  Performance tests, oddly, are usually where I strike exam gold and score the highest.  They're closed universe mock real world cases that you are given a task to complete.  I thought I had a handle on today's, until I started going...and going...and things got more confusing, convoluted, and just plain long.  Nothing made sense and everything seemed like an issue that was a mess to organize and discuss.  Sigh.  After a while, I had no idea what was up, down, left or right.  What a mean problem they wrote :(   

But the show must go on, and there are still 2 days left.  Tomorrow is a full day of multiple choice.  200 questions over 6 hours.  Sounds fun, right?  But after all this typing and writing, I'm looking forward to just filling in some bubbles with #2 pencils.  Thursday will be a repeat of our day today and then we get to go home.  After all this, I can't believe I'll be back at work next week again.  It'll feel really weird to switch gears again, but also good in a way.  I can't imagine what's been going on there, but hopefully things are ok.  No one ever knows how they did after these 3 days so I'll just hope for the best.  It's such a crapshoot and luck of the draw on what topics you're tested on and how the exam goes.  Sometimes everything just feels all wrong and sometimes it can feel great, but when everything is scaled, there's no telling what the end result will be.  But it is what it is and I can only try my best, right?  

Here are some funny observations from the day, to lighten the mood:

~ A sign that a bunch of Bar takers are on the loose:  everyone is running around clutching ridiculous gallon-sized clear ziploc bags containing items like pens, pencils, IDs, etc. looking crazed.

~ A bunch of guys were wearing NBA jerseys today.  For the exam.  Jerseys...really?  Most of us are dressed like we're going to bed, and dudes are dressed like they're going to dribble b-balls on a court.  Weird.  Listen, channeling Kobe is not going to make you 'clutch' for the exam.  Have you seen the dude play?  You might want to do that and reconsider your choice of jersey, should you choose to continue to wear one tomorrow.

~ I'm really amused by the items that people bring to the convention center.  No joke, people are hauling around pillows, footrests, giant keyboards, giant clocks - remind me again, but are we taking an exam or taking a nap?  Granted, we're sitting at long tables but our chairs are surprisingly cushioned.  Is it really necessary to bring enough bedding items to make one's bed?  How can that little chair hold that many pillows anyway?  I don't get it.  Although the girl in front of me did put her head down on her pillow when the general instructions were being read...strange.

~ I seem to be sitting in the 'older persons' section of the room.  Not that it was purposely done this way, but a lot of people near me are middle aged and above.  Are the Bar examiners trying to send me a message?  As my friend/co-worker put it, hopefully this doesn't mean that it's taken them THIS long to try to pass haha.  Then again, I got the sense that a lot of them are repeaters...

~ Old dude in front of me really wanted to be chatty cathy after the exam.  There's nothing I hate more than rehashing an exam after it's already over.  You're not going to change anything by talking about it, and in your mind you might've written the greatest thing ever but that's not what was really put on paper.  He didn't get the hint when I kept avoiding eye contact.  Hey mister, you continually asking me why I'm not smiling and me not really responding is probably an indication that 1) I'm exhausted and don't want to talk and 2) we just took a full day exam that is only the first of three days, is there really that much to smile about?  And telling me about your great essay writing from the day does nothing for me.  Let's face it, you've repeated this more than once, too, so I don't think you're in any position to tell me how awesome you are, mmkay, thanks.  Damn, I still have to see him tomorrow...and Thursday...

~ The head proctor stands at this podium in the front while reading endless pages of instructions.  It's a real buzzkill, especially when you have to sit there for 30 minutes listening to the same, repetitive instructions for every session.  What IS amusing, however, is the dude has this whole 'Morgan Freeman as the voice of God' thing going, especially when you can't really see him and his voice is echoing around the room. Awesome.

~ I'm thankful to have a seat farther in the back this time.  Last February I was in the front row and not only was it lame to stare at a wall but it was a real distraction to watch people come/go to the bathrooms.  Phew.

Anyway, that's all I can think of for now.  And I have to get back to reviewing for the multiple choice tomorrow and then get some rest.  Good times!  Or, as good as they can get for now, all things considered.  Good night!  

p.s.  Oh, and happy leap year day tomorrow!  If I had the time and ability, I'd check out the 24 hours of Disneyland (I can't even fathom this) since the park is supposed to be open from 6am Wednesday until 6am Thursday.  Craziness!