By Quennie B. Sereno
Photos by Anne Naig
It is well-known that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. In law school, the journey towards the bar begins on your first day as a law student. It is not an easy path to tread on, neither is it meant for everyone. Law school will make or break you. Only those who are willing to sacrifice, stand again after every setback and failure, and persevere will make it to the finish line. Here are tips from some of the academic achievers of San Beda College Alabang – School of Law to help you survive the wild jungle that is law school.
Find your law school buddy
The study of law may be a long and arduous journey, but it does not have to be a lonely one. Having law school buddies is an indispensable requirement. Second Year Dean’s Lister for A.Y. 2019-2020 Rhaymund Lorenz M. Gratela’s advice is to connect with the people around you. He said, “your classmates are not only people who you share a classroom with—or at the moment, a virtual meeting.
You all have the common goal of one day becoming lawyers. Share notes and reference materials, bond over study sessions, and join each other in the joys and miseries of law school. The study of law is a journey and it’s best to have people who can go along with you.”
Maximize your codals
Read the provisions first to give you an overview of the topic. Joanna Marie L. Barrozo, the valedictorian of the Class of 2021, said, “read first what the law provides, then the annotations and cases.” This is especially true if there are hundreds of provisions assigned. Unless the professor said so, memorizing a provision is not mandatory.
To Miguel Pangilinan, the First Year Silver Medalist of the Annual Honor Roll for A.Y. 2019-2020, what is important is understanding the essence of the law, not just memorizing it. “You will not be able to apply the law properly if you did not understand it in the first place. Build a good understanding of provisions so you can easily understand related concepts,” he said. In other words, codal is key!
Read the full text of the case
This is the advice of Antonio Luis C. Duran, the First Year Gold Medalist of the Annual Honor Roll of A.Y. 2019-2020. Don’t rely on the case digests from the internet. Those are notes based on how the author-student understood the case. If a case is lengthy, ranging from thirty to sixty
pages and discussing a variety of issues, the key is focusing on the specific issue related to the topic being discussed in your class. If there are too many assigned cases, create a digest pool with classmates whom one can rely on to write good and concise case digests.
Learning the teaching style of one’s professors will be helpful in reading a case or writing a case digest. As early as first year in law school, instill the habit of reading the full text of cases.
Join online study groups
This studying tip is timely in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Franchezka Mae S. Celis, batch salutatorian of the Class of 2021, recommended joining online study groups like StudyWithMe and LegalStudyBuddy.
The former Red Chronicles feature writer explains that it will help one feel motivated in studying while seeing fellow students religiously studying their subjects. “There, you may meet new friends or ask others questions about topics you find difficult to understand or they may even send you their notes,” Celis said.
Joining online study groups meant law students no longer have to study alone. Just like before, in the library or in a coffee shop, law students may again study with their friends in the new normal.
Experiment with study schedule and methods
The first year in law school is a period of adjustment and experimentation. It is the year where law students find out the best study schedule and methods that work for them. It starts with, according to Pangilinan, assessing oneself. “Assess your strengths and weaknesses. Accept your weaknesses so you learn how to adapt and compensate. Law school is a test of how well you can adapt.
Your study habits should be comfortable and effective for you.” Making a study schedule is also a must. Otherwise, “the usual tendency is either to procrastinate thinking you have the whole day or [to] study the whole day and end up being too exhausted. Schedule your readings at a time when you are most productive,” Barrozo said.
Rest if you must
Everyone needs to rest, even law students. Follow a study schedule but also learn to take a break from time to time and know when to stop and allow one’s brain to rest. Even pulling an all-nighter is not healthy, according to consistent Dean’s Lister Emmarie Ann A. Sese. While having a study schedule is a must, making time for oneself is also essential.
Allotting time to exercise, spend quality time with family and friends, pursuing one’s hobbies or even joining school organizations or participating in activities are necessary to avoid burnout and keep one’s sanity in law school. “After all, we’re only human. Entering law school does not change that fact,” Gratela said.
May these tips help you in surviving law school. Remember to just take one day at a time and to keep moving forward. Bad recitations, terrible grades, and failed subjects happen in law school. They do not mean that you are not fit to be a lawyer. As Duran said, “they merely test whether you have the determination needed to get through life as a lawyer. Let every bad thing strengthen your determination to achieve your ultimate goal.” ∎