Law Schools

How To Find The Will To Go On Studying For The Bar Exam When Summer Officially Arrives

This is the final lap of the marathon, and it would be a shame to throw in the towel now.

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There are a great many cruel things about taking the bar exam. Two hundred multiple choice questions, hundreds of hours of studying, and having to learn Secured Transactions to name a few. But for many, the cruelest thing of all is having to study during the warm, sunny summer days.

Ahh, summer. The season of relaxation, BBQs, vacations, weddings, brunches with patio seating, pools, beaches, and day drinking. Unless you’re studying for the bar exam, that is. Then it is more like the season of books, panic, video lectures, outlines, practice questions, and tears. It is easy to see why even those with the strongest will power can start to get distracted or discouraged once summer shows up.

Summer doesn’t officially arrive for another couple of days, but it was nearly 90 degrees yesterday, so I’m going to go ahead and call it “close enough” here in New York. Here are some tips on how to find the will to go on studying for the bar exam when you’d rather be doing… well, pretty much anything else.

Get off social media, STAT

Remember the philosophical thought experiment about the tree falling in the woods with no one around to hear it? Applying that to bar prep — if your friends are out having an amazing time doing fun summer things and you don’t know about it, did you really miss out?

You already know there is stuff happening that you want to be a part of but can’t. There is no getting around that. But, you don’t have to have it in your face 24/7, either. There is not one positive that can come from being constantly reminded of all the fun things you aren’t doing.

The best way to avoid this is to deactivate all of your social media accounts. Or, at the very least, take the apps off of your phone.

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Get outside

There is no rule that says you have to stay inside all the time when you’re studying for the bar exam. In fact, I would probably advise against doing so. It is actually good for you to go outside for some fresh air and sunshine. I may even be so bold as to say you should be doing this daily. But don’t stress. This doesn’t have to be a big time commitment. You can go for a 15-30 minute walk on your lunch break or after you are done for the day. You can also integrate some outside time with studying by listening to audio recordings during a walk/run or by grabbing your books and spending a couple of hours studying at a nearby park.

Use scheduled downtime wisely

Despite popular belief, you don’t actually have to study 24/7 to pass the bar exam. Hopefully, you’ve figured this out by now. If you haven’t, stop reading and go get some sleep immediately. Yes, 90 percent of your time should be dedicated to bar prep. However, if you are utilizing your time wisely, you should have a few hours each week to spend on yourself. Also, somewhere around the 4th of July, I usually recommend students take ½ a day to a full day off from bar prep.

Use this time to enjoy some of your favorite summer activities. Plan a trip to the local beach for a day or an afternoon, have dinner at your favorite waterfront restaurant, or, my personal favorite, go get some ice cream. Can you do these things everyday? No. Well, maybe the ice cream thing. But, you can have a little slice of summer during bar prep if you plan for it.

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Recheck goals and focus

When you feel morale and willpower starting to dwindle, it might be time for a reality check. You were a law student, dammit. You’re no stranger to sacrificing all your free time for books and libraries. You know how to work hard and get results. This is the final lap of the marathon, and it would be a shame to throw in the towel now. Remind yourself of all the summers you’ll miss because you’re studying again if you don’t buckle down now. Remember, the short-term sacrifice is for a long-term gain.

Finally, if all else fails, take solace in the fact that summer doesn’t officially end until September 22, so you still have almost two full months of summer after bar prep is over. I know it is hard, but you can do it. In the meantime, I’ll have an ice cream in your honor.

Kerriann Stout is a millennial law school professor and founder of Vinco (a bar exam coaching company) who is generationally trapped between her students and colleagues. Kerriann has helped hundreds of students survive law school and the bar exam with less stress and more confidence. She lives, works, and writes in the northeast. You can reach her by email at info@vincoprep.com.

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