Bar Exam Must Haves

So many are just weeks away from taking the February Bar! I remember hating the last two weeks because 1) all I did was study; 2) I was so ready for it to be over, but at the same time I was terrified to actually take the exam so it was a weird constant state of despair.

For those that are taking the exam at the end of the month (or Super Planners, ready for July), I thought it would be useful to talk about some must-haves/must-dos/do nots for the day of the Bar:

Must Have:

Make sure you bring double the writing utensils that you need–even if you’re typing the exam. Scantrons are still a thing even on Essay Day so bring a pencil and bring more than one. I had to let someone borrow a pencil on the first day because homeboy did not prepare. Don’t add extra anxiety to your day–bring double of what you need.

That also means that you should have a checklist of things you need to bring the day of and have everything ready beforehand.  Some must haves to bring:

ear plugs; chargers; money; a light jacket/sweater; and a non-digital watch (or at least a watch that you are absolutely certain does not make any noise!).

Must Dos:

Ask at least a parent or a friend to give you an added wake-up call to make sure you’re up on time-don’t depend on just your alarm.

At the same, you must tell any and all friends/family that are you know are wanting to wish you well to NOT call you until way after the exam is finished. Look, I didn’t even bring my phone to the exam, but that was in 2010 when I had a crappy barely-smart phone. I probably would bring it now, but you have to make sure it’s off; no alarms; and that no one calls you during the exam.  Or just leave your phone at home because hoping to take one cute instagram pic is not worth it if your phone accidentally goes off during the exam and you’re kicked out (because that does happen). And I’m a prolific instagrammer, so you know I’m serious.

Plan ahead–especially if you do plan to leave your phone at home, then make sure you know ahead of time where you’ll be having lunch.  This sounds weird to need to do but save yourself time.  I remember wasting 10 mins of my break trying to find someplace that 1) wasn’t packed and 2) was close to my testing site.

Do Nots:

Do not try to cram last minute studying into your night.  You’re about to go through a huge mental endeavor and your mind, like the body, needs to rest and re-energize. And if you’re like me, you may find it hard to sleep during times of stress.  I used to take many sleep aids during law school because I could never get a restful sleep.  But I would opt to not do it before big test days (even if it meant struggling to sleep) because I would wake up so groggy. Maybe you don’t have the same problem, but get into the habit of getting some sleep during these next weeks so that it’s not as hard the night before the test.

Don’t deviate too much from your normal eating habits the morning of: don’t chug coffee if you normally don’t or eat a full meal if that will offset your body’s routine. You want to give yourself the fuel you need, but don’t overdo it.

With all that said, try to not worry (ha!). You have studied hard and put in the time. You know the formula and will be able to get through this with just a little more work and preparation.