Kathy is a 24-year-old file clerk at a small law firm in Ohio, and she's taking the LSAT in June 2009. She's also written the first LSAT Diary!
I'm including it below, followed by a few quick comments.
If you want to be in LSAT Diaries, please email me at LSATUnplugged@gmail.com. (You can be in LSAT Diaries whether you've taken the exam already or not.)
Please leave Kathy some encouragement and advice below in the comments!
Kathy's LSAT Diary:
Friday, March 13: Endurance and Confidence
My first post will guide me to the top of my current budding ambitions and life. However, I am currently experiencing difficulties in that I haven't even started any part of my career path save for studying the LSAT. This is my first day in logging my LSAT studying, so that I may express frustration, pain, the difficulties, arduousness, and more which will enable me to relieve my worry-stricken heart and mind. I hope to write everyday and will strive for honesty, humility, and maybe some humor because I do love to laugh.
Today has not been so easy in that I came home from work all geared to up to do some good, productive studying. Unfortunately, I got too excited and used up all my energy to do some laundry and grab a little "food" (which was more like junk food). Then proceeded to lie down for about an hour and watch What Not to Wear. However, I am happy to say that I am sitting at the desk that I have been doing the best studying at, and my LSAT prep books are open in front of me. I feel defeated though cause I end up eating dinner with my mom around 8PM, and it is now 7:47PM. Hopefully, after dinner, actual studying could get done.
This defeated feeling also is supported by the fact that everyone I know seems to be in law school already, graduating from law school, or are in the same position as me but are 2-3 years younger than I am with brighter futures than me. I am encouraged by a George Mason Law admission staff member who emphasized to me: Endurance and Confidence. Also, I continue to visualize the feeling of receiving a piece of mail that contains my acceptance into law school. It will be worth it. It just has to. I will write later tonight. Until then, 힘내!
Tuesday, March 17: Struggling on St. Paddy's Day
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Quick run down of what I did yesterday:
1. 9:15-9:40 AM--> Getting ready for work
2. 10-5 PM--> Work
3. 5:30-7 PM--> Mostly TV and snacking
4. 7 -7:45 PM--> worked on Logic Games problem
5. 7:45-8:30 PM--> Nap
6. 8:30-9:30 PM---> Dinner & Cleaning room
7. 9:30-11:30 PM--> 2 Logic Games & review of problems (also planned out study schedule for next few days)
8. 11:30-1:30 PM--> Getting ready for bed: Shower, watching drama
Not very impressive I know. However, I did get all the Logic Games right. The hardest part for me is making inferences after the game is set up. If I get the major inferences in, then answering the questions seem to be a snap. Going to work on some more practice problems tonight. Hopefully, more than 2 this time.
Wednesday, March 18
Yesterday:
1. 9-9:30 AM-->Getting ready for work
2. 10-5 PM--> Working (lalala)
3. 6-7:30 PM-- Logic Games, Searching for more "Easy" Linear Games in PrepTests, Reviewing problems
4. 7:30-9:45 PM--> Met with friends
5. 10-11 PM--> Dinner
6. 11-11:30 PM--> Email, Facebooking, Youtube.
7. 11:30-1 AM--> Did Logic Games drills, planned study schedule
Overall, I did not do a lot of problems that I had hoped, but I learned a lot from the explanations of the problems. It seems that the best strategy for me is to study a few basic problems really hard, and truly comprehend the strategy. Then, find more problems that are similar to those basic set ups that I can practice with.
Today is yet another beautiful, warm day. I'm going to Starbucks, and the plan is to work on some more problems and learn more advanced strategies for Logic Games. The fun just keeps getting better and better.
1. 10-5 PM--> Work, work, work
2. 5:30-6 PM--> Settle myself down with some coffee
3. 6-8:15 PM--> Logic Games
4. 8:30-9 PM--> Dinner
5. 9-9:30 pM--> reworking study plan and cleaning my room
6. 10- really really late--> Let's just say that I was catching up on my korean entertainment (big mistake here)
Thursday, March 19: Too tired to do anything
So tonight looks like I should go elsewhere to study because it's so easy on Friday night to kick back and relax. Trouble is... where? The library closes around 5PM, so maybe Starbucks again because they close around 11 on fridays or elsewhere. At least I get to sleep in a little tomorrow, so I can study somewhat late. And the plan for Saturday is to take my first practice test around noon which has been long overdue probably using the LSAC SuperPrep book my mom got me, at least to start with.
I'm strangely excited about it, but then again, I am a bit strange.
Friday, March 20: Spring is here?
Yesterday was the first day of spring which would make me happy, but all I can think of is the fact that the LSAT is getting closer and I am losing time to study. At work, I was able to bond with my boss and another coworker due to the fact that it was the coworker's birthday.
1. 10-5 PM--> work (didn't really seem like a working day)
2. 5-6 PM--> Happy Hour with the firm
3. 6:30-7:30 pm--> shower and getting things ready for studying
4. 8-11 pm--> Studying at Starbucks ; LSAT problems, reviewing problems, reading Superprep, worked on 1-2 problems more problems, and took a 15 min break to talk to bf.
5. 11-12 AM--> Dinner
Monday, March 23: Failure!!
All I did was look over my new LSAT books!
Overall, I was pretty frustrated with my first practice LSAT on Saturday, so it was hard to get myself to review all my incorrect answers or answers that I put down just to finish the exam. I won't reveal the score because it would insult the nearest neanderthal, but we'll just say it was below 150. I was happy with the Logic Games section though because 2 of the 4 games was almost all correct save for two incorrect answers. I did the set up for the 3rd game and ran out of time. Now, I know it doesn't seem like much, but I'm more of the small-victories in life sort of girl.
Generally, I was going really slowly. I did notice that I did better when I went slowly and focused.
Tuesday, March 24
I brought my books and things to study but cant decide where to study:
A) Starbucks (successful studying done here, but takes a little gas to get there)
B) Stay after work and hopefully one of the attorneys will stay a little longer so I'm not the last one there (less gas).
C) Go home and hopefully be productive?
Cannot choose... process of elimination... must be true....
***
Steve's Comments
On the days that you're studying, you're studying the right amount each day. That's great!
I'm including it below, followed by a few quick comments.
If you want to be in LSAT Diaries, please email me at LSATUnplugged@gmail.com. (You can be in LSAT Diaries whether you've taken the exam already or not.)
Kathy's LSAT Diary:
Friday, March 13: Endurance and Confidence
My first post will guide me to the top of my current budding ambitions and life. However, I am currently experiencing difficulties in that I haven't even started any part of my career path save for studying the LSAT. This is my first day in logging my LSAT studying, so that I may express frustration, pain, the difficulties, arduousness, and more which will enable me to relieve my worry-stricken heart and mind. I hope to write everyday and will strive for honesty, humility, and maybe some humor because I do love to laugh.
Today has not been so easy in that I came home from work all geared to up to do some good, productive studying. Unfortunately, I got too excited and used up all my energy to do some laundry and grab a little "food" (which was more like junk food). Then proceeded to lie down for about an hour and watch What Not to Wear. However, I am happy to say that I am sitting at the desk that I have been doing the best studying at, and my LSAT prep books are open in front of me. I feel defeated though cause I end up eating dinner with my mom around 8PM, and it is now 7:47PM. Hopefully, after dinner, actual studying could get done.
This defeated feeling also is supported by the fact that everyone I know seems to be in law school already, graduating from law school, or are in the same position as me but are 2-3 years younger than I am with brighter futures than me. I am encouraged by a George Mason Law admission staff member who emphasized to me: Endurance and Confidence. Also, I continue to visualize the feeling of receiving a piece of mail that contains my acceptance into law school. It will be worth it. It just has to. I will write later tonight. Until then, 힘내!
Tuesday, March 17: Struggling on St. Paddy's Day
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Quick run down of what I did yesterday:
1. 9:15-9:40 AM--> Getting ready for work
2. 10-5 PM--> Work
3. 5:30-7 PM--> Mostly TV and snacking
4. 7 -7:45 PM--> worked on Logic Games problem
5. 7:45-8:30 PM--> Nap
6. 8:30-9:30 PM---> Dinner & Cleaning room
7. 9:30-11:30 PM--> 2 Logic Games & review of problems (also planned out study schedule for next few days)
8. 11:30-1:30 PM--> Getting ready for bed: Shower, watching drama
Not very impressive I know. However, I did get all the Logic Games right. The hardest part for me is making inferences after the game is set up. If I get the major inferences in, then answering the questions seem to be a snap. Going to work on some more practice problems tonight. Hopefully, more than 2 this time.
Wednesday, March 18
Yesterday:
1. 9-9:30 AM-->Getting ready for work
2. 10-5 PM--> Working (lalala)
3. 6-7:30 PM-- Logic Games, Searching for more "Easy" Linear Games in PrepTests, Reviewing problems
4. 7:30-9:45 PM--> Met with friends
5. 10-11 PM--> Dinner
6. 11-11:30 PM--> Email, Facebooking, Youtube.
7. 11:30-1 AM--> Did Logic Games drills, planned study schedule
Overall, I did not do a lot of problems that I had hoped, but I learned a lot from the explanations of the problems. It seems that the best strategy for me is to study a few basic problems really hard, and truly comprehend the strategy. Then, find more problems that are similar to those basic set ups that I can practice with.
Today is yet another beautiful, warm day. I'm going to Starbucks, and the plan is to work on some more problems and learn more advanced strategies for Logic Games. The fun just keeps getting better and better.
1. 10-5 PM--> Work, work, work
2. 5:30-6 PM--> Settle myself down with some coffee
3. 6-8:15 PM--> Logic Games
4. 8:30-9 PM--> Dinner
5. 9-9:30 pM--> reworking study plan and cleaning my room
6. 10- really really late--> Let's just say that I was catching up on my korean entertainment (big mistake here)
Thursday, March 19: Too tired to do anything
So tonight looks like I should go elsewhere to study because it's so easy on Friday night to kick back and relax. Trouble is... where? The library closes around 5PM, so maybe Starbucks again because they close around 11 on fridays or elsewhere. At least I get to sleep in a little tomorrow, so I can study somewhat late. And the plan for Saturday is to take my first practice test around noon which has been long overdue probably using the LSAC SuperPrep book my mom got me, at least to start with.
I'm strangely excited about it, but then again, I am a bit strange.
Friday, March 20: Spring is here?
Yesterday was the first day of spring which would make me happy, but all I can think of is the fact that the LSAT is getting closer and I am losing time to study. At work, I was able to bond with my boss and another coworker due to the fact that it was the coworker's birthday.
1. 10-5 PM--> work (didn't really seem like a working day)
2. 5-6 PM--> Happy Hour with the firm
3. 6:30-7:30 pm--> shower and getting things ready for studying
4. 8-11 pm--> Studying at Starbucks ; LSAT problems, reviewing problems, reading Superprep, worked on 1-2 problems more problems, and took a 15 min break to talk to bf.
5. 11-12 AM--> Dinner
Monday, March 23: Failure!!
All I did was look over my new LSAT books!
Overall, I was pretty frustrated with my first practice LSAT on Saturday, so it was hard to get myself to review all my incorrect answers or answers that I put down just to finish the exam. I won't reveal the score because it would insult the nearest neanderthal, but we'll just say it was below 150. I was happy with the Logic Games section though because 2 of the 4 games was almost all correct save for two incorrect answers. I did the set up for the 3rd game and ran out of time. Now, I know it doesn't seem like much, but I'm more of the small-victories in life sort of girl.
Generally, I was going really slowly. I did notice that I did better when I went slowly and focused.
Tuesday, March 24
I brought my books and things to study but cant decide where to study:
A) Starbucks (successful studying done here, but takes a little gas to get there)
B) Stay after work and hopefully one of the attorneys will stay a little longer so I'm not the last one there (less gas).
C) Go home and hopefully be productive?
Cannot choose... process of elimination... must be true....
***
Steve's Comments
On the days that you're studying, you're studying the right amount each day. That's great!
I think blogging is a great idea! In fact, after reading the LSAT blog, near religiously (instead of writing my essay... of course) I have decided to start my own little blog- primary to vent my (anticipated) LSAT frustrations, but also to keep me on track. Its nice to read Kathy's blog, and others like it, because I am far away (Manchester, UK) and feel isolated from the rest of the LSAT writers back home! Its lonely. Its also good to know that someone else is experiencing the same ups and downs too!
ReplyDeleteIn true procrastinator fashion, I need to be extremely excited for something to gain enough motivation to pause the Facebooking and Grey's Anatomy marathons! So while I haven't begun studying yet (for the Sept/09 LSAT) I have set the date- for when I will begin studying, I mean.
Its an event!
Saturday May 02, 2009.
Attendees: Me, Ms. Deborah Bennett and all her logic insight!
I bet you wish you were invited- Its doing to be a blast!
Keep up the studying Kathy :)
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