National Jurist - February 2008 - (Page 46) OFFTHEBENCH Vacuuming — a law student’s best exercise! It’ll take more than mere exercise to stay in shape for those long nights of study ou’re in law school now, but some things haven’t changed since college. After cite-checking those 400 footnotes, you’ve forgotten that caffeine is not a basic food group. After logging in eight hours of research on Westlaw for your new clerkship and another hour on Lexis-Nexis for the class memo, lifting that happy-hour margarita with recruiting partners may be the only exercise you’re able to get. Let’s be honest: Law school is preparing you to be a durable lawyer, but it sure isn’t training you to be the model of good health. So, to help you preserve that stunning body by Julie Chen and sexy mind for a fruitful life before judge and jury, I offer to you some shortcuts that helped me stay intact through my first year. Lesson 1: Learn the skill of power-napping at any given time or place. But, uhh, try not to do it during Civil Procedure or Secured Credit; you just might regret it. Otherwise, graduating 3Ls know what napping entails. The trick to maintaining sanity, kids, is over there beneath that tree. See? And over there, that limp body draped over the couch in the student lounge? And that lump beneath the jacket in the couch in the library? Even that curled-up ball of matter passed out on the grass in the courtyard? They might have just had their first mock inter view. But most likely they’re just smart cats grabbing a little shut-eye. Other public places known to be suitable for a light snooze: the campus shuttle (if you can ignore the swerving and the abrupt stops), video rooms at the library (where you can easily lower the volume to nil), the bench at the bus stop (if you have the ability to nap upright), empty classrooms (as long as you know when to leave) and, even the cafeteria (just try not to drool). However you can squeeze in the sleep, get it. It’s cheaper than that $5 cup of coffee. Lesson 2: Stay active, and that isn’t in reference to scoring on a first date. Exercise, as you know, does wonders for the psyche and memory. Your stress level will drop faster than your gradepoint average ever will. Promise. But, if you don’t want to fight the air pollution, here’s another way to increase the heart rate. Ready? Set? Clean! Yes, I actually said clean, defined as an adjective by Webster’s Dictionary as “free of dirt, germs, impurities, etc.” The verb form meaning to make clean. Really, no joke. Going all out on cleaning up your college crib — scrubbing the blinds, vacuuming, ironing, organizing — will make you sweat. As funny as it sounds, cleaning will do your body good (almost better than milk), make your mama proud and might prevent your roommate from plotting your demise. And finally, Lesson 3: Accept the fact that you’re getting older and that mental notes cannot be relied on. Unless you’re the robotic department’s top-secret project, realize that you’re probably already overloading your long-term and shortterm memories. (Heaven knows preparing for my closed-book evidence exam has already short-circuited much of mine.) Don’t add to your stress by making a million mental notes. Having said that, introduce yourself to Postit notes, perhaps the world’s most perfect pets. Apartments waive their residence fees, they travel conveniently, they’ll never abandon you. Stick them on the fridge. Slap them onto your planner. Post them on your outlines. Their resurgence on campus has proven their effectiveness and popularity, so don’t get left out on this one. Those little things will save your buns, especially when on-campus interviews roll around. Wouldn’t want to leave out one of the partners when sending your resume to Everyman Smith Jones Black White & Everyday, LLP, would you? There, it’s not much, but it’s a beginning to a healthier mind and body while in law school. At least, you will have the physical and mental resilience to afford celebrating graduation in the pre-law school fashion: bottoms up! Julie Chen is a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law Got something funny to say? E-mail Jack@CypressMagazines.com 46 | THE NATIONAL JURIST | February 2008
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.