[Serious] Law students, do you have a life?

[izzy88]

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ok so i didn't really answer the question. But as it has been said, it depends on the student as to how much time law will take them- and time is not necessarily reflected in results. I have a friend who works heaps and doesn't seem to do as well as the amount of work they put in. On the other hand, i'm sure you'll get people that don't put in as much work in and do well (although more unlikely probably).

I work about 16 hrs a week (sometimes more, sometimes less) but i still manage to have a life. I'm not really into going out and partying all the time- but i still go to the movies, hang out with friends etc I also live at college though- so that can make socialising relatively easy as well- just walk out of my room and there are other people to hang out with/chat to- and i don't have to worry about travelling time to and from uni!

with law what tends to take me the most time is the reading- sometimes there's tonnes and sometimes there isn't. And when i learn (and re-learn every semester!) that i don't need to read the textbook, only the reader, it gets a bit better. Except when we hit almost exam time and i realise i have no notes. It won't be a very social couple of weeks in the near future. but it always tends to work out well, and i (generally) have a balance. It seems to work out for me and i tend to average Ds-HDs for my subjects.

But remember, in undergrad at least, you generally have only 3 law subjects a year for the first three years of your undergrad degree (at sydney at least, but its similar in most combined degrees for the first three/four years that you do your undergrad degree) One law subject one semester and two the next. There are three/two other subjects which can take up your time just as much/if not more than your law subject (i have a pre-honours arts subject this semester with a hell of a lot of reading and a really small seminar class every week which seems to be taking more time than law atm).

[jellyback]

melsc: Sorry, my last reply was primarily directed at "Kalashnikov47", who I felt was ranting off-topic, and I should have specified so. Sorry!

In fact, most of your earlier replies answered my question one way or another, and helped me get a better understanding of Law.

I also know the "difficulty" of managing Law differs from individuals to individuals, but I appreciate hearing how everyone balances their studies with life - which many of you have already answered in certain depth, thanks!

[misericordia]

i don't have a life apart from half a day per week that i spend not studying, but i'm sure everyone's different. i'm just inefficient.

[simonloo]

isn't this thread a whole generalisation on med/law/engo/science?

[melsc]

Originally Posted by simonloo

isn't this thread a whole generalisation on med/law/engo/science?

How can it be a generalisation on law if we all study it?

[MichaelJackson2]

well clearly we don't have a life considering there are now close to #40 posts on the topic of whether law students have a life.

QED.

[TehAzner]

Personally I think Law is just like any other subject. It's hard at first but then you get used to it. Every subject has massive weekly readings; engineering, commerce (accounting/finance), medicine, arts (philosophy) and etc. The main reason why I think people say that Law students don't have a life is probably because of the high UAI cut-offs (USYD/UNSW) and also the broad topics within the subject such as Contracts, Public Law, Federal Constitutional Law. The general perception of law students being the only ones immersed in a whole sea of readings just doesn't click with me. Sure there may be loads of cases to read, but take Accounting for example, you will come across the AASB Regulations and I assure you, they are almost as hectic as any law reading you will come across. Almost every university subject requires loads of reading/homework preparation, and thus I disagree that Law students don't have a social life at all.

The main thing is to stay on top of things. Don't go to lectures/seminars not having read the assigned readings. Also make sure you prepare notes before the semester finishes, it'll save you loads of time during STUVAC. It's your loss and when it comes to exam time you'll get epic gg'd. With basically every subject, you can have a life, it just comes down to the individual's organisational/time management skills.

[Cookie182]

Originally Posted by TehAzner

Personally I think Law is just like any other subject. It's hard at first but then you get used to it. Every subject has massive weekly readings; engineering, commerce (accounting/finance), medicine, arts (philosophy) and etc. The main reason why I think people say that Law students don't have a life is probably because of the high UAI cut-offs (USYD/UNSW) and also the broad topics within the subject such as Contracts, Public Law, Federal Constitutional Law. The general perception of law students being the only ones immersed in a whole sea of readings just doesn't click with me. Sure there may be loads of cases to read, but take Accounting for example, you will come across the AASB Regulations and I assure you, they are almost as hectic as any law reading you will come across. Almost every university subject requires loads of reading/homework preparation, and thus I disagree that Law students don't have a social life at all.

The main thing is to stay on top of things. Don't go to lectures/seminars not having read the assigned readings. Also make sure you prepare notes before the semester finishes, it'll save you loads of time during STUVAC. It's your loss and when it comes to exam time you'll get epic gg'd. With basically every subject, you can have a life, it just comes down to the individual's organisational/time management skills.

Yeah agreed, I'm finding second yr accounting (where your expected to not only read and understand each specific standard per topic) basically the same as Law, just with numbers...

In fact, accounting could be said to be a quantitative branch of the law itself.

[tommykins]

Originally Posted by Kalashnikov47

Honestly, law school is not easy. However neither it is as horrible as it is said to be by many people nor do the law students have "no life" like people say. If you are one of those postgrads or some other random idiots at UWS you probably find law school incredibly hard, but this is certainly not what I found after spending a couple of months in a law school. Those who say "law students have no life" because they envy our achievements and the very fact that we are all smart.

hahahaha 'our' achievements? what have you achieved you stupid first year?

damn, i'm a first year and it sickens me seeing all these other first years be all high and mighty because they're in uni, doing a 'prestigous' degree.

get over yourself.

[Strawbaby]

When you top a subject, become an editor of a Review or win the Jessup or WTO Moot, only then do you get to claim enviable achievements.

[hannahxxx]

Originally Posted by neo o

The University of Sydney has a rule that as a MINIMUM 40% of students must get high distinctions and distinctions combined

What a load of BS, I don't believe that for a second.

[ninjapuppet]

I finished law semester 2006, and here were the results from my year.

http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/lpab/ll_lpab.nsf/vwFiles/Pass%20Fail%20stats%20Sept%202006.pdf/$file/Pass%20Fail%20stats%20Sept%202006.pdf

Average of 11.57% students got a pass with distinctions (PD) overall. note contracts vs conflict of laws.

Regarding the original question:
Grades are very important in law due to the immense competition early in your career. However, in first year I volunteered at McClellands lawyers as a paralegal, and saw 20+ new grads applying for 3 jobs, all generally of the D/HD calibre.

The boss told me that if there are 2 students to choose from, he would choose the one that showed evidence of studying most efficiently, to handle work pressure. ie,
student 1 gets D average, does heaps of activities outside study, sports, interacting with society, knitting groups, paralegal work blah blah blah,

student 2 - HD average nerd with no life experiences. spends all her time studying studying studying, focussing on grades, forgetting everything else.
who do you think would be the better candidate?
If you are straight from yr 12 with no outside activities, do some no-name/online law degree, scrape by a pass throughout: I suggest you take up some hobbies and interact more with society to make up for the shortfall.

[dog on heat]

the typical law student

[Strawbaby]

Originally Posted by ninjapuppet

student 2 - HD average nerd with no life experiences. spends all her time studying studying studying, focussing on grades, forgetting everything else.
who do you think would be the better candidate?
If you are straight from yr 12 with no outside activities, do some no-name/online law degree, scrape by a pass throughout: I suggest you take up some hobbies and interact more with society to make up for the shortfall.

What does student 2 do in her holidays, though?

[neo o]

Originally Posted by hannahxxx

What a load of BS, I don't believe that for a second.

I suppose linked SULS documents with statements by the faculty aren't good enough for you? Just keep telling yourself that your credit average is good.