Book Buying (and Selling) Time

In terms of law textbooks, I’m one of those who buys early and used.  I try to get good used copies, ones that aren’t marked up already because I book brief so colorfully that you could frame these cases.  I know some of my classmates rent their textbooks from lawbooksforless.com and I know others get the older edition of the book and print off the cases that aren’t in the older editions.  One friend told me that there were only four new cases that were different between editions in our property textbook.  I’m lazy so I just get the correct edition.

I’ve always had luck on Amazon.com finding used books.  This time I listed my first year books for sale and bought my fall semester books.  Because our school ends a week or two after the regular semester I always forget to sell my books back in time, not that I would get much anyway.   So I decided to save all my textbooks and list them now as so many first year students have their book lists already.  I think I’ve received about forty percent back of the books’ orginal cost, so not too bad. And I’ve sold all but one book, which I can hopefully sell to a 1L in the spring.

Overall I like buying books.  I like receiving them and seeing what they offer.  I always tell myself that I’ll start my reading early and read slowly.  Of course this never happens.  And of course the day that I pay less than five hundred for textbooks has yet to happen as well.

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Law Review: A Little Late

Everyone who attempted to “write-on” to law review received an e-mail that invitations would be extended the next evening.  That evening came and went for me and I was sad, very sad.  I thought my casenote was well thought out and I knew that my citations weren’t great but we were never taught how to cite using Bluebook.  I called my dear friend Em and asked her if she had heard anything, she had.  She had made not THE journal, but the other one our school has.  I was even more sad.  So I threw a fit and cried.  Yep, you read that correctly, I threw a fit!

Those who went before us were not lying when they said that law school is one tough cookie.  I have never been in such a competitive environment before, one that constantly has you comparing yourself against others without even realizing it.  Em tried to be a good friend, I knew she was unhappy that I wasn’t extended an invite but I still wanted to throw my fit.

So here is my fit:  learning that hard work sometimes doesn’t pay off is a bitch.  Learning that hard work sometimes doesn’t pay off is not an excuse to stop working hard, which is also a bitch in itself.  Learning to let all of this go in such a competitive place is probably the hardest.

But then…I got a phone call inviting me to join the second journal!  AND I WAS ESTATIC!  Although it wasn’t THE journal I wanted it was a journal.  The best part is that I’ll be working with Em and among other good friends.  While the second journal is not particularly of interest to me topic-wise I’ll be doing the same exact work that those who made THE journal will learn and do, and that cheers me up.  🙂

Weekly Giveaway #4

This week I’m starting to giveaway supplements people gave me.  Supplements, for all you 1Ls out there, are books designed to help you understand the rules you pull out of your casebooks.  If you search Amazon or any online bookstore you’ll find hundreds of them.

The thing about supplements is that it’s easy to become overwhelmed by them.  You order them, you see other people using different ones so you order those, you see them and think “I have to find time to read those,” etc.  I know that I felt this way, especially around finals time.

After surviving the first year, I know that I prefer Gilberts over Emmanuels, and Examples and Explanations over both of those.  However, I wish I found more time to read “E & E” as it reads more like a book than other supplements and it has problems for you to work through.

This week I’m giving away “Examples and Explanations: The Law of Torts.”  It’s a second edition, so it’s a tad older but hey, it’s free!

Look for another “E & E” book next week too!

Good luck to everyone!

Weekly Winner #3

Congrats to Brandon whose name my dog picked out of a lineup this week.  He will receive the lovely “Eight Secrets of Top Exam Performance” in the mail once I receive his address.

So Brandon!  Holla at me!  klspixle[at]yahoo[dot]com

Thanks everyone for playing!

Weekly Giveaway #3

This week I’m giving away the book “The Eight Secrets of Top Exam Performance in Law School” by Charles Whitebread.

Here is what you should know about Prof. Whitebread, he was awesome.  While I didn’t have him as a professor I did listen to his criminal law lectures and found him highly entertaining.  His picture also resembles a muppet, and what person wouldn’t adore a muppet!

He unfortunately died last year of lung cancer, but his memory lives on at USC.

I didn’t read this book but I remember no. 634 reading it.  I tried finding his posting on it but was unsuccessful.  It’s a short book though, and claims to give you a “easy-to-use, step-by-step program for achieving great grades!”

Good luck!

Amazon link

Charles Whitebread

Weekly Giveaway Winner #2

Congrats to RosyJen who won last week’s giveaway and will receive the book “How to Survive Law School” in the mail as soon as she e-mails me her address.

klspixel[at]yahoo[dot]com

Also!  There was some confusion surrounding the first giveaway so the dog drew another name and the winner of Legal Reasoning is lawschoolninja!

Thanks everyone for playing last week.

Likes and Dislikes

My summer externship with a Judge:

• like the fact that I can do as little or as much work as I like.
• don’t like the fact that I’m not writing anything, or researching a lot for him.
• like observing court from my computer due to closed circuit viewing.
• don’t like not knowing the acronyms the DAs and PDs use, wait I just used some myself.
• like that I’m meeting lots of people and other interesting judges
• don’t like those who think they’re better than law students, like I’m a threat in any way, if anything I’m pretty naive.
• like the special badge that makes me feel important.  Hey, I can go through doors!
• don’t like bringing my lunch everyday because court is in the middle of nowhere
• like that my Judge jokes a lot with me and is going to allow me to work through the fall and over winter break
• don’t like that I’m really not learning as much as I thought I would

Overall, I would recommend an externship if it’s your only option.  You really have to take control of it, make it your own, and create opportunities for yourself to make it worthwhile.  Actually, a lot of law school is creating opportunities for yourself and going after what you want.  Just do it!  You know you want to!

And, as I haven’t heard from the weekly winner #1 Kate, if I don’t hear from her before Sunday I’ll draw another name from those who entered!

Weekly Giveaway #2

This week’s giveaway is the book “How to Succeed in Law School.”* It’s an older edition, 3rd, and was one of J’s books when he decided to go to law school. If you’re new to this, check out the rules here.

The book covers exam taking, how to brief a case, what to expect your first year, how to avoid first year pitfalls, and waht to expect after your first year of law school.  It also includes some sample torts questions to practice.

I hope everyone has a great week! 🙂

*Amazon link

Weekly Giveaway #1 Winner

Congratulations to Kate!  She is the winner this week and will receive the book Learning Legal Reasoning: Briefing, Analysis, and Theory.

Kate!  Please e-mail me your mailing address.  (klspixel [at] yahoo [dot] com)

Thanks to everyone for entering!

Do your professors support Sotomayor’s nomination?

I’m happy to report that several of my professors support her nomination.  Just another indicator that I chose an awesome law school.

How about yours?