The first few days...

I started classes this week! 

There haven't been any "horror" stories yet, but you can tell that the professors think that our "one L fear" is funny. My very first class was in contracts - yuck! It was really loud in the classroom before class started, and when the professor walked in it got SILENT immediately. Apparently the professor thought it was humorous, so he just walked to the front of the room and didn't say anything for a couple minutes. When he finally talked he said, "I just wanted to see how long the silence would last. That is the first and last time you will ever get silent just because I walk in the room." 

One of my professors just walked in the room and, after writing on 4 boards without saying a word, turned around and said, "Where is Mr. Smith." We all felt a little terrified right then! 

In most of my classes we are allowed to "pass" if we get called on and don't know the answer/aren't prepared. I've learned, though, that it's a much better idea to be wrong than not be prepared. In contracts I am allowed to e-mail the professor up to 4 times and tell him that I will not be prepared in class that day - and he won't call on me. BUT if I do that, I will be counted absent for the day. That sounds bad, but I've heard much worse ... apparently one professor gives the class as a whole one "pass." That means that one person in the class can "pass" on a question for the entire year. Once that pass is taken no one else is allowed to pass without having their grade reduced! 

I have answered questions in 3 of my classes so far, and I have gotten it right every time so far! Now that I've answered some questions I'm not as nervous about getting called on. 

The funniest thing about this week was the seating chart. Yes, you read that right. I got to every class an hour early for the first 3 days this week, and most of the time the first 2-3 rows were already filled. In one of my classes people went to sit 2 hours before class started just to get a good seat on the seating chart! I have a seat on row 2-3 in all of my classes except one. 

Law school isn't as "hard" as I thought it would be yet, but it is very time consuming. That's not to say that it's EASY, but better than I expected. One night this week it took me about an hour and a half to read 4 pages!! But overall, I really love my classes and most of it is interesting! 

Also, my locker mate hasn't showed up yet, which is awesome! I might end up getting the whole locker to myself! 

During orientation we were warned not to be the student who always talks in class and always wants to answer the teacher's questions. Well, my section has already identified one of its annoying students. Of course this student is on the front row and center in EVERY class - and before contracts on the first day he turned around to the other students and said, (showing his computer) "This is how I take my notes. I suggest you do the same." :)

On Friday I am going to a party in Hollywood that the Pepperdine Law Student Bar Association has put together. It's called the "I survived the first week of law school" party! Then on Saturday morning I'm heading to Pasadena with the Christian Legal Society for a retreat since we have Labor Day off!