Wednesday, August 30, 2006

This Won't Hurt One Bit...

Ever notice how people only say that right before they do something painful to you? Like give you a shot or rip off a band aid. It always hurts.

But today at least, my first day of class, didn't hurt. I went to three classes, I understood both the readings and the lectures, the lectures confirmed that I got what I was supposed to out of the readings, and the answers I muttered under my breath when questions were asked (still too timid to volunteer) were generally pretty on-target.

So that's a relief. And, in a comic sidenote for the day, the gunner extraordinaire was forced in Con Law to sit next to an even BIGGER gunner. And so whenever he raised his hand, she also raised hers, and then when the prof looked over to let him speak, she would think the professor was talking to her and would say her useless gunner comment instead. The frustration and annoyance on his face was priceless.

Labels: ,

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

I got booed!

Today, while having lunch with our sections and faculty advisors, we had to do the obligatory go around the room and say your name and your undergrad school. When I said mine, my faculty advisor (who also happens to be my torts professor) led the entire section in BOOING me.

Seriously?!

Note to UT fans: when you win a national championship in something, the other team is aware of it. We lost. We get it. Your constant need to rub it in, is just, well, mean.

I'm a freaking 1L for god's sake, my nerves are already shot, was getting booed on my second day of law school really necessary? I mean, hell, I could kind of understand if someone from UT got booed at USC's orientation. But you won! Why the hell am I getting booed?

And I freaking know I'll probably be the one called on first in torts now. Greeeeaattt.

Labels: ,

Monday, August 28, 2006

Boy, do I feel oriented.

When asked on the myspace group page to describe our thoughts regarding orientation in two words, the following responses were given:
-Mind Numbing
-Completely Useless
-Sleep Inducing
-Repetitive. Repetitive.

Plus, we still have another day of it to sit through.

And, as Ruth has also noted, Wings&Vodka’s sign off is very bittersweet for us loyal fans. He was the one that made me want to start writing this blog in the first place. Best of luck to you, W&V, the UT blawg world just won't be the same without ya.

Labels: ,

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Dream, dream, dream

Time: Sometime after 3 am and before 8 am
Place: My bedroom
Action: First law school freak-out

I had a dream last night that I showed up to law school on my first day and had done none of the reading. I went to Property, and was forced to sit in the front row, so I was sure I would be called on. Worse yet, no one had a copy of the reading I could borrow. Somehow, I managed to avert public embarassment, and tried to go to the law library during a break between my classes to do the reading for Torts. But they had removed the law library and replaced it with a cafeteria that only served frito pie. Heaping, smelly piles of frito pie.

Orientation starts tomorrow.

Labels: , ,

Friday, August 25, 2006

Party!

EDIT 10/7/06: The party referred to in the following post is NOT the now infamous "ghetto fabulous" party. My stat counter showed me that a lot of people have been searcing for that party and landing here instead. The party listed herein happened prior to classes even starting, and the most scandalous event that happened at it was someone puking and someone else having a fight with their boyfriend. I wasn't at the ghetto party, and I wouldn't be posting about it if I had been.

-----
Step 1: Combine 100 or so fairly attractive people in their mid-twenties who will all be forced to spend nearly every waking hour together over the next nine months.
Step 2: Add copious amounts of alcohol, including cheap beer, shots of weird European liquers, jello shot mush, and rum.
Step 3: Enjoy!

The 1L's had a party last night. Drunkeness abounded. Pictures were apparently taken. Future political careers were ruined. People came alone but went home together. Drama was had. Rumors were started. Hangovers resulted.

All in all, a nice little Thursday night. Is the rest of UT law ready for the alcoholics in their class of 2009? Let's hope so. Three days until orientation.

Labels: ,

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Technical Question

So, I've noticed that sometimes areas on my sidbar dissapear. Then if you scroll your mouse over them, they come back. (And no, the problem is not that one of my link colors is the same as the background, it's the entire sidebar, even non-links)

Does anyone know how to fix this? I've noticed it before on a few other blogspot-powered blogs. While it's not really a problem, it's just kinda annoying.

In other news, all my first week assignments were posted. Haven't looked at them yet, but in volume of page numbers alone, nothing too scary, about 15-20 pages per class. Let's hope it stays that way!

Labels: ,

Friday, August 18, 2006

Snakes on a Plane and the Law

Tonight, like any other warm-blooded American should have, I went out to see Snakes on a Plane. Of course, I happened to see it at the Alamo Drafthouse, which means I didn't just see the movie. I also was entertained by redneck snakehandlers before the show.

Because my friends and I only got there thirty minutes prior to showtime, we were forced to sit in the neck-constricting front row. This also meant we were less than five feet from the snake demonstration. So while the rest of the audience could observe Gomer and Goober's show from a distance, I actually had to deal with the motherfucking snakes in the motherfucking theater. (He had five different snakes, all of which could kill a person.)

And that's when I realized how the law has already infected my brain. My only consoling thought through the whole "snakehandling demonstration" was how many parties I could sue and for how much, should one of those snakes bite me. What the difference would be if I was killed or just injured. Whether I could make the city of Austin or state of Texas a party. This line of thought continued throughout the movie.

I hear my torts professor is a very comical guy. If he ever creates a Snakes on the Plane hypo, I will become his disciple. No really.

Labels:

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

I'm already annoyed...

...at this gunner-in-training. When someone asked if anyone had gotten their books from the co-op yet, he responded:

"You mean you've not read the introductory sections of each of your books yet, as well as memorized the first 5 cases? Uh oh.

I'm glad I went in and got mine, as being able to actually start reading in some of my casebooks is a nice relief. It has helped prevent me from imagining that the courses are going to be some impossibly difficult thing. Unfortunately, it has also confirmed to me that I won't be able to just read through the required reading once and be done with it."

Then, when everyone professed their hatred for him, he responded with this:

"The only restraint I've been exercising about reading the books is that I don't want to read too far in and get stuck with a lot of misconceptions on the material."

Earlier this month, in regards to someone mentioning the socratic method, he said this:

"I don't mind the Socratic Method at all. I'd love to get called on in class every day. Of course, I like to hear myself talk. I will dread when the teacher calls on the dumb student who didn't read the material the night before and also has a stuttering problem. I hope to never sound remotely close to that type of student. I also hope we don't have any in the class."

I've more or less liked everyone in the law school class that I've met so far. But I think this guy is gonna make me want to commit an intentional tort, and I don't mean trespass. And yes, he's in my section.

Labels:

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Totally Ripped, Man

So I'm trying to figure out what I am going to do about exercise once classes start. Since I am pretty much the antithesis of a morning person, I've been preferring to jog or hike or kayak between 10-12ish for most of the summer. But, now I'll have class during that time and, as we all know it's way too freaking hot in Texas to even venture outside for more than five minutes during the afternoon, that leaves me in a small quandry.

I could suck it up, get up around 6:30 or so every day, go jogging, and be in an eternally bad mood.

I could attempt to use the UT gym in the early afternoon when my classes are done for the day, but I hear it's generally really crowded and you have to wait for machines.

I could hope the sheer stress of the first year alone keeps me in shape.

I could attempt to ride a pogo stick to the law school as my form of exercise. (We've gotta get these motherfucking law students off these motherfucking pogo sticks! But I digress...)

Or---and here's the one that I'm leaning to---I could buy a used exercise machine and put it in my second bedroom. Then I wouldn't have to wake up as early to use it, it's convenient, and it's mine. I'm thinking about a rowing machine, but that begs the question:

Chicks with arms like Madonna's- yay or nay?

Labels:

Saturday, August 12, 2006

Ode to my classmates

I've been getting several messages lately asking what the 1L class is like this year. While I find these messages silly, (how should I know? I don't exactly have experience with previous 1L students to compare it to...) there have been a few types of characters that seem to appear over and over again at happy hours. So here's what I've noticed based on the 50 or so people I've met so far. A few I'm linking directly from Barely Legal blog, cause he's already said it so well.

1. The girl with the boyfriend. She's hot, she's friendly, she's fantastic: except she moved here with her boyfriend, so guys, you're not getting any. If law school is anything like undergrad, about 3/4 of these girls will be single by November, but for now she's just a frustration to the guys in the class. We have several of these that have shown up to happy hours so far, I'm counting about 8-10.

2. The politican. He knows everyone around town and likes to drop names to prove it. He's charming, he's good looking, but you just kind of get the idea he's trouble. We have three of these so far.

3. The frat boy. We've got about five of these so far.

4. The oddball. He or she makes everyone wonder: you? law school? really? Because it seems that they would be much better suited writing slam poetry or saving the whales or basically anything other than the suit and tie world of law. Whether it's their odd political bent or just the weird things they say at awkward times, everyone likes these people, largely in part because they aren't cookie cutters. We have about three of these so far.

5. The Old Guy. We have at least 3 of these so far.

The rest don't fit into any clear-cut mold, but just seem like fairly normal well-adjusted people in their mid-twenties. (Though what completely well-adjusted person goes to law school, I have no idea.)

Labels: ,

Friday, August 11, 2006

T Minus Two Weeks and Counting

Orientation is two weeks away. That means all the final little preparations have started. I went and bought highlighters and stuff yesterday. I ordered my books. I found the quickest route from my house to campus. I've scoped the thai food places around the law school (Thai food is my favorite study food, but the two places by campus suck...actually, every thai place in Austin sucks, so I guess compared to their competition they're on par). Aside from what I consider a normal amount of nervousness, I'm ready to get this show on the road.

I'm even tired of drinking every night of the week. If I'm not ready now, I never will be.

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Even Stevens

Anyone remember that Seinfeld episode where Jerry realizes that everything around him always pretty much evens out? I feel like that a lot.

Last night, thought about e-mailing my mentor to ask her a question. Today, mentor calls to answer questions. Yesterday, thought I lost the garage card that gets me into Manor garage. Today, found out my request to transfer into the San Jacinto garage (which is right next to the law school) was granted! Yesterday, vowed to clean my house. Today.....um....still working on that one.

Now, if my grades in law school will just follow this pattern, I think I'll really have something!

Labels:

Monday, August 07, 2006

Cute as a button. A bruised, chipmunk-cheeked button.

So today, after a week of lying around doing nothing letting my wisdom teeth heal, I decided to be productive. So I went to campus to go pick up my UT id card. Or so I thought.

You see, UT had us send in passport photos earlier this summer, which they called "identification photos." Perhaps because the word "identification" was used, or perhaps because it was the process for getting your id card at my undergrad, I simply assumed that this picture would be put on our id cards, and that we could go swing by and pick them up whenever we wanted.

So I go to the id card office, and ask for my id card. Only to find out that what I sent in is a separate law school identification picture, and I have to take a picture then and there for my UT id card. Goody.

You see, I still have bruising and swelling from getting the wisdom teeth out. And, I hadn't washed my hair that morning and had it pulled back in a ponytail. Needless to say, my ID picture: not so cute. I suppose I can always hope I lose it.

Labels:

Saturday, August 05, 2006

Spring Cleaning

Ok, so I know it's a little late for spring cleaning, but hey, I like to procrastinate, and besides, I'm talking about clearing out my head, not my closet. I've got lots of thoughts/musings/questions floating around up there, so I figure I'll just write a long blog and throw it all out there. I mean, I got 11 comments on that last post, so I know you people are out there. Answer my questions and help a 0L out.


Who do ya Gotta Sleep With Around Here to Get an Outline?
So, wise 2L's and 3L's that read my blog, now that I've got my schedule, how do I go about getting outlines from upperclassmen? Is there an etiquette to this practice? How do you know who had the same professors the year before? And, as I know it's generally not a good idea to ask someone what their grade in a class was flat out, how do you know you are getting an outline from someone that isn't a moron? Do you just only ask people on Law Review or something?

Lock me up
I reserved my locker in the law school the other day. I got a combination lock, because I have this tendency to lose things, like keys. I fail to understand why they possibly need to cost $45, but I am pleased with the possibility of taping a New Kids on the Block or Saved by the Bell poster on the inside. Also, when I was in high school, the cheerleaders (yes, I was a cheerleader...) would decorate the football player's lockers before games. Do they do that here for moot court competitons or anything? Cause I really think they should. Gooooooooo oral advocacy!

Drunkest Section Ever!
In a somewhat comical twist, they put me and the other 0L "social chair" responsible for planning all the summer happy hours in the same section and group. I think our plot will be to plan unmissable social events for the rest of our section, then stay home and study on our own in a twisted effort to beat the curve.

Hornbooks and Outlines and Briefs, oh my!
So I'm toying with the idea of ordering the examples and explinations series and the Gilbert's outlines for my classes. Good idea, bad idea, or indifferent? And what about LEEWS?

I suppose that's all for now. We have another happy hour tonight, so more deatils to follow on that.

Labels: ,

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Full Steam Ahead

I got my schedule today! And I got damn near everything I wanted!

Con Law, Property, Torts in small section, LR&W!
No classes before 9:30 am or after 1:40 pm!
No classes on Fridays!

Ok. Let me take a breath. Now I will chill with the exclamation points.

In an effort to preserve some shred of anonymity, I won't post my society info, also because it has now dissapeared from the Freshlaw page like they maybe don't want us to find that yet. Don't they know we have nothing better to do all day than reload our freshlaw server?

I've heard good things about the torts professor I've got, haven't heard anything about the others. Also, what the hell is a "Teaching Quizmaster?" Apparently the term TA is beneath law school. Sounds like they should wear long pointy hats made out of purple velour with celestial objects painted on them. Maybe I can just convince mine to do that.

All in all, a good day.

EDIT: I hit refresh, and now I have a class on Friday. Not till 10:30, but still, booooooo!

Labels: ,

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Very wise

So I got my wisdom teeth out yesterday. Does getting them out mean you are more wise or less wise? Anyways, they only mildly hurt like hell, and I'm only mildly abusing Vicodin like a politician.

Today, being August 1st, means that they should have posted our society and class schedule info on freshlaw. But they didn't. Or at least, they haven't yet. If I could hand-pick my first semester schedule, I would want some combo of Contracts, Property, Crim or Torts, with Contracts or Property being in small sections and no classes on Friday before noon. That is my wish, let's see if any part of it may come true whenever they get around to actually posting our info.

Labels: