For many generations of law graduates, the summer post-graduation has been viewed as a time of agony. Long hours spent in libraries, fighting for study rooms, rote memorization, and preparing for the bar exam in late July. Although many young adults are enjoying warm summer nights, afternoon barbecues, and days at the beach, law graduates have found a way to make the most out of their summer while preparing for the rest of their lives.
Law graduates are now renting beach condos, having bar review sessions live-streamed to a vacation area, such as Thailand or Greece, and even listening to lessons via headphones while taking a flight to a vacation destination. Sitting on the beach while reading over bar exam material is much more appealing (and stress-relieving) than sitting in a small, fluorescent-lit room for hours.
Recent NYU Law graduate, Casey Pearlman and her boyfriend booked a trip to Negril, Jamaica for 3 weeks, and turned it onto a study center. Studying would begin at 9am, hovering over books, iPads, study materials and coffee. Around lunch time, they would take a break and bike ride around the town. The biggest challenge was finding a quiet spot to study on the beach, away from noisy tourists.
The two and a half months of summer anticipating the bar exam can be extremely stressful. Spending hours and hours studying for the exam is not healthy and can even hinder one’s progress in studying. With more bar exam prep courses online, students are able to take the lessons with them wherever they go, whether its their own backyard or on the beaches of Phuket.
Studying in a vacation area is a way for law graduates to get over the feeling of being left out from the summer fun their peers around them are having. Whether you are studying at home or abroad, it is important to remember to not let the stress from the bar exam overwhelm you.