In an ideal world, there wouldn’t be exams – much less winter exams. I would spend December going to swanky parties, watching old movies, skiing, and drinking nog and rum by the fire. However, this is the hand we’ve been dealt, so allow me to offer a few recommendations to make the season more enjoyable for everyone.
Things we need more of:
- Stress baking. Some people seem to find slaving away in a kitchen relaxing, and then go on to share the fruits of their labour with the entire library. Bless their souls.
- Online shopping. No I don’t mean for Christmas. I mean for yourself, because you’re working hard, damn it, and you deserve a little package at the end of this grind. Make sure to act surprised when it arrives!
- Reading room. We’re starting to get pretty up close and personal in Birge. Maybe add a second floor? How hard could that be, right? If there’s one thing the faculty’s adept at, it’s construction projects.
- Friends. A pint at the end of a long day of studying or just a fancy sbux date has an unbelievable effect on morale. And in retrospect it will probably be your fondest memory from the entire month. Trust me, it is worth the time you spend not studying. “The better part of one’s life consists of his friendships…” Abe Lincoln said that, and he was a SICK lawyer.
- Free coffee in the student lounge. Come on, admin! Harvard does it – you want them to be better than us? Top notch profs is one thing, but if you really want to make it in the big ivy leagues you have got to be handing out that free java.
Things we could do without:
- Status updates from fellow students, law or non-law, who are ~*~ DONE!!!!~*~ whoo let the #holidayz begin!!! #drinking #celebrate #goodtimes #godie
- Examsoft meltdowns. Who could forget the infamous property exam crisis of spring 2013. As if exams weren’t enough of an exercise in psychological torture. This year it would be wonderful if no class had to sit in the exam room for an hour before the software decided to work properly.
- Taking the subway home, after burning the midnight oil at the library, with happy drunk people. The real world generally has fun in December (except for maybe securities lawyers) and it hurts when they rub it in your face. I recall one particularly painful experience last year – after a long evening of trying to understand how a unilateral contract was even remotely legit, I was caught in the middle of a santa claus pub crawl for four stops. And those bastards wouldn’t stop singing.
- Free energy drinks. I’m not sure who the shameless promoters were that came to Bora last year at some ungodly hour and started handing out the most disgusting energy drinks ever manufactured, but they shouldn’t be allowed near law students in December. We’ll put anything in our bodies when we’re in the throes of exams.
- The persistent hum of fluorescent lighting in the reading room. It’s akin to Chinese water torture. I don’t know if it’s one or all of them, but for the sake of our sanity I hope the noise stops. A basket of ear plugs at the entrance might be a good option.
Best of luck to all of you, my fellow comrades. And remember – this too shall pass. See you for nog and rum on the 19th!
