I’m Just A Girl On A Mission

— july 2018 — ramen page :з

In Legally Blonde, Elle says the famous words, “what, like it’s hard?”

It’s become some sort of a mantra for female students applying to and starting law school. As kickass as this moment was in the movie, however, there’s something very important to note here.

She says these words in reference to getting into law school, not actually attending law school, which, as you recall, she immediately struggles with.

Getting into law school is deceptively simple. There are no prerequisites. Elle’s undergrad had nothing to do with law, or anything even in the humanities. Her focus was in fashion.

All it takes to get into a law school is to have gone through undergrad and to have taken the LSAT. There is no “passing” score on the LSAT, and you will be able to find a law school that accepts you somewhere in the USA if you have taken it at all. It won’t be a good law school, but it will be a law school.

Getting into a good law school, like Harvard, requires a good GPA and LSAT score. If you have a 3.9 GPA and 175+ LSAT, you’re almost guaranteed to get into Harvard Law. 

I will not downplay what an impressive feat this is, but you still need to realize that both a high undergrad GPA and a high LSAT score are things that to some, come easily. We all know those kids in college who got straight A’s without trying, and kids who did well on standardized tests (like the SAT) without really trying.

Elle had a 4.0 GPA (so yes, she’s smart), and yes she struggled with increasing her LSAT practice score but she still got a 179 (a score I actually never heard of in real life) on the first try. Meaning, she’s a great test taker. 

This has very little to do with how one feels while in law school.

At most law schools, you do not have any exams until the finals. Instead you are expected to only keep taking in information, without being tested on them in any formal manner, and you need to do this in ridiculous volume and speed. You need to be reading cases for 4, 5 classes that all meet nearly everyday, and retaining all this information. It’s not easy. It’s not designed to be easy. 

The film made this as clear as it could. Elle’s struggles with getting into Harvard were not even half the battle. It was a cute, fun montage of her studying for the LSAT and putting together a video essay. Once law school starts, she initially crashes and burns, in more ways than one. And then she realizes she really needs to get her shit together.

It can be very discouraging for these hopeful Elle Woodses to start law school and then realize how difficult it is in comparison to everything they’ve done before. But it’s important to remember that their heroine, Elle Woods, struggled, too. You can do it. You can get through it. Just remember:

● Seize time opportunities. If I have 15 minutes until your next class, I sit down and do homework in the hallway. If I have a long commute, I’ll do flashcards. This works because you most likely won’t have anything else to do anyways, so it’s easier to get your work done.

● Start something. When I get a lab report assignment, the first thing I do is pull up the directions and at least start the cover page and pull up some research links. It takes 5 minutes but it gets the ball rolling and makes it more likely that you’ll finish what you started.

● Auto-mode. When I procrastinating, it’s usually because I’m too busy thinking about what I’m going to do. Instead, I like to pretend I’m in “auto-mode” and just get started as fast as I can. auto-mode means shutting out distracting thoughts or pleas to watch one more funny cat video and forcing your hands to open your textbook. Works every time.

● Personally, creating time schedules don’t work for me because if I fall out of time, the whole schedule falls apart and I usually give up. Instead I use time games. I’ll tell myself something like “work as hard as you can until 11:00 sharp and if you finish, you can have a break”. This is great for developing self discipline because it’s in the moment so you can be more realistic and flexible.

● I don’t like writing down earlier due dates in my planner because it’s confusing so instead, it’s good to have some sort of mental rule. for example, my mental rule is to finish everything at least two days before the due date. following through with that will keep you on track.

● Do a little bit every day. If you have a big project, chip at it within a week rather than stressing out 2 days before it’s due. the same goes for studying for an exam. if you review lecture notes and attend office hours after class + work on flashcards throughout the week, then do a final review at the end, you’ll be well prepared and won’t need to cram. It’s a good habit and you won’t get stressed. Two birds with one stone.

● Use mornings too. I’m not really an early bird, but using mornings to get some work / chores done is great because it gives you a productive start to the day, which makes you feel proud of yourself for knocking out half of your tasks in the a.m. 

a. Lay out your lecture notes / worksheets on the table the night before and open your work tabs on your computer so they’ll be the first thing you see when you turn on your computer.

b. Put your computer far away from your work space and go to sleep.

c. When you wake up, the first thing that you’ll see is your ‘paper’ work, so get it done first. then start on your ‘screen’ work (you’ll be less likely to get distracted if you do your ‘paper’ work first). when you open your laptop the first thing you’ll see are the work tabs you opened the night before. Your job is to go on auto-mode and get started.

overview of week 3 & 4 spreads ✨ 

11.11.18 // 3:42

Woo I finally took the time to upload a bunch of studyspo photos from my phone to my computer which doesn’t take a long time but hopefully that means I will consistently post for a while we’ll see :))

Some people are God gifted they have a sharp mind, wonderful memory and jaw dropping creativity. Everyone is not productive and creative. Some people are genius but they need some special guide lines to become creative and more productive. Now we will define that what is productivity? “Productivity is about making smart choices with your energy, focus and time in order to maximize your potential and achieve beneficial results.” Mohammad  Faris

Now I will tell you that how to be a productive person? Let’s start!

1. Choose your energy hours

Everyone has a specific time during a day when he is more active and energetic. When his energy level is higher than usual. When your energy level is higher this is a real time to take an advantage from your energy. Don’t waste this chance. Take your energy and do your majority of work in this time. Usually morning time is suitable for deep thinking. If feel difficulty in finding your energy hours, then work in different hours in the day. Deeply see which time allows you to work best, this is your energy hour when you are more productive and active.

2. Maintain your routines

After a serious struggle, once you have found your energy hours now it is time to show consistency on that time. Work daily on the same time which is your energy hour. Make schedule of your daily routines. For example

When do you go to school?

When do you like to study?

When do you take rest?

Do you relax for some time after coming back from your school, college or university?

Do you make tidy your room on Sunday?

When you watch TV shows or any other video?

Establish a schedule for each activity, this will help to manage your time for creative work. After this you are less likely to get side tracked. You will become much more likely to maximize your productivity.

3. Make to-do lists

Yes, it’s a good idea to write lists of activities that you have to do, which are more important than others. For example, writing your home work is more important than watching wrestling. So always do your important task first and make a list of these tasks that you have completed.

Don’t try to do a task for which you haven’t managed your time. So instead of relying on your to-do list add the task to your list for future. When you are easy to complete this task then do it. And put it into your weekly or daily schedule. This will ensure the task must be completed.

  4. Avoid from multi-task

No one can perform multi tasks at a time at once. Although you are able to complete this task but concentrate on important task that you have to do according to your schedule first. Don’t do so but focus on a single task at a time. When you are putting your full attention on a single task you are more likely able to do it fast and accurately at high standard. This will give you a spiritual peace which you can feel only.

5. Complete similar tasks in single attempt

For example, if you are studying a topic and you have to write that topic in your note book. These two tasks of learning and writing are much similar. So instead of performing these two tasks in different time, complete them together. This will save your time and you are more likely to get engaged with your study.

On Sunday create some flash cards for biology, chemistry or physics topics, then revise these topics and then do some past papers of your topic. This will ensure your mind is concentrated on single thing and not constantly switching gears. Always get your cores together and study only one subject at a time. Send your emails and messages one time in a day. In end I will advise you, don’t interrupt your tasks with unrelated task.

6. Do easy and quick tasks first

If you have to visit a doctor, then do it first because health is necessary to complete each task. If you are sick, then you can never perform a single task correctly. Doing easy and less time taking tasks first is a right way. It will leave you with ample time to tackle more and more challenging one’s you have got up ahead. It will also provide a peace to your mind that you have done something creative today.

7. Take regular breaks

Rest is necessary for your mental health. You are a human not a machine. So take regular breaks during your work. Productivity is not a continuous work like a donkey. Always keep in mind that “Being productive is about knowing when to work hard, when to take rest and when to have a fun and when to be a serious person. It’s all about making smart choices.”

8. Priorities about your projects

For example, you want to go a city by a train and train take 2 hours while a bus takes one and half hour. So it is a time to change your priority travel through bus it will save your time. Make sure that how you can save your time by making important priorities. Make sure always that you have spent your time in productive mode. This will give you a lot of benefit. It will bring you closer to your goals.

9. Self-accountability

Make some strict promises to yourself and write them in your dairy. Try to fulfill these promises strictly at least for one month after this it will become your habit. At the end of week make report of your tasks and promises and give it to your guide like teacher or parents. This will lead you to a right and productive way.

10. Review your progress

 At the end of the day, evaluate you progress and find your mistakes and promise yourself to remove bugs. What you have accomplished today? What did you do well today? What did you not complete today? How could you improve yourself? When will you complete your remaining tasks?

And of course she must improve her mind by extensive reading. Elizabeth closes her book.

“From the first moment I met you, your arrogance and conceit, your selfish disdain for the feelings of others made me realize that you were the last man in the world I could ever be prevailed upon to marry.”