Sometimes the words flow from the end of my pen (or keyboard as the case may be) and sometimes they don't. I'm in the 'don't zone' today and despite valiant efforts on my own behalf, it's just not happening. Grrrrrrrrrrrr.
I've done the difficult bit of my Legal Research - read countless statutes and cases, consulted practitioners texts, jotted down notes, done both electronic and hard copy research, put together the best bits and then some, but it's just not flowing and I've drafted barely 3 paragraphs, so I've taken an executive decision and decided to give it up as a bad job and will go supermarket shopping instead:-(
I think at the back of all of this nonsense is the fact that I'm knackered, but there (as usual) is a mountain of homework to plough through and at the back of my mind is the other 'stuff' that also needs doing before the end of the month. Having taken a nosedive in both Conference and Advocacy, I need to get cracking on both of those topics quite soon, particularly the Advocacy, but as usual my provider is silent on the basic structure of what the hell I'm meant to be doing? It's a hearing for an application to set-aside a default judgment and I haven't a clue what it entails and to make matters worse, we also have to do a skeleton argument. I suppose this is where part-time study is disadvantageous, it's such an isolated existence in the 4 weeks between each study weekend. I should really contact my Advocacy tutor, but having been such a gob-shite at the last study weekend, I'd really prefer to lay low and let the dust settle.
If I'm honest, I'm really not enjoying BVC at the moment, there is just too much work and it's all a bit stressful. When I discovered that BVC was a continuous assessment course, I felt extremely relieved that there would be no more 3 hour, closed book exams to sit, but now that the assessments are about to start, with one each month until I finish, it is somewhat daunting. I do hope that I scrape through the assessments without having to do re-takes, I need a break over the Summer to re-charge my batteries. It was quite a relief to hear that everyone in my group is feeling the same (apart from the ones who do bugger all in between study weekends and wing it), I thought that it was just me being a bit slooooow.
I do promise to return to my usual, silly arse of a self at a later date, but my sparkle has waned a little at the moment. What's more, I'm festering with jealousy at Swiss Tony, who (bless him) has to slave over 7 pages of Legal Research, whilst my provider expects between 40 - 50 pages. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
So, there you have it bloggers, one fed up Bar student, who promises to make you smile and laugh, but just not today.
11 comments:
BM, I always have found that my best approach with work is have a go at it, come back the next day having thought vaguely about the issues, and then have another go.
Repeat for a couple of days and sometimes the end result is good enough.
Second option is to pay Barboy to do it for me. Works a treat everytime.
As for seven pages of legal research, oh if only I could stretch my efforts to that. Our case is all about who ate the three bears breakfast. My research has uncovered a chav on benefits who is now squatting in their house. In my opinion, she should be given her own council house. The Three Bears are currently in a detention centre and being deported to Romania where they will join a circus.
I may come back to that opinion tomorrow once I have thought about it!
Swizzle
Hang in there barmaid - I felt the same during legal research.
It will be worth it in the end!
I've offered Barboy a tenner Swizz, but he declined my generous offer, seems he can get that sort of money for doing just 7 pages for other provider's students, *Tut*.
I'm afraid you will have to re-work the LR, you see it was me who ate the 3 bears breakfasts, I get the munchies when I'm stressed and the fat buggers looked like they needed to diet anyway, but hey a decent Plea in Mitigation, I'll be out in no time.
Thanks LG, I'll hang on in there. In fact this evening I feel very ashamed of myself for being such a whingeing old bag and intend to start afresh tomorrow with re-newed enthusiasm and determination (and chocolate). I do enjoy the work really, if only there was 50% less/or I was 50% quicker, I'd be just fine:-)
BM, I think you may have misunderstood the fee structure for Barboy.
In return for doing all of my homework, I give him a bag of sherbet lemons, a weeks use of a used Mayfair magazine and a ride on my bike. I also promise not to hit him for a week.
(I admit that I throw the magazine away when he has finished with it)
Swizzle stick
ps New day, go girl go!
Couldn't read the magazine. Swiss had glued all the pages together.
40-50 pages? That is insanity!
We have been given a maximum of 12 pages.
LR is the pain- but I'm told by many LPC and BVC graduates that it is by far the most useful skill they've taken away. Hopefully that's some comfort?
Everyone gets writer's block at points- I think a change of activity and scenery (even if it's only Tesco's) is the best thing you could have done. :)
I know it is Mel, Swizz has about 7 pages to do for his LR and we BPPers have to do a minimum of 40.
Perhaps I should increase my font size to 26 :-)
BM, I am up to 8 pages now.
I did a drawing of the 3 bears to pad it out a bit.
BB did suggest I used one of the pictures from Mayfair and call it the 3 bares!
I have given him a chinese burn for his flippancy
Swizzle
8 PAGES wow, I'm impressed, I guess the EU Equal Treatment Directive and Goldilocks does take a fair bit of explaining though.
Now, did u stk 2 doin txt spk in da LR as u sd u wud, in dat case, 8 pgs is a lot of stuff, even wid a pic.
Undoubtedly,legal research is THE worst part of the course - dry, frustrating clumsy and inelegant, and I dont think there is a single Bar student out there that hasn't felt your pain! As bad as it all seems right now, it is going to stand you in excellent good stead for any and every legal problem that comes your way.
My strategy was to tackle it problem by problem, question by question - and if it was getting too frustrating, I'd just walk away from it for an hour and do some other task related to the months work, or if it was PARTICULARLY bad, just go and have a cup of tea in a different room from the books and computer altogether!
Your provider expects 40-50 pages?!?!What PLANET are they on?!?! Mine expected only 15 though I handed in 20, and was ok with it. Do they give you an example of what they expect? If so, try and follow that.
As Ginge ( where have you BEEN Ginge, its been an AGE!!) says, hang on in there; you CAN do it. I KNOW you can!!
yes, we have a manual that has a sample LR answer in it. I know, 40 - 50 pages! and it all has to be perfect - where the case/statute was found, how many hits down the list of the keyword search was it, perfect formatting, each update checked and included (have you seen the Children Act 1989, it's almost entirely updates), oh well, at least I'm getting good at electronic research, hard copy is a bit of a pain though.
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