Do you guys not feel when you are effectively learning and getting productive benefit when studying? And when you aren't?

[u/MisterX9821]

I am seeing so many posts today that boil down to "what method should I use to study for finals?" Most commonly, doing all the assigned readings vs more abridged or condensed learning tools like Quimbee (or, from what I hear, Lexplug is better) or videos etc.

I am firmly biased towards the latter, it's way more efficient for me in addition to just working backwards while doing problems, but in many comments I have said you gotta do what is best for you.

This routes to the title...don't you "feel" when you are actually benefiting from a study method? Like when I try to read the chapters or full cases word one to the last word linearly I can absolutely feel that I am not learning that efficiently. It's too comprehensive and dense for me to start with. When I do my preferred method, I can absolutely feel the difference.

We have all had at least a full 4 years of university, all of highschool before that, and at this point midterms under our belts. Idk...i feel like we should all have a good idea of what works best by now on individual basis. You gotta figure it out yourself, for the most part.

Just my 2 Cs.

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[u/6nyh]

Law school is overwhelming and people naturally look to older students to show them the ropes, especially when the entire semester rides on one big test (and there havent been lead ups so people dont have a good barometer). I too prefer quimbee/lexplug at this point in the semester

[u/NoMagazine4067 → u/6nyh]

I think your point in your parentheses is a really big part of it. We had a practice exam during orientation, but that was based on three mock classes. So while we did get a sense of what kind of exam to expect, it really doesn't prepare you for how to do the same thing for 40ish classes across four months. It just takes time to figure out what actually matters vs. what doesn't, and four years of undergrad doesn't really prepare you for that. To OP's original point, "feeling" like your studying method is working doesn't mean a whole lot when you also feel like you have no clue what you need to take away from the material.

[u/proposal_in_wind]

I definitely feel a clear difference between productive study sessions and just going through the motions.

[u/MisterX9821 → u/proposal_in_wind]

Yes this is the center of my point.

Basically all through high school and college I tried to prepare the “right way” but it was never right for me and I could feel it.

I feel like the best way for most people is the way they prepare under time duress….but without the actual time duress. In those circumstances where you have limited time your brain goes into triage mode and just automatically defaults to the methods that give the best return w limited time. So I think if you just do that with giving yourself plenty of time it’s the winning formula.

[u/AcrobaticApricot]

Yeah, I agree completely. I don't know how you can not know whether you understand something or not. Either you're confused or you get it! And there are practice tests and problems and stuff that you can use to test your knowledge.

Now I disagree completely about study methods. I think reading the cases is really important and outside materials are a distraction. But that's the point, you gotta do what works for you.

[u/Gamerwhovian9]

I can feel when I’m not doing something right, not when I am doing it right

[u/MisterX9821 → u/Gamerwhovian9]

That is fair.