I am currently a second-year pre-law student and just found out that I am graduating next spring. This means that I am taking the LSAT this coming August and had no idea until a few weeks ago. Now, if I had known that I was taking it so soon, I would’ve started studying months ago, but as per usual, I’m a bit behind. Due to this, I will be spending my whole summer buckling down and studying for this exam that could make or break my law school plans. Along with studying, I am taking summer classes and working two jobs, but would also love to have an enjoyable and memorable summer before my senior year. In order to do this, I have devised an LSAT survival guide for this summer so that I am able to accomplish all of these goals and more while making sure I don’t have complete burnout.
I personally thrive when I have structure in my life. I need to base my life off of a strict schedule or else I won’t get any of the things done that I need to. Therefore, this summer’s survival guide is heavily reliant on the idea that I will be following a strict schedule and routine that will hold me accountable.
My day will start at 7 a.m. every morning so that I am able to make the most out of my day. Now, I am not a morning person in the slightest, so this is going to be hard for me to get used to. However, I know that once I get to the real world, getting up early is going to turn into a reality for me very quickly. After getting up, in order to stay mentally healthy, I will either go for a run or I will go to the gym for an hour to start my day off right. After showering and eating breakfast, I will head to my 9:45 class, then head back home for lunch. At this point on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I will head to work at the law firm for a few hours in the afternoon. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I will spend that time taking around three hours studying for the LSAT, whether that consists of taking a practice test or just doing practice problems for a few hours. Then, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I will come back from work and do that same studying after my shift. But on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I will go and work at my serving job at night.
With all of this, my days are going to be pretty full, and this doesn’t even include doing homework for my classes and having a social life. In order to also be able to incorporate these things into my daily schedule I am going to have to be extremely structured with everything else going on. Ideally, I’ll be able to do homework after work/studying each night. On the weekends, I will likely work during the day on Saturday, then study for a few hours afterward so I can give myself Saturday nights to go out with friends or just have a relaxing mental health night. I will completely devote Sundays to relaxing. Whether that includes sleeping in and doing nothing all day or going to Sunday Funday or the beach with friends, it will be completely work-free in order to prevent burnout.
For anyone studying for the LSAT this summer, it is possible to still have a life outside of studying. You will not only survive but thrive as long as you have a solid schedule and prioritize your mental health along with getting the best score you can on the LSAT.
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