10:48:00 AM in , , ,

7 Things You Should Be Doing 1 Month Before the Bar Exam



Can you believe it? It’s only a little over a month until the July 2020 bar exam! Obviously, this year has been a little bit unconventional with COVID-19 throwing a wrench in the plans of bar examiners everywhere. I know some states have postponed bar exams, offered alternative exams at later date, or granted diploma privilege. Others are carrying on business as usual. Personally, I cannot imagine extending the bar prep period any longer than the end of July. I was SO ready to be done. For those of you taking the July exam, I’m sure you are feeling the same way.

     The good news is, your time studying is almost over forever! Yay! The bad news is that you have to take a gigantic test soon. Yikes! Overall, I’m sure you a feeling a mix of emotions right now. Luckily, you’ve got a month left to get everything in line to ensure your success on the exam. So, without further ado, here is a list of things you should be doing a month before the bar exam!

1. Confirm your travel plans (if applicable)

Do you have to travel to the exam? A lot of people do. The last thing you want to be doing is figuring out travel last minute! Confirm your hotel reservations, plane/bus/train tickets, make sure your car has gotten any required maintenance, etc. Figure out the answer to some questions like, “How am I getting from my hotel to the exam?” and “Is parking available at my test site?” Making sure you have all of this in line will give you peace of mind as you get closer to the test.

2. Read your test site rules/guidelines

I remember that my test site had a big, thick packet of rules we had to follow including what we could/could not bring into the test center, lunchtime rules, arrival times, etc. Take time now to read them through. It may seem early, but it will help to be familiar with the guidelines before test day. You also might discover there is something you need to buy/do before the test day. Do you need to buy a Ziploc bag for your belongings? Do you need a doctor’s note for medications? Regarding COVID-19, do you need a mask? These things are important to know in advance!

3. Do a practice test with test conditions.

Most bar prep courses incorporate a practice test, but try to emulate your test environment as best you can. Make your space quiet, eliminate distractions, only have permitted items near you, and even practice having whatever lunch break your test center will have. This will bring you comfort on test day knowing that in some way, you’ve done this before. Also, as a nice tip for 2020, if your jurisdiction requires masks – take your practice test with a mask on.

4.  Don’t be afraid to change up your study habits if things aren’t working!

With a month left before the exam, you’ve got plenty of time to absorb new material. By this point in the study process, I was starting to notice what study activities did and did not work for me. So I changed up my routine! I doubled down on what was working and eliminated what wasn’t. I attribute most of my exam success to doing this – I listened to my own instincts and learned in the way that was best for me.

5. Take some days off.

Yes, listen to me and do it. As the exam gets closer, you’re going to feel the pressure to not stop studying. That’s normal. I did the same thing. But you’ll get burned out. So make sure to take some time now to reset. Take a full weekend off and hang out with your family or friends. Do something fun. Watch a lot of TV and eat junk food. But don’t run yourself until you can’t take it anymore – that’s not good for your body or brain. So take some days off now and reset.

6. Keep your body healthy – eat well and exercise

If you feel your best, you will perform your best. Simple as that. Make sure you take care of your body in the weeks before the exam. I know it’s easier to just eat junk food and hide in your house all the time, but please don’t. Get outside and exercise, or take a break and go to the gym. You don’t have to eat salad for every meal, but please make sure you are getting vitamins and nutrients in your body during your meals. You want your body to be healthy during the exam, it’ll help you perform better.

7. Be confident!

I think a month before the exam is when I started to have my “I’m going to fail!” breakdowns. Spoiler alert: I didn’t fail. I wasted time doubting myself when I should’ve just been confident. You’ve been studying hard and preparing, doing what you need to do. You’re going to pass, you’re going to do fine. Just be confident.


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9:00:00 AM in ,

Law School Admissions Timeline

Today's blog is brought to you by InGenius Prep:

Whether it’s always been your ideal career or it came to you in a dream one night, you’ve decided you want to apply to law school. If you’ve chosen not to take a gap year, balancing your junior and senior years of college along with law school applications could be tough. Of course, the same difficulty applies to a gap year when you might be working a 9-5 job and struggling to find the energy to study for the LSAT.

No matter your situation, knowing important dates and deadlines can help you stay on top of the law school admissions cycle. InGenius Prep has a timeline for law school applications outlined in the following infographic.

- Kayla Kaszyka
 
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9:50:00 AM in , ,

Daily Bar Prep Schedule





Hey, everyone! I decided to continue my little series on bar prep since it's that time of year. Although it feels like it was a million years ago now, I was studying for the bar only a year ago. Three years in law school teaches you how to study, but studying for the bar is a marathon of its own. It will be a long, difficult summer, but if you commit and study hard then that is all it takes. I already wrote a post on all of the essentials you need for bar prep - so now, let's talk study schedules!

One unique thing about bar prep is that you are almost completely on your own. Sure, you will probably enroll in a bar prep course through Barbri, Kaplan, or Themis. But they still allow a lot of flexibility in your schedule. I personally chose the "Live at Home" option where I "attended" lectures daily online - similar to Zoom classes that have been taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, a lot of courses have recorded videos for you to watch daily, then additional assignments to do throughout the day. Some courses assign weekend work, some don't. For simplicity sake, I'm going to map out a daily study schedule for your study days. But PLEASE do not forget to take days off and give your brain a break when you can. However, if you're looking to have a productive bar prep day, here is what I would recommend!

WAKE UP - 6:30-7:00 a.m.

I'll be the first to admit, I'm an early riser. But I think maintaining some sort of wake-up and sleep schedule is imporatnt during this time, and it's probably best to work during regular working hours. This is great because you will have a compatible schedule with your friends and family not studying for the bar, and also give you some sense of normalcy.

BREAKFAST, CHANGE, SHOWER - 7:00-8:00 a.m.

You'll be home studying most of the summer, so you might think you don't need to be a presentable human. Which is true. But it's best for your mental health and stamina to be somewhat human. I recommend "getting ready" each day. I don't mean putting on a full face of makeup and dressing up all fancy, but at least rinse off in the shower and change out of the clothes you slept in. And eat breakfast. Your brain needs fuel.

LECTURES AND NOTES - 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

First thing in the morning, get your lectures done. Depending on the course you choose this may be a recording or a live video lecture. Use this time to watch your lectrues and take notes, just as you would in law school classes. Don't be afraid to take breaks, I'd recommend taking 5-10 minutes breaks every hour at minimum. And this will be the longest part of your day, so get it done first.

LUNCH - Don't you dare study! - 12:00-12:30 p.m.

Actually eat lunch! Personally I loved being home during bar prep summer and being able to cook a decent meal for lunch. But even if you just have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, set aside time each day for lunch. It's important to give your brain fuel.

LEISURE BREAK - 12:30-1:00 p.m.

This was actually probably the most important part of my day. I decided that I needed time to get out of the house and away from my bar prep materials, so I would usually go take a walk around my neighborhood. It was great to get exercise, soak up the sun, and I would usually listen to music or an audiobook. If you don't have an Audible subscription yet, I highly recommend it. 

Even if you don't take a walk, take 30 minutes to yourself and watch TV, listen to music, play a game, read a fun book, or do something you generally enjoy. This break is what is going to get you through the afternoon.

ASSIGNMENTS AND PRACTICE ESSAYS- 1:00-4:00 p.m.

This part of your day is when you should do the other assignments or practice questions or essays you were assigned for the day by your bar prep course. If you finish early or don't have any, I'd recommend making flash cards, studying outlines, or doing sets of MBE questions. During this part of my day, I would usually post-up at the Starbucks or local coffee shop near my house, or move my studies to the living room with my laptop desk. The change of scenery helped me focus.

EXERCISE/LEISURE BREAK - 4:00-5:00 p.m.

Time for another break! About half the time on this break, I would go to the gym and sweat it out. This helped me keep my sanity. On the days where I didn't go to the gym, I would watch some TV or do something else I enjoyed. You get the idea.

DINNER - 5:00-6:00 p.m.

Food - the best part of the day! During bar prep I really loved making quality dinners for my boyfriend and myself. It was the one productive thing I did outside of bar prep and I really enjoyed it. I bought a variety of cookbooks and tried a couple of new recipes every week which was super fun. If you don't like cooking, that's okay! Just make sure you eat quality brain food and actually take a break to have dinner.

CASUAL STUDYING/PRACTICE MBE QUESTIONS - 6:00-8:00 p.m. (*OPTIONAL*)

Use your after dinner time to do the laziest part of your studying, whether it be flashcards or practice MBE questions on your bar prep course app. The way I though about this was that this was time for horizontal studying - the stuff I could do laying down on the couch. To be honest, I probably only did this nighttime studying a couple nights a week, or I only did about 30 minutes of questioning. Some people think you need to study 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, but that's an idea that I don't subscribe to. Your brain and body need breaks and keeping a balanced schedule helps. Having this optional time at night was really helpful for me because I could use it if I needed or wanted to, but could take a break and not feel guilty if that was what I needed.

NIGHTTIME RELAXATION - 8:00-10:00 p.m.

This is your cool down and relaxation time of the day. For me, this pretty much meant TV, skin care, or scrolling on my phone. For you it may be video games, crafting, listening to music, yoga, etc. A couple of times a week my boyfriend and I would walk to the Sonic down the street for half-priced limeades and talk about our days. Pretty much use this as "me time" and do anything you enjoy that doesn't stress you out. And of course, get yourself ready for bed.

GO TO SLEEP!!!

So I'm a baby and was asleep by 10:00 nightly, but your sleep schedule may vary, especially depending on how much sleep you personally need. Make sure you keep your bedtime regular, and try not to stay up too late - remember you'll get up early tomorrow to do it all again!

So overall, that was my bar prep schedule and I would definitely recommend it.

I'm also going to be totally honest with you - I took most weekends completely off. A lot of people would not recommend that, and I had peers tell me I would fail based on that alone. I didn't. The moral of the story is that there are 1000 reccomendations out there, but at the endd of the day, you need to do what works for you. Just make sure you take care of your brain and body and you will succeed!

What are things you plan on incorporating into your schedule to help with bar prep?
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2:33:00 PM in , ,

Bar Prep Essentials


Congratulations to the law school class of 2020! You guys did it! You are LAWYERS. Now let's work on the attorney part and add that fancy "Esquire" title to your name. What does that mean? It's time to PASS THE BAR. Last summer I was in the same position as all of you - getting ready to take bar prep class and spend the entire summer doing nothing but studying... yikes. I'm not going to lie to you. It's not the most fun time I've ever had. However, I successfully made it through and passed the bar on my first try! Thank god. So now, I want to help YOU do the same. I'll be sharing lots of tips and bar prep strategies over the next few weeks. However, first thing's first, I wanted to make sure you have everything you need. So, without further ado, here is my list of all the things you need to successfully study for the bar!

A Bar Preparation Course

So chances are, by now you have already purchased your main necessary item for studying for the bar - a bar exam preparation course. The major companies that provide these courses are Barbri, Kaplan, and Themis. Personally, I enrolled in Kaplan's "Live at Home" course, which I will be writing a full review on in the coming weeks. Honestly, any of these courses will give you what you need. I already wrote a post on how to select the best bar prep course, so if you need to pick one, check it out!
Caffeine and Case Briefs: How To Pick The Best Bar Prep Course
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A Desk or Table

This may be obvious, but please don't try to fully study from your bed. Make sure you have a good flat surface for your computer and books, whether it be an actual desk or a dining room table. If you're like me last summer, I had moved in with my boyfriend at the time, and our space was less than ideal. We had a small desk, but he was also in grad school and needed it for school. So I had no table and also no money - because bar prep summer often means being poor.

So what's a cheap solution? Try a folding table! Easy to take down when you need and it doesn't break the bank. You don't have to be fancy to be successful.


Have a little more money in the bank or space for a more permanent solution? Amazon has some great desks they can ship right to you!


A Portable Laptop Desk

This was a LIFESAVER to me during bar prep. You know how I just told you that you need a good table or desk for bar prep? Well, that's true. But sometimes you'll want to move around. You might want to sit on your couch, or in a comfy chair, or even your bed. You're studying a lot and you're going to want to change it up. So grab a good quality laptop desk. We have this one, with a phone stand and mouse pad and it's possilbly my favorite purchase ever.

Blank Flash Cards

This is an idea I got from Brandy, better known in the blog community as The Legal Duchess. The bar is a test of memorization. One of the best ways to memorize material is a strategy that most law students are familiar with - making flash cards. And with the bar, you cover A LOT of material. So stock up on your blank flash cards! This giant pack from Amazon comes with different colors and a bunch of rings to organize them and was a total lifesaver for me!

Poster Boards and Markers

One way to help you memorize is to continuously repeat writing information. You'll make outlines, write essays, make flash cards, and rewrite and read your outlines over and over again. But that all gets boring after awhile. In the weeks approaching the bar, I found myself needing new ways to study. So I decided to make posters of the most important parts of each subject. Not only was this fun, but visually organizing the information really helps you process the information. You can put these posters up on your wall at home, or even on the walls in your hotel room where you are taking the exam. I could not recommend buying these more. Try a big pack of posters and a pack of markers and color away - might as well make learning fun!


An iPad or Tablet - if you can afford it

If you can afford a splurge, I'd recommend buying an iPad or tablet for bar prep. I used mine daily and it made everything so much easier. During lectures, I used the iPad to write my notes with an Apple pencil. I also used the Kaplan app to casually take quizzes and practice questions from my couch, which made studying so much comfier. This isn't absolutely necessary, but I'd recommend one if you can afford it!

Caffeinated Water

So you've read my blog title, right? Yeah. I like caffeine. The problem is that too much coffee can KILL your stomach and absolutely dehydrate you. One thing I found while studying for the bar was caffeinated water - yes, literally just water with caffeine. They had it pretty cheap at my local Walmart, but you can also order a big pack from Amazon to be right at your doorstep for those long study days. This is absolutely essential.

Snack Basket

One thing I did during bar prep was keep a basket stocked with my favorite snacks so I could easily grab them when I was hungry instead of fully pausing my studies to prepare something to munch on. This saved so much time and it was so nice to just have snacks available to keep me going!


Don't forget - you're going to succeed no matter what!

These things will help, but if you study hard and persist through the summer, I'm sure you will be passing the bar in no time! What are your essential items you've purchased for bar prep? Tell me in the comments below!


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12:42:00 PM in , ,

Welcome to the new and improved CAFFEINE AND CASE BRIEFS!



I started this blog 4 years ago, almost to the date! Between now and then, I've changed and grown a lot. And so has this blog. When I started blogging, it was simply an outlet for me to document my experience. Now, I've grown a following and some success, and I'm really happy with the progress I've made. With that being said, it was time for a change!

If you've been on my page before, you probably notice that I have completely re-vamped the look of my blog! This is something that I have wanted to do for a VERY long time, but haven't had the time or motivation to do. You see, after law school, I've been searching for a direction for my blog. After all, I started out as another law school blogger, and I'm definitely not in law school anymore. But I do like blogging and being able to reach a variety of colleagues from around the world that share interests and experiences with me.

So, with that being said, Caffeine and Case Briefs is here to stay. But it might look a little different. While I might make the occassional post about law school, most of the blog will be documenting my life now. I might post about my job as a judicial clerkship, raising my puppy, planning my wedding, or budgeting to buy a new home. Honestly, I have no idea. I also don't know how often I'll post. But as I figure that all out, I hope you hang in there with me and visit often to see the changes taking place. And by all means - if you have an idea for a post, reach out to me! My inbox is always open.

I'm excited to see where this adventure takes us!
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11:34:00 AM in ,

Why Every New Lawyer Should Do a Judicial Clerkship


The perfect first job for any good lawyer who wants to become great.


When I started law school, my plan was that after graduation, I would immediately go into private practice, start paying off debt with my high salary, and build up savings. In fact, that was the plan until I started 3L year and didn’t get my dream job. I didn’t get an employment offer that I had been hoping for at a firm I spent two summers at, and all of my plans began crumbling around me. As I waded slowly into the job market, I realized that a lot of the positions in the geographic area that I wanted to work in didn’t really fit my interests. Or at least what I thought my interests were. After a bit of soul-searching and job-searching alike, I landed a judicial clerkship with a state intermediate appellate court. I figured it would be a good way to start my career, get a year or two of experience, and then move on. Now, six months after beginning of my clerkship, I think taking this job is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Here’s a few reasons why:

They don’t really teach you how to be a lawyer in law school.

This is something that a lot of people don’t understand. Law school teaches you mostly doctrine. This is important, don’t get me wrong. The stuff you learn in law school is the basis of your whole career. But what about the practical stuff? Sure, you take legal writing and learn the basics of memos and briefs. You take ethics to make sure you don’t get disbarred. And you make take some types of advocacy class. But what about the day-to-day life of a lawyer? You don’t learn that.

Now, a lot of that learning is covered during summer and sometimes semester internships. That’s fair. But 20 weeks isn’t really long enough to get a good grasp on what it’s like to be a lawyer. You don’t learn what makes a good or bad lawyer on more than just a surface level.
A clerkship is a great way to learn the difference between good lawyers and bad laywers.
How? – You may ask. Well. You deal with lawyers all day long. Whether you are at a trial court or appellate court, you are going to be reading material from lawyers, listening to their arguments, and generally reviewing their work. Because as a clerk, you are assisting the judge in making his or her decision. In my court, I am the first to review the record and briefs, and I report back to my judge what is in the record. And believe me, it make a difference reading a brief written by a good lawyer. From proofreading, to following court rules, to sheer analysis of the law, certain lawyers tend to stand out in a good way.

Bad lawyers stand out more.

The duty of the judiciary is to be impartial. And we are. However, do you know how poorly it reflects on a party to read a brief laced with errors, that’s missing headings, and where the logic just seems a bit reaching? It doesn’t make their argument or predicament seem more appealing. And I’ve told my judge on more than one occasion something along the lines of
“This brief is written poorly. Maybe if the lawyer tried harder, they could have better chance but they just couldn’t make it connect.”
You also learn which lawyers have good and bad reputations.
You’ll end up talking about which lawyers impress you. You’ll hear which lawyers the judges don’t like to hear from. This is especially important for scoping out future employment opportunities. If you know a lawyer is not well-liked by the court, there’s a good chance you don’t want to work for them. But a lawyer that is known to put out good briefs and craft strong arguments? Sounds like someone who could be an invaluable mentor.

It’s also good to have experience “on the other side of the bench.”

Lawyers craft arguments for judges to listen to and decide on. It’s much easier to craft an argument if you know what a judge might be thinking. You will learn the ins and outs of how a judge reviews a case, what things are generally appreciated and what might not be appreciated, and some of the little things that can make or break a case
.
For instance, certain jurisdictions are sticklers for court rules, such as formatting of headings. Courts will sometimes go as far to dismiss cases if these are formatted wrong. If this is the case, you definitely don’t want to be caught making such a simple but dire mistakes. Having experience as a clerk will teach you how to watch out for these kinds of things.

And of course, a clerkship looks great on a resume.

Although these are some of the lower-paying positions of the legal world, there’s a certain prestige that comes with a clerkship. This benefit will follow you throughout your whole career.

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8:14:00 AM in ,

10 Things You Should Buy For A New Puppy


So as many of my readers know, I recently graduated from law school and have fully transitioned into young professional life. One of the reasons why I was excited to have a steady income and not be bouncing back and forth across the country anymore was that I would finally be able to get a pet! I am an animal lover through and through and have wanted one of my own for a long time. I had a fish for a few years in college, but we all know that isn’t the same as a furry cuddle companion.
     My goal was to get a new pet sometime between October and December of 2019. I started my new job in August, so this gave me a few months to get settled and build up a little savings so I could afford a new pet. I lasted until October 13, when I adopted this little pup!

This guy was part of an accidental litter on a cattle ranch, and the owners were selling the puppies for $150 as a rehoming fee. My boyfriend and I hadn’t planned whether we were going to get a puppy from a shelter or a (responsible) breeder, and we felt like this guy was the perfect in-between.
     Our puppy was only 7 weeks old when we got him, and so far it’s been a crazy couple months learning how to be a puppy parent. We still aren’t fully sleeping through the night every night, and spend a ridiculous amount of time discussing his bowel movements, but we are totally in love. I’m excited to be able to share some fun puppy content on the blog. But now that I am a few months in, I thought I would start out by sharing with you guys a list of things you’re going to want to buy if you get a new puppy!
1.  A medium sized bag of food.
     So this is probably one of those “duh” items. You need to feed a puppy. But as soon as you go to a pet store, you will quickly see that dog food comes in several different sized bags. We started out by getting a large bag of food. We figured that he would be on puppy food for a year, might as well stock up, right? Wrong! About a month in, our puppy started having tummy troubles with a sensitive stomach, and we had to switch foods before we finished the big bag. We ended up giving the rest of the big bag away to another puppy owner in need, but we learned our lesson and now buy medium sized bags – big enough so you aren’t running to the store every week, but small enough that you won’t waste a crazy amount of money if you don’t use it all.

2. Plenty of toys.
     Again. Duh.  You need toys for puppies. But get a lot. And I mean like, a lot. All different kinds. Hard toys. Squeaky toys, Crinkly toys. Rope toys. Balls. Frisbees. Bones. Get ‘em all. First, puppies LOVE playing with toys. Second, you don’t know what type of toy that your puppy will gravitate toward. Third, puppies destroy toys quickly, so it’s always good to have backup. For the first two months I had my puppy, I was going to Petsmart every week to buy new toys!
     Pro Tip: Buy clearance holiday toys. Chances are that your puppy will destroy them anyway, and it’s better to buy cheap than to get full-priced toys that will be shredded.
     Pro Tip #2: Get a toy box and keep all of your dog’s toys are together. This way, their scent mixes and it’s easier for your pup to associate “hey, these are mine”
Here are some of my favorite toys for a new puppy!
3. A leash and collar.
     Even if you don’t plan on leash training your dogs, it’s good to get a leash and collar just in case. If you ever board your dog or have to transport them, you’re going to want a collar and a leash and it’s better to get your dogs used to them young. Further, puppies can be naughty and destructive, and sometimes you may even want to leash them inside the house to help keep an eye on them.
4. Edible Chews
     One of the craziest moments as a puppy owner is when you look down and one of their toys are all bloody or when you find a tooth in their water bowl. Yep. Puppies go through teething just like babies. And when they are teething, they will turn into little piranhas that want to chew non-stop. I recommend getting some edible and easily digestible chews for your dogs to gnaw on to help with teething.

 My dog is obsessed with pig skin chews - specifically pork chomps brand. He gets one of these bad boys every  night:


 Need something to last a little longer? Try these - but be careful and don't get them until your dog has some of their adult teeth in:
5. Lots and lots and lots and lots of treats.
     You’re going to spend a lot of time training your puppy, so it’s good to have a lot of treats on hand. I’ve found that it’s so much cheaper to order treats in bulk on Amazon. I’ve linked some of the ones I like below. Bonus: these are small so you don’t overfeed them in training.
6. Puppy Shampoo, Brush, and Nail Clipper
     Did you know when your puppy is under 4 months old, they will take in anything they experience and learn how to process it as normal? So if you don’t want an adult dog who is afraid of baths and grooming – start early! Plus, puppies are messy. In the first month I had my dog, I gave him several baths. One to get him used to it, then another when he played in mud, and another when he vomited on himself. You’re not supposed to bathe dogs too much, but now my little guy just shrugs off baths. Do the same with brushing and clipping nails. Get ‘em used to it young.
7. Extra Towels
     Did I mention puppies are messy? We now have designated dog towels – which are cheap towels I found on Amazon. We use these at the bottom of his crate, to dry him off after baths, to wipe his paws when it’s raining/snowing, etc. He also likes to chew on them. If you don’t want your good towels being destroyed, get some extra dog towels.
8. A crate, gate, or play pen
     I know crating can be controversial, but no matter what your opinion is, there is probably going to be a period of time where you aren’t ready to let your puppy roam the house. You might want to gate off a room, put your puppy in a play pen, or even crate them. For us, we have a puppy who is easily overstimulated and won’t sleep unless he is in a crate in a dark room. It’s gotten to the point where when he is tired, he barks at us until we crate him so he can nap. But before the crate, we also tried a play pen. It didn’t work for us, but now I have a friend who uses it for her Boston Terrier puppy who loves it. We also gated off one of our bedrooms so our cat can have a puppy free space.
9. Hard soled slippers
     This is a strange one, but I swear to god these have been a god-send for me. With a puppy, you’re going to be going outside a LOT. Often in the middle of the night. One thing I needed was a pair of hard-soled slippers that were warm and also could easily be taken on and off for quick potty breaks. You can thank me later for this tip. The ones I got are similar to these:
10. Dog waste bags
     You might know you need these in theory, but I didn’t realize how quickly we would go through so many. Even if you have a yard and won’t be cleaning up after your dog each time, you’re going to need some in case you take your dog out in public, to someone else’s house, etc. I recommend buying in bulk because they are cheaper and it’s a lot more convenient.

Those are my major items that you need. Of course, every household is different. Some people may also want to get their dog a bed. I got one, but it ended up being a toy and I realized a bed was probably a good idea for later on. Some people may want a harness instead of a collar. That’s fine too. Mainly find what works for you. And if you need help, a local pet store is usually pretty good at helping you find the right products.

What are your puppy must-haves?



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9:11:00 AM in , , ,

2020 New Year's Resolutions (Ideas and How to Accomplish Them!)


I've always been the type of person that thinks New Year's resolutions are dumb. If you want to do something, why wait for a new year? Well, last year I turned a new leaf and decided to try out making a resolution and realized that I LOVE it. The month of January is usually a little cold and sad, and it gives you something to focus on to bring you out of the after-holiday slump. Plus, it starts the new year with motivation and a goal - which gives you the opportunity to accomplish something. Along with all those things, I think it's great to be mindful and set goals to better yourself regular, and doing this at the new year is a perfect way to incorporate self-growth into your schedule.

Personally, I think it's a good goal to make both big and small new year's resolutions, along with ones that are specific and more vague. For example, you could have a big and specific goal like "I want to get a job working for a private practice law firm in my home town" or a small, vague one like "I want to give out more compliments." Don't forget that your resolutions should be personal - you  need to care enough to accomplish them! And resolutions are for the whole year, it's not something you accomplish just in January. So don't worry about focusing on something that can be accomplished right away.


For me, this year I am trying out a new system where I am going to make three resolutions: one to help myself, one to help others, and a goal for the end of the year. Personally, my 2020 resolutions are:

  • FOR ME: Drink more water! I am the worst at drinking water (I prefer soda and coffee... oops) but I need to get better at hydrating to keep myself healthy. 
  • FOR OTHERS: Take a reusable cup more often to coffee shops. This may sound vague, but I actually want to be somewhat specific and say I'm shooting for 80%. You may wonder how this is "for others." To me, this is all part of living a more sustainable life so others can enjoy the earth for years to come. However, "be more sustainable" is a little too vague for a resolution for me. So I am making this goal more specific in hopes that not only can I be sustainable with my takeout coffee habits, but so I can also be inspired to live sustainably in other ways!
  • END OF THE YEAR GOAL: Secure post-clerkship employment! This is CRAZY to think about considering I have only been in my clerkship for four months and I am clerking for a two-year term. However, those of us in the legal world know that firms start hiring a year in advance, which means the end of next summer and all of next fall I will be looking for a job. So my goal is to secure a position by the end of the year!
Now obviously, I don't expect everyone to share my same resolutions. However, I know that different goals will fit different people. So below I've compiled a list of some ideas and some helpful hints to help  you accomplish them!

"FOR ME" Resolution Ideas


  • Exercise X number of times per week! This is a healthier spin on the classic "I want to lose weight" resolution. Losing weight focuses more on body image than health. However, exercising does so much more than burn calories. It helps keep your body healthy, relieves stress, and gives you a fun activity. Different amounts of exercise fit different lifestyles, so set a number that works for you. And help ease yourself into it. If you never work out now, don't set your goal at 5 times a week - that is way too much of an extreme change. Instead, try 1 or 2 days a week to start out.
    • HOW TO ACCOMPLISH:
      • Find a workout buddy to keep each other accountable
      • Join a gym that costs money! If you're anything like me, you won't want to waste your money on something you won't use.
      • If you're new to exercise, try workout classes to learn things you might like.
  • Dink More Water! So as I already told you, this is mine. I love drinking different beverages - coffee, tea, soda, juice, etc. My fridge is always stocked. But one thing I hate drinking is water. I'm just not into it. However, our bodies are made up of mostly water, so it's probably pretty important to drink quite a bit of it. 
  • Make Mindfulness a Habit! I lovvveeee the idea of this one! I'm a big advocate for taking control of your own mental health, and this is a great idea to help. Being mindful basically just means learning to focus on your own thoughts and processing your own feelings in a healthy way. This is a great general goal, because there are so many ways you can accomplish it. 
    • HOW TO ACCOMPLISH:
      • Go to a weekly yoga class. For those of us that have attended therapy, I'm sure a professional has suggested yoga at one point or another. While it's great for your body, the practice of yoga focuses on breathing, which can help you learn to concentrate on your thoughts while your mind and body are in a restful place. When I have been going through my hardest times, I have literally cried at the end of yoga classes because it created a space for me to practice being mindful and process my feelings in a healthy way.
      • Journal! To tell you the truth, I've always wanted to be one of those people who journals, but I've never been able to accomplish it. However, I've found when I am able to keep up with one even for a short time, it has been a great way to focus on my thoughts.
      • Try meditation. There are several apps that can guide you through it and some places even have classes!

"FOR OTHERS" Resolution Ideas


  • Any type of "Go Green" goals. Listen here, people. The earth is dying. We should all do our part and be more sustainable to help ourselves, those around us, and future generations. Last year my goal was to be more sustainable overall, but that goal was too broad. So I recommend choosing something specific if you want to make a sustainability habit.
    • HOW TO ACCOMPLISH:
      • Bring a to-go cup to the coffee shop. This is simple, but for people like me that grab a to-go coffee almost daily, this is one little thing you can do that inspires big change.
      • Donate to environmental charities. Even $5 a month can help.
      • Next time you buy products, switch to something more eco-friendly. Need sandwich bags for lunches? Try these silicone ones instead.  Need cotton rounds for makeup? Try reusable bamboo ones instead. Literally whatever you need, search for an eco-friendly idea on Amazon.
  • Volunteer X times per month. I love this resolution because it's FREE. All you have to spend is your time. Every community is in need of help. Maybe you could volunteer socializing with senior citizens at a nursing home. Maybe dogs at your local shelter need walked. Maybe trash needs cleaned up on the highway. Even giving one hour per month can make a big difference in your community.
    • HOW TO ACCOMPLISH:
      • Check for volunteer opportunities with your school or any professional organizations you might be in. This can double as a networking opportunity if you plan right.
      • Look for places you utilize in your community that might need help. Do you run at a local park? See if there is a volunteer park clean-up committee. Did you adopt your pet from a shelter? Maybe that shelter needs help with something. Utilize free tax prep services? See if they need volunteers.
  • Review every purchase you make. So I'll admit, I'm stealing this idea I saw on my friend Brandy's Instagram comments. Because I stole it, go check out her blog - The Legal Duchess. Not only is her blog one of my biggest inspirations, but she's actually the sweetest person. Anyway, I saw one of her Instagram followers comment that they resolved to review every purchase they make online, because we all rely on reviews so much. I thought this was a great idea! It's something so small, but we all use these reviews almost daily.
    • HOW TO ACCOMPLISH:
      • Set a reminder in your phone for a week later every time you get a new product to review one week later.
      • Go through your past Amazon orders once per month and review all of your purchases you've made.


"END OF THE YEAR GOALS" Resolutions


So as most of you know, I started this blog to focus on law school things. Since I've now graduated, the focus may drift. But in the true spirit of being a law school blog, here are some resolutions that are law school/law related.
  • Graduate law school! This is for all you 3Ls out there. You are so close, make sure to focus in on this final drive and get it done!
    • HOW TO ACCOMPLISH:
      • Keep doing what you've been doing. If it's worked so far, don't quit it.
      • Keep your stress levels low! Not only do you have school stress, but life is about to change in a major way and that can take a lot out of a person. Practice being mindful and make time for a little fun.
      • Enjoy the final run!
  • Raise your GPA! So for some of you, graduation isn't as near. So in the meantime, do what you can to help your future self out and focus on school so you can get good grades.
    • HOW TO ACCOMPLISH:
      •  DO YOUR READINGS. Honestly this is 90% of the battle. Just do your readings.

  • Get a kickass job or internship! Not going to  put a long section on this, because I've already written plenty of posts on it. Check them out here:


Obviously, that is just a snippet of some resolutions out there, but there are so many more. What are your resolutions?
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