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What do you usually carry to lectures/tutorials?


hopeforthebest

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hopeforthebest
  • Law School Admit

Hi everyone, 

As the title of this post indicates, I'm wondering what people typically bring to 1L lectures/tutorials (aside from a laptop/whatever you use to take notes). Do you need to have your textbooks with you? What do you find helpful to have with you that you didn't initially think of bringing? Do you need to bring different things to tutorials vs. lectures?    

Thanks if anyone answers 🙂 

Edited by hopeforthebest
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Khrisse
  • Law Student

Following - curious about the same thing. Trying to carry as little as possible and hoping to do as much digitally as possible. Right now I’m thinking - ipad to take notes with, copies of readings or texts if I can’t get them online, noise-cancelling headphones for studying with, lunch, and that’s pretty much it. What would I be missing? 

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ellewoods2.0
  • Law School Admit

I'm not sure about Ottawa but I know a few schools rent lockers to law students. So if you wanted to keep your bag light but maybe wanted to carry extra stuff (gym clothes, extra shoes, sweater, etc.) then you could try looking into getting a locker as well 🙂 

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bocuma
  • Law Student

All you will need is your laptop, everything else is personal preference and totally optional. Chances are you won't even need your textbooks much because you'll end up using outlines/CANs instead. I don't think I even really had any tutorials, when we had in-class activities we'd usually just run through a fact pattern or something. If you want to use something like an iPad to take notes instead of a laptop that's fine as well, but definitely best to have everything in digital form. I brought my laptop, a pair of headphones, a water bottle, a spare sweater (essential if the climate control at your school is unpredictable), and gym clothes.

Also, I mean this in the kindest possible way: You have 6 weeks left where you can do whatever you want and don't have to think about the law - I really don't think planning the contents of your school bag is a good use of that time. Stop thinking about law school, you can worry about it on September 1st. Everything will work out, you will figure out a system that works for you in the first week or so. Law school is not so intense that you need to worry about this in July. You are all going to do great. 🙂

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ZukoJD
  • Law Student
17 minutes ago, bocuma said:

All you will need is your laptop, everything else is personal preference and totally optional. Chances are you won't even need your textbooks much because you'll end up using outlines/CANs instead. I don't think I even really had any tutorials, when we had in-class activities we'd usually just run through a fact pattern or something. If you want to use something like an iPad to take notes instead of a laptop that's fine as well, but definitely best to have everything in digital form. I brought my laptop, a pair of headphones, a water bottle, a spare sweater (essential if the climate control at your school is unpredictable), and gym clothes.

Also, I mean this in the kindest possible way: You have 6 weeks left where you can do whatever you want and don't have to think about the law - I really don't think planning the contents of your school bag is a good use of that time. Stop thinking about law school, you can worry about it on September 1st. Everything will work out, you will figure out a system that works for you in the first week or so. Law school is not so intense that you need to worry about this in July. You are all going to do great. 🙂

Yeah I really don’t like this sentiment. Not everyone will do « great » due to the nature of the grading system. Most people will do average and by their standards that’s not doing particularly well.  Often times minute differences will determine whether you did well in a course or did average or worse. Finding small details that give you an edge is not inconsequential. Don’t go crazy over these things of course, but it it’s worth considering them.

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20 minutes ago, ZukoJD said:

Yeah I really don’t like this sentiment. Not everyone will do « great » due to the nature of the grading system. Most people will do average and by their standards that’s not doing particularly well.  Often times minute differences will determine whether you did well in a course or did average or worse. Finding small details that give you an edge is not inconsequential. Don’t go crazy over these things of course, but it it’s worth considering them.

Bruh, it ain't that deep. 

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Rashabon
  • Lawyer
50 minutes ago, ZukoJD said:

Yeah I really don’t like this sentiment. Not everyone will do « great » due to the nature of the grading system. Most people will do average and by their standards that’s not doing particularly well.  Often times minute differences will determine whether you did well in a course or did average or worse. Finding small details that give you an edge is not inconsequential. Don’t go crazy over these things of course, but it it’s worth considering them.

Sure, sometimes. What you bring in your backpack to class is not one of those things.

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ZukoJD
  • Law Student
8 hours ago, Ice said:

@Wylinjabi it hit my mans right in the feels

Not at all. I did quite well in 1L as a bang average admit, and I would attribute a good amount of that to finding small advantages. 
 

For example, having a good note taking system, or an ergonomic desk set up that allows you to study comfortably and thus study longer. Hell, even a book stand (something you can bring in a backpack) helped me considerably. 

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StephenToast
  • Law Student

I'm definitely an outlier but I only bring a water bottle, a notepad, and a pen to class. I only use my notepad to write down questions I have for the material to ask the prof or look up myself after class.

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Ice
  • Law Student
5 hours ago, ZukoJD said:

Not at all. I did quite well in 1L as a bang average admit, and I would attribute a good amount of that to finding small advantages. 
 

Well I can honestly say I'm happy for you. I read your thread about struggling at the start of 1L, so its nice to see that you found your way. Good luck next year!

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reaperlaw
  • Lawyer
5 hours ago, ZukoJD said:

Not at all. I did quite well in 1L as a bang average admit, and I would attribute a good amount of that to finding small advantages. 
 

For example, having a good note taking system, or an ergonomic desk set up that allows you to study comfortably and thus study longer. Hell, even a book stand (something you can bring in a backpack) helped me considerably. 

I would not give this advice. You are prescribing small "advantages" as the reason you did well when it's almost certainly not why you did well. Someone should not come into law school thinking if they do these things they will do better. They very well may not. They very well will likely not.

I also did quite well in 1L, but I never did readings, studied a couple days for each exam, and wrote my papers alternatively sitting cross legged on my bed because my apartment had no desk or in the library if I was too lazy to walk home. I would not give that advice to an incoming 1L to follow.

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ZukoJD
  • Law Student
33 minutes ago, reaperlaw said:

I would not give this advice. You are prescribing small "advantages" as the reason you did well when it's almost certainly not why you did well. Someone should not come into law school thinking if they do these things they will do better. They very well may not. They very well will likely not.

I also did quite well in 1L, but I never did readings, studied a couple days for each exam, and wrote my papers alternatively sitting cross legged on my bed because my apartment had no desk or in the library if I was too lazy to walk home. I would not give that advice to an incoming 1L to follow.

I stand by what I said. I did numerous things that helped me study more effectively, and for longer durations where it was required. On average, people who follow suit most likely will do better than had they not. I find it odd that you seem to be arguing that someone taking the time to figure out what kind of note taking system works best for them would not benefit. Or that someone who figures out that they're more productive in the morning and subsequently structures their work around that would not be better for it. Or someone who finds exercising first thing increases their energy levels for the day would somehow not fair better than had they not done so. I could go on and on. 

I'm glad that your innate ability was sufficient for you to do well in law school, but for many it's not.  A big differentiator amongst the rest of the class who lack that ability will come to down to numerous factors, but one of the most important is effort. Finding small advantages means making the extra effort to maximize whatever potential you have been dealt. 

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LMP
  • Law Student
10 hours ago, StephenToast said:

I'm definitely an outlier but I only bring a water bottle, a notepad, and a pen to class. I only use my notepad to write down questions I have for the material to ask the prof or look up myself after class.

Your entire study method baffles me. But it worked, so maybe it is me who's doing things wrong. 

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  • 3 weeks later...
fraudulentlyblonde
  • Law Student

I feel like this thread really got away from you but just wanted to note that uOttawa does offer locker rentals. I really liked this for keeping my coat/boots (especially in the winter!) and also for storing snacks and gym clothes. This way I was able to just bring my laptop to class and wasn't burdened by a huge backpack. 

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Rusty Iron Ring
  • Lawyer

It's been a while, but I used to bring a laptop bag containing a laptop and a pad of paper/pen in case something went wrong with my laptop. And I would bring a coffee to my first couple of classes. I brought the textbook if we were likely to refer to it in class. 

After the first few lectures, I would decide whether I was learning from the lecture, or if I was better off skipping it to just read the materials in the library. Lectures were almost always worthwhile, but there were a couple of exceptions. 

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scooter
  • Law Student
55 minutes ago, fraudulentlyblonde said:

I feel like this thread really got away from you but just wanted to note that uOttawa does offer locker rentals. I really liked this for keeping my coat/boots (especially in the winter!) and also for storing snacks and gym clothes. This way I was able to just bring my laptop to class and wasn't burdened by a huge backpack. 

When do locker rentals typically happen?

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FellowTraveler
  • Law Student
On 7/17/2022 at 9:50 AM, StephenToast said:

I'm definitely an outlier but I only bring a water bottle, a notepad, and a pen to class. I only use my notepad to write down questions I have for the material to ask the prof or look up myself after class.

I'm guessing you do readings before class? I do essentially the same thing in reverse (classnotes, handwritten so as to synthesize instead of copy what is being said/shown) and then flag things that come up while reading. I've found that law profs are very idiosyncratic with what they want you to highlight, so I do my readings with their commentary in mind.

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easttowest
  • Lawyer
7 hours ago, scooter said:

When do locker rentals typically happen?

Usually in the first couple weeks, if they’re still run through the student government. 

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fraudulentlyblonde
  • Law Student
On 8/8/2022 at 10:47 AM, scooter said:

When do locker rentals typically happen?

The AECLSS sent out an email at the beginning of the semester last year with details! I'd expect to see it in September. 

On 8/9/2022 at 5:15 PM, Lala543 said:

Are most classes recorded and out on brightspace? Thx!

My 1L classes last year weren't! However if you require accommodations they may allow you to record the lectures yourself. I'd recommend reaching out to Jessica Simon if you have any questions about accommodations, she is a great resource for that! 

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On 7/16/2022 at 9:47 PM, ZukoJD said:

Yeah I really don’t like this sentiment. Not everyone will do « great » due to the nature of the grading system. Most people will do average and by their standards that’s not doing particularly well.  Often times minute differences will determine whether you did well in a course or did average or worse. Finding small details that give you an edge is not inconsequential. Don’t go crazy over these things of course, but it it’s worth considering them.

Give me a break. Just because the advice didn't capture the entirety of the human experience doesn't mean it's bad advice. And it's not like figuring out what to carry to lectures is a life or death decision -- people ultimately fall into a routine that works best for them.

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ZukoJD
  • Law Student
19 minutes ago, citycat said:

Give me a break. Just because the advice didn't capture the entirety of the human experience doesn't mean it's bad advice. And it's not like figuring out what to carry to lectures is a life or death decision -- people ultimately fall into a routine that works best for them.

I think you misinterpreted what I said. I specifically said not to go crazy over these things, but just wanted to point out that they can add up. 

I'm not a fan of giving blind reassurances anymore. Perhaps that part of my comment is what bothered you. 

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