Light Drizzle

Does anyone else think that the Weather Network's graphic for "light drizzle" looks hilarious, and more like rain hammering down to flood the world like nothing since Noah's days with the ark?

Ha ha ha ha ha.

Poor Calgary.


Also, I thought I'd explain a few things about my first few weeks of law school that have cleared up (a little bit).

The first little bit of law school has been incredibly vague. Personally, I haven't had a problem with this, since I prescribe to the "go-with-the-flow" mentality. Some people, though, have struggled with it a bit more, and rightly so.

On our schedules, each Wednesday morning is blocked off with "Tutorials" written into the timeslot. What does this mean, when are our tutorials, what are they for, are the compulsory, when do we get the schedule?

Well ... tutorials are offered in each of our classes: Torts, Criminal, Property, Contracts, and Constitutional. Each class has three tutorials a semester, and each tutorial is an hour in length. In the tutorial, we have been split up into groups of 20, and with the Prof, take a look at problems that have been assigned, and learn how to apply those proper principles and theory in order to solve them. For each tutorial that we have in a particular class, the Prof cancels one of our regularly scheduled lectures.

Whew.

So ... we got our tutorial schedule yesterday, and our first two tutorials are on Wednesday. This was pretty foggy when we first started, but we'll jump right in, now that we know.

Also, when it comes to school, the expectations are still a little big unknown. I've spoken to a few classmates of mine, and everyone seems to feel the same way (generally).

We all go to class, read what we're supposed to be reading, and answer the questions that we can, when the Prof asks them. BUT ... it feels (in the words of one of my classmates) as though we're only "going through the motions" so far.

The Associate Dean has ensured us that we should have a better idea about what to focus on once we've completed a few tutorials, as these are problem solving classes, so we'll see.

Basically, the first few days of law school, you'll find out quickly that law school classes are unlike those that you would have had in your undergrad. There isn't the same type of lecture format. Some of the Profs will outline various principles, but basically, you'll be assigned some reading beforehand, you'll come to class prepared, and the Profs will ask questions about the reading material, which the class will discuss.

The first case brief that you do will also be fairly vague (and frankly, briefing is still kind of out there for me). You'll be told about case briefing (we were given a seminar on this in our Orientation), you'll be given a case, and you'll be told to have at'er. It took me awhile to understand, not only the content of the cases, but to understand the format. Why is there a separate Concur statement, what is a Dissent? It gets clearer as you go along, so don't panic if you feel like a fish out of water ... I think that this is how they want you to feel off the start (I can hear their maniacal laughs now ... wafting through the law library). Just remember that, in class, when they're asking questions, the Profs don't expect you to know it all - they just want you to take your best stab at it.

Whew. Better get to reading ... I still have a bunch to do, and I opted for Starbucks this morning as opposed to the gym (I know, I know), so I still have to work my work-out into my day (heh heh).