In The Shark Attack, the Blawgirl brings you a list of links to blog posts published at The Shark, a blawg written by and for law students.
Facebook groups. Go. Join. Gripe. Law students are the least likely of all the students in the world to complain about anything. Now that I’ve made your heads implode and have possibly awakened the anti-Christ from the improbability of that last statement, I urge you, law students and prospective law students alike, to check out the groups listed in the post. If you want a picture of law school different than those displayed in the glossy, Abercrombie and Fitch-ed law school catalogs, the discussions in these groups are real eye-openers. There’s sex, doomed relationships, alcoholism … basically anything you’d find in any daytime soap opera worth its salt. It would make for very entertaining reading if it wasn’t something to be feared.
Fark on law school. If you thought that law students in all their sainted, high-achieving splendor were immune from stupidity, I would like to have what you’re having. Seriously, though. I was rather surprised by how many times the term “law student” and “law school” came up in my Fark search for the worst of the worst law school students to make Fark headlines. Follow the link and see who made it to the No. 1 spot.
Photo: Richard Ling / Flickr
In The Shark Attack, the Blawgirl brings you a list of links to blog posts published at The Shark, a blawg written by and for law students.
Has the hysteria hit you yet? Stay calm amidst the ranking craze. Students and bloggers peed themselves Sunday and Monday when U.S. News and World Report law school rankings were leaked (see what I did there?).
Torture memo debate at Chapman turns up the dialogue rather than the drama. Chapman University School of Law visiting professor and former Bush administration legal adviser John Yoo debated professors at the Orange County, Calif., law school about Presidential Power and Success in Times of Crisis. Shoe tossing was upsettingly absent from this debate.
Berkeley professor spends years developing alternative to LSAT. LSAT, shmel-sat. A team of Berkeley professors, with the blessing of the Law School Admissions Council, researched a test that is supposed to more accurately test whether a student will make a better lawyer.
Photo: Richard Ling / Flickr
I was expecting it. People on law school boards were saying that only about 100 applicants out of more than 2,000 were getting offers to attend. I turned in my application a little later in the cycle. I didn’t receive anything in the mail inviting me to Admitted Students’ Day. No follow-up emails. No calls. No fat envelopes. No quirky musical montage. Things were not looking up.
Still, I was a little disappointed when I received that skinny envelope from the fledgling U.C. Irvine School of Law last week. I did not get the golden ticket, the free law school education that was promised to any member of the school’s inagural class. I would not get to be an anteater. Twas a sad day in Julie-ville.
Then, yesterday I read on The Shark blawg that Dean Erwin Chemerinsky’s grand expedition into the law school yonder had turned away 2,740 other students who were hoping to hitch their wagon to the new California law school. And I realized that it may have been a sad day in many other people’s villes as well.
In the spirit of reject solidarity, I offer you, the other 2,740 of my brothers and sisters in reject-dom, this.
Despite the fact that we’re not going to be going to their totally awesome school (which they themselves acknowledge is totally awesome and is almost as awesome as Harvard and Yale), we can make our peace with the fact that we will not be endowed with awesomeness. How can we accomplish this awesome feat, you ask? By learning how totally not-that-awesome U.C. Irvine’s mascot, the anteater, is:
Random Anteater Facts
- The name anteater usually refers to the Giant Anteater but is also applied to the aardvark, the numbat, the echidna, and the pangolin. Together with the sloths, these animals comprise the order Pilosa. All these animals are known to eat ants and termites.
- The tongue of the Giant Anteater is over 2 feet long. (via www.randomfacts.org)
- Giant anteaters walk with a slow shuffle on all four legs with their nose pointed to the ground. The anteater does not walk on its paws. Instead, with the claws curled up into the paws, it walks on its “fists.”
- Giant anteaters have no teeth but a specialized tongue that allows them to eat up to 30,000 ants and termites each day.
- An adult female giant anteater gives birth to a single baby (twins are rare) while in a standing position, propped up by her strong tail.
- The giant anteater’s main enemies are jaguars and pumas
- The giant anteater has been around for 25 million years (via www.sandiegozoo.org)
OK. Well, maybe they are kinda cool. And I have to admit that they can also be kinda cute. Here’s “Anteater eating a creamsicle”.
Here’s one called “Stewie walks on two legs”.
And I leave you with “Baby Anteaters”.
With cute, almost anything can be forgiven. Even a law school rejection. Sigh.
The picture just seems to get bleaker and bleaker for those of us who have yet to hear from the U.C. Irvine School of Law. Apparently, the first admitted students day for the new California law school was held Friday, April 3, and students on the Top Law Schools forum stated that 61 students were in attendance. Forum poster scantronix stated, however, that “a bunch” of the students were uncommitted.
Poster LawApp2012, who states that they went to the Friday reception for admitted students, said the school has admitted 109 students, 38 students have committed, 10 people have declined offers, leaving only 22 spots of the budgeted 60 slots for the school’s inaugural class. Hence, the sad, sad bunny picture. See, UC Irvine, you made the bunny sad.
LawApp2012 also stated:
“Dean Ortiz confirmed that (the school) will honor the admission offers to everyone who accepts even if it exceeds 60. Overall, the ASD was really inspiring and reaffirmed my decision to go to UCI.”
Scantronix, another user, followed up with a post stating that the committed students number 40, as a couple of students committed during the reception. Overall, scantronix says, the California’s newest law school made a strong showing.
“ASD was mostly meeting faculty and learning about the school and curriculum. It was really inspiring and I can’t stress how nice everyone was. That mattered to me a lot. It’s the most overtly social thing I’ve done in awhile. Also they fed us. OC legal community turned out in force, which was also very interesting. After ASD, I’d personally be surprised if they didn’t fill the class but as of leaving, there were 20 spots left. “
According to scantronix, the reception went about 11 hours.
Follow the conversation here.
Also checked the Facebook group U.C. Irvine School of Law Inaugural Class, and membership is at 31 students.
Photo: I Can Has Cheezburger
If you’ve seen the word “gunner” in law school-related forums, you’ve probably interpreted the word to mean something bad. I mean, you can basically replace it with the word “leper” without changing the intent of the sentence too drastically.
Just how bad is a gunner? Here’s an Urban Dictionary definition:
A person who is competitive,overly-ambitious and substantially exceeds minimum requirements. A gunner will compromise his/her peer relationships and/or reputation among peers in order to obtain recognition and praise from his/her superiors.
Oh my word. Kill it. With fire. Seriously though: What does the world have against the high-performing student? I say this based purely on anecdotal evidence, but it seems that, in a scholastic setting, achieving academic prowess is seen to be at odds with ascending the popularity ladder.
Researchers in the UK, who studied children ages 12 to 13, have now discovered how to be good at both. And how is that accomplished? The researchers concluded that you can avoid being called a “nerd” (or, in the case of law school, a gunner) by … wait for it … being thought of as good looking and fashionable by your classmates. Like, ZOMFG! Obvious researcher is obvious.
Telegraph education correspondent Julie Henry writes:
“A number of the pupils interviewed were aware of the tensions inherent in being clever and popular. Some mentioned being chided jokingly for being ‘boffs’ by friends.
There was evidence that some of the pupils were carefully negotiating the “balance”. One middle-class boy said: ‘Well, you try to make yourself be funny as well as do the right answers.’ “
Read the full article here. (via Neatorama)
Photo: I Can Has Cheezburger
Yes, law school and the subject matter taught in it can be less droll and more “LOL!” At least as depicted by the members of The Libel Show at the University of Virginity School of Law. The show, which is similar to the New York University School of Law’s Law Revue, is:
“an annual theatrical production which has been humoring the Law School since 1908 (making us the longest running student organization on campus). Each year the Show lampoons our professors and life at the Law School through a variety of impersonations, song parodies, and skits. The Libel Show’s mission is to do everything within its power to help the Law School community enjoy raucous laughter.” (UVA’s Web site)
Above the Law posted a couple of preview videos from NYU’s 2009 Law Revue, and The Libel Show wanted in on the publicity action. They wrote ATL with a link to a video from last year that plays a bit like an odd mix of the Beastie Boys and the Backstreet Boys. A representative for UVA states that “in terms of humor … (the video) kicks the crap out of NYU’s Law Revue”.
UVA gets extra points from me for comparing a treatise by Chemerinsky (as in Erwin Chemerinsky, the dean of the new U.C. Irvine School of Law) to a thick booty.
“Excuse me! You don’t know what you do to me. Your booty triggers strict scrutiny. Fatal in-fact back that everyone can see. It’s thicker than a treatise by Chemerinsky.”
But ATL hits the nail on the head when they state its tough to get over “the resemblance between that one Con Luv Boy and Carson Kressley from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.”
If you haven’t already, watch the vid up top, and watch the South Park-inspired vid below from NYU to come to your own conclusions:
The Blawgirl crawls the Interwebz to find steals and deals for the frugal law student and the competitive bargain shopper. Find a new Frugal Finds 11:30 (ish) p.m. PST every Monday through Saturday! Also, each post is updated as I come across items. You’re welcome.
Alerts:
- Want to take a trip to San Francisco this weekend? If you’re in the Los Angeles area (Long Beach), you can fly up to San Francisco for $14 one-way! The offer from JetBlue is for flights booked today for travel by April 8. The flights from San Francisco to New York have already sold out, so it would probably be a good idea to jump on this deal quickly. (via DealNews) UPDATE (2:45): I just visited the JetBlue site and all four of the flights they were offering have been sold out!
Gadgets and Gear:
- The HP Home & Home Office Store is offering the HP G70t Intel Core 2 Duo 2GHz 17″ Widescreen Notebook, model no. NJ774AV, for $569.99 with free shipping. Follow the directions at the DealNews entry for the laptop.
- Apple is currently offering 12 factory refurbished MacBook Pro Notebooks starting at $1,349. If that’s too rich for your blood, you can go with the refurbished MacBook 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo in white for $849. (via DealNews)
- Dell Home is taking 20 percent off select Inspiron notebooks of $799 or more with coupon code “B$89KMG909?2WN” with free shipping. Sales tax is added where applicable. Deal ends April 30. (via DealNews)
- Get an Iogear GME222A Wired Optical Mini Mouse w/ Retractable Cord from Newegg for $9.99 with free shipping. (via CheapTweets via DealUniversity)
- CompUSA is offering the Targus Brilliance Convertible Notebook Case for $24.99 with about $14 for shipping. Not bad for a bag that normally goes for $89.99. Wear it as a messenger bag, as a backpack, or a manbag. The bag features a padded shoulder strap, MP3 player pocket with headphone port, side magnetic pocket, padded workstation, and support for most laptops with screens up to 15.4″. (via DealNews)
- Get a task chair for $10 from Micro Center. It looks kinda basic, but you can upgrade later on. (via FatWallet)
- If you already have a task chair and want an upgrade, you can pick up the RS To-Go Nulla High-Back Microfiber Chair in gray for $79.99 with free shipping from Office Depot. Coupon code “41074467″ brings the price to $67.99. (via DealNews)
Entertainment:
- Amazon.com is offering Seasons 1-10 of “ER” for $163, which is quite a markdown from its list price of $468. If you missed the past decade of unpronounceable medical ailments there’s no better time than these last four months before orientation to catch up. Personally, I’m a “Grey’s Anatomy” kinda girl, but maybe the McGranddaddy of today’s medical dramas can cure your pre-law school ills (haha!). (via DealNews)
- iTunes free downloads. “The Truth in 24″ a documentary about racing. Top app: Skype.
- If you miss you some Buffy the Vampire Slayer, why not check out the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris. The HBO series “True Blood” is based on this vampire tale where humans and vamps live among each other. A box set with the six of the books in the series is available for $28 via Buy.com via treebeardbooks. (via DealNews)
Odds and Ends:
- To celebrate its 40th anniversary, the Old Spaghetti Factory is offering 40 percent off its pasta dinners on Tuesdays. Click here for a link to the coupon. (via CheapTweets via DaddyODeals)
- Also, I just checked the Entertainment.com Web site again, and they’re still offering their 2009 entertainment books for all cities for $15. With free shipping, that’s up to $36 off select books, according to DealNews. Entertainment Books contain hundreds of 2-for-1 and 50 percent off coupons valid at many restaurants, hotels, and services in your area, just select the right book for your city! An example: The Orange County (Calif.) book regularly goes for $40, but is being offered at $15 with free shipping!
Photo: {platinum} / Flickr
The Blawgirl crawls the Interwebz to find steals and deals for the frugal law student and the competitive bargain shopper.
Alerts:
- Ending today. Restaurant.com is offering a 70 percent off already-discounted, print-at-home restaurant coupons. Use coupon code ‘SAVE’. (via CheepTweets via techbargains.com)
- Ending today. Get a factory-refurbished Brother HL-2040 Monochrome Laser Printer worth $79.99 for $30 with coupon code “RC204020″ and a $30 mail-in rebate. With free shipping, you get an $80 printer for $30! Visit DealNews for the link to the rebate.
- Ending today. Get an HP All-in-One for as little as $69. Get the HP Photosmart C5280 Q8330A, with coupon code “HPC528030″ at Newegg. For more printer deals, visit DealNews.
Gadgets:
- Toshiba Satellite A355-S6925 16″ NoteBook for $600 with coupon code EMCLPPM66 through April 6. (via DealUniversity)
- Netgear WGR614 Wireless-G router for $16.99 and free shipping. (via DealUniversity)
- Canon PowerShot A480 10.0 MP 2.5″ Digital Camera for $119.00 through April 6. (via DealUniversity)
- 25 percent off and free shipping of Dell Studio desktops of $1,149 or more with coupon code “52KZSVRL0DVBMT”. Deal ends May 1. (via DealNews)
Entertainment:
- RedOctane is offering the Guitar Hero Metallica Wireless Bundle for Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, or PlayStation 3 (as pre-orders) for $99.99 with free shipping. The coupon code “GHMETAL20″ brings it to $79.99. (via DealNews)
- Free subscription to Spin magazine for your Vodka recipe. (via MyDealsBlog)
- Borders Rewards members can get 25 percent off today through Thursday with this printable coupon. (via OC Deals)
- iTunes free downloads. Angel Taylor ‘Make Me Believe’ (pop). John Cage ’4’33″ (whiskey tango foxtrot? hint: It’s four and a half minutes almost two minutes of silence!) Top free app: 3D Brick Breaker Revolution.
Odds and ends:
- CVS pharmacy online is offering 20 percent off everything March 30-April 1. From the CVS main page, you use coupon code CVS ‘spring20′ at checkout (via CheapTweets via FatWallet)
- Free full-size Pantente Pro-V Nature Fusion while supplies last. (via Frugal Freebies)
- Buy one get one free large or medium lattes at Seattle’s Best coffee! Visit JustPlainFrugal for the coupon link!
- Two-piece chicken and biscuit meal for $1.99 at Popeye’s Chicken. (via FatWallet)
- OK. Had to follow up the fried chicken entry with this: 2-year adult membership at 24 Hour Fitness All-Sport, All-Club for $299. Word on message boards, however, is they try to sell you stuff when you go in to register, so put the blinders on and don’t give in!
Photo: Experiment 33 / Flickr
Gizmodo is a great technology blog that also throws in some interesting geek-related news (think Playstation, Xbox, Super Mario Bros., the Princess Leia slave girl outfit, etc.). If you’re looking for reviews for laptops or gadgets, this is a great place to get feedback.
The thing about technology, however, is that it can be pretty expensive. Gizmodo’s answer? Its daily Dealzmodo post, which lists technology, and sometimes fast food, discounts and rebates.
Here’s the latest posting: Gizmodo: Gadget deals of the day.
The site also recently listed an offer for $200 of the $999 white MacBook. You can find out about that offer here.
Thumbnail: Steve Wampler / Flickr
So you’ve gotten into the law school of your (or your parents’) dreams, and you’ve already done the dance of joy to The Killers’ ‘Human’ (or, like in my law school admittance fantasy, to Justin Timberlake’s ‘Sexy Back‘). If you’re not currently in work or in school, you’ve got four months to kill before they lock you in and throw away the key. What do you do?
In the tons of the articles I’ve read regarding the summer before your 1L semester, law school students and administrators have pretty much the same advice: relax homeslice. So, I will. But I am also of the mind that these next four months will be the stuff of fantasy (like chocolate cake that subtracts calories as you eat it … mmm) six months from now. As a result, I’ve compiled something of a 0L Bucket List: a list of things that I or other 0Ls may want to do before we take the plunge.
- Learn a new language. You may not achieve full proficiency (or even be able to ask for the women’s loo) before the end of the summer, but it may be fun to take a language class at your local community college. Or you can take a gander at the BBC’s Languages page, which has some snazzy interactive videos to help you learn French, German, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Portugese, Chinese and snippets of other tongues.
- Go on a trip. If the price tag for college hasn’t already sent you looking for pennies underneath your sofa cushions, and you can bring yourself to part with several C-notes, you may want to consider taking a trip. And since you’re going to law school with the hope of changing the world someday (yes, I read your personal statement), it might be fun for you to go on a volunteer vacation. There are several programs out there that recruit people for one to three week stints for projects stateside and abroad. Through GlobeAware, which offers programs to 15 countries, you can take a one week trip to Brazil for about $1400. Or you can volunteer in the good ol’ U.S. of A with the Sierra Club, which lists dozens of volunteer trips on its Web site.
- Read a book. If you’re a bibliophile like me, you may want to knock out a couple of those quick reads. Judging from Boyfriend’s account of law school, most of your reading in the fall is going to be dense and done either at home or in the law library, so why not take that book tote outside to the local arboretum or park? You may also want to read some law school related books, like Scott Turow’s ’1L: The Turbulent Story of a First Year at Harvard Law School.’
- Spend time with the people that matter to you. Time is to law school as fabric is to a hirsute, male, thong-wearing beach goer in Brazil: There is never enough of it, and you hope it stretches out enough to cover all the, ahem, ‘material’. Which is why it is all the more important to bank as much good will as you can by scheduling outings with your friends, family and significant other, or even going on a summer trip with them before the time leech that is law school sucks all the time away.
- Start a blawg. You’re going to be writing a lot in law school, so why not brush up on subjects, verbs and dangling thingamajigs by starting your very own blog. It’ll get you into a daily habit of reading and writing something, and could turn into a fun little hobby when the fall rolls around. This blawg is powered by WordPress and hosted by a hosting company, but you can get a WordPress-hosted, out-of-the-box blog at WordPress.com, or at Blogger.com, for free.
Watch for future blog posts on the 0L Bucket List!
Photo: I Can Has Cheezburger
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