Tailor Archive

Okay I promised you a war story, and here it is....

So they have these ridiculous rules at the bar exam. First, no wallets or purses. Second, no cellphones. Anything that you don't leave at the hotel has to sit in a box outside the testing room for any miscreant to take. Needless to say, I left such items at the hotel room.

I had all my paraphernalia that was required... or so I thought. My friend drove me from the hotel to the test center and took off.

I get to the test center, and... where's my PHOTO ID?! Driver's license, accidentally left in the wallet. OMG, just spent $500 testing fees, $3000 bar review course, $200 hotel fees, etc etc... and I can't take the test.

*hyperventilate*
*freak out*

So I don't have a cellphone to call my friend, because that was left at the hotel. And nobody else has one either, because they all left them at their respective hotels.

So I asked the proctor, figuring this is a big important test, identity is crucial, and he just shrugged and said "eh, you'll need it tomorrow."

Well... okay, so the bar examiners have lousy security. Whatever, they do handwriting samples.

I later found out that I would NEED the ID that afternoon, not tomorrow, because they would be fingerprinting....

We get out for a lunch hour. I can't find a phone. Can't find quarters. Don't even know if friend who drove me is even NEAR where I am... Hotel is 1.3 miles away and I said... time for some exercise.

Yep, during my hour lunch break, I hoofed it back to the hotel, wearing my plastic sandals that are NOT made for this purpose. Mind you, I've been sitting on my butt studying for two months, not running marathons. I know, I know, I need exercise but NOW is not the time!

Got to the hotel, sweating, blistered feet, in 20 mins. Got my ID. Realized that the person sitting next to me in the afternoon may be overpowered by my sweaty stench.

It then occurred to me with my superior lawyer logic that instead of torturing myself walking back, I'd take my car (parked at the hotel) and park at the mall across the street from the testing center (for $6). Of course I figure this out after I've tortured myself speed walking to the hotel.

For the next two and a half days, I sat in the testing site with the most godawful leg cramps from my little jaunt. First order of business this week is hitting the gym.

So what did I learn from the bar exam?

First: even really smart responsible people have lapses, and it's guaranteed to be at the wrong time. I mean, I carry neosporin in my purse "just in case", and managed to forget my photo ID to erm, the biggest test I'll ever have to take ever.

Second: sometimes you get lucky and no harm no foul

Third: you can get leg cramps in your, erm "gluteal" region.

Yeah yeah, laugh it up I'm done

Message Edited by ArthurDentOnBria on 07-30-2004 08:28 AM

The bar is an endurance test, plain and simple. It's 3 days of utter hell. You have to get there at 8am, and you're there until 5:30. 6 hours of that is testing, and the rest is instructions, preliminaries, and lunch break.

After that fiasco the first day, I ordered a pizza delivered to my hotel room and watched TV (no studying). I was a lot more well-rested than those dorks who studied between testing sessions.

To avoid traffic yesterday, I hit the mall across the street from the testing center That was fun.

LOL, I think if any of us were put under that kind of pressure, we wouldn't have faired much better

So, inquiring minds want to know. How do you think you did?

Well nobody feels they passed. I don't feel like I utterly failed, but I don't feel particularly like I nailed it. I get to wait until NOVEMBER 19 for the results /cry.

I don't think anybody ever feels that they do especially well on any test of that magnitude. Hope for the best, expect the worst, and I think come November you will be pleasantly suprised. Until then, relax and have some fun!!

/comfort NJ

I'm sure you impressed the **edit** out of them with your perseverance, trust me, stories about who did what during lunch always make the rounds of the panels deciding these things. (Privately hopes her Thesis examination if four years won't be that tough)