What To Do When The Bar Exam Is Right Around The Corner

So the bar exam is right around the corner.  I remember how scary and stressful it was to be looking down the barrel of the bar exam. I know my stomach was constantly in a knot, my heart would flutter and I would feel panicked. If I started to think about the exam and how close it was, I would have to concentrate on slowing my breathing and taking my "fight or flight" response down a notch or two.

What I want to tell you is that you should try to calm your nerves and not stress out. I almost dare not write that because I know exactly how futile it is to say that to someone about to take the bar exam. I almost cringe at the thought of what snide comments are crossing your mind right now in response to such a suggestion. So since you probably won't listen to that suggestion...

I think at this point in the game, you need to have confidence in your chosen preparation method. (Assuming your method is a trustworthy one), simply stay the course. I remember thinking at this stage that I hadn't really done anything during the past weeks. I believed that somehow I must've dreamt all those hours in the library and tricked myself into thinking I was preparing. I felt as though I knew nothing. The magnitude of the bar exam has a way of creating this kind of mirage. You will face it again after the exam during the excruciating wait for results. About 1 week after the exam, you will have convinced yourself that you missed every issue. You might be unable to remember a single thing you wrote and think you left the exam with blank answer files.

Just know that you HAVE been working - for hundreds of hours. You HAVE learned the law. You HAVE taken practice tests. You ARE prepared. You are in the home stretch, and all you need to do is continue doing what you have been doing. Take practice exams, and test your recall of the rules (ideally through practice exams). Oh yeah, and stay as calm as possible.