How many hours?????????????

So I have been struggling through the reading, the outlining, and basically doing my best to keep my head above water.  It was mentioned to me today that after the two hours of academic tutoring on Sunday several of my classmates spent another 4 hours (yes four, making that a total of 6 hours on a Sunday) in a study group for just one of our classes.  Now, I am about getting good grades, but I am in no way willing to spend a total of 6 hours on a Sunday studying, and they didn't finish, so they are going back again this Sunday.  I don't know if it is events in my life this year, or what but I have no intention of giving up that much of my life.  I am happy with getting a C so I can pass and not have to take a class again.  That is way too much time to be away from family and friends, and giving up all the fun things in life that make life worth living.  I realize I used to be that competitive and that obsessive about getting good grades, but I just don't see the trade off being worth it.  Tell me how missing out on  an Adele concert to spend 6 hours studying is going to make my life better.  How much is that A really worth?  I have come to the conclusion that I am very willing to give up getting the A so that I can enjoy life.  A lawyer who graduates last in her class is still has a J.D.  While I don't want to be last, I just want to pass and still enjoy life.  If I can't do both I will have to seriously look at law school and what value and place it really has in my life.  I am already giving up seeing my friends on any kind of regular basis have had to turn down invites to events 'with eligible guys' because I am in class 3 nights a week and doing almost 200 pages of reading a week, plus outlining and trying to make heads and tails of mid-term prep.  I guess we will see how life goes and how this semester ends.

Surprises

There was a surprise today, one of my classmates has left.  I did not see this coming, and while I have thought about leaving I at least want to give it a real shot instead of just a few short weeks.  I got called on in class, and my classmates told me I did a good job, not sure if I did or not, but I don't feel like the professor was calling on me or trying to make me feel stupid.  I have no idea how or why but I don't think the Socratic method is a bad thing, maybe it is because I have had professors who used it before.
I don't know what to make of a classmate leaving.  I am still very stressed and think that these next four years will be the hardest and most frustrating of my life.  I don't feel like I know material, and I am constantly confused about what is expected and what I need to do or have ready or understand or know already.
I am more confused now than when I started law school.

Week 3

I have made it through my first writing test, did not do too badly, in fact I did well.  I went to the first tutoring sessions for Civ Pro and Torts, I'll be a repeat customer to those sessions.  I have had more meltdowns, my parents may kill me before I graduate as my meltdowns are often on the weekends after a week of feeling overwhelmed.  This is not fun, I remember at least enjoying some of my other days in college.  Oh, well.  Things are starting to look up, I answered a question in Torts, and I think I got it right and a check mark.  Maybe, that means I don't have to be worried about being called on for awhile.  I can hope can't I?

week 2

I made it though the 2nd week of classes, just in time to celebrate Labor Day weekend, only to realize just how much reading, case briefing, and studying for Tuesday's test.  I have no idea how to study for a legal writing exam, because in class even if I spot the 'right' issue I never seem to write it the way the professor does.  I am starting to think it will be a miracle if I don't flunk out.  At least, I hope I will do better in my other classes, maybe that can offset any bad grades I will get in legal writing.  It is such a strange concept to me that a class grade will be determined by only one or two exams.  I know I read material ahead of time that warned me of this, but it is still so strange.  I am coming to realize my previous need to be an A student is not as important as it once was, for many reasons, but mainly because I don't think I have enough time in the day or my life to be that obsessive about it.  I am starting to come up for air and feel like I am starting to tread water, but I don't have my head up high enough for me to breath easily.  I hope that as the semester goes on I get into a routine, and that this becomes easier.  Is this one of those mind over matters issues, like the Little Engine Who Could, if I keep telling myself that I will survive and it will be easier, it will become so.
I guess I'll have to wait and figure it out.