🥲 1 week left before 2nd year exams 🥲 (last minute revision blog)

Hello! This is my “last minute” revision blog for my upcoming 2nd-year law exams starting on the 22nd May until 9th June.

This is primarily used for me to keep track of what am I doing and heavy, angsty exam rants. Do join in if anyone else needs to vent too :tongue:

Exam dates (7-days assignment durations)

21st - 28th May: Tort Law (3 problem question essays) — done & submit by 27th latest

24th - 31st May/1st June: Land Law (1 essay question & 1 problem question) — done & submit by 29th latest (9:45 am UK time)

26th May - 2nd June: EU Law (2 problem questions) — done & submit by 1st June latest

2nd June - 9th June: Public International Law (2 essay/problem questions) — done & submit by 8th June latest

Some deadlines are bunched together so I have to be smart about them.

Plan of attack — completing the essays

Tort Law — the moment I get the questions, print the questions out and start labelling what topics are involved in each question. Only then will I start labelling each “feature” of the problem questions that I need to address/reference to in my answers.

Ideally complete writing (first draft) by: morning (first half) of 24th, so I get almost 3 days to work on these 3 problem questions.

Submit by: 27th (personal deadline)

Land Law — only after completing Tort Law’s first drafts or when I am almost finish with them, will I look at the questions and pick 2 out. Probably best to work on the essay question’s information bit before doing the problem question (except after gaining the general idea of what topic the problem question is about).

Ideally complete writing (first draft) by: early morning of 28th, so I get almost 3 days to work on these 2 questions.

Start Land Law on Tuesday, 25th latest.

Submit by: 30th (personal deadline)

EU Law — start doing the questions on the 28th latest.
Before looking at the questions at all, first I need to go through all of my outlined & highlighted materials. Then I will annotate the problem question scenarios.

Start EU Law on 28th, Friday latest.

Ideally complete writing (first draft) by: 31st latest.

Submit by: 1st June (personal deadline)

Public International Law — choose 2 questions that I understand how to answer completely. Most likely essay questions, unless the problem question concerns a topic that I am confident in. Compile the first source of basic information (lecture notes) and list what points/authorities that I definitely need to include in. Then find other relevant primary sources (e.g. encyclopedia, and articles if any). Make a logical structure & outline for each of them. Look through previous essays so that I know how I should use (& contrast) authorities and what to include.

Start on 2nd June, Wednesday.

Ideally complete writing (first drafts) by: 6th June

Submit by: 8th June (personal deadline)

Will list what I need & want to do for each subject later on in the next post. Admittedly am not doing anything today because my sleep schedule is whack and by the time I wake up later it’s like Thursday already :redface:

Spent like 12 hours on TSR this morning because I’ve been extremely anxious (literally lost my mind :angry:

) about exams, but the advice and chats I’ve gotten earlier has been extremely reassuring and helpful :h:

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

Catherine1973

Gosh you get a long time to answer! We get 24 hours to submit exams!

Good luck!! ☺️

Original post by Catherine1973

Gosh you get a long time to answer! We get 24 hours to submit exams!

Hahaha my uni isn’t the only one doing this. I’ve had 24 hr exams in first semester already (hence scrapped 60% in land law for 1/3rd of the grade). Also some subjects, in non-online exams, tend to release the questions in advance and some will appear, some don’t. So there’s a lot of adjustments to compensate this, like I don’t know the questions in advance and that the questions take into account that I have a week to answer (assignment questions rather than simpler ones, like referring to a recent case not in textbooks, etc. and asking details on it). So yeah, I’m counting my blessings but I genuinely hope that the bell-curve will not work against me.

Reply 4

wifd149

Original post by TFEU

Good luck!! ☺️

Thank u! Will start once I’ve eaten n slept much ltr on :sigh:

Reply 5

wifd149

What I want & need to do for each subject

EU Law — a mindmap of all the headings of what I should be wary about.
- need to go through my compiled list of cases, highlight (accordingly) & annotate whatever is necessary
- I only need 2 mindmaps/flowcharts

Approximate time taken: 1 day

Land Law — probably put more details into my outlines & have some compiled info for probable essay questions in ‘examinable areas’
- there are 3 subjects that I’m willing to do problem questions for but we’ll see; the third one can be easements or leases (not sure)
— will require me to refer to the textbook for cases
- go through leases & licenses lecture(s) tomorrow!
- download all my slides for land law and make back-ups tomorrow!
- make a content bank on examinable areas (for essays)

Approximate time taken:
For tomorrow’s tasks 1/2 a day
Fleshing out my outlines — 1 day
Making a content bank — 1/2 a day to 1 day

Tort Law — ok, I’m a little floof with this one;
- make an outline of my textbook headings & subheadings so that I will not miss anything out
- make mindmaps of what was covered before exam starts
- backup all of my infos

Approximate time taken: 1 day

Pub Int Law — make my action plan on paper
- compile & backup all my infos by Friday

I have 7 days to do all this so... here we go

Reply 6

wifd149

For Thursday (13th May), DAY 1

To-do list (due today):

•

Go through my leases & licenses lectures — 1 - 2 hours [5/5 done — 6:15 am (1 hr 30 min)]

•

Download the relevant land law slides & make backups — 30-45 min

•

Make a content bank on ‘examinable areas’ /OR/ Make an outline & list of essential cases & statutes & Commission Reports for each topic and subtopics — 2 - 3 hours

•

Make 1 complete outline for Freehold Covenants — 3 - 4 hours

•

9 - 10 hours total.

I’m overestimating my timings on purpose because Lord knows I can be slow sometimes. Will cancel the list throughout the day. — 12:10 am

I am starting to hate law with a burning passion, **** me :colonhash:

— 6:16 am

Plans for tomorrow:
- go through all slides for Land Law
- make a content bank on ‘examinable essay areas’ (as much as I can)
- attend Pub Int Law exam briefing at 9 pm (2 pm UK time)
- attend EU law last group session at 11 pm (4 pm UK time)

So I haven’t slept, haven’t eaten, haven’t showered and it’s already 1:20 pm. The day has really been going great :colonhash:

Essentially wasted 4 hours doing dumb things and will probably go on until I’m ready to sleep. — 1:20 pm

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 7

wifd149

Ok I didn’t do much today/yesterday like idk anymore. Admittedly spent time on TSR just to keep reminding what my plans of attacks are in each thread. Now I’ve realized, I’m not exactly in a horrible position. I am aware of the general mechanics and the overviews of the topics that I’m choosing/are coming out. The most important thing is to back up all of my infos onto laptops, etc. before the day is up and I essentially just need to keep skimming & reviewing everything continually till exams start — to keep everything fresh in mind?

Sometimes when I’m panicking I can’t be sure if I actually know or don’t know anything, so just gotta keep quelling my nerves.

The only real important bit is when exam starts. And I shouldn’t exhaust myself intensively before it starts.

Just for personal rehashing:

“So calculating what remaining marks I ought to get for these upcoming exams for a first average — 2 essays in Land law must be 85% and 2 essays in EU law must be 85%, 3 essays in Tort law must be 75% minimum, and 2 essays in Pub Int Law must be 75% minimum. My jurisprudence is a 52% btw, and scrapped a 60% in Land law during the first term this year.

Mistakes I made to have gotten these bad grades previously:

•

Starting late in my first year exams (3/2/1 days before deadline with 0 knowledge on any 2 topics for the essays I’ve written; last year most were 2 essay questions to do per module for one submission)

•

Not bearing in mind any essay writing rules when panicking or distressed (to not have an argument/stance incorporated throughout the essay; not contrasting/comparing academics the proper way — no explanation given in any comparison; not citing the essential authorities/cases/statues that I needed to in my essays; to not have my personal opinion on each section; not being detailed or sufficiently knowledgeable in the essential/primary case judgements etc.; not using a proper structure in problem questions; and not giving each crucial sections of the essay equivalent & quality breadth and length; not using good examples/no examples/examples incorporated with purpose)

•

Submitted an essay late (68% downgraded to 58%)

•

Not doing equivalently well between 2/3 essays (65% in one, 58% in the other)

•

Choosing a question because the other one was boring but would have done better in (criminal law - got a 52% in the problem question, “not coherent with current case law” — i.e., not applying cases properly; statutes applied in the wrong order (after cases); used the CPS guide before cases or statute)

•

Wrong techniques

•

Not “critically discussing” but doing more ‘descriptions’ instead — relative amounts in an essay is what they look at

•

Had one 75% essay so I might have a rough idea on what to do :confused:

What I’m doing/been doing/going to do to improve:

•

Starting my essays the moment I got/get them

•

Having a methodical approach this time — making the outlines/steps/questions I need to take in order to answer a problem question

•

Making/including a list of essential cases/statutes/authorities — so that I will always include them and not miss anything out

•

Making/including subheadings of topics so that I am not missing out any concepts to the best of my abilities

•

Ensuring that I have an actual stance/argument position throughout my essay

•

Use proper examples - a breadth of variety - engage with them - maximize them

•

Put “critical thinking” - making my own formulations in detail

•

Use search engines properly - e.g. Westlaw for articles with any mentions to the cases I’m looking into or descendant cases; a particular encyclopedia for Pub Int Law; google searches

•

Made a methodical approach to know when there is a ‘grey area’ in a problem question to engage more discussion

•

Realize I can easily do, cover and read essential judgements in a shorter time than I anticipated (previously was too intimidated)

•

To ensure that I am engaging with the essential arguments

•

Showing that I am aware of the backdrop/issues of what topic I need to talk about in my essay

•

Use the best of materials (good/very useful journal articles & firm articles & looking into case judgements & relevant authorities; commission reports)

•

Break down the essay question — what sub questions must I answer? What is my structure? Am I answering the question? Must make sure that I am clear of this and give full explanations as to why I’m doing this essay the way I am

•

Also use non-legal examples— policy examples; news - real incidents”

Plans for today (14th May, Friday)

•

Attend a 9 pm (2 pm UK time) exam briefing for Pub Int Law

•

Attend an 11 pm (4 pm UK time) group re-capping for EU Law

•

Downloading all files necessary by today & backing them up

I’m having an event this afternoon, plus my horrendous sleep schedule makes me not engage with what I need to do properly. So essentially “real” studying starts on Saturday. Can’t make anymore delays, as long as I’ve done what I essentially need, the rest are extras meanwhile waiting for exams and keeping them fresh in mind. :banghead:

Reply 8

Catherine1973

Good luck with it. I was panicking about exam tomorrow as have focused on exams last Thursday and Tuesday just gone for last week.

But a review of each g week showed I was okay. I had a good One page summary of each topics. Articles and cases are listed on that and downloaded. Do now I am just ensuring articles mostly read.

Reply 9

wifd149

Original post by Catherine1973

Niceee mate! Good luck for ur exams tmrw, all the best! :biggrin:

Reply 10

wifd149

Plans for 15th May, Saturday (tomorrow)

•

Print out problem questions for Tort

•

Practice “issue-spotting” on problem questions for Tort Law (look at each question and ask myself: what topic(s) does this question mainly concern about? Identify the parties. Then what their roles are; their reasons for their main cause of action (damage/if necessary), etc. What are the specific concepts that have arisen from the facts given, and can I pinpoint to exactly which specific fact does/did this?) — done

•

Make my list of topics and what sub-concepts that fall under each of them (Tort) — done, at 10:09 am

So I know I would be sleeping a lot tomorrow because I honestly hardly slept today :bawling:

Like 3 hours or so because, again, sleeping schedule is whack so I can’t really sleep straight in one go. Good news is that I managed to save and backup all of my relevant infos, and there’s that. Currently just done with Pub Int law’s exam briefing which was surprisingly good because it was a recap for a huge portion of the topics so far. Waiting for our last EU group session to start in 30 min, and am sleepy af :s-smilie:

Will update throughout the day tomorrow over here.

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 11

wifd149

So I’ve looked at some past year questions, and honestly 2019’s problem questions were much more easily understandable than 2020’s. But taking into account that for 2020, students only needed to answer 2 (like 2019, but 2019 was not an online exam) whereas my batch needs to do 3, I’m hoping that this year’s would be nowhere as hard as 2020’s. Laughably the fact that they’ve decided to make an entire section with problem questions this year tells me that most students chose the essay questions over the problem questions last year, Law exams are extremely horrific :colonhash:

Whatever it is I hope that I can overcome it and actually get firsts in all 3 essays :redface:

Also there is a clear difference in difficulty level between our seminar questions and 2020’s problem questions. Just saying :frown:

It’s worrying to say the least. But now onwards I’ll be focusing on Land Law revision and recapping the 4 topics asap. Wish me luck :smile:

Gonna sleep first though so idk if I can salvage anything substantial today, but we’ll see. It’s like 1:05 pm here.

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 12

wifd149

On a re-read the facts of the questions were ok and clear, just that linking different parties is/was a hassle :colonhash:

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 13

wifd149

Take not, New Tort Law tip: make headings of each individuals & write down what exactly happened to each of them (move their respective facts of the question under each of their own names)

- the first step

Reply 14

Catherine1973

Yep sone of the tort problems have a ton going on. I had a defamation one in my exam and had 6 different people insulted by the end! In 1200 words! A struggle to keep to word limit on that.

Reply 15

wifd149

Original post by Catherine1973

Yep sone of the tort problems have a ton going on. I had a defamation one in my exam and had 6 different people insulted by the end! In 1200 words! A struggle to keep to word limit on that.

Oh dear, that’s like about 200 words or less per person :redface:

Say do you go through each element every time for each person? Don’t think I’d fit all that in 200 words to be honest :dontknow:

Also thnx for constantly interacting here :colondollar:

It means the world to me I swear :bubbles:

Reply 16

Catherine1973

Nah for that one I went though I each element then applied it to each person. Ie what they said, pretty much all obvious accusations of lying etc so could apply same test to all. Identification split into 2 categories, either clearly identified as x did this or part of a group.

Sometimes it’s easier to go person by person, other times you go by elements.

Reply 17

wifd149

Original post by Catherine1973

Handy tip mate :smile:

Tbh I never had to use that approach before bcus I haven’t touched any question like that previously, but if I need to then I’ll use it

Reply 18

wifd149

Sunday, 15th May

•

Mortgages (6 sections) ~ 4 hours — 4/6 done (12:50 am; took me a bit too long for my liking bcus I’m drowsy af) — 1 hour 15 min to finish F5 anf F6

•

Easements & Profits (6-7 sections) ~ 4 hours — y — 45 min (parts H1, H2a, H2b) - 1 hour 30 min (H3, H4, H5) - 1 hour 15/20 min (H6)

Got my cousin coming over for dinner later, so I ought to finish easements before 7 pm :colonhash:

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 19

wifd149

So how I’ve been dealing with Land law at the moment is super inefficient.

There is no need for me to re-write my notes, instead I should link them together? Idk how this will turn out but I am at a loss of ideas as to how I’m gonna do this :bawling:

I’ll review by:

Listening to the podcast (while writing very important points & noting down the authorities)

...

Actually I have a general idea of how this all works. It’s just the authorities (case names & statutes) that I need to brush up on.

I am sleep deprived and I don’t know how on earth am I gonna do these exams anymore. I just wanna die and cry :afraid: