Tallahassee Sunsets

As I get older, I've learned that one of the secrets to happiness, or at least to my own personal happiness, is to stay busy.

Now that school is out for the summer, I'm not studying and working all the time. That will change on June 15th, when I begin working for a wrongful death firm. But until then, I find that most of my evenings are free.

About five times during this past week, I had the chance to go for an early evening run. After I finished the jogs, I decided to stay busy by hopping on my bike and riding for an hour or so until the sun set.

I go for bike rides in Innovation Park. The Park contains various buildings dedicated to industrial and technological pursuits, such as the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and the FSU/FAMU School of Engineering. Innovation Park is where I ride my bike because there are many open spaces of woods or fields (the FSU golf course flanks one side of the park). Each day, I stopped somewhere to watch the fabulous pinks, purples, oranges and yellows that colored the clouds as the sun went down.

The other things in nature that I come across on my bike rides are also fascinating. One day I saw a red fox lying in the grass, watching me with curiosity. It kept sitting up and laying back down, trying to decide if it should run away. Another day, I saw a fox (perhaps the same one) trot rapidly away from me as I rounded a curve and spotted her. The fox carried one of her pups in her mouth as she slinked away into the woods.

Twice, a red shouldered hawk has flown over me as I rode. The first time, the hawk had a small snake in its talons. The second time, it looked like it had a mouse.

I also startled a Great Blue Heron standing in a creek. It flapped its large wings and took off deeper into the woods.

As the day ends and the sky turns from bright blue to darker shades and then black, bats come out. They curve toward me and then away from me very fast, relying on their built-in sonar. Thousands of frogs start chirping away right as the sun disappears, too.

When the sun goes down, I decide to head back to my apartment. The last half mile is all down hill and I don't have to pedal. I can get up some nice speed, and the evening air hitting my face and hair is one of the best sensations on earth. It brings back memories of summer rides when I was a boy. Freedom.

One night as I finished a run, I heard what sounded like a insane human, laughing at me from up in a tree. I quickly deduced that it was an owl... The owls are great, here, too. I can hear them often at night when I'm lying in bed... Shortly after the laughing stopped, out of the corner of my eye I caught three large owls, one right behind the other like fighter planes in tight formation, swooping across the parking lot and then disappearing into darkness. The only noise they made was the slightest rustling of wind- a noise that I would not have noticed had I not turned my head to look right at them. I'm not sure what kind of owls they were, but their undersides were white.

If the weather is good, I'll go for another bike ride today. It is a great way to spend an hour around sunset in Tallahassee.

Universal Health Care Now,

Nathan Marshburn

Passing the Bar Revisited

In October of last year, I wrote a blog about passing the bar. In that blog, I emphasized how I would concentrate my electives on subjects that are actually tested on the Florida Bar Exam. I also expressed doubts about the bar prep courses such as BarBri and PMBR as a reliable means to pass the bar.

But as a professor here said to me, FSU College of Law does not want to be a law school that teaches you to pass the bar.

Strange as the above statement might sound, I am learning that law schools which only teach students to pass the state bar exam are typically held in lower esteem by those in the profession of law. Without mentioning specific names or schools, I had the opportunity to speak with a Justice on the Florida Supreme Court this week. The Justice criticized certain schools in Florida as not being of the caliber of law schools like FSU, where we learn about the philosophy behind laws rather than simply learning what the law is.

Still, however, I have to figure out a way to pass the bar exam. Now I'm also beginning to realize that the material covered in a specific law course on a bar exam subject may not be the same material on which I am tested on the bar. In Criminal Law, for example, the professor freely admitted that he did not know anything about Florida criminal law. The course was more about the theory behind criminal law.

For those students who just graduated from Florida State Law, many are still coming to class every day as part of the BarBri course to pass the Florida Bar. The bar exam is in July, and they are in this bar prep course most of the day. I see students in the BarBri class who are on Law Review, the Mock Trial Team, the Moot Court Team. Many of the students in that class are some of the smartest students in the school, and yet they still feel the need to take a bar prep course.

It makes the impression on me that I need to enroll in a bar prep course and do the same thing. Even faculty and administration have recommended the bar prep courses.

Coming into law school, I never would have thought that the learning needed to graduate is not necessarily the same learning you need to pass the bar. Perhaps I should become a sales representative for one of the bar prep companies next year. This would give me a discount on the tuition cost for the bar prep course. I wasn't sold on the bar prep courses myself back in August and September, but I think I am sold now.

Universal Health Care Now,

Nathan Marshburn

Officially a 2L

Now, I finally feel like a second year law school student. My last remaining grade posted today. Overall, I am pleased with my performance this semester. I tried new strategies toward taking the exams this time around. My performance this semester was better than in the fall, and I should move up a bit in the class rankings. I'm in no danger of failing out of law school and actually just narrowly missed making the Dean's List this semester. Law school is working out so far.

I am also fortunate in the two summer jobs that I have landed. For the first month, I am working as a mentor in the Summer for Undergraduates Program at FSU College of Law. 61 very bright undergrads from all across the country are here for four weeks to learn about law school and Florida State in particular. Being a mentor is easy. I get paid to talk positively about my experiences here- something that I would gladly do anyway. The undergraduate students are also very positive and ask many questions. Prominent attorneys, the Florida Supreme Court Justices, and the Mayor of Tallahassee are among those with whom the students have talked.

After the Summer for Undergraduates job ends in mid June, I begin working for Parks & Crump, a very successful personal injury firm here in Tallahassee. The partner who hired me, Mr. Crump, actually spoke at the Summer for Undergraduates Program a few days ago. He was highly entertaining and the students told me how much they appreciated his stories.

Though I have worked hard to put myself in a good position, I also realize how fortunate I am to have landed a summer job with such a successful and influential law firm, especially in this economic climate. Parks & Crump give a lot back to the community. I hope that I can catch on quickly and be productive for them both in their case activity and their community involvement.

Universal Health Care Now,

Nathan Marshburn

Option 1

In the spring of 2008, I was struggling with the decision to either go to law school or stay at Western Carolina University and finish my M.A. in History. I leaned toward entering law school, though it was still open as to what law school I would attend.

As I have said in previous blogs, last year at WCU was the happiest year of my life. I remember thinking that I had come to one of the more important forks for which path my life would take, and I remember thinking that it would be neat if I could clone myself and send the clones down the different paths I was considering. We'd meet up again at the age of 65 or 70 and compare notes.

Hopefully, that doesn't sound too arrogant. Arnold Schwarzenegger once said something similar about desiring to clone himself to see all the things he could accomplish. He certainly has had a fascinating life, reaching the pinnacle in the professions of body building, movie acting, and politics. But Joy Behar, one of the hosts of The View, criticized him, saying his idea of cloning himself was arrogant and narcissistic. I don't want to come off as arrogant or narcissistic.

Still it is fun to think about the options I was considering. I decided to go to law school and attend Florida State University. I have never regretted that decision, and I am pleased with the success I have seen thus far.

Option 2 was to enroll at North Carolina Central University School of Law. If I had gone there, I would have focused on a career in public service and fighting for the underdog. I think that would have been a very satisfying choice as well. I would have stayed in North Carolina rather than Florida, most likely trying to land a spot in the public defender's office in Asheville or Jackson County (where WCU is located). I'd spend my weekends walking in the mountains, identifying the various plants and animals. The Appalachian Mountains are as botanically diverse as the Amazon Rain forest, and they change so much with each season. I'd never get tired of it.

Option 3 was to finish my M.A. in History and pursue a career in college administration. I think I would be a great recruitment officer for a college. I love traveling and talking with people, and I love the college environment. My game plan would be to work at different universities for a few years at a time, gradually moving west until I could land a spot at UNLV and live in Las Vegas for the remainder of my years. Vegas is my all time favorite city, and I love the desert. The chance to work at different universities across the country would make for an interesting life as well.

Option 4 was to finish my M.A. in History and then try to earn a Ph.D with the goal of becoming a college professor. This would have been a difficult path, I think. Ph.D programs in history are harder to gain entry to than law school. The jobs for professors are scarce, the time I would have spent in school would have been longer, and the pay is not that great. The option 4 clone might have bailed out of that lifestyle and hitched on to law school again.

Anyway, Tallahassee and FSU College of Law is where I am. Florida is probably where I'll set up and practice. I think it will be a happy life. If I had the choice to make all over again, I would choose this option. I am a lucky man.

Until Next Time,

Nathan Marshburn

First in My Class

Did I mention that I finished first in my class this semester?...

Only it wasn't in class rank or GPA, but rather the 65 team NCAA basketball tournament bracket on espn.com. One of our professors set up our group. I got the championship game right- Michigan State versus the University of North Carolina, and I correctly picked North Carolina to win it all.

Being "called on" is a big thing in law school, especially during the first year. Professors will randomly call on students to speak about cases, and if you haven't read and prepared as they expect, it can be embarrassing.

So, as my prize for being first, the professor gave me a t-shirt in class that reads: "DON'T CALL ON ME!" It might have been more helpful to have this shirt in August rather than April, but it was a fun idea by the professor that helped distract us a little from the pressure.

Until Next Time,

Nathan Marshburn

This Time Last Year

This time last year, I had just completed a year of graduate school at Western Carolina University. While this year- my first year of law school- was very enjoyable and important, I have to be honest. Last year at WCU still ranks as the happiest year of my life.

I went back and read some of the blogs I posted for the Graduate Student Association at WCU. I had somewhat forgotten what a good time I had, and what a vital learning experience that year was for me. In addition to the year at WCU being my happiest, I also learned more from my social experiences than at any other time in my life.

In contrast, I viewed this year at FSU College of Law more as like my first year in a trade school. WCU was a cocoon, a retreat from the real world tucked away in the Great Smoky Mountains. FSU College of Law, however, is preparing me to be successful in the real world, a world where I will be forced to play hardball. I need to be at FSU College of Law, but I view my time here in more of a business sense. My eyes are on the prize here.

It is not that way for everyone, though. My first year of law school also went by the fastest of any year of my life thus far. This is in part because I am older and have had some work and social experiences.

But one of my colleagues sat down beside me at Potbelly's on Thursday night- the night we had taken our last exam of year one. He was among the first FSU students I met back in August when I arrived. At my first law school social, he saw me standing alone and invited me to come sit with him and his friends at a table.

He said to me, "Think back to the person you were back in August, and all the changes you've gone through and compare it with the person you are now."

I nodded my head and agreed with him. He has changed. He came to law school straight after finishing his bachelor's degree. I'm not sure that he's ever held a real job in his life. I remember when I was his age. Time moved much slower for me, too, and I could more readily identify with the changes of which he spoke.

But really, I haven't changed too much this year. Like I said, I view law school as an opportunity to learn a great trade. That's what I was about when I applied, and that's what I'll probably be about when I (hopefully) graduate.

I asked him if he liked the changes he saw in himself. He shrugged. "Yes and no. This is a great opportunity. A lot of people would trade places with us." Still, he said, there was part of him that was urging to get out of law school. "But we've invested in this now," he said. "What are you going to do?"

Law school is not for everyone, and there will be those who graduate and have careers in law but are not really happy. I hope he does not turn out to be one of them. I don't think that will be the case with me. I am very grateful to be here. I've seen the grass on the other side of the fence- and it is not greener. I'll work hard and become proficient in some area of the law and then head happily into practice, thank you very much.

If I could stay a young student at Western Carolina University for the rest of my life, I probably would. That is not an option, though. So, FSU College of Law is the place for me to learn skill sets that will help me and my family survive and thrive in this world. I can also make a positive difference in other people's lives. I'll do my best.

Until Next Time,

Nathan Marshburn

Pinching Myself

About three weeks ago, the Mock Trial Team had its annual end of the year banquet. I dined on a gourmet meal while listening to a prominent trial attorney from Pensacola speak about what it takes to be successful in the courtroom. There were lots of beautiful women there, and everyone was dressed nicely.

I couldn't help but think that this time three years ago- 2006, I was slaving away for the Post Office in Washington, DC. I remember looking at my watch during the Mock Trial banquet and thinking, yep, about now the evening supervisor would be calling me to see how much more mail I had to deliver. I'd request backup, which may or may not come.

It was rare that I was off the street before 10 pm. More than once, I was on the street delivering mail past midnight. I weighed 155 pounds when I started the job. When I decided that a career with the Post Office was not the best choice, I weighed 135 pounds.

I could write a whole series of blogs about my experiences with the Post Office. The job was rough. Don't get me wrong- there were a lot of great people who helped me out in DC, but the starkness of how difficult my existence was in 2006 compared to where I am now is amazing.

It feels like a dream, sometimes. I mean, imagine waking up at 5 am on what was supposed to be your day off to a phone call from your boss telling you to come in and get a mail route ready to go as soon as possible, or in the alternative waking up in Florida without an alarm clock and getting ready to go to class and social events like this banquet.

It almost makes me nervous- like this is a dream. I'll wake up and find out that I still work for the Post Office and that I have a 12 hour day ahead of me of lifting crates of mail in freezing rain.

Life can be pretty bad, sometimes. But being a student at FSU College of Law is pretty good. There are lots of people who would trade places with me- while there are very few people with whom I would trade places. Honestly, I'm probably in the top 1% of the world's population in terms of general happiness with my life.

Happiness is a fragile thing in any person's life, though. I'll ride this wave for as long as I can.

Until Next Time,

Nathan Marshburn

Done with the 2nd Round of Exams

All right,

I just finished my last exam of my 1st year of law school. It feels pretty good, but not quite the relief that I expected. I think when I know my grades, maybe then I'll actually feel like the first year is behind me.

A lot has happened since I last wrote. Most importantly, I landed a job this summer with Parks & Crump, one of the most successful personal injury firms in Florida. One of the partners told me that my clerkship will be "baptism by fire," but I am looking forward to seeing how a law office works and learning from some very successful trial attorneys.

That job will start in mid-June, but I was also hired as a mentor for the Summer for Undergraduates program at the law school. 60 very bright undergraduates from universities all across Florida, the country and the world will come to the law school in a couple of weeks to see if law school and perhaps FSU College of Law is the direction they wish to head in life. My job for one month will be to give them advice and help them with the program. I will show them around Tallahassee and FSU. The students will get to see the Florida Supreme Court in action, and we will meet various attorneys from the area.

There is a lot more information that I will post in the coming days. Right now, I intend to get something to eat, and then head over to Potbelly's (the club across from the law school) where many of my colleagues are already celebrating.

Until Next Time,

Nathan Marshburn

A Goal Oriented Existence

Now that I've settled into law school and seem to be firing on all cylinders, I've noticed that my existence has become quite goal oriented and goal driven. Undoubtedly this is to due to the competitive nature of law school and the legal profession.

Prior to being accepted to law schools, I was obsessed with my LSAT score, GPA and what I should say in the "Personal Statement" section of my applications.

Once I enrolled at FSU College of Law, these factors faded to the back of my mind, and I focused on doing well during the first round of exams. Once I received these grades, I analyzed where I stood and what I could do to differentiate myself. The Mock Trial competition was the first opportunity of the second semester for me, and I was fortunate enough to make the Mock Trial Team. Now at the present, I'm thinking about three things- finding a summer job with a law firm, the Moot Court tryouts in April and then the second round of exams in May.

All of this is part of the general push to land a great job once I've graduated. But I realize that once I begin my legal career, the goal oriented existence will not stop. As I prepare to go door to door with the law firms here in Tallahassee over spring break inquiring about possible summer work, I've done my research. The attorneys frequently list their biographies on their websites, and the information includes awards and honors they have received while in practice.

Honestly, I skim over that part of the biography and don't try to figure out what the various awards mean. It's just too far down the road. When I was preparing to take the LSAT, I was not thinking about making the Mock Trial Team at FSU. Now that I'm in the thick of it here in law school, I'm not thinking about what professional honors I'd like to receive once I become a lawyer... But that is coming.

My professor last semester was right- my legal career began when I started law school in August. It's a process of seeing one goal, either reaching it or not, analyzing where you stand, and then seeing the next goal, either reaching it or not, analyzing where you stand, and then seeing the next goal...

I'm not complaining one bit. A goal oriented existence is fine with me, and when I hit something I've set my sights on it really brings happiness. I know what failure is too, but I wipe those times out of my mind and look to the next horizon. It seems to be a pretty good way to navigate this existence.

Until Next Time,

Nathan Marshburn

Mock Trial and Mock Interviews

This past weekend, Florida State College of Law hosted the Southeast Regional of the Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA) competition. 22 teams came in for the event, and two advanced to the National Finals in San Antonio- Samford University and Ole Miss.

The Mock Trial team's faculty advisor, Ruth Stone and the team president, Gennifer Powell, both visibly worked hard to make everything run smoothly. I'm sure there were others on the team behind the scenes who also worked to make this a success.

I volunteered for all the rounds and received the opportunity to be a bailiff/timekeeper for most of the competition, including the championship round. The teams' methods were fascinating, and I learned a lot by watching their styles and interaction with the judges.

So, the weekend was extremely busy. I was at the Leon County Courthouse late Friday evening and at 8 am on Saturday and Sunday, working all day.

Then on Monday, FSU College of Law hosted the Board of Visitors. The board consists mainly of prominent College of Law alumni who are actively involved with the law school. As part of the event, I participated in fictional five minute job interviews with the board members. It was a great learning experience, and hopefully I made a good impression.

I dressed in a grey suit with a black dress shirt and red tie for the event. One of the things I learned, however, is that I should always wear a white dress shirt. As one trial lawyer told me, a white dress shirt indicates that you are part of the profession. Once you become known in the community and in the courts, he said, then you can wear a colored shirt- but even then the collar always has to be white.

The lawyer said he did not like this restriction because he thought of himself as a maverick, but he told me that I must always remember that this profession is a conservative one.

A great thing about FSU College of Law is the number of opportunities and experiences relevant to a legal career that are presented to you here- if you are willing to work hard, hustle and prepare yourself when such chances come around.

Until Next Time,

Nathan Marshburn

Adapting Quickly

In October of last year, I wrote a blog about the hardest part of law school. At that time, it was dealing with the massive Internet research engines of LexisNexis and Westlaw.

Last semester I wrote a research assignment hardly using these two networks and instead relied almost entirely on print resources in the law school library.

Over the winter break, I tried to improve my computer skills by completing almost all of the online tutorials for the two search engines.

While the research is still a challenge, the tutorials helped tremendously. I just completed my first major writing project of the semester, and I did almost all of the research online. It was the complete reverse of my approach from last semester. Ironically, some students have told me that they are using print resources more this time around.

Hopefully, my ability to adapt will also lead to higher grade.

Until Next Time,

Nathan Marshburn

Where the Current Takes Me

... I suppose I have to get back to writing about law school. I won't forget Uncle Ray. But onward with life...

Law school is competitive.

I've said that before, and I will surely say it again.

Making the Mock Trial Team was important in distinguishing myself from the crowd a little. Members of the Mock Trial Team are designated for special training as litigators. The "honeymoon" has been quite nice, with both professors and students congratulating me. It felt really good to be Nathan Marshburn on the night that I got the call. I was out at Potbelly's club enjoying a social with other law school classmates. That call was the single best moment of my law school career thus far. Girls wanted to dance with me. My friends wanted to buy me drinks. It felt good to be "cool" for a while.

And it has started me thinking in a new way about my career. I enjoy all of my law school classes. Contracts is my favorite subject, though Property is a close second. I like the absence of moral judgement in contract law. To paraphrase my professor, contract law recognizes people are greedy, and good contract law is about letting them be greedy but harnessing the greed for economic efficiency.

Something about the purity of that exercise appeals to me.

However, there are a lot of people who like contracts here. I spoke with a girl in my class a few days ago who really wants to do something with contracts in her career. She is quiet in class, but she is also one of the few people who had a higher score than me on the contracts exam last semester. She graduated from her undergraduate institution with a 4.0 GPA.

If people like her want to do contract law- not to mention the legions of lawyers coming out of the top private schools in the country- then I'm in for a challenge in landing a top job doing that.

My conversation with her was illuminating, though. She congratulated me on making the Mock Trial Team, and said that she had no desire to be in the courtroom. She is thinking more along the lines of in-house counsel for a corporation. Of trial lawyers, she said, "I could never be a shark."

Trial law or litigation is where I might be able to carve a niche for myself. One of my professors told me that only 20% of lawyers practice in the courtroom. Many bright students at FSU College of Law want nothing to do with litigation. I think I would be good at it, though. In an ideal world, personal injury litigation is not what I would like to do (and certainly not medical malpractice). But I really think that type of work would be right up my alley.

Law school is so competitive that there is not much room for experimentation. I need to find something I'm good at and then focus on getting better at it. Job interviews are just around the corner. My experience in the Mock Trial tryouts was a positive one. Sure, I made the choice to tryout for the Mock Trial team and sure, I'll have some choice on what type of jobs I seek. The current seems to be nudging me toward litigation, though. At this point and time in my life, I don't feel like fighting the current if it is taking me to a place where I will be competent and successful. We'll see.

Until Next Time,

Nathan Marshburn

This Feels Good

I made the Mock Trial team!

This is the extra-curricular activity that I wanted more than any other, and it is the high-light of my law school career thus far.

The final round was pretty intense. The courtroom was full for the closing argument, and there were lots of people in the jury box whom I did not know.

I feel so sorry for the people who got cut in this last round. I saw some of them tonight at a social. One guy was standing right beside me when I got the call to say that I was on the team. He never got the call, but he accepted it as good naturedly as one could do it. He is a nice guy, and I wish he had made the team with me.

Mock Trial is my pony, now. I intend to focus on it and my grades to propel me to a nice job.

Until Next Time,

Nathan Marshburn

The Importance of Knowledge

Right now I'm in a suit, waiting to resume practicing for the final round of Mock Trial. 88 people initially signed up for the tryouts. They cut us down to 32 last night. I've made the last 32, but we have one more cut to go after tonight. They'll slice us in half again, and the remaining people will be the new Mock Trial class.

I got kicked out of the courtroom where I was practicing for a while so that they could set it up for the competition tonight. We'll see what happens.

As I become further immersed in law school, I'm beginning to understand my role as a lawyer a bit more.

We are facilitators, plain and simple. Life is hard and often messy. A good lawyer can help people out when things don't go the way they are supposed to. Lawyers learn the rules of government and the rules of how members of a civilized society should interact with each other. When a rough patch arises, a good lawyer can show you a few tricks to make things work out in your favor a little better. In our roles as facilitators, it is especially important for us to be civil and courteous our own selves. We will have to set the example and run the negotiation between two disagreeing parties.

The importance of this knowledge was brought home to me earlier this week. On Tuesday, I awoke to find that my apartment was beginning to flood. I quickly ascertained that the water heater had sprung a leak. I called maintenance, and they replaced the water heater that same day.

On Wednesday, however, the water heater stopped working.

I was forced to take a couple of cold showers before the maintenance office opened again. I was also obligated to apologize to my neighbor for the yelps, shouts and bad words that I let fly when I dived under the freezing needles of water on a cold Thursday morning.

She responded by saying, "Yeah, I was wondering what was going on with you."

When I called maintenance, they told me to just flip the circuit breaker off and on. I did this, and the problem was solved.

There are things that I am learning in law school that will solve problems for people just as easily as the hot water problem was solved for me.

I'm trying my best to pay attention in my classes and take it all in.

Until Next Time,

Nathan Marshburn

Mock Trial

Now comes my first competition of law school- other than grades.

Mock Trial tryouts are next week. We received our fictional case packets a couple of days ago. I have to write a motion to the court as my entry into the contest, and then on Wednesday evening I will give an opening argument. On Thursday, I cross-examine a witness. If I make it to the final round on Friday, then I perform a closing argument for the opposite party.

It should be interesting- as well as nerve racking. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep my voice and thoughts steady. The judges will be local attorneys, professors, and members of the Mock Trial team.

Even if I don't make the team, it should be a great "thrown into the deep end" experience. I have to go through with this, and I have to get good at it if I'm going to be representing real people with real problems in a couple of years.

Until Next Time,

Nathan Marshburn

Thinking Like a... Lawyer?

My second semester of law school is off and running. It feels a little different than the first one. All of us have our grades now and know how we stack up- at least for round one. There isn't much time to dwell on our grades, though, and the work is coming fast and furious again.

Things are a bit sad. One of my favorite students from last semester, a highly intelligent and beautiful woman, decided she was not coming back to FSU College of Law. I hate to see her name on the daily attendance sheet with the blank space beside it, but she had good reasons for choosing a different career. Otherwise, attrition from the first semester is low. I believe only one or two other people from my section of over 80 students did not return. Not many people want to drop out of a good law school in this economy, I guess.

Before law school began in August, several people told me that it would change the way I see the world. I wonder if what I am feeling now is what they meant...

I feel sort of blank. The academic subjects are enjoyable, but there is just so much to learn that stopping to become passionate about a certain topic or thinking about how I "feel" about it requires too much time and energy. I'm focused on learning the concepts presented as they come at me, one right after another.

Is this how a lawyer is supposed to feel, think and function? It's not bad, I guess. Perhaps it makes me more rational and objective. Perhaps I am better suited to seeing multiple sides of arguments.

Or maybe the "blank" feeling is just a version of being tired. But on this cold January morning, I'd much rather be at law school at 7:30 am than reporting to some of the other jobs I've held.

Until Next Time,

Nathan Marshburn

Exam Advice from the Professors

I thought I would use this entry to pass along some exam advice that my class received from a couple of professors...

One instructor told us before the exam to relax, that the exam we were about to take was worth just three hours of credit. We need 88 hours of credit to graduate from law school. In the scheme of things, one exam is not going to greatly impact our lives. We've studied and prepared, he said, but there will be exams where we don't perform as well as we should, and other exams where we get a better grade than we deserved. Our results should even out over the course of three years. There was nothing we were going to do over the next three hours of the exam that would greatly impact our legal career, he said. "Nothing, that is, unless you cheat."

Another professor echoed this advice when she said, at some point over our law school careers, we will probably have to take an exam when we are sick.

I thought both of these were good efforts on the part of the instructors to try and keep things in perspective as the class readied itself for the tests.

Until Next Time,

Nathan Marshburn

My Changing World

All of my grades from my first semester of law school have now posted. I feel pretty good about them. Given how hard I worked, I would have liked to score higher. I think, however, that my grades establish me as a solid student. In an earlier blog, I wondered if my exam performance would put me at the top of my class, or if I would have to continue to work as hard as I can just to remain average. Based on the first semester, the answer is closer to the latter.

My world is changing yet again. Now that I know a career in law is for me and that I am on my way at a solid school, I feel the need to be more careful. All of a sudden, I have more to lose. FSU College of Law is presenting me with a great opportunity to become successful, and I don't want to blow it. I find myself becoming more reserved and thoughtful in social settings... more careful with the image I am trying to present to others. Hopefully, this does not mean I am becoming pretentious or cliquish. But I feel my value system changing.

This time last year, I was in graduate school at Western Carolina University. Last year was probably the happiest of my life. I had the chance to go back to my alma mater and live life like I wish I had done when I was there as an undergraduate. It was a great year and I had a fantastic time with a lot of new people. But I also knew it was temporary. I couldn't stay in that world for long, cushioned from the responsibilities and pressures of the "real" world.

Law school, on the other hand, is a more serious and competitive environment for me. It is a long term game and more like a job than studying at WCU could ever be. Still, law school is a job that I enjoy. Since I have to choose a path that will enable me and my family to survive and thrive in the "real" world for years to come, a career in the law is at the top of the list. FSU College of Law is showing me that I chose correctly and that I belong here.

Until Next Time,

Nathan Marshburn

Now We're Talking!

Whoo!

I just got notice of two more grades. I am glad to say that I now have the experience in law school of receiving a grade higher than a "B." I clapped my hands and let out a "H%*# yeah!", which was probably inappropriate since I'm at my parents' house. They promptly asked from the living room, "What did you get?"

Man, this feels good. And it was in a course whose material I considered exceptionally difficult. I really enjoyed the class, though, and I wanted to do well because I can certainly see the relevancy of this material in a field where I'd like to practice.

The other grade was not so hot. I have three grades now, with two to go. My three grades vary widely. This lets me know that, going forward, I'm likely to grasp certain areas of law significantly better than others (at least in relation to my classmates, which is what exam grades are about). I probably won't give an even performance across the board over the next two and a half years, though my effort in each of my classes this semester was fairly even.

My highest grade and my lowest grade kind of even out my mood. It also establishes that I have no idea what to expect for my last two grades.

Until Next Time,

Nathan Marshburn

Waiting...

After you complete one semester of law school, you can expect to be held in suspense for weeks while the professors grade the exams.

It's just the way the system is set up. The entire grade for the class rides on the exam, and there were 82 people in my class. One exam was four hours long, so I can understand how it takes the professors a while to go through and rank them.

I wish I had something substantive to tell my friends and family at the Christmas gatherings, but I really can't say how my semester went yet.

One grade has posted. It was an exam I felt pretty good about when I took it. However, just based on this one score, it looks like I'll have to continue to work as hard as I can just to stay with the pack.

That's another thing to guard against: Not getting too high or too low based on one exam. I can't say yet whether my first exam score is par for the course or an anomaly.

Until Next Time,

Nathan Marshburn