In the Trenches

In most law schools around the country, it is every student for her or himself. The competition is fierce and cooperation, outside the confines of a study group, is practically non-existent. My school is no exception.

We recently had a midterm exam in Administrative Law that was open book including electronic resources. One guy in my class had his main laptop crash. The night before the exam. Doubly worse for him: he is a gunner.

So, do you think any of us, with working laptops, who had all the electronic resources at our fingertips offered to tell him the address of e-board site so he could find it on his backup laptop? Only his seatmate (unsuccessfully) went to Gunner Guy's aid. Ultimately, Gunner Guy was at the mercy of his backup laptop and his skeletal notes while the rest of us secretly rejoiced in the knowledge that he would not ruin the curve.

Lessons for Gunner Guy:
1. Don't be a Gunner and you will get more love from your fellow classmates;

2. Back-up your class notes on a jump drive; and

3. If the Professor ends class twenty minutes early, do not complain and and do not engage the Professor in policy discussions that the Professor will feel obligated to e-mail to the rest of the class and ask them to "seriously consider for next class' discussion."