Reframing self-quarantine during these difficult times...

ilovethelsat

Hi all,

As many of you are undoubtedly aware, these are some very difficult times for a myriad of reasons. These are also some very lonely times, and it's looking like isolation/quarantining will be happening for some time until things start to settle down. I wanted to share some quick thoughts on the importance of mentally reframing this period of isolation in the context of studying for the LSAT. As someone who relies on socializing and going out into the world regularly (I spend most of my time away from home because I love being out and about and staying busy all the time) to stimulate me, I've been quite nervous about how to prepare myself for hunkering down at home for the next few months. This is, of course, FAR from the biggest issues many people are currently facing, and I am immensely grateful for the fact that my family is still healthy and that I have a home in the first place. But I know the difficulty of isolation is on a lot of people's minds because we're all social creatures who are used to our freedom to move about whenever and wherever we please.

For those of us who have been planning to take the LSAT sometime this summer or beyond (or who just generally have more time to study now), it's important, in my opinion, to reframe this time of isolation and try to view it as an opportunity to truly get at the core of our LSAT journey, which is self-discipline and transformation. Isolation is a curse in many ways, but it's also a blessing. In the immediate context of the LSAT, it eliminates virtually all distractions and forces us to sit down and to study. Beyond the immediate context of the LSAT, it pushes us out of our comfort zones, puts us back in touch with ourselves and the things about ourselves that we should work on and improve, and reminds us of what's truly important. This may seem very abstract and irrelevant, but in my view, it's all part of the LSAT's transformative journey. If we're spending months and even years studying for this one exam, then we should absolutely view it as a transformative journey and try to connect it to as many aspects of our non-LSAT lives as possible. Given that the LSAT is definitely a psychological test, it can be tremendously helpful to take this time to work on our mental strength and resilience, all of which will inevitably influence our LSAT work. And as important as confidence is when practicing for and writing the LSAT, humility and selflessness is also just as important - for one, it allows us to understand and accept our weaknesses so that we can work on them and turn them into strengths. So we should also take the time to offer some extra support to our friends and families and do what we can to help out the more vulnerable members of our society during these trying times.

Stay safe everyone, and happy no-distractions LSAT studying!

The Great White Shark

I love this post! I’m taking this time to work on building stamina with reading complex materials on topics I have not really been interested in. Prior to this I always had an excuse to go out and do something else! I think too that this is a grand opportunity to spend time with Family at home. This exam can be consuming when we have to work or take care of other responsibilities in addition to studying. More time at home is an opportunity to spend that time just being with our loved ones.

Hopeful9812

This is such a great post!

vichinsky

Agreed great post.

lexxx745

great post!

smoote

I agree that we should use this time optimally in preparation for the LSAT this summer. I am a very social person who thrives at school, so being home and having to readjust my daily life is going to be strange. Having goals and using this time for self-improvement is crucial to my physical and mental wellbeing. Changing my perspective of the quarantine and thinking of it as more of a personal retreat has created positive momentum. This is an opportunity to solidify my values and academic successes. Love the optimism of this post. Stay strong and healthy!