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Anyone Else Burnt Out?

VicthegreatVicthegreat Member
in General 17 karma

hey everyone! I'm starting to feel really down on myself with LSAT as a whole. I've been studying on and off for months now and I feel like I've barely made measurable progress. I plan to take the LSAT in June 2023, so I still have 6 months to go. However, I'm just feel so discouraged and I'm feeling the burnout. I work full time so trying to jam in studying on my breaks or off days is getting exhausting. I'm discouraged comparing myself to peers that are exceeding so well on their studies and prep tests.

I recently took a break from the Core Curriculum for Logical reasoning because it started to drain me. I was given advice to just skip for now and move to the Logic Games section, which has actually resparked my interest in studying.

I'm just seeking any advice on how to overcome this rut, and possible better study strategies to implement?

Does anyone else work full time and still manage to feel like they are making progress on their studies? #HELP #HELLP #HELP

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Comments

  • luffyyyyluffyyyy Alum Member
    699 karma

    I feel you. I was really burnt out last year after studying for 4 months and saw no improvement in my score. I felt like I was making progress and learning more, but my score wasn't reflecting that. What I did to overcome this burn out was just taking a couple months off of studying. This may or may not be a realistic option for you, but after stepping away from studying for a couple months, I was able to concentrate more. Another thing that I do is that I write down a to-do list everyday to keep me accountable. But my to-do list isn't aggressive like doing 5 timed sections of LG everyday. Rather, it's just 1 timed section of RC, 1 timed section of LG, and do some LR drills, etc. I hope this gives you some comfort that you are not alone. Burn out is real, and I wish you the best in your studies !

  • sh.francissh.francis Core Member
    246 karma

    Having a study buddy or someone else going through the same process that you can rant to and commiserate with is really helpful for maintaining mental well being.

    Everyone i've talked to who has studied for this test has experienced burnout at some stage. It's normal. A study buddy or even better, a tutor, can help with motivation and diagnosing unproductive habits you might have.

    As for slow progress on LR, this was the hardest for me to improve on. There's a steep learning curve to figuring out how to study for it and that's half the battle. You just have to keep at it and see what works for you.

    Also LR progression isn't linear. You'll go up and down as you learn new concepts but then start making new mistakes or as you encounter new question patterns. There will be large stretches of time you feel like you're treading water or even regressing and then a breakthrough will happen.

    Going to do some LG is a good idea. Progression in LG is much steadier and a direct function of the work you put in. And the path to improvement is much more obvious. Good luck and hang in there!

  • annaf413annaf413 Member
    18 karma

    I have been studying from 2020 off and on. I finally committed myself this fall to studying and I became burned out. My schedule consisted of going to work and then coming home to study. No social life. I was invited by everyone to go out and couldn't because I was committed. After the exam in Nov, I took a break after the test. So my suggestion is take a break for your mental health and your self. Or whatever section you like the best practice that section like someone mentioned above.

  • u______uu______u Alum Member
    233 karma

    I want to ask how much do you think this "burnout" is actual burnout from studying or from feeling discouraged? If it is the former, taking a break can be very beneficial. Step away from studying completely. Give your brain a chance to rest. I think this is especially helpful for the LSAT because it's not so much information you need to memorize, but rather a way of thinking you need to adapt. That being the case, I'd also advise that quality is much more important than quantity. Burning through a ton of practice sets or tests gets you nowhere unless you understand the material. Completion for the sake of completion is meaningless and an utter waste of time and limited material. If that happens to apply to you, limit the amount you do and focus on developing a deep understanding of only a few questions at a time. This could also not apply to you, but I find that revisiting old questions on LR helps me greatly to "see" how arguments are structured and work. In essence, it's the same principle as foolproofing LG. As for a studying schedule, find one that works for you that focuses on quality over quantity.

    If your "burnout" is a product of discouragement, I'm sorry I'm not the best at encouragement. All I can say is that everyone is different. Hence, they'll progress at different rates. But even then, they might simply be better than you. I'm sure somewhere out there there's somebody who can bust out a 180 without any studying. That's the unfortunate reality, but are you going to let that dissuade you from pursuing your path? Dig deep. You can do it. Don't let others bring you down.

  • ryan.lattavoryan.lattavo Alum Member Sage 7Sage Tutor
    edited January 2023 109 karma

    Victhegreat,

    Like other commentators have said, just having someone to guide you along in this process helps a ton; report your progress to someone you have that can support you and encourage you!

    Also, it seems like you're relatively new to studying--that means progress is going to be slow. Don't forget that you have 6 months--its a marathon, not a sprint, and taking your time to really dig in to material, even if slowly, will save you time in the long run.

    Space it out, and don't expect progress just yet. You're still learning! You can't be the star quarterback when you're learning how the sport works still. Its a slow process.

    If you want more guided, direct help, I think you'd make a great candidate for tutoring. You should check out a free consultation session at this link if you're interested: https://calendly.com/7sage-tutoring/7sage-tutoring-free-consultation?utm_source=FCA_A

    Overall, you've got this. You care! You just gotta pace yourself and know that progress is slow in this game.

    Best,

    Ryan

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