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Help, need to gain back motivation.

E.T.90066-1E.T.90066-1 Alum Member
edited April 2014 in General 377 karma
Hello,

I have been studying off and on for the last year or so. From my initial diagnostic of 139 I scored a 155 on the december lsat. I began studying again after taking a three month break. Initial diagnostic this time is at 152. My goal is to get to a 160. However, recently, my energy levels and focus has begun to drop! I need help getting pumped up and maintaining my M-S 9-12 and 2:4 schedule. I cannot afford not to get a 160 or more. I quit my job to study all day!
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Comments

  • ENTJENTJ Alum Inactive ⭐
    3658 karma
    Do what I do. Think about how all the frustration, exhaustion, and downright mental anguish will pay off FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

    :)
  • AlenaLSATAlenaLSAT Alum Member
    182 karma
    Exercise, dark chocolate before studying and fish oil daily should help.
  • ONuellaOONuellaO Alum Member
    210 karma
    I give myself something with every goal i accomplish, i find that staring at a picture of it motivates me. You could give yourself something when you score 160. Something HUGE.
  • E.T.90066-1E.T.90066-1 Alum Member
    377 karma
    Thanks for the help. I just drank some fish oil caps...
    @OnuellaO-that make great sense! I will have to think of something I really want, I think this should do the trick!
  • ENTJENTJ Alum Inactive ⭐
    3658 karma
    @AlenaLSAT: Should I do that all of that in order? :)
  • E.T.90066-1E.T.90066-1 Alum Member
    377 karma
    Why dark chocolate?
  • ShirinnnShirinnn Free Trial Member
    29 karma
    You can do this!!! Take vitamins like suggested, in addition to fish oil I take D3 and eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies. Exercise, even if you're feeling very lazy and the weather is crappy and your left eye's been itching all day. I go for runs in the park, no longer than 30 mins, but it really helps boost my mood. Also rewards - with dark chocolate (just cause I happen to like it). Got through a full section on time? Chocolate! Studied for 5 hours? Chocolate! Don't forget to de-stress, do something you really enjoy. I like to watch The Office and other stuff that makes me laugh out loud.
  • E.T.90066-1E.T.90066-1 Alum Member
    377 karma
    Shirin.Mankomova thank you so much. Your post actually made me lough out loud! I will begin doing that tomorrow.
  • AlenaLSATAlenaLSAT Alum Member
    edited April 2014 182 karma
    Al[^-^]: Not necessarily in that order :)

    E.T.90066-1: Dark chocolate is supposed to be good for the brain function and the mood, just as fish oil. I have noticed huge difference in the progress with studying for LSAT when I eat some dark chocolate before I sit down to study.
  • ENTJENTJ Alum Inactive ⭐
    3658 karma
    Hahah! I like how you formatted my name. I think I'll change it to that:

    Al [^-^]

    :D
  • E.T.90066-1E.T.90066-1 Alum Member
    377 karma
    Given that I have completed 7sage once before, this time around I brushed through it quickly. I am not starting to focus on section drilling. Do you think this is the right approach?
  • ONuellaOONuellaO Alum Member
    210 karma
    I for one strongly recommend drills, They are a HUGE help because they not only help you brush up on your skills, they reinforce them especially if its a second time around, so i strongly recommend drills, thats how i’m improving.
  • laestelle2009laestelle2009 Alum Member
    96 karma
    I believe we lack motivation because of the other things that go on in our life. the time we set aside to study can be used to do other things that are equally as important as studying for this test. there is so much other stuff we could be doing, that sitting down for 5 hours a day, 6 days a week and talking about "lawgic", premises and conclusions isn't that interesting.

    to keep myself motivated i have to remind myself that right now taking the LSAT seems like a big deal but once I get that law degree, taking the LSAT will seem so small. i also signed up for a tour of the law school i hope to attend. The visit to my law school of choice has now motivated me to stop complaining about studying and just get this LSAT thing over with. my target score is a 167, so i wrote down 167, on my mirrors, and notebooks and whatever else i could find. i also like to read attorney bio's, they inspire me to keep pushing. hearing other people's stories motivate me. the thought that some day someone will read my bio inspires me to try harder. i like to youtube law school graduations and imagine what it's going to feel like when i graduate. lastly, I'm religious so i pray that God will help me focus, be motivated and be determined to be successful. if your not religious just put it out into the universe that you want be and you will be successful at taking this test.

    "may the space between where i am and where i want to be inspire me."-- trace ellis ross
  • ENTJENTJ Alum Inactive ⭐
    3658 karma
    @laestelle2009: That's the most beautiful comment. Ever. :)
  • E.T.90066-1E.T.90066-1 Alum Member
    377 karma
    @laestelle2009: I agree! wow. I feel like copying and pasting that comments and posting it in my study area.
  • NellysLSATNellysLSAT Alum Member
    186 karma
    silly question but humor me please....what does 'drilling' entail? what's the most beneficial way to drill?
  • ONuellaOONuellaO Alum Member
    210 karma
    Drilling is focusing on one specific thing and doing it over and over again. For example, the problem sets JY has at the end of most of his lessons is considered drilling.
    Most beneficial way to drill i would say is J.Y’s way, within a certain amount of time and then you blind review it.
  • NellysLSATNellysLSAT Alum Member
    186 karma
    ok got it. thank you.
    would you do drills in 23-25 questions (per section?)
  • ONuellaOONuellaO Alum Member
    210 karma
    I do 10 questions with 15 minutes on the timer. Blind review it and check my answers and i would repeat that process until i couldn't take it anymore... you could also do it in 23-25 questions but also time yourself so you know how to work under pressure with them as well.
  • NellysLSATNellysLSAT Alum Member
    186 karma
    ok thank you very much ONuellaO!
    this is helpful. at this point of the game I am having tremendous difficulty working under pressure. so drills.... here I come.
  • ONuellaOONuellaO Alum Member
    210 karma
    Good Luck!
  • sherry8216sherry8216 Free Trial Member
    2 karma
    Personally, daytime studying did not work for me at all. I struggled to balance my job and studying for almost 2 years, so I quit my job and ended up on a night time study schedule of 11pm to about 6am. I never took more than 2 consecutive nights off. I did that from December 2013 until the February 2014 test. Two days/nights before the test, I switched myself around to go to bed at night again.

    In terms of food, I ate steak and raw spinach before I took my last full length practice test and got a 158. On test day, I ate steak and raw spinach for breakfast, and had an apple, almonds and raisins at the break. I scored 160. Now my goal is to get higher than the first time. I don't have a more defined goal other than beating my last score.

    The quote I always keep in mind is: "There is no royal road to logic, and really valuable ideas can only be had at the price of close attention" -Charles Sanders Pierce.

    I reward myself with music. Every time I take a break, I YouTube Justin Timberlake concert footage. I listen (and sing and dance) and tell myself I am going to TKO this test, question by question, section by section.
  • ZphiB121406ZphiB121406 Alum Member
    19 karma
    I went through this as well. I got motivated again around mid-March. Now, I exercise in the morning before work, eat clean and post positive affirmations on my wall.

    I work in human services which can be taxing and i'm tired when i get home, so, I study at least 2 hours per night during the week and more hours on the weekend. My hopes is to score in the 160 plus range.

    Everyone gave good ideas!! Good luck and keep at it!















  • mzsheribaby2983mzsheribaby2983 Alum Member
    58 karma
    Great tips. Thanks
  • joegotbored-1joegotbored-1 Alum Member
    802 karma
    E.T., We may have different goals (mine is to not pay for law school), but I think we all struggle with motivation while working towards our common goal of LSAT preparedness. When I think of all the things I could be doing instead of studying, I just tell myself that this test could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in tuition, that's what helps me refocus. I think the others are right, you shouldn't make 160+ your goal, you should make what the 160+ allows you to b the goal. It'll make it less abstract and more desirable internally.
    If 160+ means quitting the day job, or getting in to XYZ law school, or helping people fight the man, then thinking of those things will probably help to motivate your study habits better than the abstract goal of scoring at a certain level on a test most people never take.
    Good luck! And you should be proud of your current improvement to 155. 5 more points, you can do it!
  • E.T.90066-1E.T.90066-1 Alum Member
    377 karma
    Thanks for the great encouragement joegotbored!
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