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Does this happen to anyone else?
FutureSportsLawyer
Alum Member
Does anyone ever feel like they just can't get the hang of the LSAT, no matter what? Like I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong but I just can't wrap my head around this test and then I have to stop studying because it gets so overwhelming. Has this happened to other people? Is this normal or do I really just suck this bad?
Comments
I can absolutely relate! The feeling you describe has come to me several times during my prep. The worst of it was last year leading up to my first take. I wasn't preparing well -- just taking PT after PT -- but i was working really hard. I couldn't understand how I could work that hard and remain stagnated. Following my disappointing (predictable) LSAT last December, I took a couple months off before starting 7Sage. I seemed to break through that first wall pretty quickly once I actually understood lawgic and BR.
But the feeling came back during LG foolproofing. Why can't I get these games in the recommended time? I can do it in BR but it falls apart when the clock is ticking. Well I went from -16 to -5 on games sections.
I'll have more walls in my prep as everyone else does. The key is to know when to step away even if just for an hour. Go for a walk or something. Regain composure and analyze your problem areas. Devise a plan of attack. Reach out to this community if you're stumped. There are tutors available here as well. I think BR is key to all of this. We need to analyze our work in an unbiased manner and without time constraints in order to properly gauge our understanding.
Keep. Moving. Forward. You got this!
What, exactly, are you struggling with?
Yes. yes. yes. absolutely YES. Like @jkatz1488 said this was me during my first round of studying. I was doing another program and my score did increase a bit but overall I just was not getting it. It was SO frustrating. Not only that even when I tried to learn more, the anxiety of the frustration got to me. I started to doubt myself immensely which in turn kept from getting the concepts and made me even more stressed. I took about 6 weeks off to figure out what to do next and It wasn't until I started 7Sage and started those first few videos that talk about studying the LSAT at your own pace did things start getting better. JY makes it clear that it's ok to spend a year , even two years on mastering this test. It's hard and it takes time and that's ok. So don't feel like you're alone, you're definitely not.
I can definitely relate. I remember being in tears literally thinking that I wasn't going to be able to accomplish my goals. But just keep battling. Just keep going. I promise you can destroy this test. This test is a beast, but it's a mere gazelle and you're a lion. Keep that in you're mind and you will prevail.
YES! I tend to get that way if I stack multiple heavy study days in a row. Usually taking a day off cures it for a while
I know it's all in my head, and am learning how to regulate that kind of anxiety better over time. Don't worry - it's perfectly normal!
Every. single. day. LOL
I think it's perfectly fine and more than normal. You just have to make sure you don't believe yourself when you feel that way!
Yep, I think we all have days (weeks, months) like this! It's hard to totally rewire your brain and you should be proud of any progress you make, even if it seems small. What helps me is looking at it like a challenge and putting it into its own compartment, if that makes sense. Instead of losing myself to thoughts like "OH MY GOD THIS TEST IS GOING TO DETERMINE THE REST OF MY LIFE" I've essentially tricked myself into looking at it as a test of my abilities in and of itself.
Obviously you don't want to lose sight of its (truly immense) importance to admission, but putting it in a box can really take some of the edge off. Taking the intimidation factor out of the equation, even if it's just for the few hours you're studying that day, can work wonders. Chin up! You got this.
@"distasio.madeline"
This helps me too. I really approach it like a game or puzzle. I am not so competitive with others as much as I am with myself. I HATE walking away from a puzzle that I couldn't complete or ending a discussion before I really understand the issue. Gamesmanship has helped me stay focused in all this crazyness.
Yes same here! I really do have a tendency to beat myself up so anything I can do to ensure that I don't have to beat myself up at the end of a study session is great haha
Take a look at this concept summary from an audio book I've been listening to
Totally normal. At one point, I decided I just wasn't going to go to law school at all, lol. Two months later, I changed my mind, but yeah, I completely gave up for a long time.
I would say that's pretty normal as well. When I first started out, I just kept getting so many questions wrong no matter what I did. I have learned that what saved me was the fact that I refused to give up. So don't give up. You will do just fine
I am LOVING this thread of positivity and encouragement!
This test is the bane of my existence and sometimes I wonder if I will ever will make it, then I remember I have no choice but to try because I can't see myself doing anything else. Remember that this test is the only thing standing between you and your dream. Also a big motivator: imagine the feeling when you get a score you are happy with with the realization you will never have to take this test again. I fight hard everyday for that day to become reality.
Currently feeling this RIGHT NOW- I feel like I'm drilling, BR, doing all of the things- and I'm just totally stuck in the same spot. It feels like the score I'm getting is just going to be the score I get forever, no matter how much I study. I made an LSAT Hype playlist on Spotify and I'm just trying to drive on lol.
Thank you all for the positivity! I've been beating myself up over this test for awhile, but I agree. I think I just need to take a break and pump myself up!
I can relate so much. Every once in a while, I feel "what am I even doing?" But then I remember what I want to do in the future.
I assume you, @FutureSportsLawyer, would like to be a sports lawyer. I think every athlete has overcome obstacles, and if I were an athlete, I would not want to be represented by someone who has never felt anxieties and pressures. I don't want to be represented by someone who is super genius and got a 180 on the LSAT without really studying. I'm sure you are going to be a wonderful sports lawyer because you know what it feels like to work hard for your dreams, @FutureSportsLawyer !
I can relate all the way. Just the other day I was foolproofing a game and I felt like I watched the video so many times & was still clueless.I literally was about to burst into tears, thinking what have I got myself into and at one point questioning my overall ability period. I'm one of those people that will not give up on any task and will work at a game as long as it take to figure out. Yet, this time I felt super frustrated so I decided to take a break and refocus. When I returned to the game/video it was so apparent how to proceed. In the end I realized that before I was tired and distracted with my phone so wasn't fully engaged. The take a way message is not to be too hard on ourselves there could be other factors at play why somethings just don't seem clear on the first attempt.
Definitely can appreciate your experience. I find the most frustrating thing has been feeling like my development is not linear. That I would score high, and then dip low, and then up, and felt like it was all so random. I appreciate @jknauf's post for that! I feel a lot of it for me has been about allowing the learning to be non-linear. And that some things will just click at different points and I won't always know why. I think that is why giving yourself lots of time to absorb the material is so crucial.
There are some days I've wanted to cry. I approach the test a lot like my Muay Thai training. I practice Muay Thai martial arts, and in hardcore training sessions it is all about pushing yourself that extra 10% that you feel is just impossible. Not about over-exerting yourself, just about finding that extra 10% that is in there that you can utilize but feels impossible. And the gains from pushing that 10% are really invaluable. You take it a chunck at a time, and then that 10% leads to a new edge of 10% more. At least that has been useful as an analogy to me because the mental stamina and emotional challenges that come with the LSAT prep for me is a lot like the physical/mental/emotional challenges I confront in martial arts practice.
Good luck!