Some parting thoughts/advice

Comments

• 2 Likes

  ZaTabler Alum Member

  October 2017 513 karma

  I absolutely agree 100%. I took the Dec test last year and this Sept test and only scored 3 points higher. I studied my ass off, well over 30 hours a week taking 25 prep tests. I psyched myself out and preformed poorly.

  I agree with you 100% about having the right mindset!
• 1 Like

  BumbleJD1624 Free Trial Member

  October 2017 62 karma

  Mindset is key! I have realized this as well after I took the December 2016 test, and completely psyched myself out.

  I was a college athlete, and so for my retake I channeled my experience of dealing with nerves before competition into dealing with nerves before the LSAT. So there are definitely ways to get your mindset under control in addition to meditation (which I've never tried, but may have to give it a shot now).

  Congrats on getting a score you wanted!
• 1 Like

  thisissparta Alum Member

  October 2017 edited October 2017 1363 karma

  Congratulations on your score and good luck with everything, @"vanessa fisher" ! Here's hoping you get into your preferred schools!

  I remember seeing your post about having cramps that day, so I take your advice on meditation especially seriously. Evidently, you were able to keep yourself collected and achieve a score that you're happy with. There is good reason to heed your advice.

  Would you be able to direct us to any sources which can guide us through meditation techniques/ how to meditate?

  Again, congratulations! And do pop-by on this forum every now and then! You've always had sound advice to offer -- we could always use that!
• 2 Likes

  Sami Yearly + Live Member Sage ⭐ 7Sage Tutor

  October 2017 10806 karma

  @"vanessa fisher"

  Thank you for this. I have had headspace app for meditation for 6 months now, I barely used it though. I plan to use it everyday starting today .

  Good luck and congratulations.
• 1 Like

  vanessa fisher Alum Member

  October 2017 edited October 2017 1084 karma

  @thisissparta hey thanks! And yeah there are a few good meditation teachers out there I like. My favorites for good talks and guided meditations are Joseph Goldstein and Adyashanti. I believe one or both of them also have apps, but you can find their youtube videos as well. Also, I'd recommend checking out a meditation center near you. If you look it up online, you can find meditation centers that offer either free or relatively cheap meditation classes with instructors and this can sometimes be helpful to start.

  Biggest thing is to be consistent with your meditation pratice. Sit everyday and don't make excuses about being too busy.

  @BumbleJD1624 yes for sure any kind of intensive training like that can be very helpful. I found martial arts really great, but really many different options.
• sillllyxo Alum Member

  October 2017 708 karma

  Hi Vanessa, do you have any other tips/books or what you first used starting out? I have tried to meditate but it feels pretty weird and not sure how it helps. I'm more into yoga. Thinking about getting the headspace app too.
• LeslieKnopeIsMySpiritAnimal Alum Member

  October 2017 524 karma

  Was there a specific time of day that you meditated to optimize your LSAT performance? I'm wondering if meditating right before studying would be beneficial or make me too relaxed...
• 1 Like

  LSATcantwin Alum Member Sage ⭐

  October 2017 13286 karma

  Wahhhh good luck!
• 1 Like

  tringo335 Alum Member ⭐

  October 2017 3679 karma

  Great advice! I was just introduced to meditation and the small bit I do in the morning has worked wonders. Good luck in your future endeavors!
• thisissparta Alum Member

  October 2017 1363 karma

  @"vanessa fisher" said:
  @thisissparta hey thanks! And yeah there are a few good meditation teachers out there I like. My favorites for good talks and guided meditations are Joseph Goldstein and Adyashanti. I believe one or both of them also have apps, but you can find their youtube videos as well. Also, I'd recommend checking out a meditation center near you. If you look it up online, you can find meditation centers that offer either free or relatively cheap meditation classes with instructors and this can sometimes be helpful to start.

  Biggest thing is to be consistent with your meditation pratice. Sit everyday and don't make excuses about being too busy.

  @BumbleJD1624 yes for sure any kind of intensive training like that can be very helpful. I found martial arts really great, but really many different options.

  Thanks for the recommendations! Just curious -- is meditation something you introduced recently in your lifestyle? Or have you been doing it for a while? Additionally, like @"Lauren L" asked, did you have a specific routine that you stuck to (and specific time of the day where you found it most beneficial)?
• 2 Likes

  vanessa fisher Alum Member

  October 2017 edited October 2017 1084 karma

  @sillllyxo I think a lot of it is about finding the thing that works for you. Not every teacher will resonate with you, nor every form of meditation. There are literally hundreds of kinds so it takes a bit of exploring to find the right fit. Yoga is great! I think just including something you can do everyday is also useful. Practices that allow you to look more directly at your own mind and see what is happening is how you start to gain a "distance" from your mind. Not by controlling it or manipulating it, but by increasingly becoming dis-identified with the stories that pass through the mind. If you have the time and interest, I'd recommend trying out a few different meditation centers near you. Vipassana is really popular, especially for beginners. Also, one thing to keep in mind is that many people give it up early because when they start sitting they get discouraged that their mind is so busy. This is supposed to happen! Basically our mind is near totally controlled by unconscious and habitual thought patterns, so when we first sit down to observe the mind in silence it often becomes really really loud. It can feel really discouraging and like you just suck at meditation, and that it isn't doing anything, but this is part of the process. Any good meditation instructor can also help guide you through that. There is another teacher Kenneth Folk that I know does online guidance and meets with you once a week to work on your progress and I've heard fantastic things about him.

  @"Lauren L" and @tringo335 yes morning meditation is a great thing. I was lucky for the last 6 months of LSAT study I as doing it full time so I had a routine of getting up early and first thing doing some stretches and then sitting for a guided meditation for 15 minutes before doing anything else. I would usually also meditate another 20 minutes in the later afternoon. But if you have to chose one, I think first thing before study is the best time. On test day I also found some space away from people to meditate before the test and not talk to people, and on the break did some breathing exercises also.

  Hope that helps!
• 1 Like

  vanessa fisher Alum Member

  October 2017 1084 karma

  @tringo335 and yes it has been a bit of a lifestyle for many years. I was deep into a lot of meditation and yoga and even lived on a yoga ashram for a bit in my early 20s . I've gone on and off how much I do, but it is a bit like building a muscle that once you have the practice in you, it is easier to recover
• tringo335 Alum Member ⭐

  October 2017 3679 karma

  @"vanessa fisher" said:
  @sillllyxo I think a lot of it is about finding the thing that works for you. Not every teacher will resonate with you, nor every form of meditation. There are literally hundreds of kinds so it takes a bit of exploring to find the right fit. Yoga is great! I think just including something you can do everyday is also useful. Practices that allow you to look more directly at your own mind and see what is happening is how you start to gain a "distance" from your mind. Not by controlling it or manipulating it, but by increasingly becoming dis-identified with the stories that pass through the mind. If you have the time and interest, I'd recommend trying out a few different meditation centers near you. Vipassana is really popular, especially for beginners. Also, one thing to keep in mind is that many people give it up early because when they start sitting they get discouraged that their mind is so busy. This is supposed to happen! Basically our mind is near totally controlled by unconscious and habitual thought patterns, so when we first sit down to observe the mind in silence it often becomes really really loud. It can feel really discouraging and like you just suck at meditation, and that it isn't doing anything, but this is part of the process. Any good meditation instructor can also help guide you through that. There is another teacher Kenneth Folk that I know does online guidance and meets with you once a week to work on your progress and I've heard fantastic things about him.

  @"Lauren L" and @tringo335 yes morning meditation is a great thing. I was lucky for the last 6 months of LSAT study I as doing it full time so I had a routine of getting up early and first thing doing some stretches and then sitting for a guided meditation for 15 minutes before doing anything else. I would usually also meditate another 20 minutes in the later afternoon. But if you have to chose one, I think first thing before study is the best time. On test day I also found some space away from people to meditate before the test and not talk to people, and on the break did some breathing exercises also.

  Hope that helps!

  I have heard that during the breaks you should find a quiet spot alone to stay in the zone. A lot of people have said they start talking to others and being social and when the test starts back up they feel completely thrown off. Smart cookie you are.
• 1 Like

  vanessa fisher Alum Member

  October 2017 1084 karma

  @tringo335 totally don't talk to people! Everyone just shares their anxieties. It's not helpful
• tringo335 Alum Member ⭐

  October 2017 3679 karma

  @"vanessa fisher" said:
  @tringo335 totally don't talk to people! Everyone just shares their anxieties. It's not helpful

  Lol will do. I may be hitting you up on DM for meditation tips...
• vanessa fisher Alum Member

  October 2017 1084 karma

  @tringo335 yes feel free to DM for any questions
• 10000019 Alum Member

  October 2017 3279 karma

  Hey Vanessa, how did you end up doing on logic games? I recall reading a thread where you said you had been fool proofing but still weren't seeing great results. I'm in that position myself now, and hoping that I can get some points back in that section.
• 2 Likes

  vanessa fisher Alum Member

  October 2017 1084 karma

  @10000019
  yeah the logic games were my hardest section throughout studying. After foolproofing, I could always get all the games, but just struggled getting them done under timed conditions. Basically, all I can say is repetition I just kept doing them over and over. It was the section I was most worried about, but luckily, the LG section on the last test wasn't especially hard. There are some great threads on here about different tricks and such to speed up your time which helped me a lot. Good luck!
• 3 Likes

  inactive Alum Member

  October 2017 12637 karma

  Great to have you, Vanessa! Good luck on your law journey.
• 1 Like

  acsimon Alum Member

  October 2017 1269 karma

  Big ups that you were able to pull off a score 2 points higher than what you had been doing in PT! Finding a way to center yourself and reduce stress is very important--although, I just blanked out on test day and was on this weird anxious auto-pilot. Good luck to you on your applications!--A.c.S
• vanessa fisher Alum Member

  October 2017 1084 karma

  Thanks @"Dillon A. Wright" and @acsimon !