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Some parting thoughts/advice

vanessa fishervanessa fisher Alum Member
edited October 2017 in General 1084 karma

Hey everyone,
I just wanted to thank you all for the great time I've had on 7Sage. I really enjoyed my time here and you all made learning the LSAT sooo much more bearable.

I took the September test and was happy to get 2 points higher than my average PT range before test day. I've been reading some of the forum comments from others who were disappointed with marks, and some who scored a lot lower than their average range from PTs. I'm not big on preaching advice, but if I could offer one parting piece of it, I will just say there is no way I would have performed well on test day if it wasn't for my long time meditation practice and martial arts practice, which have all been training to keep me focused and centered no matter what is happening around me. I've really come to believe that 50% of this test is your skills and competence (which is super important!) and 50% is your psychological mindset, especially on test day. For those re-taking or just starting to study, if you can find some form of meditation practice and start doing it consistently, I don't think you will regret it.

With that I will just say again how grateful I am to have met you all and wish you nothing but the best with your future law careers!

Comments

  • ZaTablerZaTabler Alum Member
    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!

  • BumbleJD1624BumbleJD1624 Free Trial Member
    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!

  • thisisspartathisissparta Alum Member
    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!

  • SamiSami Live Member Sage 7Sage Tutor
    10774 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 <3.

    Good luck and congratulations.

  • vanessa fishervanessa fisher Alum Member
    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.

  • sillllyxosillllyxo Alum Member
    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.

  • 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... :smile:

  • LSATcantwinLSATcantwin Alum Member Sage
    13286 karma

    Wahhhh good luck!

  • tringo335tringo335 Alum Member
    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!

  • thisisspartathisissparta Alum Member
    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)?

  • vanessa fishervanessa fisher Alum Member
    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!

  • vanessa fishervanessa fisher Alum Member
    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

  • tringo335tringo335 Alum Member
    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.

  • vanessa fishervanessa fisher Alum Member
    1084 karma

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

  • tringo335tringo335 Alum Member
    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 fishervanessa fisher Alum Member
    1084 karma

    @tringo335 yes feel free to DM for any questions :)

  • 1000001910000019 Alum Member
    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.

  • vanessa fishervanessa fisher Alum Member
    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!

  • inactiveinactive Alum Member
    12637 karma

    Great to have you, Vanessa! Good luck on your law journey. :)

  • acsimonacsimon Alum Member
    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 fishervanessa fisher Alum Member
    1084 karma
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