Anonymous asked: hello, I'm sorry if this is a bit random. I saw your post about the lsat and was wondering if you had any suggestions about effective ways of studying for it? I just started studying for the december test and I'm sort of at a loss, lol.

Er, well I don’t know what kind of school you want to get in to. I apparently suck at logic and I was pretty lost with the LSAT, so I took a prep course. After the course ended I spent a month and a half studying on my own. What I’d recommend is to practice every day at least two hours with exercises, take timed official LSAC sanctioned prep tests (2-3 a week), and swallow the Powerscore Bibles whole (very very good books btw). To work towards the score you want, you need to gauge how much effort you’ll definitely need (more or less hours studying.

Also, I don’t know if you have, but make sure to take one prep test clean (before studying anything), to see where you stand. It helps. It also helps to not just take the prep tests, but review each of them, and see why you got the wrong answers on the questions you got wrong, and why the right answer is the correct one.

Good luck!

omg

I nearly forgot. LSAT scores are out on the 26th. That’s…six days from now. OMG WHAT WHY I DON’T WANT TO SEE I DON’T WANT TO KNOW.

On another note: Dear Di, MAIL YOUR FUCKING RECOMMENDATION LETTERS TO LSAC NEXT SATURDAY.

AND STUPID STUDENT REFUND WHEN ARE YOU GETTING IN MY MAILBOX? Do you realize all the applications I have to fill out and send and PAY for? THIS IS LAW SCHOOL. I love my job and I’m fighting to keep it after this rush period I was hired for. BUT LAW SCHOOL THIS IS MY GODDAMN FUTURE.

I need sleep.

I went. I took the test. I CONQUERED.

Okay, so maybe I didn’t do well enough for Georgetown. BUT I MADE THAT TEST MY BITCH.

so after a week or so of not bothering, took a timed practice test.

Got a 162. Not bad. Maybe the Logic Reasoning and Logic Games Bibles are helping. I definitely see things with some Logic Reasoning questions that I didn’t see at any moment during the prep classes.

Anyway, nowhere near Georgetown still, but who knows? I’ve still got three weeks, let’s see what miracles I can work.

Now back to studying.

I’m glad I’m no longer scoring in the 140s on my practice tests, but now I want to get out my 150s slump. I’ve got a month left. I should take a break this weekend, my brother is staying over again, but I need to step it up. I scored a 158 today, so that’s…7 to 12 points to go.

I wish I knew how to score good on this test, instead I know way too much abou honeybees dancing and vervet monkeys.

a brighter side.

Well, I’ve so far lost a total of 15 pounds since I started hitting the gym in May. I’ve got about 5 more pounds to go, but I’m satisfied with how things are going. My arms and legs are more toned, I’m getting a bit better at running, and I look slimmer, to be sure. So maybe I’m doing it because of cosplay prospects/possible alien invasion, but looking better and being in better health is always great too. I’m not more energetic due to apparent hypersomnia/narcolepsy but I’ll take what I can get

I got a third call for an interview, this time at a temp agency. This one I’ll go to because it’s a short walk away from a train stop, but like with all temp agencies, I’m kind of wary. Still, whatever, at least I can hustle. Only problem is that my good pants don’t fit because of the weight I lost, so I had to fix them.

As usual, still studying about two hours a day for the LSAT, four and a half hours if I take a timed prep test. This time next week or week after, however, I’m going to have to up it to three to four hours (five to six with prep test), taking weekends off for either light review or sleeping (or a life). That said, since tomorrow and Saturday will probably prove to be too busy for me, I’m going to set aside Sunday to a. start rough drafting my personal statement(s) for law school; and b. draft contracts for my freelancing PR consulting.

Oh, gotta remember, next week or week after I need to send off my transcripts to LSAC, both high school and college (damn high school and my college classes in senior year). Also, need to send the recommendation letters that’ve been written for me. I’ve had them for about a year or half a year and I haven’t bothered yet. Bad me. I hope that doesn’t count against me, they were difficult to procure.

Then, tomorrow I need to get up at the crack of dawn to go to the gym, then meet with my dad, then go to interview, then possibly pick up my brother (?), then study (and take prep test timed). If I have time in between my dad and the interview, also need to go reschedule my doctor appointment and beg for insulin samples. Saturday, need to get up for the gym, then either go on a date with Cosmo or go to a friend’s birthday party and restrain myself from strangling John. Sunday, writing. Monday, go get tax return copy since my apartment swallowed mine whole, go to gym, fill out FAFSA, study + prep test.

Oh, and in a fit of crazy, my dad suddenly found an apartment uptown Santurce that’s bigger and cheaper. I don’t understand him at all. But whatever, I’m sure we’re going to see it tomorrow since that’s what he said on the phone.

I want to sleep the weekend off.

storm’s a-comin’.

so what have I been doing? Lolling around the Internet and studying, of course. Took a practice test timed, worked through a chapter of my logic reasoning bible book thing, worked on a logic game for no reason and then did some logic reasoning questions. For tomorrow, since the storm will still apparently be around tomorrow, there’s another practice test, reading comprehension studying, and logic game/logic reasoning random studying. The score is still fluctuation, it’s been 160-154-157. But that’s an improvement still, since I started at, what, 139? Little by little.

Oh, right, and I wanted to start drafting a decent personal statement. I’m still not sure how I want to write it, but I’m guessing I should stay away from my cynical inclination and at least sound like a somewhat normal and pleasant person to these admission people.

Anyway, there’s not a heck lot else to do. I might get off and keep reading Game of Thrones. Actually, I’m on book 2 now, and I pirated books 3 and 4. Though I’m probably going to buy book 3 at least, I like having text formated all nice and stuff for my Nook.

Oh law school. Maybe Georgetown is still out of reach (and might stay that way), but here’s hoping to a good score to get into a good school anyway.

lol people who unfollow.

can’t handle this tumblr can you? :D

Anyway.

I’ve been busy. I’ve lost 12 pounds this summer, I’m down to 178lbs. I will probably just try going down to 175 or 170 and leave it at that, I will probably look odd otherwise. I’ve come to reintegrate exercise in my psych, like last year, so hopefully shenanigans won’t happen and I can keep the habit again. I kinda like how I look now.

Still studying for the LSAT, obvs. I’m trying not to let this test defeat me, but it’s difficult. Still, I’m going to keep my head up high and keep on studying till the last second. I took two practice tests this weekend and couldn’t score more than 150 (on a scale of 120 to 180), but I took one today and got a 160. So maybe not all hope is lost. I guess I could just use more practice.

Anyway, things are overall good, so that’s what matters I guess.

mrfm

I am alive. Studying my eyes and brain out, but alive. I’m improving, actually. I got a 150 on the practice test I did Sunday, and a 157 on the one I did today. That’s a pretty big jump too, but I musn’t get complacent. I still have a lot of work to do on logic games (time and practice), and some fine tuning for logic reasoning (fine tuning and time). I’m pretty good with reading comprehension though.

Anyway, I’ll let you all know when I have a life soon.

Gosh I wonder what my life’s been like lately, don’t you? (Most of those are from the prep course, I bought two of them on my own, and one was stuff I printed.)

Gosh I wonder what my life’s been like lately, don’t you?

(Most of those are from the prep course, I bought two of them on my own, and one was stuff I printed.)

website/consulting/public relations mass. comm. freelancing update

So! The website (the first version until I know what I’m doing anyway) is up and running. I think it’s kind of tacky due to the website builder’s stuff everywhere, but it works. It, of course, uses the domain name I bought. I don’t have an email to link with the domain name because I’d have to use my free web hosting but since I still don’t know what I’m doing designing webpages quite (since shit’s pretty different then when I used to do it at the tender age of 15), that’ll take a bit.

I’ve also ordered business cards, like I said. I don’t quite know what to do with them except to go to universities and other random places and tack them on boards, except I wonder if people will recognize my name, laugh and tear them down. Anyway! I’m sure they’ll be useful, once I figure out how to use them.

And so since I don’t have money to spend on a classified at (yet), I went ahead and put up free advertisements on two free local Internet yellow pages. This is one and this is the other. In case you’re wondering, I blurred out the important information because I don’t want Tumblr mass calling/emailing/website bombing me, not at least until everything is 100% ready (I still don’t have contracts written up, that’s this weekend). Feel free to message me if you want the website link though. I plan on doing Facebook adverts too, as soon as I understand the payment method.

So I’ve got a semi-busy four-day period (Friday-Monday) ahead of me, between this and LSAT studying, possibly digitizing my paperweightportfolio on PDF for easy sending and downloading (and a date with Cosmo). I can’t wait for…next Saturday and Sunday, since I’ll be done with LSAT classes and I’ll be taking those two days off for myself (except to job hunt).

Cheers! :D

summer in retrospect

So this post was probably going to be a bit more depressing, but it won’t be now.

If I compare this summer to last summer, I’m going to go ahead and say it was better, but nowhere near the same. It was better because I spent nearly the whole time getting in shape. Just today, I ran all down the Ashford until the bridge, and even ran part of the way back (a total of 25 minutes running). And I’m going to keep it up for several reasons: a. I want to one-up my mother and prove I can fit in this dress I saw at a mall in May; b. I’m going to Comic-Con next year and cosplaying if it’s the last thing I do, and I’m going to look good doing it; and c. I don’t want to so much lose weight as I do just feel good and slim down. Also, most importantly, I’m preparing myself for any possible alien invasion/world order upheaval. If the fit survive, then I’d better be fit. >_>

I digress.

So I haven’t really had time to just relax all summer, even though I quit my job. I’ve been studying most of the time, first at graduate school and then for the LSAT. I’ll finally have about two weeks off come August 15th to the 28th. But it’s been better since I’m not working two jobs like last summer. And I’ve had time to sit and concentrate for both LSAT and law school, which I really needed. (I think today I’m going into LSAC and the webpages of the schools I’m applying for to check for when they begin accepting applications and whatnot.)

Of course, relying on my parents goodwill instead of working has made this summer more difficult. And all signs point to me probably needing a job again, even though I really want/need this time, until December, to get my law school shit together. (También tengo que tomar el maldito EXADEP en algún momento, so yeah.) But, if I need a job, I’m not sure what to do about it. I’m still nowhere near freelancing my PR skills, and finding a job will be difficult. And, if I stop to think about it, I realize that no, I don’t regret quitting my call center job one bit, even if I never find a new job. That job was sucking all the happiness and love out of my life, simply because it combined everything I hate (monotony, cut throat sales goals, inept management, a boss I couldn’t fucking stand). So no regrets, definitely.

And, at least, compared to last summer, I got to see my friends a little more often. Perhaps not as much as I would’ve liked, but I did see them. I guess the only snag is John and his hatefest for me. I’m nowhere near figuring out the logic there, and rightn now I don’t care. But once I realized that I do have people that sincerely like me and want to hang out with me, it got a bit better. I met two people over the past few months that I really like, for example. It’s a shame we don’t really hang out so often together, though. I’m just kinda shy at suggesting anything. But I enjoy their company, and I think they have a lot to to them that would make me want to know them more. Again though, shy.

And well, let’s not forget that my dad got me a new car since apparently the old one no longer met his safety standards. And so far I know, he hasn’t bitched about it once behind my back. So I guess that means he’s happy with his decision. And I like my car.

Still, I have a good feeling about the rest of the year. I just do. This year already has managed to be much better than last year, particularly from March onward, so I’m sure things will look up more.

Here’s to summer.

good news and bad news, 2

The bad news is, I miscored my prep test from last Saturday and actually got a 145, which was a three point increase from the other test, but only one point more than on the first diagnostic test for class. The good news is, I took another prep test (for my own benefit, not for my class), and scored a 149, which is a ten point increase from the first test I took by myself for lulz in April or May (I don’t remember). It’s good because I’ve increase my accuracy on reading comprehension and logical reasoning (about 66% accurate now, versus maybe 30-40%).

But, I need to do three things now:

  1. Look at which questions I consistently get wrong on logical reasoning, figure out why, and practice those.
  2. Learn pacing tricks and tips so I don’t succumb to mental fatigue, which screwed up my accuracy in the second logical reasoning section, where I’m sure I could’ve gotten the same amount of answers right than on the first one.
  3. And practice analytical reasoning/logic games until I can do them in my sleep, since I’m still not working consistently on them, and can only get the easiest ordering game almost or completely right.


 So I’m taking a quick one hour break, then I’m going to do precisely all of that, plus practice homework. The test is a little more than two months away, and if I want to get anywhere near Georgetown, DePaul or UPR, I need to get better at this.

oh yeah.

So I did make that Skype account. I still don’t see the fun in it yet, but maybe I will soon. Oh, username’s djanellef.

Anyway. Been busy the past couple of days trying to study for the LSAT a little more than usual. I’m sick of it at this point, but I need a good score so yeah.

This was a terrible update.

well.

I want to see the movie again, but it has to wait. Meanwhile, Cosmo is still super buddies with John (even though we had a talk about this, me mostly stating in nicer words what I think). So, since it was a pretty afternoon, I went running. I hit twenty minutes, so maybe I’m not doing all too shabby.

Now, since I have the apartment to myself for tonight, I haven’t a clue what to do. I’m considering doing LSAT work, and also maybe just watch TV. Or play that really nice PS3 that I spent $300 on.

OMG GUYS I GOT AN A IN MY GRADUATE SCHOOL CLASS IT’S MY FIRST ONE. so now I can stop feeling like a dumbass. :D

Anyway. It should be a nice night. I wish I had money, then maybe I could do something productive outside, but it’s fine.