"According to our very strict criteria . . . "

If I see the phrase "according to our very strict criteria" again, I think, I will most likely throw my laptop against the wall.

It is of course pupillage season and after many rejections, some interviews, and some further rejections on top of that, I am becoming enraged with the lack of feedback or clear guidance offered by most chambers.

1. What is this strict criteria they speak of?
2. Why won't they publish it?
3. It is quite clear that some chambers do not take anything less than Oxbridge, so why not say so?

Chambers could save themselves a lot of time and money by making it very clear who they want, rather than just being extremely generic.

24/7

Dear Blog Watchers,
I am currently enjoying/hating the new 24/7 library system that is now in place. Yes that's right folks, unlimited access to the library 24 hours 7 days a week. Whilst I realise this is a good thing, it does have its negative associations, for example, when you are at home and think that you do not wish to research a tiresome essay that was due in for last Friday, one could just simply hop from one's desk to one's bed. In the library however there seems to be a lack of beds available, therefore forcing me to research and write about whether positivist criminology served the powerful in society to look down on the dangerous classes. Whilst interesting(obviously as the amount of books that are dedicated to the subject are vast and numerous) it is inherently complicated as I try to work out a structure for the essay that was supposed to be in last Friday. Joy.

It is also the time of the year where one has to choose one's options, now as I have practically decided foolishly that I will attempt to enter into the realm of criminal advocacy, I see little point in studying anything else. Perhaps instead I should attempt to keep my options open, perhaps commercial law, company law, competition law or even law&globalisation may pick my fancy. If they weren't so inherently boring and dull. I could study Sentencing and penal policy, however after studying criminology this year, I have found that its a lot of "your own research" into building up various folders per each topic (which I have only just started to do for crimo) and would prefer to just stick to something where there was one textbook and then you went and read the law reports, perhaps childish of me, but "do your own reasearch" does tend to lead me into the confused side of things.

What else is on the agenda? Apart from 24/7 library access (with no beds) and options to think about, I also have to try and sleep sometime, which as most other students will know is a procedural impossibility due to the FEAR of exams. The examination period whilst not being immediately upon me will probably kick me in the face before I know it. Therefore a lot of time shall be spent on actually doing the work that I was supposed to this year, and in some cases redoing it when I didn't do it correctly in the first place. For all of you that have already started to take pro-plus and drink copious amounts of red bull, I feel for you..

Also relating to the flatmate problem, 6 people have come to see the room, which is big enough to probably fit an ant colony in, and only 1 person was actually interested. The problem however being was that the 1 person who actually interested forgot to tell me that she urgently needed to move in over the weekend, and when I contacted her on Monday to see if she was still up for meeting the other flatmate, she told me she had already found a place to live. So back to gumtree it is then.

Reality.

Dear fellows of the blogging world, what exactly is a lost london law student to do, when it is 4:33 am and he cannot sleep. There are so many worries going through my mind that the thought and action of sleeping will most likely not occur till about 8am. 8am however is the time I am supposed leaping out of bed, quick wash then towards the library where I shall be writing an essay for Admin Law, the bore of all law. More annoying is the fact that the essay is on a topic that was not even covered in a tutorial (not like I've been to many either) but one that was based on a lecture that we had to do further reading for. Who opts to do further reading? Ah yes successful people.

I spent the past week thinking about work and not doing much else. Bad LLLS for falling into a bad crowd that inevitably doesn't particulary care about uni work much, and has had so many unrelated problems that they don't even want a degree, and prefer spending money on the Euromillions in the chance of winning well millions, and developing a life of luxury which would most certainly end up as an early death. Bad LLLS for not doing any work over reading week, but prefering to think about it.

Whilst talking to my flatmate about my current degree status, and how I am either not enjoying it and thats why I don't do the work or the fact that I'm a lazy shit and thats why, she seemed to think that I have resigned myself to failure this year, and perhaps if I put the effort in now and tried my utmost that I would have at least have tried and gotten a class of a degree that I deserve.

So lets examine why do I want a career at the bar, that favourite olpas question and also the question that every chambers wants put into the covering letter when applying for a mini-pupillage. Like Lawminx it's all i've wanted to do for however long I can remember. (Well that and being a judge) Do I have a specific reason? No I don't. Will that be good enough? No.
Perhaps I should develop it into "I've always had a passion for the criminal justice system" or "I just like the idea of wearing a wig and a gown, and getting paid lots of money for it" Which I am sure will not go down well. I once asked at a Bar Society meeting at my university whether you could say "I've always wanted to be a barrister because I really liked Kavannah QC!" I was told I would be laughed at. Ah well.

The situation is still imminent though roughly 40 days till I finish this term, and then another 30 days till exams (including weekends) so lots of time to catch up? Or lots of time flounder and procrastinate. I entirely accept that being "lost" is completly my own fault, I am not sure whether I have just gradually got so lazy that I think it will all be alright in the end, or whether I just do not find the degree enjoyable, and lack the commitment, dedication and the work ethic (of actually doing it) to be good at law.

However if I do want to be commited, I have left it quite late really. I know some already who have given up all hope, and the thought of it too also gives them sleepless nights. Not sure I am ready to give up though just yet, but also not sure if i am ready and get going enough to make up for all the time I've spent fucking about.

stop the world

perhaps my blog should be renamed lazy law student.
It is reading week currently at my university and I have done no work.
I had planned seven, 12 hour days, so I could catch up on the work that i've missed this term.
As I have 11 topics to cover quite thorougly, and thought if I could get it all done, then that would be a huge help for when I come to revision to when exams start in May.

Though still haven't done anything it seems. Perhaps if I had really competitive law buddies then it would be better, however as the only other person I am really good friends with doing law is exactly like I am it doesn't help.

Need to find motivation, in life, in general.
Or possibly defer the year?