Still searching
I had another “busy work” assignment for my Legal Skills class. This one was to teach us how to citate, aka Sheparize, a case. That is, basically, how you check the case law surrounding the issue in your case to make sure that the cases you are citing to back up your point are still good law. This is important stuff to learn, but the frustrating part about it is that my professor insists that we learn how to do it using books when it is much faster and more complete to do it online (we do learn the online system too).
I thought maybe I was being whiny about doing it in books, but then I tried to complete the assignment. I could not find the correct book to start the process. I could find books that covered cases around the case I had to so, but not it. After trying twice on my own in the library, I decided to ask the reference librarian for help. She couldn’t find it either! She had just as much trouble as I had in deciphering what book covered what, etc., and in the process she said that in all her experience in law firms she never once saw anyone use the books–it’s been done electronically for years now. She continued, saying that she knew who my prof was because she was the only one who kept on teaching the old method and “I have no idea why she does that anymore–it’s just a waste of everyone’s time.” I felt much better hearing that.
Searching seems to be a theme for me these days. Besides all the research I have to do for class, I have also been searching for some way to not kill myself in the process of going to school and doing all the work. I’m not doing so great on that. Yesterday, Christopher’s birthday no less, I was so ravenous when I got home that I ate a bunch of junk and then when I took him out to dinner I got ill from having over-eaten. I’m having trouble eating well when I’m on campus for anywhere between 7 and 11 hours a day (one shorter day of only about 4.5, including commute) and getting exercise, besides walking to/from bus and up/down stairs to class, just isn’t happening enough. It’s tough, finding the balance.
Suggestions are welcome. 