Bar Exam Diaries - Day 1

Last night, I got all of my stuff together because I didn't want to have to deal with it in the morning. I read over the list of stuff permitted in the exam room, and I laughed because one of the things listed was "two pillows without pillowcases". What? Do they think we have time for a nap or something? Anyway, I went to bed, and my alarm went off at 6:00 AM.

I got up feeling pretty refreshed, since I get up at 6 for work every morning anyway. I showered, dressed, then went to the kitchen to make breakfast. I had peanut butter toast for breakfast because I wanted something with protein, but I couldn't have any dairy because today was my last morning on an antibiotic where I can't eat dairy products within 3 hours. Sigh.

After breakfast, I drove to the BART station, bought my ticket, and got on the train. There was only one empty seat left, so I sat in it. The guy next to me was feeling chatty. We had a conversation that went like this:
Chatty dude: So, are you going to work or school?
Me: Bar exam.
Chatty: Oh, cool. I guess that's a little bit of both.
Me: Yeah, I guess so.
Chatty (looking at me): So, if you don't mind my asking, how old are you?
Me: 29.
Chatty: Really? You look like you're 16.
Me: I get that a lot.
Chatty: So, what kind of law do you want to practice?
Me: Criminal.
Chatty: I have some experience with criminal lawyers.

Chatty BART Dude proceeded to tell me all about how he has 4 DUIs, which is why he's taking BART, and he got sent to prison for violating his probation, but that now he has quit drinking, and he's friends with his probation officer. I was seriously wondering why he was telling me all this, but I smiled and nodded politely. Honestly, it reminded me of when I was a missionary. People were always telling me stuff like this. I guess preachers and lawyers have something in common - a giant neon sign above their heads saying "confess here".

The rest of the trip was uneventful and I got off the train and walked across the street to the convention center. It was about 8:00 by this point. I walked in and saw a few of my friends, so we chatted for a bit. Then we got into the exam room. When I got into the exam room, I realized why pillows are permitted. I was too short to reach the table from the folding chairs, so I had to kneel on the chair in order to take the test. I'm bringing a pillow tomorrow so that I'll have a little extra height.

The morning session of the exam went really well. The questions were easier than the ones I had practiced with, and I found them to be easier than my law school exams, too. I finished with 45 minutes to spare, so I went and grabbed some lunch. I decided to go to the restaurant upstairs from the exam. It was a bit overpriced, but the food was edible. The vegetarian selection was limited, so I had a quesadilla. Then I went outside to take a walk.

As I got halfway around the block, I realized that taking a walk around downtown Oakland probably wasn't the best idea. There were some iffy looking people there, so I quickened my pace. I got back inside just as the rest of the examinees were leaving. I found a couch to sit on and dozed for the rest of the lunch break. I don't think I actually fell asleep, though.

The afternoon session started, and I was regretting the quesadilla because it upset my stomach. The afternoon question was a performance test, which is a fake fact pattern and a fake library of statutes and cases, where I had to draft a memo regarding all of that. It was on an area of law I had never studied and I never expected to see on the test. I had all the info in front of me, but it was still a little unnerving.

I finished with about 30 minutes to spare, so I re-checked my answer and then daydreamed until the exam was over. Once we were all dismissed, I went across the street to the coffee shop so that I could get on the internet and upload my answers. Then I got on BART and had an uneventful trip home.

So far, I'm feeling pretty good about the whole thing. One day down, two to go!