All prepped and ready… BUT
Have you ever felt ready for a road race, trained well the past couple of weeks, proper nutrition, adequate sleep and everything and anything that you can think of… YET come race day, you either forget something, or you realize that you were training for the wrong event?
Something like that happened to me today. I was called for class recitation today (UP College of Law practices the Socratic method of instruction) and it was something I was looking forward to. As early as Tuesday, or 2 days prior, I had already read the material to be discussed, the cases (in the original, I might add), the reviewer and even the digests to serve as a refresher. I had also, to a certain degree, put to memory the specific provisions of law that we were to tackle in class. I was all prepped and ready… until that moment I was called.
“Mr. Passion, can you discuss the case of….” AHHHHHHHH!!!! Our professor went back to the previous topic which he had already discussed the previous meeting and in the earlier part of the class. Boy was I dead! Had he asked me about anything after that topic, I would have been able to answer without looking at my notes and without any doubts. I was confident having read the cases in the original and not the digests, the only problem was that it was under a different topic which I had completely skipped thinking we were done with it. Ack! What a big boo boo…
I felt I had prepared for the wrong “race.” It reminds me of my two friends who joined the Subic International Marathon last Jaunary. They were registered for the 5k event but ended up running 10k. since they made a wrong turn. Hahaha! To make matters worse, it was their first race event! Haha… I also had my own boo boo for that event… I was “all prepped and ready…” only to realize that I had left my running shoes back in Manila. I ended up buying new shoes.
LESSON OF THE STORY: Make sure you’re all prepped and ready for the RIGHT RACE. 
Jul 10th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
I like your sharing! It serves as a good lesson on being prepared.
Having been to law school I know how it feels to be asked to recite on topics discussed in a previous meeting. Or, something that you did not prepare for.
Some law professors have the habit of asking questions on topics which were previously discussed or taken up and the lesson for the day. Their rationale is that it is the obligation of the student to know what was previously taken up. Some professors even feel insulted when a student forgets the previous lesson and accompanying discussions. Result either a double 5 or just a simple 5.
In the old days law professors will simply ask you to “proceed” for which the student will start discussing everything that he knows on the day’s lesson. The discussion should cover an analysis of the lesson together with all the cases (Philippine and US Cases) on the topic as well as a critique or a discourse on the subject. After discussing the topic for say 30 minutes and the student stops, the professor will simply say “Is that all that you know about the topic? You need to study harder”. Then the next student will be asked to “proceed” and so on and so forth.
Enjoy your stay in law school. I am certain that you are doing well.
All the best and God bless
Jul 10th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Hi Kinderdorf!
Well, it was my fault… I didn’t read the cases we had taken up already, thinking that we wouldn’t go back. I was merely relying on a reviewer and the digests that have been passed on to us by previous batches. I had it coming.
Other than that, I’m like a diesel engine… it takes a while before I warm up into the semester. Good thing I started to get my rhythm. The first few weeks was difficult for me to adjust since I’d have to balance training with studying. It’s no surprise to me that I’d rather train than study. But then again, I ask myself, what do I want to be, a professional runner/athlete or a lawyer? Hehe… Being a pro athlete is out of the question… tsk tsk! And besides… running is supposed to be my outlet and not the other way around