by Ryan McKeen
Studying for the bar exam is like training for a marathon. In both cases, hundreds if not thousands of hours are spent preparing for a single event. Both a marathon and the bar exam demand extensive preparation. And if you don’t properly prepare, you’ll be exposed.
This post assumes you’ve done most of what you need to do (i.e. taking both law school and a bar review course seriously).
Nearly every marathon training program involves tapering before the race. Everyone from elite runners like Ryan Hall to back of the pack runners like Ryan McKeen peak in their training about 3 weeks prior to the race itself. After the peak, the amount of running a marathoner does decreases in increments.
The idea is to get to the starting line of the race with fresh legs. Essentially there’s no benefit to peaking one’s training right before the race. Muscles need time to repair and strengthen before going 26.2 miles.
The same holds true with the bar exam. Rest is a form of training. If you’ve done the work, consider reducing the amount of time that you’re studying in the days leading up to the exam together. Consider taking all of next weekend off. Go to the beach.
Remind yourself that rest is a necessary component for success on your big day and good luck.