Law Students

Bullet Dodged

By Steve Pirates

On Friday our Summer grades were released. I have to say that I’m very pleased all things considered. I managed to win an award in Negotiation, which was surprising and very gratifying. But most importantly, I didn’t fail Evidence.

Our Evidence final was disrupted by a fire alarm. There was no fire, and we were quickly informed that it was a false alarm. So, we continued our test. However, I apparently became so distracted that I did not finish my final essay. By did not finish I mean did not start. I completely forgot about it. I was two sentences away from finishing my second essay when the fire alarm went off. When we received the all clear signal, I finished my essay. And then I hit the Submit button and closed my computer.

Now, in the weeks prior to the exam our professor had told us there were three essays. The proctors told us three essays. When I counted the pages before we started there were three essays. Some how I managed to block all of that out and just do two.

As soon as I figured out what had happened (10 seconds after I left the building) I went over to the Associate Dean’s office to see if there was any way to write the last essay on the spot. Sadly, there was nothing they could do. I do agree with their decision, even though it sucked for me. So, between that day and Friday I’ve been worried that I’d fail Evidence.

On Thursday I received an e-mail that I needed to go to the Academic Support office to sign a waiver allowing them to use my exam as a sample for future tests. I figured that meant I had either done really well on the two parts I did finish, or my professor was using me as an example of what not to do. Fortunately, after receiving my grades I found out it was the former. I managed a solid “B” in the class. The only thing that kind of bums me out is that had I finished (or even started) the last essay, I believe I would have easily wound up with an “A” and could have contended for the award in that class. Still, I have absolutely nothing to complain about. To salvage a “B” out of that fiasco was wonderful.

The irony is I did better in Evidence than in Con Law. And I felt good about Con Law. I felt good because I had finished the whole test. And yet I only pulled out a low “B”.

Maybe I should start taking only 2/3ds of each test I take. I seem to do better that way.

Full post as published by Jolly Lawger on September 21, 2008 (boomark / email).