You've Finished the Bar Exam! 5 Things to Do Now
The bar exam is over -- done, finished, completed, closed, past. If you're lucky, this will be the last time you have to worry about (or even think about) that test ever again.
So, what comes next? Here are five things to do now that you've survived one of the law's greatest crucibles.
1. Don't Worry About How You Did!
You can't change your bar performance now, so there's no need to waste any energy worrying about how you did. So don't talk to your friends about question 34 on the MBE, or how many issues were IRAC'd on the second essay. It's over and none of that matters now.
So forget about how you did for the next few months. By the time you find out you passed, you'll already have forgotten about most of the bar exam anyway.
2. Take a Bar Trip, or a Trip to the Bar
If you've got a fancy job lined up and money to burn, now's the time to enjoy your freedom, before it disappears in a month or two. You're about to spend most of your days cloistered away in some law office, so spend a week or two after the bar exam seeing the world.
Don't have cash to spend jet setting just yet? Take a quicker trip, with some friends to the local bar. Here are some suggestions on what to drink after the bar exam, in case you need help.
3. Get Outside
You've been under a lot of pressure lately, and most of it has likely been experienced inside. Now's the time to reverse that. Go spend some time outside, whether it's an afternoon in a park, a day-long hike, or a long camping trip. You'll not only get some long-missed summer sun, it'll be good for your health. A recent study shows that going outside can help reduce depression and high blood pressure, which you probably have a ton of after months of studying for the bar.
4. Tie up Any Loose Ends
Still need to submit your character and fitness application? Need to tell your landlord that you'll be ending your lease? Still have law school textbooks you haven't sold back yet? Take the next couple of weeks to wrap up all these loose ends. Putting together a "to do" list and knocking it down one by one can be an easy way to feel productive and accomplished while you get ready for the next stage in your life.
5. Find a Job!
Don't have a post-law school gig lined up? You're not alone! And if you've been putting off the job hunt while you study, we can't blame you. But now it's time to get to work, so polish off those resumes, spam out those cover letters, and find yourself a gig.
Need help on your post-bar job search? Check out job trends and salary data on Indeed.
Related Resources:
- On Final Day of Bar Exam: Frustration, Relief, Drinking Plans (Bloomberg)
- Who Needs Law School and the Bar Exam? Just Fake Being a Lawyer. (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)
- For Victims of the California Bar Exam, Is There a Silver Lining? (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)
- Pokemon Go Is the Perfect Bar Exam Study Break, Study Aid (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)
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