Turned in the final memo tonight, and I'm so glad it's over. It didn't go the way I had hoped. I promised myself I would get it done early. But I can't seem to break my habit of working on projects / assignments up until the last minute. Actually, I didn't completely procrastinate -- we had a first draft due a couple of weeks ago, which I did complete on time. Problem was, although I started out with a fairly good effort on the draft, the analysis ended up being pretty much horrible and I had to rewrite it entirely. My poor research skills made it worse. Instead of briefing the cases I wanted to use, I just read them, highlighted parts, and began incorporating some of those parts of each case into my draft. That was the wrong way to do it. In subsequent drafts, I kept having to refer back to the cases for very basic parts like facts, even holdings --- the stuff captured in a brief. So getting to the final product took twice or three times as long as it should have. It didn't really start to click until today. In the final paper I turned in, I think my writing was pretty good -- at least as good as my other work -- but one part of my analysis was kind of weak, and I could have used more time to strengthen it. I'm a little disappointed, but I think it'll be OK. I feel like I still have a good shot at an 'A' in Legal Writing & Research. I'll find out a few weeks into January, when all of the grades come back.
I'm behind in my outlines, which sucks. I wanted to be done by Thanksgiving. I'm not too far behind -- it's more a psychological thing. I know there's still lots of time -- well, not lots, but a good amount considering I have ten straight days of no class before my first final. Classes end this Thursday and the reading period begins. My first final is on Monday 12/13.
In other news, it's like Antarctica cold outside. What is the deal. I've been a wimp about the cold, cutting the dog walks a little short. They don't seem to mind, though. I guess they're just as spoiled as I am.
