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Sunday, April 26, 2015

THE TYPES OF PROFESSORS YOU WILL MEET IN LAW SCHOOL

Since we started studying in school, we have encountered different types of teachers along the way. From Elementary to College, we all had our list of our most-loved and most-hated teachers.

This is my attempt to categorized or described the type of teachers in Law School based on my personal experiences and based from past experiences from Lawyers and fellow law students from different law schools.

1. GATEKEEPERS


WHO ARE THEY?

BAR Topnotchers, Members of the Judiciary, Members of the Administration and those who graduated with top honors in Law School.


WHAT TO EXPECT?
  • READ AND MEMORIZE THE CODAL PROVISIONS.
  • READ THE FULL TEXT OF THE CASES.
  • MAKE A DIGEST OF CASES.
  • HIGH-MORTALITY RATE.
  • TRANSPARENCY IN THE GRADING SYSTEM.
  • HARD RECITATION QUESTIONS AND HARD EXAMINATION.
  • YOU WILL LEARN THE BEST TIPS ON HOW TO STUDY IN LAW SCHOOL AND FOR THE BAR.


2. THE SAINTS


WHO ARE THEY?
Those who actually enjoyed during their stay in Law School


WHAT TO EXPECT?

  • A RELATIVELY SHORTER READING ASSIGNMENTS.
  • MEMORIZING CODAL PROVISIONS IS NOT MANDATORY.
  • READING CASE DIGEST ONLINE IS ENOUGH.
  • THEY OCCASIONALLY ALLOW THEIR STUDENTS TO READ THEIR NOTES AND CODALS.
  • THEY WILL ASK THE BASIC QUESTIONS.
  • SOMETIMES THEY WON'T CONDUCT RECITATIONS.
  • THEY GIVE OUT RELATIVELY HIGHER GRADE.
  • THEY ARE SOUGHT AFTER EVERY ENROLLMENT PERIOD.


3. THE SCRIPTS

WHO ARE THEY?
Those Professors who have a reviewer, exam, notes and audio lectures named after them.

WHAT TO EXPECT?

  • MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, THEY WILL JUST FOLLOW WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE REVIEWERS.
  • GET A HOLD OF COPY OF ANY OF THEIR EXAMS, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, 50% OF THOSE QUESTIONS WILL BE REPEATED IN THEIR NEXT EXAM.

4. THE DART PLAYERS

WHO ARE THEY?
Professors who give grades of their students not based on merits.

WHAT TO EXPECT?

  • STUDENTS WHO ARE EXPECTED TO FAIL WILL MIRACULOUSLY PASS.
  • STUDENTS WHO ARE EXPECTED TO PASS WILL SURPRISINGLY FAIL.
  • THEY WILL NOT RELEASE THE BREAKDOWN OF THE GRADES OF THEIR STUDENTS.
  • THEY WILL NOT RELEASE THE RESULT OF THE QUIZZES OR EXAMS.


5. MAJOR PLAYER

WHO ARE THEY?
Super Demanding Professors who handles minor subjects (below 3 units)

WHAT TO EXPECT?

  • GIVING A READING ASSIGNMENT WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO A MAJOR SUBJECT.
  • THEY REQUIRE CASE DIGEST, GIVE OUT QUIZZES, PRE-MIDTERM EXAMS, PRE-FINAL EXAMS.
  • THEY ALSO ASKS FOR TERM PAPERS.
  • THEY ARE DEMANDING BUT THEY ARE OFTEN LOW-GRADERS.


6.  PLAYING FAVORITES

WHO ARE THEY?
Professors who give extra-importance to those pretty or handsome classmate of yours.

WHAT TO EXPECT?

  • THE PROFESSOR WILL BE EXTRA-PATIENT WHEN THE "FAVORITE" IS CALLED FOR RECITATION.
  • THE PROFESSOR WILL GUIDE "FAVORITE" TO THE CORRECT ANSWER.
  • THE PROFESSOR WILL ASK THE EASIER QUESTIONS TO "FAVORITE" THAN YOUR OTHER CLASSMATES.
  • WHEN "THE FAVORITE" IS ABSENT, THE PROFESSORS WILL ASK THE CLASS WHY. 
7. BARELY THERE


WHO ARE THEY?
Professors who will meet the class at the maximum of 5 times in the semester. They are usually the junior associate in a law firm.

WHAT TO EXPECT?

  • MAKE-UP CLASSES.
  • AN EXTENDED READING ASSIGNMENT.
  • EXTREME DIFFICULTY IN STUDYING FOR THEIR SUBJECT.


8. FINALISTS

WHO ARE THEY?
These professors believe in the saying "It is not how you start, it is how you finish" 

WHAT TO EXPECT?


  • FINAL EXAM SCORE > MIDTERM GRADE + QUIZZES + RECITATIONS

9. THE EYE CANDY

WHO ARE THEY?
Professors who are pretty, handsome, gorgeous, classy, hunk among others.


WHAT TO EXPECT?

  • KILIG EVERYTIME YOU SEE THEM IN SCHOOL.
  • DIFFICULTY IN KEEPING EYE CONTACT DURING RECITATIONS.
  • YOU DON'T MIND GOING TO THEIR CLASS EVEN WITHOUT STUDYING ANYTHING.
  • YOU ARE SOMETIMES ENVIOUS ABOUT THEM BECAUSE THEY BOTH HAVE BEAUTY AND BRAINS.


Monday, April 20, 2015

QPI CALCULATOR

Instructions:

*Feel free to change the entries especially the name of subjects
*Indicate the correct number of units for the corresponding law subject
*If you have less than 16 subjects per year, just leave the number of units and final grade to zero (nevermind the failed status)
*Do not mix the subjects of different year levels. (e.g. Do not include your first year subjects with your 2nd year subjects)
*This is just a simulation in order to aid your computation in achieving your desired QPI
*Enjoy!


Sunday, April 19, 2015

COULD THIS BE THE END OF SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL?

Last April 1, 2015, Urbandub announced that they will be holding their last concert as a band on May 9, 2015. Some fans, including myself, were not convinced because it maybe an April Fools Prank.

UNFORTUNATELY, the post turned out to be true!. After 15 years in the music industry, Urbandub will disband and take a hiatus. Prior before the announcement, the band posted concert posters with the words Endless and 5.9.2015. Little did we know that the said poster was just a precursor of the bomb that is about to drop on April first. 

The band played a huge role for me in appreciating OPM music even more. Back in High School, I was a fan of popular bands like Eraserheads, Parokya ni Edgar, RiverMaya, South Border among others. However, when I got into College in 2005, I was introduced to the fresh and new kind of sound, the Independent music or Indie. My dormate who eats and breaths OPM bands introduced me to Urbandub. He lend me his copy of their Birth and Influence Album. 

I was blown away by their music. Never did I imagine that heavy guitar riffs and slick bass lines could work with poetic lyrics. The lyrics were 'intellectually' written. It was really poetry. Picture this, Get any Lang Leav poem you can think of and put on a Rock music. For me, that is Urbandub music right there. 

I only watched the band perform twice. 

The first one was in the 'infamous' Rock Elbi held in the Freedom Park grounds. After their set,  I got my CD signed by John Dinopol after I sneaked in the backstage.  If I sneaked in much earlier, I could have asked Gabby, Lalay and Jan Jan sign my copy of their album Embrace.

The second one was very memorable for me. 

It was in the middle of our Midterm examination week. That was a Wednesday. I have 2 exams scheduled that day. Negotiable Instruments Law and Taxation Law 1. It was mentally and physically draining. I barely got sleep just to review. Actually I try to keep awake in the library by drinking a bottle of Cobra energy drink. Instead of having that second wind in order to stay awake, my brain was just too tired to function and I fell asleep.

Fast forward, After finishing the 2 exams, I suddenly remembered that the Urbandub will playing at the South Station at 9 pm. 

As I arrived there at 9:10 pm, the band had just come up at the stage. Songs from their past albums and new Album, Esoteric, were played. 

Songs like Soul Searching, A new Tattoo, Dim the Headlights, Never Will I Forget, Call to Arms, First of Summer, Evidence, Guillotine were played. 

Upon hearing those songs, my body felt so alive. For a moment, I felt like there were no Midterm Exams to worry about. 

Then, Gabby Alipe introduced the song 'The Fight is Over'. As the intro was playing, I felt a tear roll down in my face. The physical and mental toll of the exams seemed to much to bear and I just had to release the emotions and the stress that is consuming my body. You can't help it when Gab pauses before and after he sings the line "Could you explain to me?..." 

The last song was extra special for me because it was Endless, a Silent Whisper. My personal favorite track from the album Embrace. 

I love how Gab sings it. You know that he sings from the heart. Actually, collectively, the band plays with their heart. They love their craft, they love their fans and they stay true to their style of music. Lalay's bass lines gives the needed groove to their songs. The drums and Lead Guitars were just perfect!. Fans noticed and seconded by his other bandmates that Janjan took the Urbandub to the next level. They created the distinct UDub sound. 

I went home that night super happy. I may not have a picture with the band nor a signed copy of their new CD. But, I was still very much contented because hearing the music of Urbandub live is enough for me. 

Now that the band is about to disband or a hiatus, I felt extremely sad because the band members look so good together. A single unit playing top-notch songs which are comparable with foreign acts. 

Hopefully, the band will just take a hiatus for a year or two in order to take have time with their families, then comeback with a huge album!.

Frontman Gabby Alipe said in Rappler article that it is not the end of Urbandub. He particularly said that there are no such things as endings, only new beginnings.

So there is hope Dubistas!!! 

Sunday, April 5, 2015

I had the WILL but I did not SUCCEED...

Earlier today, Wisconsin Badgers has beaten University of Kentucky Wildcats 71-64 ending UK's 38 game winning streak and also ending their title hopes in the process.

38-1. They lost only game yet they are out in the tournament.

This post is not about the NCAA Tournament. This is about my version of "Wisconsin".

Ever since I transferred to San Beda Alabang School of Law in 2013, I never had a failing mark in my Final Grades.

Until....

I experienced my own version of "Wisconsin" by the name of "WILLS AND SUCCESSION". Funny that they started with same letter. haha

Anyway, I failed the said subject. It ended my 'unblemished' streak. It was supposed to be painful but when I entered law school, I think I developed a sort of "immunity" towards failure and disappointment.

The reason why I flunked it because I was not ready for it. I simply couldn't understand it. I couldn't grasp it. Do not get me wrong but I spend countless hours studying for the subject but for some reason, it was not working for me. To be honest, if I miraculously passed the subject, I will feel lucky because I sure did not deserve the passing mark.

One indication that I did not fully comprehend the said subject was when it was the topic at the Morning Rush, a morning radio program at Monster RX 93.1. Del, Chico and Gino were talking about inheritance. They were discussing about how would the properties left be divided among the heirs if there are creditors. They started posing some questions like "Would the heirs pay the creditors out of their share in the inheritance?". They were asking their loyal listeners to help them with this legal predicament.

Upon hearing this, I was dumbfounded. I was literally drawn a blank. I said to myself, the indications are not looking good regarding my grade in Wills.

True enough, when the news that our grade in Wills were out, I failed.

Oh Well, the streak is gone but it is time to make a new one. Hopefully my grades in the 2nd semester would turn out to be great.

Going back to my NCAA analogy, hopefully we get our 'revenge' over 'Wisconsin'.