Success is not always based on fate or chance. Very few people blame themselves for the failure or problems they experience. “Fate didn’t want me to have it,” they say. But is it really fate’s fault that you got an F in one of your papers?
People are given free will to feel to do what they like to do and what they’re supposed to do. You are in control of your life and the same thing goes with school. You can submit excellent thesis papers if you want to. You can get good grades if you want to. You just have to work hard for them. You can be a successful student only if you choose to be successful. So, what makes a student unsuccessful? Here are some points to give you an idea of what makes students unsuccessful.
* Unsuccessful students settle for “average” instead of “excellent.”
Many students turn out to be unsuccessful because they never aspire to be great in the first place. They do not have the same drive and determination that other students have. Instead of aiming for outstanding, they settle for passable. They submit half-researched reports and write half-hearted essays. Many students reason out that they can skip the studying part because they can rely on their “well-stocked brain” for the test answers. Don’t just rely on luck to help you get an A. Work hard for it.
Common indications:
* This is okay.
* I’ll just submit it anyway.
* This will do.
* Unsuccessful students procrastinate until hours before the deadline.
The number one hindrance to the success of students is procrastination. School may be stressful but that’s not a reason to slack off all day. Why put off school work for tomorrow when you can start your research today? Although it works for other people, cramming is never recommended for students. You can’t force your brain to retain five chapters of a science class in an hour before your midterm exam. Most exams are scheduled for a reason. Because your professors are giving you “time” to study, take advantage of that time to learn more. Start working now, before success procrastinates on its way to you.
Common indications:
* I still have time…
* I’ll do it tomorrow.
* I still don’t feel like doing it…
* Unsuccessful students accept failure even before it becomes a possibility.
An old saying that we keep on hearing from our parents and our friends is to never give up. Another reason many students fail to find success is because they accept failure even before it becomes a possibility. School has no room for pessimism. If you get a low score, take it as a challenge to do better on your next test. Do not take it as an indicator of a big F on your report card. Be honest with yourself and identify the areas you still need to improve on. Study harder. Work better. Shortcomings and criticisms are not intended to keep you down – they are meant to inspire you to do better. Accept your mistakes and learn from them.
Common indications:
* I can’t do this…
* What for?
* I’m going to fail anyway.
* Unsuccessful students make hasty decisions and forget to look at the big picture.
Your friend is throwing a party but you have a final exam tomorrow. What will you do? Another characteristic of unsuccessful students is that they are easily persuaded. Instead of spending the entire night studying for their classes, they cut hell loose by drinking beer and singing karaoke with their friends. This is especially true for some students who love to hastily decide on going to a party instead of studying for an exam tomorrow. As they act on impulse, they forget to look at the bigger picture; failing an exam can lead to low grades which could then have an impact on future school applications.
School should always be your priority and getting good grades are your responsibility. Try to discipline yourself by learning how to say “no” to last-minute party invites and say “yes” to four-hour review sessions.
Common indications:
* Study hard but party harder!
* I have a test tomorrow… what time is it again?
* Test? What test? Let’s just do this instead.
Photo Credit : Wyetha
Whether you’re a college senior slaving away on writing your personal statement law school, or a law student, or just someone interested in law, then watching movies featuring law students and the law school experience may just be your thing. If you’re planning to enter law school, these movies can give you insights on how it is to be in law school and what law students usually have to go through. Below are five movies fit for anyone who’s interested in law.
Paper Chase
Directed by James Bridges, Paper Chase is a 1973 film based on the novel with the same title written by John Jay Osborn, Jr. The movie focuses on the life of Hart (played by Timothy Bottoms), who is a first year student in Harvard Law School. Hart soon becomes the adversary of his Contract Law professor, Charles Kingsfield, Jr. (played by John Houseman). Adding to the dilemma of Hart is his discovery that he’s dating his professor’s daughter. Often cited as one of the best movies that provide an accurate depiction of life in law school, the movie has also gained glowing reviews as it has an emotionally gripping plot.
The Pelican Brief
Based on the novel written by John Grisham, The Pelican Brief stars Julia Roberts as Darby Shaw, a law school student who stumbles upon some very interesting details while doing some research on the death of two Supreme Court Justices. Darby finds out that these details involve several men in high places. Darby shows her research and theories, which then becomes known as the Pelican Brief, to her law professor, Thomas Callahan, who then shows it to his friend, Gavin Verheek. Both men are killed soon after and Darby goes on the run as she fears that her life will be the next target.
The Trials of Law School
An 87-minute film, The Trials of Law School follows the life of several law students at the University of Oklahoma College of Law. They come from very different backgrounds, each with his or her own expectations, hopes, and dreams. This film deals largely with how law students manage their studies and their personal lives, making it a definite must-watch film for all law school students.
Legally Blonde
Bubbly and perky Elle Woods, the president of her sorority famous for its good-looking members, is the last person you would imagine to enter the “serious” world of law school. When Elle Woods’s boyfriend, Warner Huntington III, breaks up with her, she becomes determined to get him back. She sets out for Harvard Law School, finding herself in a place that is such a far cry from the comforts she’s used to. At Harvard, Elle is met with skepticism and hostility, and she sets out to do everything she can in her studies, and becomes one of the notable students in her class. Despite garnering mixed reviews from movie critics, this movie became a surprise box office hit. It eventually led to a sequel, which was a far cry in terms of box office sales and reviews from the original.
Reversal of Fortune
In this movie, Claus von Bulow is convicted for the attempted murder of his wife, so he seeks the help of Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz. Unlike other legal thrillers, this movie does not focus on the trial, but rather on the preparatory work that Dershowitz does along with his students so that they can disprove the case and achieve acquittal for von Bulow.
Photo Credit : Lady Orlando
After writing an impressive personal statement law school, getting accepted into law school, studying the legal profession, and then finally earning your law degree, you might come to that point when you’re thinking that you don’t want to practice law. This is altogether not an uncommon dilemma faced by recent law school graduates, after they’ve had three of four grueling years in law school.
The good thing about this is that, aside from practicing law, there are many other things that you can do with your law degree. When you study law, you learn many skills that you can use to your advantage in other careers. Law school teaches you how to think analytically, conduct extensive and comprehensive research, write concisely and clearly, distinguish between philosophical clutter and relevant facts, and present your ideas persuasively. You can go into non-traditional legal careers, which are fields that do not require you to have a law degree, but having one is a definite advantage.
Pursue education careers.
Because you already know much about law, why not pursue a career in teaching law? This way, you can even choose a specialization and you’d only have to deal with a particular aspect of the law. You can teach undergraduate courses such as business ethics, criminal justice, environmental policy, anthropology, legal studies, law and psychology, law and society, law and history, and law and economics. Of course, before you can teach these specialized branches of the legal system, you may be required to undergo further studies. The Master of Laws (LL.M.) program and the Doctor of Juridical Science (in the US) are some of the advanced study programs in law school.
Get into environmental careers.
There are many environmental careers that you might want to consider going into. You can become an environmental advocate, environmental consultant, environmental policy analyst, environmental protection specialist, hazardous waste management consultant, technological program hazards specialist, safety and occupational health specialist, or coastal zone resources manager. Some companies (especially oil companies) employ people knowledgeable on the legal issues relevant to the environment to make sure that they do not violate any of them.
Try your hand at management and administration careers.
Your law degree will give you advantage over other applicants in management and administration positions such as unclaimed property administrator, emergency management specialist, management analyst, program analyst, foundation executive, elections administration officer, and grants management specialist. Having a law degree gives you the advantage of knowing the legal issues and policies associated with companies and corporations, giving you an edge over other applicants for the position.
Delve into media and entertainment careers.
The media and entertainment industry will always be a dynamic, fun, and challenging field to work in. This industry provides you with various options and you might want to try being a law correspondent, legal editor, legal newspaper publisher, literary agent, legal publisher account representative, sports agent, or acquisitions editor for publishing houses. Your skills in reading a significant volume of text and researching through several sources definitely make you qualified to work in companies focusing on the media.
Try other careers.
With your law degree, there are many other careers and industries that you can look into. These include real estate, criminal justice and law enforcement, financial services, human resources and employment, insurance and risk management, journalism, and research. The key here is to know your interests and skills, and choose a path that will give you the most fulfillment and happiness. The fact that you have completed 4 years in your undergraduate degree and 3 or more years in law school already says a lot about your determination and capabilities.
Photo Credit : umjanedoan
