For any law-school hopeful, conquering the LSAT is akin to getting a pap-smear. Painful for most, neccessary for all. But like any integral life endeavour (or annoying health appointment), it’s something that one will gleefully procrastinate on until one can procrastinate no more. Given the summer weather, it’s going to be even harder to concentrate.  You might even think that you don’t have time to do any studying given your hectic schedule. To which we respond: you’ve got time, you just need to reframe and re-prioritize. To help you out (because we’re in the same boat),  we’ve identified seven LSAT-study time suckers, and how to deal with them.

Have Friends With Summer Birthdays: Perhaps it’s because we hibernate in the winter (or something like that), but come June, the three horsemen of the birthpocalypse come riding. Gifts, Outfit, and Birthday Cake. Each of them serve the same functions in one’s life: becoming progressively-even-more-penniless than one already is, something to ruminate over, and to sap time. For any person who really doesn’t want play a never-ending onslaught of logic games, any excuse to party down will be taken––especially if you can justify it in the name of friendship. How to deal? For every hour of a party you attend, take two hours to study for your LSAT. It’ll keep you aware of your time commitments, and you won’t miss a thing.

Taking Advantage of Beach, and Patio Season: No, you’re not going to “study on the beach”, or “work on the patio”–you’re going to swim, tan, talk, and drink. So don’t be fooling yourselves. Solution? Take 15 minute study breaks where you walk around the block. You’ll clear your head, and get some sun.

Being a Summer Intern: Let’s not negate the value of internships. They’re important, especially to people who may have majored in a so called “less practical field”. Internships allow you to hone your skills, make new contacts, and see whether a career path is right for you. That being said, if you’re not coming home super-sleepy…you’re probably doing it wrong. Juggling LSAT prep and interning is HARD that way. Be sure to take a nap in between gigs, and pace yourself at work. Depending on your boss and schedule, don’t be afraid to ask for a personal day to either study, or relax. You’ll find ways to make that time up.

Having a Summer Fling: So your crush makes you feel like Sandy in Grease, and you begin to relate to yourself in such clichéd terms. However, dissecting each and every text, call, and email like you’re translating text on an Etruscan pottery shard is a time-waster.  If you really must obsess, allot yourself fifteen minutes to carry on-––then…carry on.

Hosting a Potluck and or Fancy Ass Dinner Party: Indulging your mini Martha Stewart is something that simply must be done. It’s an imperative. It’s the one time that perhaps you feel that you can emulate Nigella Lawson. However, throwing one every weekend? Unnecessary. Limit your soirees to monthly, or bi-weekly affairs. They’ll be more special that way. 

Having A Brain Coma: It happens sometimes. You’re tired. You’re exhausted, and you can barely think. Feeling like your brain is seeping out from your ears does not a successful LSAT study session make. Take a breather, do some yoga––and return back to it. 

Deciding to Tackle that Unwieldy Tome that You’ve Been Meaning to Read: Listen, I love Joyce and Heidegger as much as the next pretentious liberal arts student (read: a lot), but you’re simply not going to get that done. Writing your LSATS is less hard. Trust. 

~ Natasha Hunt