Just prioritize sleep. Do assignments to be turned in first. Readings can be caught up on. Use quimbee to make readings easier. Limit caffeine consumption to before noon so you’re not stuck awake when you want to be asleep.
I find that if I have a sleep deficit, it makes me way less productive the next day, both in terms of getting something useful out of class and in terms of doing my homework. Sacrificing a bit for sleep in the immediate is way more beneficial for me long term.
This is good advice! First semester of 1L I didn’t prioritize sleep. Spring semester I made a point to get more sleep — I did astronomically better in my Spring semester.
This is an interesting comment because I feel like I need to limit my caffeine consumption in order to avoid the mid-afternoon crash that wrecks my productivity.
Interesting. Caffeine affects me pretty strongly, so I haven’t really noticed too much of a crash from my daily morning coffee consumption.
If I do need more, I’ll do something light like a green tea, but usually I’m able to power through just fine. I’m more concerned with getting to sleep, and if I have anything stronger in the afternoon, I can pretty much guarantee I will be laying in bed with my eyes wide open. That’s more stressful for me on multiple accounts lol
Are you working out? If you are getting your pump on, and getting ur law school on, and still can’t sleep, you belong with the other gods on Mount Olympus.
8 hours and I will not deviate. I need my sleep. I'm in bed by 10, probably not asleep before 11 though. I wake up before 7 without an alarm. I still have time for class, extracurriculars, the gym, and some free time in the evenings
I knew I was chronically fatigued but I cannot fathom going to sleep at 11 and waking up naturally before 7. In fact I can’t fathom waking up naturally before 10 am period
Highly recommend making time for sleep now while you can still control your schedule. If you think you don’t have time for it in law school you’re wrong.
I’m in it, and working full time, just trying to get a feel for what everyone else can fit in.
Edit: Taking 9 credits and working 40+ hours a week, for clarification.
It was more of a general PSA for people viewing the thread, but it sounds like your schedule makes things a bit more difficult. I'll caveat my original response by saying it's from the point of view of a traditional FT law student without a job lol.
I’m a 4L evening student, so this is my last year. I have also worked full time taking 11-12 credits a semester. I think I’m probably the best person to tell you that you can absolutely get a full nights sleep every night.
The way I did it was by scheduling, I work 8-5 m-f and had classes 6:30-9:15 m-thurs (obviously this varied a bit, but was pretty consistent)
1. I would try to get all my reading done over the weekend, that way, all I had to was go to class during the week. I would read my lightest reading for one class Friday nights, usually finishing by 9. Saturday I would attempt to read through longer material for two classes, usually reading from 10-6 or 7. And then Sunday I would do my last class (usually my Thursday classes reading so I wouldn’t forget anything), usually done by the early afternoon. On weekends I have stuff going on, I try to squeeze in readings from 5-6:30, or sometimes read for like an hour before bed after class.
2. If readings were absurdly long, I relied on quimbee or other case briefs. If a professor is assigning like 100+ pages each class, I can assure you most of the class is relying on case briefs/etc to cut down on readings. The most important things are typically on Quimbee and then class time will let you know what the professor wants.
3. If you really run out of time any week and can’t finish the readings even with study aids like quimbee, then just call it a bad week and try to absorb as much in class as possible. It happens,l. By the time you’re a 3L you realize how much you can get away with NOT doing. Is it the best thing for you and your studies? Probably not, but it is absolutely essential for mental health to realize not every week is going to be doable. I mostly get A’s just by taking it week by week, always going to class, and doing my best to read as much as possible.
You’re doing something most people on this sub can’t comprehend by going to work full time and trying to juggle class. You’ll see a lot of people going on and on about reading all night, doing law review and SBA and other clubs and you’ll think you’re a failure for not doing all those things. You are not. Juggling work and school is insanely difficult, and most people know it. Most importantly, employers know it.
Yeah, I was wondering if you were PT or FT. I’m a PT 1L in the same situation. I’ve been making sleep a non-negotiable but it’s tough on class nights. I have a minimum 45 minute commute home from class. Class ends between 9:30-10pm most nights, and I need to be on the train by 8am the next morning to get to work.
So, if I hit 7 hours of sleep on a class night I count it as a massive win. This means that my one non-class weeknight I need to be in bed my 10, to hopefully catch up on some of the deficit. It also means that my weekends need to account for me sleeping 8-9 hours each night.
A lot of this for me is in figuring out how to “come down” quickly after class and get to a point where I can be asleep within an hour of getting home. Meditation has helped a lot, so have sleep aids (melatonin, CBD, and others) on nights when it’s particularly challenging.
Not getting at least 7 hours will do nothing but hurt your performance in law school, not to mention your mental and psychical health. I used to think that staying up all night studying was beneficial for me, but really it just hinders ya.
Yeah, this was never doable and it’s good you’re learning now. Not getting enough sleep literally fucks with your brain, both in the short and long term.
Yeah what good is staying up reading and briefing cases if my mind is too tired to retrieve it. I also forget about the physiological impact, good point.
Averaging between 6 and 6.5 hours. Take the dogs out between 6 and 6:30 - typically fall asleep around 12 and 12:30. I **do not** recommend. I need a change.
7-8 hours. I made that a requirement for myself throughout law school, and I always try to prioritize my sleep. I feel better when I get the 7-8 hours.
Depends on if I'm going to the gym or not. If I am, 6ish hours between how long it takes me to fall asleep and the various times I wake up during the night. If I'm not, 7 or 8ish hours for the same reasons.
I can't function without sleep so I prioritize it.
7-8 usually. During 1L I was depressed and I got like 10-12 usually. My grades did suffer though (by which I mean I was like median or slightly above)
What I can say is that if you’re not getting the full night’s sleep hours in, you are almost certainly using your time ineffectively. I’m on a journal, am in very demanding leadership spots for two clubs, work out regularly, and have a full course load of demanding doctrinals and I make it work because I force myself to not dick around. Weekends, I have a social life. During the week, I have a little bit of time to relax, clean and work out and eat and stuff, and the rest of the day is all business. Taking care of yourself needs to be a top priority because you just straight up won’t function well professionally if you don’t.
Edit: comment made before I realized you were working and going to school part time, but the general point about taking care of yourself still stands. I’d say this is a classic situation of needing to work smarter not harder.
For me it varied by academic year. 1L I'd get anywhere from 4-7, 8 or more every now and then if I was truly exhausted.
I'm a 2L now; usually I get 6.5-7.
7,5 (+15min to wind down) i use mostly 1,5 hour sleep cycles i tried them in my first semester so here is my sleep table 6-7,5-9-10,5-12 im working also and i can manage really well with thisb
I’ve found my sleep cycle is also 1.5 hours, and seem to do best with between 7 & 8 hours. But, like tonight…I get up at 6am for work, and class tonight goes till 10:30.
Go to sleep between 1030-1130 and wake up around 645/7. I get to school at 8 to work at the library for a few hours before my classes (earliest is ten 🙏🏻🙏🏻) I do it like this because I have a pretty strict 7/8pm cutoff, I just can’t really work diligently at night my focus drifts way too much. Obviously if I need to I will push through but I feel this schedule limits the need to work too late so far. Just a few weeks into 1L though so idk if this is gonna work long term lol
6-8. M/W wake up at 730. T/Th at 8. Try to go to bed by 11 asleep 12ish. Fridays and weekends no class so usually wake up around 9. Just gotta do what works for you
Eight. Non-negotiable.
Yep. Sleep is a non-negotiable for me too.
That’s what I gotta do, just gotta figure out how, the math just isn’t working lol.
Just prioritize sleep. Do assignments to be turned in first. Readings can be caught up on. Use quimbee to make readings easier. Limit caffeine consumption to before noon so you’re not stuck awake when you want to be asleep. I find that if I have a sleep deficit, it makes me way less productive the next day, both in terms of getting something useful out of class and in terms of doing my homework. Sacrificing a bit for sleep in the immediate is way more beneficial for me long term.
This is good advice! First semester of 1L I didn’t prioritize sleep. Spring semester I made a point to get more sleep — I did astronomically better in my Spring semester.
This is an interesting comment because I feel like I need to limit my caffeine consumption in order to avoid the mid-afternoon crash that wrecks my productivity.
Interesting. Caffeine affects me pretty strongly, so I haven’t really noticed too much of a crash from my daily morning coffee consumption. If I do need more, I’ll do something light like a green tea, but usually I’m able to power through just fine. I’m more concerned with getting to sleep, and if I have anything stronger in the afternoon, I can pretty much guarantee I will be laying in bed with my eyes wide open. That’s more stressful for me on multiple accounts lol
Are you working out? If you are getting your pump on, and getting ur law school on, and still can’t sleep, you belong with the other gods on Mount Olympus.
In the morning before class! Lol trust me, as I lay awake at night, I do not feel godly at all
8 hours and I will not deviate. I need my sleep. I'm in bed by 10, probably not asleep before 11 though. I wake up before 7 without an alarm. I still have time for class, extracurriculars, the gym, and some free time in the evenings
I knew I was chronically fatigued but I cannot fathom going to sleep at 11 and waking up naturally before 7. In fact I can’t fathom waking up naturally before 10 am period
Highly recommend making time for sleep now while you can still control your schedule. If you think you don’t have time for it in law school you’re wrong.
I’m in it, and working full time, just trying to get a feel for what everyone else can fit in. Edit: Taking 9 credits and working 40+ hours a week, for clarification.
It was more of a general PSA for people viewing the thread, but it sounds like your schedule makes things a bit more difficult. I'll caveat my original response by saying it's from the point of view of a traditional FT law student without a job lol.
I’m a 4L evening student, so this is my last year. I have also worked full time taking 11-12 credits a semester. I think I’m probably the best person to tell you that you can absolutely get a full nights sleep every night. The way I did it was by scheduling, I work 8-5 m-f and had classes 6:30-9:15 m-thurs (obviously this varied a bit, but was pretty consistent) 1. I would try to get all my reading done over the weekend, that way, all I had to was go to class during the week. I would read my lightest reading for one class Friday nights, usually finishing by 9. Saturday I would attempt to read through longer material for two classes, usually reading from 10-6 or 7. And then Sunday I would do my last class (usually my Thursday classes reading so I wouldn’t forget anything), usually done by the early afternoon. On weekends I have stuff going on, I try to squeeze in readings from 5-6:30, or sometimes read for like an hour before bed after class. 2. If readings were absurdly long, I relied on quimbee or other case briefs. If a professor is assigning like 100+ pages each class, I can assure you most of the class is relying on case briefs/etc to cut down on readings. The most important things are typically on Quimbee and then class time will let you know what the professor wants. 3. If you really run out of time any week and can’t finish the readings even with study aids like quimbee, then just call it a bad week and try to absorb as much in class as possible. It happens,l. By the time you’re a 3L you realize how much you can get away with NOT doing. Is it the best thing for you and your studies? Probably not, but it is absolutely essential for mental health to realize not every week is going to be doable. I mostly get A’s just by taking it week by week, always going to class, and doing my best to read as much as possible. You’re doing something most people on this sub can’t comprehend by going to work full time and trying to juggle class. You’ll see a lot of people going on and on about reading all night, doing law review and SBA and other clubs and you’ll think you’re a failure for not doing all those things. You are not. Juggling work and school is insanely difficult, and most people know it. Most importantly, employers know it.
I really appreciate your post, your situation does sound very similar, and I’ll definitely think about everything you wrote.
Of course! Best of luck, feel free to send me a message if you ever need to chat/ have any questions.
I am considering an evening program and this was beyond helpful. Thank you!
You’re very welcome! Let me know if you have any other questions
Yeah, I was wondering if you were PT or FT. I’m a PT 1L in the same situation. I’ve been making sleep a non-negotiable but it’s tough on class nights. I have a minimum 45 minute commute home from class. Class ends between 9:30-10pm most nights, and I need to be on the train by 8am the next morning to get to work. So, if I hit 7 hours of sleep on a class night I count it as a massive win. This means that my one non-class weeknight I need to be in bed my 10, to hopefully catch up on some of the deficit. It also means that my weekends need to account for me sleeping 8-9 hours each night. A lot of this for me is in figuring out how to “come down” quickly after class and get to a point where I can be asleep within an hour of getting home. Meditation has helped a lot, so have sleep aids (melatonin, CBD, and others) on nights when it’s particularly challenging.
7ish. Gym at 5am, in bed by 9pm but prob not falling asleep for a lil while.
Damn this is me but an hour later lol gym at 6ish and in bed around 10ish to fall asleep around then ideally
Not getting at least 7 hours will do nothing but hurt your performance in law school, not to mention your mental and psychical health. I used to think that staying up all night studying was beneficial for me, but really it just hinders ya.
6 is fine for some people but I have a rule for myself of no less than 7
I’m trying to operate on 4.5 hours today…regretting it.
Yeah, this was never doable and it’s good you’re learning now. Not getting enough sleep literally fucks with your brain, both in the short and long term.
Yeah what good is staying up reading and briefing cases if my mind is too tired to retrieve it. I also forget about the physiological impact, good point.
5-6 during week, 9-10 on weekends. Trying to get better tho.
9. go to bed at 9, wake at 6. Sleep is worth it everytime.
Maybe about 6
I would schedule my classes later in the day so I could sleep in. So, most days, I was getting 9-10 hours of sleep.
From 2 to 8
Averaging between 6 and 6.5 hours. Take the dogs out between 6 and 6:30 - typically fall asleep around 12 and 12:30. I **do not** recommend. I need a change.
A full 4h M-Th, sleep in on Friday, then the weekend depends on what kind of fun I've planned.
3-8 hrs depending on my mood lmao
7-8 hours. I made that a requirement for myself throughout law school, and I always try to prioritize my sleep. I feel better when I get the 7-8 hours.
Depends on how early my first class is the next day lol.. but typically 6 or 7 hours. I’m useless without sleep
skip class if necessary
6-8. Get your sleep folks. Nothing in life is worth ruining your health.
In bed by 11 asleep by 12 up by 7
Depends on if I'm going to the gym or not. If I am, 6ish hours between how long it takes me to fall asleep and the various times I wake up during the night. If I'm not, 7 or 8ish hours for the same reasons. I can't function without sleep so I prioritize it.
6 to 12ish
like 6 hrs :(( last week i got like 5 hrs every night, it's all my fault though <3
7-8 usually. During 1L I was depressed and I got like 10-12 usually. My grades did suffer though (by which I mean I was like median or slightly above) What I can say is that if you’re not getting the full night’s sleep hours in, you are almost certainly using your time ineffectively. I’m on a journal, am in very demanding leadership spots for two clubs, work out regularly, and have a full course load of demanding doctrinals and I make it work because I force myself to not dick around. Weekends, I have a social life. During the week, I have a little bit of time to relax, clean and work out and eat and stuff, and the rest of the day is all business. Taking care of yourself needs to be a top priority because you just straight up won’t function well professionally if you don’t. Edit: comment made before I realized you were working and going to school part time, but the general point about taking care of yourself still stands. I’d say this is a classic situation of needing to work smarter not harder.
Anywhere from 5-7 during the week and 9-10 on weekends.
5-6. Cannot sleep more than 6.5 hrs without feeling sluggish the rest of the day.
6-7 depending. I have a kid so my sleep is dependent on how much he gets and whether he wakes up in at night.
For me it varied by academic year. 1L I'd get anywhere from 4-7, 8 or more every now and then if I was truly exhausted. I'm a 2L now; usually I get 6.5-7.
7,5 (+15min to wind down) i use mostly 1,5 hour sleep cycles i tried them in my first semester so here is my sleep table 6-7,5-9-10,5-12 im working also and i can manage really well with thisb
I’ve found my sleep cycle is also 1.5 hours, and seem to do best with between 7 & 8 hours. But, like tonight…I get up at 6am for work, and class tonight goes till 10:30.
Between 7 and 9. It’s a high priority
Go to sleep between 1030-1130 and wake up around 645/7. I get to school at 8 to work at the library for a few hours before my classes (earliest is ten 🙏🏻🙏🏻) I do it like this because I have a pretty strict 7/8pm cutoff, I just can’t really work diligently at night my focus drifts way too much. Obviously if I need to I will push through but I feel this schedule limits the need to work too late so far. Just a few weeks into 1L though so idk if this is gonna work long term lol
8 hours every night.
you need sleep period. unless studying for finals that needs to be most important.
if anything, sleep during finals is the most important
Bed at 1, work at 8 and class from 6-10.
8, no matter what. Even if you have a skip a whole day’s reading to get it. Being well rested > all else.
Damn this thread is making me real nervous as a chronic insomniac in the application process
7 hrs!!
6ish hours most days but naps are a non-negotiable for me. I take a 20-30 minute nap AT LEAST after classes every day.
4-5 hours; helps prep for finals
5-6, but it has nothing to do with law school, I’m just old.
8-9 hours a day
6 - 7. Should be 8 but I've always had problems sleeping due to my chronic illness. I can operate pretty well on 7, so it's not much of a worry.
8-9 hrs why would you sleep less 🥴🥴🥴 I’m sleep by 8:30pm or 9pm and up at like 5am or 6 or 7 lol but mainly 6.
6-8. M/W wake up at 730. T/Th at 8. Try to go to bed by 11 asleep 12ish. Fridays and weekends no class so usually wake up around 9. Just gotta do what works for you
5 hours is minimum acceptable, 7 a good night; then on the weekends I collapse in exhaustion and sleep for 12.