So, after the hell cold calling of my first year you would think that I would have come to my senses by now. Being unprepared sucks and it makes you look like a total jerk. You might expect that for this reason I come to class everyday prepared and ready to volunteer my insights.
Yeah, as if!
Sadly, that is not the reality of second year. With the mounting stress of finding a summer job, rough draft due dates imminent and my three fingered grip on what is left of a social life there is not always time to read. And when there is, I speak not only for myself but also for the majority of my classmates: whether they have read or not, they HATE getting called on. I guess, some of us were badly burned (thank God—I wasn’t!). Others are just too busy on GChat or facebook to be bothered with even paying attention in class.
So I got to my Con Law class today and, like every day, my Con Law neighbor and dear friend Ryan tells me he has a good feeling- today we will not get called on. Our professor has this godforsaken contraption that randomly generates a number and he starts with the seat that corresponds with the number. So it was very much to our surprise when the professor announces. “Mr. Ryan I will start with you and then I will go on to you.”
Crap- he was talking to ME. Not only was Ryan’s attempt of channeling Miss Cleo completely unsuccessful, it had bolstered my confidence in choosing not to read in the few minutes I had before class. (Instead, I ate an apple.)
Well, today was my day- like it or not. I’m not a huge fan of people who pass so I figured I’d wing it. I opened my computer to Westlaw, Lexis, Wikipedia and oh, yeah, the text of the case: Caperton v. Massey.
So Ryan is up first. DAMNIT- he gets all the easy vague introductory cases. Should judges recuse themselves, what impact does it have…blah, blah, freakin’ blah.
So now it’s my turn. Ms- what was the holding of this case? Nailed it. Did the court use any precedent? Nailed it. Why did that fall short? Awww crap.
Me: “Bullshit… bullshit… bullshit.”
Professor: “Actually…kinda, sorta, not really.”
Such went the rest of my time in the spotlight. Luckily, but don’t let that give you the wrong impression- I had a few moments of redemption.
Enter: GChat
4:04 PM Classmate: i don't know what we're talking about, but you did a good job!
4:05 PM me: i didnt read.
Classmate: haha
Shutup
me: swear...
Classmate: solid job then
me: i scanned during the intro of lecture
thanks duder
Yay for positive reinforcement!
