Lessons from Law School #1

Always double check the edition of books purchased online (before ordering and then again after they arrive). You see, different editions may have nearly identical content, but are likely to have different page numbering. So, while you trudge through the latter half of the dissenting opinions in an obscure bug bite case from the early 1900s in the 3rd edition, your classmates may be reading through a fairly clear, complete, and historically significant case from the civil rights movement that appears on the same pages in the 4th edition. You, however, may not discover this divergence until the professor starts dissecting the case in class and you are forced to madly google summaries so as not to be completely and totally lost during your very first class of law school.

Lesson 1A: Voluntarily responding to questions that are based on passages read collectively in class allows you to impress your neighboring classmates without admitting to your general cluelessness. Unless, of course, you lack the ability to resist disclosing your general cluelessness when complimented on your insightful comment, in which case, you simply resurrect your status as Queen of the Cliff Notes. This may or may not be something you should take pride in...I'm just sayin'.