So I took the bar.
I did it. It is done and I have done it. Dear God please let me not have to do that again.
I wouldn't wish the entire process on my worst enemy.
Studying for the bar not only makes you crazy, it also makes you really really boring to talk to or be around. I apologize.
Five thousand bar takers in New York City. Have never felt so much like a head of cattle in my life.
You'd think a convention center in Manhattan would be better at crowd control.
Five thousand people taking a six-hour long test with one very short, strictly enforced lunch break... is like an illustration of potty parity. I know a couple girls who spent their entire lunch breaks in line.
On much the same note, the cab stand basically looked like the Hunger Games.
On day two, when I finished the morning a bit early, I actually had a really good lunch. I walked up to the Empire State Building, and got cart hotdogs, and walked back down to the Hudson River Park and wandered around, and sat and ate watching the water. And then walked to the subway afterward and went past my favorite subway art. I know other people love their cities- really, I do, I know I'm not the only person in the world who loves her city- but sometimes it just blows me away that I'm lucky enough to live here.
Perhaps the oddest thing about the entire damn experience is how NICE people are to you. Everybody taking the bar is identified by a bright green wristband. You see anybody you recognize in a wristband? "Hey! Good luck! You're doing great!" Anybody recognizes you in a line? "Hey! Almost over, hang in there!" The proctor, walking down the row and getting us all to sign in? "You guys are doing so good, you're almost done!" The guy behind me in line at Subway? "Hey, you're taking the bar? My aunt took it a couple years ago. My aunt's kind of a moron, so if she can pass you definitely will. Good luck!" Random people on the street? "Hey, you're one of the bar people- chin up! You can do it!" A woman in a flight attendant uniform going to the airport shuttle stopped when we were in line to tell us her son was taking it in California right now, and then she went down the line pointing at each person individually yelling "You're going to pass! And you're doing to pass! And you're going to pass!" until the shuttle honked. Seriously, I had no idea this was such a cultural Thing. Probably never again in my life will so many random strangers be so nice to me on one day.
And yet, despite everybody being REALLY nice, and the fact that I had wine and cake waiting for me at home, I still don't want to do it again.
Nest up: major medical shit, giant fights about money, job I am in no way prepared for. This couple month stretch is shaping up extraordinarily unpleasant.
This entry was originally posted at http://dragojustine.dreamwidth.org/135130.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
I wouldn't wish the entire process on my worst enemy.
Studying for the bar not only makes you crazy, it also makes you really really boring to talk to or be around. I apologize.
Five thousand bar takers in New York City. Have never felt so much like a head of cattle in my life.
You'd think a convention center in Manhattan would be better at crowd control.
Five thousand people taking a six-hour long test with one very short, strictly enforced lunch break... is like an illustration of potty parity. I know a couple girls who spent their entire lunch breaks in line.
On much the same note, the cab stand basically looked like the Hunger Games.
On day two, when I finished the morning a bit early, I actually had a really good lunch. I walked up to the Empire State Building, and got cart hotdogs, and walked back down to the Hudson River Park and wandered around, and sat and ate watching the water. And then walked to the subway afterward and went past my favorite subway art. I know other people love their cities- really, I do, I know I'm not the only person in the world who loves her city- but sometimes it just blows me away that I'm lucky enough to live here.
Perhaps the oddest thing about the entire damn experience is how NICE people are to you. Everybody taking the bar is identified by a bright green wristband. You see anybody you recognize in a wristband? "Hey! Good luck! You're doing great!" Anybody recognizes you in a line? "Hey! Almost over, hang in there!" The proctor, walking down the row and getting us all to sign in? "You guys are doing so good, you're almost done!" The guy behind me in line at Subway? "Hey, you're taking the bar? My aunt took it a couple years ago. My aunt's kind of a moron, so if she can pass you definitely will. Good luck!" Random people on the street? "Hey, you're one of the bar people- chin up! You can do it!" A woman in a flight attendant uniform going to the airport shuttle stopped when we were in line to tell us her son was taking it in California right now, and then she went down the line pointing at each person individually yelling "You're going to pass! And you're doing to pass! And you're going to pass!" until the shuttle honked. Seriously, I had no idea this was such a cultural Thing. Probably never again in my life will so many random strangers be so nice to me on one day.
And yet, despite everybody being REALLY nice, and the fact that I had wine and cake waiting for me at home, I still don't want to do it again.
Nest up: major medical shit, giant fights about money, job I am in no way prepared for. This couple month stretch is shaping up extraordinarily unpleasant.
This entry was originally posted at http://dragojustine.dreamwidth.org/135130.html. Please comment there using OpenID.