I'm in the middle of my usual Monday routine (playing on the Internet while I wait for other students to leave the lounge so I can get to studying).  It has occurred to me that this particular Spring Break was much less productive than last year.  Last year I spent every waking hour with my study group studying.  This year?  Not so much.

Have you heard the ol' law school addage about how they scare you to death the first year, work you to death the second year, and bore you to death the third year?  No? Well, you just heard it.  It's mostly true.  Last year I was scared of ever taking a day off from studying or even watching TV (the exception being Supernatural, everything else was saved on my DVR until finals were over).  This year, I am pretty damn busy, and yet I'm much lazier than last year.  I'm willing to guess that I will be even worse next year (with the laziness), although I expect to be once again scared to death when the time comes to study for the bar exam.

I think the source of my problems with motivation can be linked to two things: the Internet and my grades from last semester.  Last semester I was an incredible slacker when it came to studying and yet my grades were actually better than from my first year.  So, what did I learn?  I learned that it was okay to watch TV,  play on the Internet, and bringing a book with me everywhere was pointless because I wouldn't actually read it.  I think my law professors would say something about how you learn to think like a lawyer during your first year, so you spend less time studying.  I guess.  It's just that the difference in the amount of time I spend studying now versus then is massive. 

I hope I become motivated once April hits.  Part of my problem also stems from the fact that I only have a study group set up for one of my classes this semester.  It's a strange semester for me because I don't have the same people in my classes that I normally have. 

The funny thing is that I would be very upset it my students were as slacker-ish as I am.  I would especially be upset and offended if they checked their email while in my class.  But, undergrads aren't yet in the habit of taking their laptops to class to take notes on just yet.  (Whereas in law school--particularly the first year--you stick out if you're the one student in class without a laptop.  That was me on the first day of class.  Boy, did I feel awkward.)