Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach is My Bar Prep Inspiration

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach

I seldom watch beauty pageants unlike during my college days when I would actually stop everything whenever there is one showing on television.  This year however it is different, for some reasons I was able to watch the Bb. Pilipinas and  I did have my favorites but Ms. Pia Wurtzbach was not one of my top picks.

Fast forward to the Miss Universe 2015 tilt held last week. A few days before,  I learned about how our Ms. Wurtzback was seen as one of the top contenders for the Miss U crown.  After seeing photos of her in the preliminaries in both evening and swimwear,   I knew she got something going and from that time on, I started to do some research.  I saw something in her,  that fire is hard to miss.

I really could not believe how different she looks from that girl who won the Binibining Pilipinas tilt. earlier this year.  She has undergone a true transformation.  She has prepared for it no doubt about it.

I never doubted that she would be one of the top 3. Pia Wurtzbach is determined to win it by all means and she came out just doing that.  She worked hard for it and deserves the Miss U crown.

My New Inspiration for the Bar

I made her my screensaver!

Now how does all these related to my studies? A lot!

But first, let me congratulate this awesome lady.  Congratulations Ms. Pia! You make me proud not only to be a Filipina but also because you have shown the whole world - rather the universe -  that discipline, determination and not giving up on a goal are crucial to success.  That is a very strong message not only to every person who dreams but to law students like us who are preparing to take the Bar Exams soon.

Free Cut

Five minutes before class begins, you are still frantically going over the 10 cases you have not finished reading.  Cold sweat trickled down from your brows.  You can almost taste defeat. knowing you are in deep trouble.  Your professor will not mince words once he founds out you have not prepared for his class. Then, the class beadle screamed 'free cut!'

Half of the class broke into applause.  You breathed a sigh of relief.  For a second you felt like it's Christmas Day already, yehey!  You might as well spell 'Free cut'  as salvation.  Student know all to well what it means -- class is cancelled.

A free cut may be announced the night before or hours or even minutes before (or after) a class time begins.  In some universities,  a free cut is automatic when the professor fails to arrive within 15 minutes.

Why is these phrase so magical?  Let me count the ways.  A free cut is like a life raft which appeared out of nowhere after you attempted (and failed!) to read the gazillion of readings, cases, books,  for a particular class.  It felt like that for me most of the time anyways. Believe me, I can only count in the fingers of one hand when I could confidently say that I have thoroughly read each and every single assigned material.

Do you have the same feelings regarding 'free cut?'  Leave any kind of comments, experiences, reactions below.

5 Tips in Dealing with Case Assignments

 Case list

We law students know the drill.  Every waking hour while we are in law school we will always be bombarded with tons of cases. These cases breathe life to all those laws that we read, they make everything come to life in full color to help us appreciate and learn how the law is applied in real life.

The case assignments come in all shapes and lengths.  Like you,  I dread those long cases.  Who could ever forget that plunder case against an ex-President which ran for hundreds of pages.  Did you read it?  Even if seeing how thick it was almost gave me a minor heart attack,  I attempted to read it somehow! Finishing it is another story though.

Fact is, there is simply no substitute to reading the full text of a case.  I know, I post digests of some cases here but that's because I've read the full version.  Here are a few strategies I use when it comes to reading and tackling those gazillions of cases.

1.  My first rule is to always read the full text of cases.  At least make an attempt to do just that.  This is quite a struggle for most people (like me) but there are ways you can improve your reading speed and still understand what the content is all about.  I have written a post before on speed reading please click here or on the link below.

2. If I have no time left,  as it usually happens during those semesters that I work and study,  I would get to my class earlier and ask a friend (who's good at summarizing) to give me a brief about a case.  I would always ask first what's the issue, then the details will just follow.  Knowing the ISSUE will guide you on what to look for and what to ask.

3.  I know you have had those cases that are just cray and hard to understand.  I am talking about those that contain multiple issues.  If it is a long case and it is possible for me to get a rough outline or digest about the issue, then that's when I would resort to a digest just to give me an idea of what it's all about. But still I would, if I could TRY to read (somehow) the full text of that case.

4. On digests,  I use them sparingly and only as a last resort.   I know some people live on digests, some CAN survive on digests and I have nothing to say bad about them.   Based on my own experience,  I always get this nagging voice in my head reminding me that if it is some big, significant or landmark case, then I owe it to myself to at least put an effort to read its full text.  That is the only way for me to really understand how the case progressed and how it was resolved.

5.  Finally, you should be able to recognize which long cases you should read because there are those cases you will encounter that run for pages but actually tackles a really simple issue.  Sometimes you get drowned in the details of the case that you actually get lost and lose time reading it.  Be aware of these kinds of cases.

There was a time when I wished I had a secretary or case reader who can simply digest all my cases for me to save on time (haha, wishful thinking).  After my first year in law school, I learned better. Always strive to read your full texts my dears.

I Don't Have an Option to Fail the Bar Exams

Hi,  everyone!!!  Best of luck to those taking the Philippine Bar Examinations this year.  A little bit of luck will help nudge you but hard work that you put into those earlier years in law school will be the greatest factor to determine if you make the cut or not.  I know. I should know. (Of course, I'm just kidding.)

I haven't been blogging much lately because I am trying (TRYINGGG HARD!) to read more books. Time is gold,  my dear fellow law students.  Another reason for my inactivity is again,  my awful internet connection.  By the way I am rescinding my contract with my internet provider before I suffer a heart attack. Okay, I gotta stay focused on this post, it has to be law school-related, right?

The other day I saw a statistics about the bar takers this year and one of the data indicated that around 500 or so people did not push thru taking the exam on the first week.  It made me wonder what could have made these people forego their seats this year?  There could be a myriad of reasons for any of them but if there is one possible reason in my case, it would only be one word and it starts with letter 'C'. 'C' for camel, because sometimes I just refuse do some things for the sake of not doing it.

Anyways,  I have a few classmates in my review class that are doing it as a refresher and some have taken the bar once or thrice or more.  After learning this bit of information,  I took the time to chat up with some of them.  I could not imagine how tiring it must be to review over and over to retake the bar more than once.   I really intended to get something out of their experiences and I was not disappointed.

One of them let's call her Ms. A, she is a graduate from my Alma Mater and she is also a working student.  I think she might have taken the bar twice or thrice to no avail. So I asked her a lot of questions, like how it was, what she thinks she did wrong or did right, etc.

She told me that taking the bar and then failing it could wreak havoc not only on one's emotional well-being but also on one's finances.  Unless you are on a scholarship or your parents are fully supporting you, you have to contend with the financial burden of the review and everything during those 4 or 5 months in preparation for the bar.  Imagine doing that twice or thrice.  If you have a little bit of savings, it would be wiped out in no time!

That's one of the reasons why I haven't really thought of the possibility of failing.  In my case, failure is not an option. Not that I have a choice,  I DON'T.  I have to fully support myself for this endeavour so I CANNOT fail.  I told myself that if I fail my exam when the time comes, I'd have a 360 degree career change --- become a skydiver,  a writer,  a dancer,  a chef,  makeup artist, fashion designer, cyber expert slash YouTuber, whatever. See, I don't have an option.

For all of us still hoping and waiting for our time to hurdle this exam, it would be not only to marvel at the successes of those who top it or passed it with flying colors,  but also to think about those who have failed it and gain insight why. To my refresher classmates,  just stay positive and fight, fight, fight!

Am I making sense?  I hope so.

5 Tips to Acing Your Law Midterm Exams Week

I dunno about you guys but since my load is so light this semester I am actually super excited for my midterms exams week. Since I actually read my materials faithfully this semester (a miracle),  I think I will just be needing little time to review them for the exams. I can understand the stress of those taking full load or overload this semester and I feel for you.

Exams week is definitely a time for law students to do more sleepless nights, drink more coffee and do stuff that normal people not in law school often see in movies.  I remember there were days before that I would not sleep for 2-3 days!

Stress is also very high on these week so if you know someone, a member of the family a bf/gf who is in law school, kindly give them more patience and understanding at these times.  For good measure, give them time to be alone (as if we don't do much alone time with our books already) to make and or review those outlines they painstakenly made for easier recall.  In fact, it would be great if you forget we do not exist in this world for a week.

Here are my few cents on how to survive your midterms exams week:

1. Cramming works only for some people.

Anyways, I hope everybody who are cramming for the exams will remember everything you read during your exam.  Cramming can work for some people (including me) but a better way to study is just really do your readings on regular days and not 3 days before the exams.

2.  Log off or lessen your social media 

I know it is hard but I admit that FaceBook and Twitter are great time-eaters.  During exams week,  I would suggest logging off or limiting your time to say 5 minutes per day to any of these social networks.  This long weekend, I actually logged off my my personal FB account just so I can spend more time to my books.

3.  Get some R & R before the actual exams week.

All study and no pay will make you a dull law student so take some time off this weekend for a movie, a chat, trip to the spa or any activity that will relax you brain a bit before going to 'war.' Trust me, it helps!  I am actually thinking of partying this weekend.  I hope my pre-exams night will push through!

4.  Get some sleep!

Okay this is really impossible for some people but sleeping will actually help you function more effectively during exams.  Thus, it will aid you in remembering stuff.  Being awake 24 hours or more before an exams is disaster and I am sure you'll agree.  I have experienced my mind going blank over a simple question as if my brain hang like a PC just because I did not sleep the night before.

5.  Do light exercises to improve blood circulation.

I would suggest you do light cardio, a 30 minute jog or briskwalk just around your neighborhood to get you blood circulation pumped up.  Your brain and heart will love it.  A healthy brain and heart is essential to surviving law school.

I would often budget my time when reading and take a break whenever I feel that I can no longer understand the text in front of me.  (You know that when you just read a paragraph over and over and it doesn't register anymore.)  Since I am a fond of fitness,  I would sometimes lift some weights during breaks just to break the monotony. It actually pushes me to read faster and understand better because I am now looking forward to hitting my fitness goal for the day during my study break!

Here's a crazy tip I started doing this myself since 2 weeks ago.   I would read in my bed and actually do sets of crunches while at it. Make sure you are lying on a flat surface while reading, no pillows under your head then start raising your legs until they are perpendicular to the your torso, that's it!  It is hard at first but you will get used to it and end up having a tighter abs if you do it regularly.  That's like hitting two birds in one stone.

Good luck guys! We shall slay these exams! :)


RELATED POSTS

• Time Flies Fast When You're in Law School
• Studying Law via Audio Books and Lectures
• Studying While on Vacay?

The Blogger
Hi! I'm a law student from Manila, Philippines.  I did Political Science, then Industrial Relations major in H.R. (postgrad) studies from UP.  I vlog, weightlift, experiment with new makeup looks, try Bollywood and bellydance steps, and rant about my cray life in my YouTube channel.  Once in a blue moon, I create content for another YT channel,  10+ blogs,  20+ FB pages and in HubPages.  Check out my official site.  

Time Flies Fast When You're in Law School

Have you ever had that feeling that time is spinning faster than usual?  I do, these days in particular. This might have been caused by a myriad of factors.  Perhaps I have become more organized and now preoccupied with lists (both daily & yearly) that accomplishing each item as much as I can made time whirl as if on fast forward.

In line with my countdown to projected future phases in my law school life,  I downloaded this application called 'Countdown' (see screengrab above) which literally counts down to the last second of any event you find worth remembering or preparing for.  That is on Blackberry by the way but I am sure you can also download the same app on Android phones.

Based on the application's calculation I realized that I have only a little bit more than 200 days to finish the current school year and double that number of days before the major bar exams next year, oh la la!

These just puts my brain on survival and countdown mode and made me frantic for a few days now.  I would review my list of daily tasks all leading to these two major events and each time feel that I am doing barely enough.  I realized that I need to up the pace if I want to be on track.

How I Make a Study Time Table

Making a time table a year ahead is easy of you are clear about your study goals.  I just think of what I need to accomplish at particular dates in the future and work from there backwards.  What I do on a daily basis is to do something all leading to that study goal.  This is my effective way of eating my 'frog' one chew at a time.  Start mapping out your time table if you intend to take the bar soon.

Since I have a very light load this time,  I intend to advance my readings into those subjects I will get the next semester to make use of the precious time I have.  If I stay on course and follow strictly my task list,  I would finish reading all my materials by 31 October 2015.   This leaves me with about 75 days more to go!  Then after this,  I would give myself a fresh round of 3 months to re-read the material and finish it by 31 January 2016.  Still pushing with the time schedule I have for the following semester I will finish my 3rd reading by 30 April 2016.

Tall order, eh?  It is better to put all these things in perspective as early as now.  Knowing and realizing the urgency will make you study efficiently.  How about you?

5 Tips in Choosing a Car Insurance Provider

Picking an auto insurance provider can be a daunting task for a new vehicle owner and that includes even a law student like me.  Choosing the right auto insurer for your needs is very important because a vehicle is a huge investment that requires protection that an insurance will provide. 

Finding a good car insurance provider seems as hard as finding a lifetime partner, for me at least. Why not? A motor vehicle insurance is something you will have to deal with for a long time,  so it is better choose wisely.

I have done my own fair share of research to find the car insurance that best answers my specific needs and these 5 tips might cut the job short for you.

If you happen to buy a car in the Philippines country,  it can often mean that the auto insurance is already included with it hence, it does not leave you much of a choice.  On hand,  if you have a choice,  you might want to take a note of these pointers.

1.  Know what you need.

Take time to think things through.  Make a rough list of the things you want out of your insurance. You must consider things such your budget for premium payment,  what kind of coverage and other details must be first be set out so you get all the basis covered before you even begin your search for your vehicle insurance.   The premium you are paying depends on these factors; Age of the car, price of the car safety record, repair history, etc.

2.  Ask out friends and relatives for recommendations

If you have zero knowledge about insurance companies,  do not be afraid to ask people who have been there and done that for recommendations.  This will give you ideas on what car insurers are out there that could provide you what you want in your vehicle coverage.

3.   Online comparison sites

Once you have ideas of insurance companies and what they offer,  it is now time to pair down your choices to at least 3-4.  Online comparison insurance websites now allow you to key in your preferred options are available.  Yes, they can help you with your initial decisions in pairing down your options.

4.   Find an insurance company that is stable.

You do not want a fly-by-night insurer.   Dealing with a legit insurer is the most important consideration among others.  Financial standing is likewise an important consideration to guarantee that your money won't be put to waste when the need arises.  Good reputation is also definite important point in choosing you car insurer.  This is often indicated by how many years they have been in business and whether they are involve in controversies or not.  Do your background check by checking with the insurance commission or insurance company registration agency in your state.

5. Check out the customer response of the company.

You must check out if the company good at responding to the queries, complaints of the client?
Understandably,  initial client contact and query with a company often gets a fast response because they will move heaven and earth to sign you up.  Do not disregard to check out the social media accounts of the insurer to give you an idea of how fast they respond to clients inquiries and complaints in these channels.

If at first instance you have been bounced around in the company then that is a definite red flag so observe how the insurance company deals with you.  Things to consider are as follows;  is it easy to contact them?  Do they have different point of contacts or channels to contact them? Do they have a hotline?

So there you go, I hope you find these tips helpful in your car insurance dilemma.

If you got anything to say or comment, feel free to leave your comments below and if you like this post, don't forget to click on the 'Follow' button right uppermost side of this page.  Thank you very much Until next post.

How To Avoid Offloading

I do not know if it was due to a bit of luck and preparation but for my few travels outside this country I have never experienced (and hopefully will never have to) any crazy and awful scenario such as being offloaded from an international flight.

On one hand, this same scenario continues to haunt many of our fellow citizens who intend to travel beyond our territory  In fact, just a few weeks back,  when a woman's was offloading experience made the rounds in social media.  I don't wanna go into the details of that because I am sure many people have seen that post which went viral when a woman was not allowed to take her Cebu Pacific flight bound for Singapore due to her inability to produce certain documents asked by the Immigration officers.

My Personal Experience

Based on my past travels,  I really did not have much of a problem when it comes to the Immigration because I am very straightforward during the interview and I make it a point to be fully prepared for every question BI officers often asked of tourist travellers.  If you are going to another country on a tourist visa and would want to have a hassle-free experience at the Immigration, do take note of the following;

1. You must have your roundtrip ticket, copies of accommodations receipts or hotel reservations, address of hotel, name of contact person or whomever you will be staying with.  And yes, I even memorized the address of the hotels where I was staying.

2. You must be mindful of your flight dates,  where you are going and more importantly you know the details of your trip itinerary.  Must include details about cities you are visiting and even the tourist spots you intend to visit.  Have a background of the places you intend to go and reason why you want to go.

3.  I was never asked to present a financial document but I have ready with me copies of my bank statements, latest credit card statements,  letter from my employer, calling cards, Employment ID, birth certificate, even my enrollment/asessement form from my law school.  The Immigration officer may ask for this to ensure you have the financial capability to spend for your travel expense and that you really intend to go back to the country after your trip.

4.  I also addressed and answered their questions direct to the point without fussing up with unnecessary details.  Being a law student is really a great thing because we are trained to be responsive and answer direct to the point.  Of course, more important is that you must be truthful and consistent with your answers regarding your trip, your true purpose and other personal details.

5.  Finally,  I believe that being confident is also key.  The Immigration people can sense if you are not telling the truth just by profiling and indeed having truckloads of confidence can be a factor for you acing that interview.  As in every situation, carrying yourself with confidence can greatly influence how people see you and deal with, yes lucky you, that includes Immigration officers.  So be confident in every manner from the way you carry yourself, look the part of a tourist,  and answer their questions with ease.

I hope these tips help and lessen the worries of those who are planning to travel outside the country. If you have anymore questions regarding my own experience with our Immigration officers,  feel free to send your queries in the comment section below.

Studying Law via Audio Books and Lectures

My faithful study partner, a long-running Nokia Bluetooth headphone

I know,  I know I am getting ahead of myself.  My bar review days is still far but I couldn't help but be excited and look forward to it.  If there is anything that law students don't have is TIME.   Hence,  as early as now,  I am already finding ways to make use of my time efficiently and effectively, like listening to audio law books and lectures.

These past days I have been addicted to listening to all kinds of audio lectures and law codal which you may also easily find online.   I am listening to these lectures almost 24/7.   I have this long-running Nokia bluetooth headphones that I got 4 years ago but still works on 8-10 battery on a single charge.  Listening to audio books with this gadget makes everything so easy.

Whenever I am doing my daily mundane activities like eating, cleaning, doing other household chores, sometimes when bathing (I put on a shower cap to protect my headphones), and yes even when sleeping so I don't have any downtime.

Torture that muscle called 'brain'

They say that the brain is a muscle and the more you use it, the more efficient that muscle becomes.  I am trying to make my brain process two tasks at the same time. That makes for a crazy multi-tasking exercise for my brain. I am thinking of how to finish this blog while my ear and some part of my brain is processing some other knowledge.  This makes it more exciting and challenging.

I know the key in being good in one thing is to FOCUS and keep going,  but what if you can focus on multiple things at one point in time?  What if your brain can actually do this thus increasing your productivity 2x or more. That is what I am trying to do, trying to discover the potential of my grey matter and let's see how it turns out.

I really cannot vouch for the effectivity of this learning style and I am still figuring out for myself.  One thing is for sure,  it allows me to use time in a more efficient manner since time otherwise spent on mundane daily tasks can now be fully utilized.   When I first listen to the audio codals,   it was hard to give my full attention to it.  However,   having these significant law concepts playing over and over inside my head keeps my brain busy and useful on most times of the day.  It is fun to let your brain do some minimal work while you sleep.

So of course while I was writing this post,  I was also listening to another audio specifically on effectively increasing my time-management and productivity skill by my favorite speaker Mr. B Tracy.  Let's see how the post turns out but more importantly, I look forward to measuring how this listening impacts my review.

Vacancy for a Lady Lawyer

Job Advertisement

My friend who heads an office is currently looking for 1 FEMALE LAWYER with one Major requirement: must have Excellent Writing Skills.   If interested,  kindly send your CV via gmmurgirl@gmail.com.

When it Becomes a Deadly Profession

Female MMA Fighters, via jdcollins13 on Wikimedia commons
 CC BY-SA 2.5

They say that any profession can be deadly if you are at the wrong time and at the wrong place.  Being a lawyer multiplies that probability don't you think?  Being a lady lawyer is another challenge.

In past months,  news from ISIS-held parts in Syria reported about three female lawyers being executed just for one reason -- being educated.  Sad news but if this is true, this is one of the cases when being a lady lawyer becomes liability.  The lady lawyers are said to have previously run for elective posts before the fundamentalists took over their areas.

It is a fact that the practice of legal profession is rife and involved with extreme emotions from both sides of the fence,  why would they go to court in the first place if the feeling is otherwise.  Being prepared if you are a female, male, from LGBT, is therefore a must in such a case.

It is best to be always ready, get some sort of protection especially if you are a lady lawyer.  This is not about violence, this is about protecting yourself when the need arises.  I am not talking about guns (though that can be really handy),  I am talking about arming yourself with real self-defense training even without the use of a weapon.

I am not a lawyer yet,  but boy, I will do every thing possible to protect myself if and when I do become one.  There are a lot of martial arts classes women can talk which can do on weekends or even night after work. I took one before, it is an Israeli army based style of self-defense. It was fun and a great learning experience that I would advise every female law student should take.

These are tough times and it won't get any better, I can assure you that.

The Blogger
Hi! I'm a law student from Manila, Philippines.  I did Political Science, then Industrial Relations major in H.R. (postgrad) studies from UP.  I vlog, weightlift, experiment with new makeup looks, try Bollywood and bellydance steps, and rant about my cray life in my YouTube channel.  Once in a blue moon, I create content for another YT channel,  10+ blogs,  20+ FB pages and in HubPages.  Check out my official site.  

Focus, Focus

I focus better when it involves food. :)

I noticed my dwindling interest in reading and find it hard to focus and motivate myself.  I only got a couple topics left but here I am needing a truckload of motivation.  This means I am in real deep trouble.

I admit,  I like to do many things all at the same time.  The variety fuels me and keeps me from getting bored.  Law school however is like a jealous and demanding lover.  It wants my undivided attention, unwavering commitment, dedication, and my loyalty.  If you are a restless soul like me,  being in law school is akin to being tied down in chains for the equivalent of four or five years.  It is like being married to someone not your soul-partner, or something like that, maybe.

These days,  I am addicted to everything fitness: cardio, strength-training, weight loss, fat-burning, the whole works.  I am so consumed with it that I become voracious for learning new things, new exercises,  weightlifting stuff and all of these take a huge chunk of my time.

Focus will lead to positive results and I am losing weight slowly but surely.  I am seeing amazing changes in my physique that I never imagined possible, I mean not even in my wildest dreams.

When you see results  in a matter of weeks,  it is addicting and pushes you to do more of it because you know that your efforts are effective.   I am not saying that law school will not lead me somewhere but it just takes a little more time for me to get there. There's the graduation,  the review, the bar exams itself and then the waiting.

On days that I miss my jogs, walks or gym workout I become restless.  I wish I could say the same when I miss my readings.  Actually I made a reading plan to serve as my guide so that I can review systematically.  Unfortunately,   right now that plan remained a plan,  the execution is just not happening.

Despite this, I am fully aware of the consequences if I don't straighten up.  I know that I'll be 'forced' to seriously do skydiving this year (I wish!) and work also on my digital marketing endeavors.

The thing is,  I have this obsession that if I do something then I have to excel in it.  For me, the worst thing one can do is to waste time and effort on something and end up with a mediocre product.

Focus. Focus on reading. Focus on everything law.  God help me.

5 Signs You Could Be The Next Trending Hottie (or Lawyer)

These days social media world is abuzz with the versions of hottest professional from a professional field. You got the hottest Math professor Pietro Boselli, the hottest police officer from the Philippines Neil Perez who went on to win Mr. International 2014, and today the Philippines has it's own of the hottest doctor in the person of resident ophthalmologist Dr. Mark Agas.  So, I say what's stopping you from becoming the next trending professional or the hottest lawyer?

People are always fascinated with beauty and if you add brains and a serious profession, you got the perfect recipe for virality.  So if you think you are the next trending persona, here are the signs you got to watch out.

1.  You have a thing for fitness and possess an enviable physique

You happen to love fitness or working out.  In essence,  your physique must look like they have their own website.  Note that Mr. Boselli trains once and even twice a day!  Check out these photos. Muscles - CHECK!  Abs -- CHECK! Presentation of evidence is done.  I rest my case your honors.

2.  You inherited that gorgeousness gene

Let us all admit this fact, all of the trending hot professionals have another thing in common -- they all look like eye candy.  Having good cheekbones, perfect jaw line and great looks definitely up your chances of becoming the next trending hottie.  Boselli is Italian and yes, you cannot deny that he is good looking. Same with Dr. Agas and Police Officer Perez.

3.  You are inherently awesome personality-wise or truly down-to-earth

You must be awesome but totally unassuming about the fact that you are supergorgeous.  Most of the trending professionals were either discovered surreptitiously or accidentally.  In short, you must not be trying hard to make yourself famous.

4. Someone 'accidentally' discovered you.

Math teacher Bosseli became viral when a student found out he is a model 

Essentially, you never did anything nor self-promote your awesomeness.  Most of the trending professionals used to be like us, just everyday folks until that fateful moment of discovery.  The hottest Math professor actually hid the fact that he is working as a model and did not even mention this on his CV.

5. You have a compelling story

The person who 'discovered' you must have uploaded your awesomeness with a compelling storytelling to boot.  People love great stories and for you to make it to the trending genre, your storyline must reek of honesty and novelty. Your story is set to be  told over and over again, so you better have an interesting plot.

Resident Ophthalmologist Dr. Mark Agas

So there you go.   Do you think you got what it takes to be the next trending lawyer (or law professor) that walked this side of the earth?  Send us some love via comments or even some pics to prove it. You can even send some unofficial nominees.

The Blogger
Hi! I'm a law student from Manila, Philippines.  I did Political Science, then Industrial Relations major in H.R. (postgrad) studies from UP.  I vlog, weightlift, experiment with new makeup looks, try Bollywood and bellydance steps, and rant about my cray life in my YouTube channel.  Once in a blue moon, I create content for another YT channel,  10+ blogs,  20+ FB pages and in HubPages.  Check out my official site.  

Lawyering and the Digital Age

Credits to Social Media Today via Flick
(Photo under CC Attribution 2.0 License)

I am very much involved in the digital marketing field. It is a very fascinating and dynamic industry that changes in leaps and bounds in just a matter of days. Given this very mutable character, a digital marketer has to be on top of everything, he must be in the know of the latest trend in digital, in tech, in app development, and if possible all the buzz that's going on online.

This is why it perplexes me simply thinking about the consequences of the Digital era to the practice of law not only in the Philippines.  Lawyers must create a balance between practice and the spiraling digital transformation of almost every aspect of everyday realities.

Note that it is unethical for our lawyers to advertise their legal services anywhere be it in print,  radio or online. Considering the dynamics of digital media and the reality that almost everyone -- even lawyers and law firms, maintain an online presence be it via a website, a blog, a FaceBook, etc., the line between what's ethical and what's not seems blurred.

It is really a big concern for me because my passion is in digital marketing and after a couple of years, I will be joining the legal profession.  It makes me wonder how the legal profession landscape will look like by that time vis-a-vie these fast-paced developments brought about by the digital transformation of our reality.

The Blogger
Hi! I'm a law student from Manila, Philippines.  I did Political Science, then Industrial Relations major in H.R. (postgrad) studies from UP.  I vlog, weightlift, experiment with new makeup looks, try Bollywood and bellydance steps, and rant about my cray life in my YouTube channel.  Once in a blue moon, I create content for another YT channel,  10+ blogs,  20+ FB pages and in HubPages.  Check out my official site.  

When Penmanship Counts

Photo credits : Sybil Liberty via Flickr

Earlier I read an interesting article detailing about the secrets of a 2014 Philippine bar examiner and I learned that for him to be able to finish checking those bar exams booklet, he has to check at least 50 a day!  Now that is a lot.

This is where a bar examinee's handwriting is crucial.  If you are planning to take the bar and your handwriting resembles that of chicken scratch,  time to take note.  You better improve that handwriting while you have time.

If you are planning to be a doctor, having an unreadable handwriting is an asset. I really do not understand why doctors' handwriting are a class of their own but it is not for me to judge. Maybe it a requirement or maybe they are just too busy to write legibly, who knows.

However, if you are a law student planning to take the bar, your handwriting counts.  This is not to say that having the perfect handwriting will make you pass the bar. No matter how good the handwriting is if the content is nonsense then it will be useless. The main point here is that according to many law professors and other people I came across with who already passed the bar, a good handwriting is a skill that you should not take for granted.

Let's look at it this way, let's put ourselves in the shoes of a bar examiner who is tasked to check about 5000 plus exam booklets.  Would we be able to understand the answer written if the handwriting is unreadable? I don't think so.  If the examiner had a bad day before taking a look at your booklet, goodluck!

If you are one of those planning to have a pleasant bar exams experience and result and your handwriting is less than desirable, don't fret because you can still do something about it.  How about setting a goal and a daily schedule to improve your handwriting?  Of course it is doable.  You can set 15 minutes per day to write about anything under the sun. If you have an ideal handwriting that you would like to copy then by all means.

If you do practice religiously for a month, it will become a habit. Practice makes habit.  If you are serious about fixing that horrible handwriting, you better start now. :)

The Blogger
Hi! I'm a law student from Manila, Philippines.  I did Political Science, then Industrial Relations major in H.R. (postgrad) studies from UP.  I vlog, weightlift, experiment with new makeup looks, try Bollywood and bellydance steps, and rant about my cray life in my YouTube channel.  Once in a blue moon, I create content for another YT channel,  10+ blogs,  20+ FB pages and in HubPages.  Check out my official site.  

My Pre-Lawyering Bucketlist

Photo credits to Pascal via Flicker

I have this list of things, kind of a 'bucketlist before I become a lawyer' to do list.

1. I need to be financially stable before I become a lawyer.

I do not know what is more depressing, is it studying law with little finances or being a lawyer already and trading all your to time to earn more. Being a law student and working all at the same time, I would often end up working instead and putting law school on hold for a semester or two.  In the same manner, I think that if you really want to enjoy the practice as a lawyer, money should not be the prime driving force.

2.  I need to have an established business before I become a lawyer.

I have this picture of how lawyer's life can be so busy and toxic and  how it's gonna be work, work, work, so if I have dreams of putting up my own business of whatever nature then I better have it up and running before I become a lawyer.


3. I need to have accumulated a sufficient amount of capital to start my own firm.

I know this one sounds really crazy but I have this vision that if I have enough capital by the time I pass the bar, I can start a law firm. lol  As they say, dream big, because dreaming is free! Of course you need capital to do that.

4.  I need to be in my ideal fitness state before I become a lawyer

Lawyering is stressful in itself and if you do not put effort to be fit I do not think it would be easier once you become a lawyer.  Being fit right now is already hard, I cannot imagine how to have time to go to the gym and work 16 hours of labor being a lawyer.  I ain't having that kind of life.

5. I need to travel to as many places as I can before I become a lawyer.

Let's face it, being a lawyer can be really time-draining and the only time you can get a long vacation would be holidays.

I know, my list is out there but that's just me. Do you have anything like this if at all?  Show some love and leave your comments and reactions below.

The Blogger
Hi! I'm a law student from Manila, Philippines.  I did Political Science, then Industrial Relations major in H.R. (postgrad) studies from UP.  I vlog, weightlift, experiment with new makeup looks, try Bollywood and bellydance steps, and rant about my cray life in my YouTube channel.  Once in a blue moon, I create content for another YT channel,  10+ blogs,  20+ FB pages and in HubPages.  Check out my official site.  

Summer OJT in Law School

Hello there fellow law students!  It is summer in the Philippines indeed and while I dream about my next beach escapade, the realities of law school looms because I am supposed to take up this OJT thing. Who are taking their summer OJT this time? I really hope I could but then work gets in the way again, oh dear.

I wish we have more leeway in doing this on the job training of sorts. Unfotunately, my school has a process in allowing us our summer OJT.  I signed up for it last month but now I am really doubting if I could make it this time due to mounting work responsibilities.  I have started my digital project and meeting up prospects already take much of my time. So...law school will again take a back seat!

I have always wanted to do this with a government office, a busy one. So much for my wish!  Work always gets in the way of my summer school programs so it is either I take a leave or again have to wait for next summer. Dang, law school and work is kinda hard to balance during summer.

Oh well, we'll see. Are you taking you summer OJT for law school? Any tips you would like to share is very welcome.

The Blogger
Hi! I'm a law student from Manila, Philippines.  I did Political Science, then Industrial Relations major in H.R. (postgrad) studies from UP.  I vlog, weightlift, experiment with new makeup looks, try Bollywood and bellydance steps, and rant about my cray life in my YouTube channel.  Once in a blue moon, I create content for another YT channel,  10+ blogs,  20+ FB pages and in HubPages.  Check out my official site.  

Bar Exams 2014 Results

Finally, the results are out!  The country's newly passed lawyers can now rejoice. Please check this link for the full text of the Bar Exams 2014 passers.

How I Come to Love Taxation Law

The 2014 Bar Exams results is almost out! The date given by the SC is March 26, so keep posted for any updates.

Taxation subject in the bar exams is considered to be one of the most difficult according to many people.  Those who were not fortunate to pass would sometimes point to their relatively low scores in this subject.  So it is it not common for many law students to enjoy this subject.  However, for me, this notoriety only served to pique my interest.

This perception of taxation among law students may be attributed to the fact that nobody really likes taxation as a part of one's duties being a citizen of a state.  It is a fact of life that everyone has to contend with unless you live in Brunei,  Belize or some other countries which do not require their citizens to pay taxes.

I have been curious about taxation as a subject and adamant when I took it. Many people loathe it. Maybe because it has to do with numbers which I hate,  at first I did not enjoy studying it.  Apart from this,  there are so many cases for each topic in the outline that was given to us.  Nevertheless,  I ended up challenging myself to either love it or hate it.  For purposes of enjoying my studies,  I chose to devote more time to this subject.  Perhaps that helped.

I managed to get good grades during my first Tax I.  That gave me an incentive to put on more hours to understand the subject fully.  It may sound sarcastic or sadistic but I came to love taxation.  The cases were especially straightforward meaning you will know what the issue is all about so easily.

That's how I come to love this subject.  When it was time for me to take Tax 2 class,  I thoroughly enjoyed the discussion and in fact,  I preferred it among all my other subjects during the semester. Weird huh?

I often see difficult subjects as challenges and it makes me devote more time and really try to understand it, to the point of obessessing over it.  I think it paid off.

The Blogger
Hi! I'm a law student from Manila, Philippines.  I did Political Science, then Industrial Relations major in H.R. (postgrad) studies from UP.  I vlog, weightlift, experiment with new makeup looks, try Bollywood and bellydance steps, and rant about my cray life in my YouTube channel.  Once in a blue moon, I create content for another YT channel,  10+ blogs,  20+ FB pages and in HubPages.  Check out my official site.  

Law Student-hood and Digital Marketing

Busy digital marketer

I have not blogged a single post for 3 weeks here and it is very unfortunate thing but quite expected. Did you know that it is also finals week in law school and as much as I want to update and post, I would welcome a clone to do all my blog posts.  I am also in the process of redesigning most of my blogs, tweaking up the code can be a real headache and since I am doing it single-handedly at this time, it can be a major time drain.

More than this, a recent independent project has taken what is left of my free time. I am starting a digital marketing group and it is taking off real great in terms of engagement virtual and actual.  I know it is off from my law studies however, no one is immune from the reach of social media and it is something that I have been doing previously in the corporate set up but only recently decided to strike on my own. Good news is that, from the looks of it, I might have found a niche!

It is an exciting project and my social media platforms have been abuzz with activity. In fact, I grew my Twitter followers from 30 to close to 500 as of time of writing in just 10 days or so.  I was even invited by a blog I truly admire for an interview which I politely declined because I think it is too early.

Law school will definitely be taking most of my time this year but, social media managing and my new digital marketing arm will definitely bring more action to my already crazy schedule.  Oh well, keepin the fire burning!

The Blogger
Hi! I'm a law student from Manila, Philippines.  I did Political Science, then Industrial Relations major in H.R. (postgrad) studies from UP.  I vlog, weightlift, experiment with new makeup looks, try Bollywood and bellydance steps, and rant about my cray life in my YouTube channel.  Once in a blue moon, I create content for another YT channel,  10+ blogs,  20+ FB pages and in HubPages.  Check out my official site.  

The Reluctant Lawyer-To-Be

I was trying to decide on what title to put on this post.  I could have chosen 'Reluctant Law Student' but for the purpose of my future world-domination plans,  I chose the 'Reluctant Lawyer.'  I have this weird feeling that I have already lived the life of a lawyer just by the experiences of family and those close to me who are members of the profession.

I never wanted to be a lawyer, now that is offically out hehe.  I actually dreamt of becoming a doctor.  I even applied for a medical scholarship and was given one after graduating from high school.  I could read voraciously all those Health and Home subscriptions that my mother collected and the idea of being able to diagnose and treat diseases appealed more to me.  This despite the fact that there was no doctor from my family.

To this day,  I am still interested in all things medical except blood although I love watching those crime investigation shows on cable. I still get a kick hanging out in hospitals though I avoided the mortuary.  I get transfixed looking at medical people wearing their impeccable white gowns and wonder if they have these coats in many cuts or is there a need to wear them fresh every single day.

I cannot say the same for generic barongs (a native Filipino outfit) and suits for court appearances really do not leave much of an impression on me.  A lawyer needs to look respectable and imposing in court, I know but there is something about white coats that draw me.

Yeah, you could say I am reluctant to become a lawyer.  I remember that sickening feeling during the start of enrolment during my first semesters in law school.  It was weird having that feeling.  At that time, it felt that I was signing up to be in some jail for another semester.  A few months into law school I felt a strange enjoyment out of the 'torture' that I get from the barrage of reading materials.  That's when I started enjoying it.

A month ago, during one of the social events I attended,  I met this person who said that both his parents are lawyers but never practiced the profession.  I thought wow,  I really thought he was joking but he was not!  I also have a friend who's now a lawyer but did not practice and instead learned about being a professional make-up artist while doing non-law related business on the side.

I look forward to finishing law school but it is still more of a faroff goal for me,  I cannot put a thumb to it, it is a weird feeling.  There are more pressing and nagging priorities for me.  I get distracted easily by work and other responsibilities.

Do you have similar or opposing thoughts on the subject? Do share in the comments section below.

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The Blogger
Hi! I'm a law student from Manila, Philippines.  I did Political Science, then Industrial Relations major in H.R. (postgrad) studies from UP.  I vlog, weightlift, experiment with new makeup looks, try Bollywood and bellydance steps, and rant about my cray life in my YouTube channel.  Once in a blue moon, I create content for another YT channel,  10+ blogs,  20+ FB pages and in HubPages.  Check out my official site.  

Tried Studying While on Vacation?

Beautiful Coron, Palawan (2015)

Really?! Oh yes my dears,  I actually attempted to study while on vacation.  Unfortunately,  this time I have to admit, the vacay mode wins over my love for law books.  You cannot really blame me because Coron in Palawan is simply too irresistible so I told myself, law school can wait.  I wish.

I have tried studying while on my dream trip to India and boy, oh boy was it hard!  I ended up paying more for extra luggage to accommodate books and codals!  Mind you,  extra luggage ain't cheap because that's how some airlines profit more.  Apart from this,  I had to rebook my flight three times resulting to forfeiture and rebooking (also) of luggage allowance.

During my trip to Coron,  I bought a couple of books with me and attempted to read.  I did read a few pages but ended giving up trying.  Reading took a back seat but who am I really to resist this paradise called Coron?!  What was I thinking?  I am just a frail human.   Who can study while the white, white-sand beaches of Coron waves in a distance? No, no, no.

RELATED POSTS:

Law Studies: Love and HateBest Place to Study?Post-Exam SyndromeI'm Back to School, Oh Yeah!My Life Working While Studying LawI Got Myself a 'Drill Sergeant' aka Law Study CoachThe Law Student's Guide to Getting More SleepA Social Life While in Law SchoolOf Law Students and Coffee ShopsHow Do You Prepare for Bar Exams?Top 10 Things A Law Student Really Needs

The Blogger
Hi! I'm a law student from Manila, Philippines.  I did Political Science, then Industrial Relations major in H.R. (postgrad) studies from UP.  I vlog, weightlift, experiment with new makeup looks, try Bollywood and bellydance steps, and rant about my cray life in my YouTube channel.  Once in a blue moon, I create content for another YT channel,  10+ blogs,  20+ FB pages and in HubPages.  Check out my official site.  

Cooler Law School Rooms to Beat Summer Months

This blogger spent 5 days lazing in these white sands.

The heat in Metro Manila has amped up a couple of days since a few days earlier but since I was in some paradise island,  I was not able to experience the sudden shift.  I also heard from the news that even before the 1st day of the Fire-prevention month (March), fires have raged in the metro a few days ago.  In fact,  one even threatened to gut my neighborhood to the ground while I was lazing in the pure white sands of Palawan!

So what has cooler roomer and airconditioning got to do with my studies?  Well, I really cannot read or study properly while sweating buckets.  I would be too distracted by the temperature and it either lead to me sleeping or find other mundane things to do instead of reading.  It also means that it is harder to be out of the house unless you are in reading in some air-conditioned library room or classrooms.

Talking about cooler rooms,  I really do not think there are still law school classrooms in Metro Manila that do not have aircondition. I could be wrong but so far, I have been to two law schools and yes,  airconditioning is as common as wearing eyeliner (for me at least).  I am glad that my whole building has centralized cooling system even if it means I often freeze and bring a cardigan just to survive a class.

I know it is a slow day to be talking about cooler rooms but it would really make a big difference especially during summer months to have cooler classrooms.  Being in school and studying for recitation in a boiler-type of room is enough pressure so it is a relief to have this extra perk in your law school building!

In case your school does not provide cooler rooms, I think there still ways to beat the summer heat.  More fans and better air circulation could help.  Wearing lighter clothing could also help but this would not be possible if your school requires uniforms and blazers.

Does the heat bother you while you study?

RELATED POSTS:
Law Studies: Love and Hate
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5 Legal Ways to Earn Money While in Law School
My Life Working While Studying Law
I Got Myself a 'Drill Sergeant' aka Law Study Coach
Death and Wills
The Law Student's Guide to Getting More Sleep
A Social Life While in Law School
Of Law Students and Coffee Shops
How Do You Prepare for Bar Exams?
Top 10 Things A Law Student Really Needs

The Blogger
Hi! I'm a law student from Manila, Philippines.  I did Political Science, then Industrial Relations major in H.R. (postgrad) studies from UP.  I vlog, weightlift, experiment with new makeup looks, try Bollywood and bellydance steps, and rant about my cray life in my YouTube channel.  Once in a blue moon, I create content for another YT channel,  10+ blogs,  20+ FB pages and in HubPages.  Check out my official site.