Taking a test is almost always stressful. No matter how much you know or think you know, you worry that you will not be able to prove your knowledge well enough to pass. Preparing for a test as important and as consequential as the Bar Exam can make you even more anxious. That is why having a study survival kit for the bar exam is vital.
Please note that this post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something I’ve provided a link to below, I may receive money.
8 Things You Need in Your Study Survival Kit for the Bar Exam
According to TheInternationalLawyer, the average law student should spend approximately 400 hours studying and preparing for the Bar Exam. And that is in addition to the three years of law school courses students take beforehand!
So, if you intend to dedicate full-time hours for 2-3 months to studying for the Bar Exam, you need a game plan. Not only do you need to set aside days and months to study, but you also need a plan for how to make it through that many hours of study.
This is where we can help. Below, we list and discuss 8 things you should include in a Bar Exam Study Survival Kit.
Study Survival Kit Must Have #1 – A Peaceful Environment
When you are preparing to study, you want to create a comfortable, peaceful environment for yourself. This does not necessarily mean you should study in your bed or be in your bedroom. Your goal is to be productive and cozy, not incapacitated.
So, you might want to set up a study area in your sunroom or in a room with windows. Have a soft blanket or fluffy pillows around you. If light lifts your mood, keep blinds open and lamps on. If you would rather have softer, ambient lighting, keep your curtains closed or low lights on in the room.
Some of you will not be able to study at home. If you tend to fall asleep or procrastinate when you study at your house or apartment, find a peaceful public place to study like a library or your law school if you still live near there. Coffee houses often have Wi-Fi available and cozy armchairs or couches for you to sit with your laptop and notes. Other restaurants, parks, or public areas may suit your needs, too.
Just make sure that wherever you choose to study, you keep your distractions to a minimum. If people, traffic, or other things and activities easily distract you, choose a place away from, or insulated from, the cacophony.
Study Survival Kit Must Have #2 – Comfy Clothes
Similarly, you want to wear comfortable clothes when you are studying for the Bar Exam. Tight clothes can reduce your circulation, which restricts blood flow and decreases your concentration and ability to remember. Clothes made of uncomfortable material can make you itchy or hot, which will also distract you from your studies.
If you are studying at home, you have the ability to change clothes if they become uncomfortable or distracting. Just make sure you change before the discomfort leads to rashes, swelling, or hives. You will lose additional study time trying to heal from physical problems created by your wardrobe if you wait too long to change.
However, if you are studying in a public venue, come prepared with layers of clothes in your study survival kit. That way, if it is cooler than you expected, you can throw on a hoodie, sweater, or jacket. If it is warmer than you expected, you can take those heavier layers off and stay cool in a t-shirt or tank top.
Study Survival Kit Must Have #3 – Soothing Music
When you are studying for the bar exam, listening to music can also be beneficial to you. According to Healthline.com, music can spark your motivation, increase your concentration, and enhance your memory. How encouraging, especially if you love music!
However, not all music is beneficial for studying. You want to improve your concentration, not divide it. Therefore, we highly recommend listening to something soothing and without words. Play classical music like Chopin’s nocturnes or Bach’s minuets. If you love Broadway show tunes, pop, or country music, try listening to a station that plays the tunes without the lyrics.
This is not the time to sing karaoke, though. So, if you get caught up singing the lyrics along with the music, it may be time to switch to a more mundane music selection. Listen to something that will subconsciously improve your study habits, not something that will prevent you from studying.
Study Survival Kit Must Have #4 – Healthy Snacks
Being prepared to study also means having healthy snacks readily available in your study survival kit. More specifically, have snacks with you or near you. You can leave them in the kitchen or in the pantry. Just do not forget to buy them at the store. You do not want to stop studying to go purchase snacks.
Ideally, you want to have pre-portioned, healthy snacks with you in your relaxing environment. Peanut butter crackers, granola bars, apples, bananas, jerky, cheese sticks, nuts, or hard-boiled eggs are great bite-sized snacks that do not require silverware. However, they provide you with much-needed protein and nutrition to keep you awake and capable of studying.
If you are like most Americans, you look to food for comfort. And realistically, most students do not find comfort in healthy food. You would rather have sweet treats. Honestly, that is fine and good for studying IF you have them in moderation and in addition to healthy snacks. Make them a treat, not your meal because blood sugar spikes and falls can decrease your ability to study and even stay awake.
Study Survival Kit Must Have #5 – Hydrating Drinks
In that same vein, you want to have hydrating drinks in your study survival kit. We fully admit and understand that you may need caffeinated drinks to help you wake up and stay awake. We probably drink way too much coffee over here and have an energy drink now and again, too. However, we encourage you to alternate those energizing drinks with hydrating ones.
Not only do we suggest that you drink hydrating drinks, but we also recommend that you drink water while you are studying. Drinks with electrolytes can help you stay hydrated or rehydrate. However, if you are not engaging in vigorous exercise that is causing your body to sweat, the extra sodium in electrolytes might hurt your body more than help it, especially if you are not alternating your drinks with regular water.
We also recommend drinking water more than any other drink while you are studying because it may increase your cognition and short-term memory. In fact, HealthLine.com says that drinking water “significantly affects energy levels and brain function.” During a time that you want to stay awake AND retain as much knowledge as possible, drinking water is a good idea.
Study Survival Kit Must Have #6 – Device Chargers
Whether you are pulling up law school course notes, watching a Studicata lecture, taking practice exams on Quimbee, studying one-on-one with a tutor from the Law School ToolBox, or meeting with classmates on Microsoft Teams or Zoom, you need electronic devices.
That means you need fully charged devices ready in your study survival kit. OR, you need to have chargers on hand for any device you need – phone, laptop, iPad, Chromebook, earbuds, etc. If you need your chargers, make sure there are electrical outlets nearby if you are studying in a public place.
Also, if necessary, invest in docking stations for your laptop or in an extra monitor if you prefer to have multiple screens open at one time. Just make sure you come prepared to study and to study for extended periods of time.
Study Survival Kit Must Have #7 – School Supplies
In addition to comfortable environments and clothes, soothing music, healthy snacks, and water, you need school supplies to study for the bar exam.
Have pens, pencils, and highlighters – writing utensils in general – ready and at your disposal. If you prefer pencils, have a pencil sharpener or extra lead handy. And if you prefer pens, have multiples of your favorites on hand in case you lose one or run out of ink. If you like color, grab different color pens and many colors of highlighters. Just remember to have erasers and whiteout as well.
Of course, when you have writing utensils, you need writing pads. Therefore, throw notebooks, note pads, legal pads, note cards, index cards, or flash cards in your study survival kit, too.
Study Survival Kit Must Have #8 – Scheduled Breaks
A study survival kit is only good if it helps you “survive” your studies. If you have every item but forget to breathe, you will not survive AND thrive.
Therefore, once you assemble your kit, do not forget to schedule study breaks. Schedule a nap. Take a walk around the block. Plan laps in a swimming pool. Call a friend. Make sure you take care of yourself and communicate with friends.
Studying for the Bar Exam can be all-consuming and isolating. So, make time for yourself, too.
Don’t Forget!
And lastly, don’t forget to start with a good Bar Preparation company. Choose what works best for you after sampling each company’s free “Try-Now” options and deciding which course fits your study style. Our favorite law student and co-host of The Law Unscripted, Chelsey Rogers, uses the Quimbee Bar Review. Click our link to get 10% off the Quimbee Bar Review and the Quimbee Bar Review+ programs.
Good luck and keep studying! You’ve got this.