Na sana less memorization and more understanding pa yung ginawa ko.

Na sana, nung 1st year pa lang ay puspusan na dapat ang pag-aaral ko sa law school.

Na sana, na-meet ko yung future self ko at pinabasa niya sa akin eto :’)

5. What were the things you wished you should have done but you failed to do?
Na-masunod yung calendar ko para sana nakapag 2
quality readings ako sa lahat ng subjects. Yung sa
akin kasi parang isang quality reading tapos isang
minadali na 2nd reading due to time constraints.
Kinulang na ako sa oras eh.

Na sana nabasa ko pala ng mas maaga ang book

na “Effective Bar Review Methods” by Atty.
Domondon, the tips mentioned in this book are
gems, especially yung pags-schedule ng two (2)
readings. A photo of the said book is posted herein
in the right column. Medyo late ko na kasi nabasa
eh. No need to buy naman if may copy yung law
library niyo, manghiram ka nalang 😊

6. What were the mistakes that you made while

preparing, studying, and taking the Bar?
Siguro yung pagbasa ng maraming notes, dapat pala kaunting notes lang, 2 or even 1 quality material/notes
would be enough tapos may main material or book will do na. Ulit-ulitin mo nalang, repetition with
understanding is the key to mastery and self-confidence. (Emphasis and underscoring supplied!)

In relation thereto, my barrista friend, who is now a lawyer said that, “a common problem with barristers is that
they have several books/materials to read for the bar, the result is that they do not gain mastery of books or
basic concepts, which in the bar is very crucial- mastery of the basic concepts: the foundation. Tsaka mo na
problemahin yung updates. Foundation muna. Basic muna.” I think he got this tip from a lecturer/professor.

Elon Musk once said, “It is important to view knowledge as sort of a semantic tree — make sure you understand
the fundamental principles, i.e. the trunk and big branches, before you get into the leaves/details or there is
nothing for them to hang onto."

I realized na mas magandang magpahinga totally for the whole day ng Monday after every Sunday Bar Exam.
During my time, I studied on the first Monday right after our first Sunday Bar Exam. Nag-aral ako bandang hapon,
pero walang pumapasok sa utak ko, at kung meron man, mabagal yung pag-absorb ko, at wala akong gana
mag-aral, siguro dahil sa pagod na rin (or baka sa impending burn-out na rin). So yung mga sumunod na
Mondays, lumabas ako with a kapwa barrista we ate lunch outside and watched a movie. Pero Tuesdays onward
ay Game Face mode on na! Fortunately, we both passed!

But I have a friend na kaya mag-aral ng 6am palang ng Monday, kahit nag bar exam siya ng Sunday (halimaw
noh?), others kaya mag aral ng Monday pero after lunch na. Pero majority ng kakilala ko ay katulad ko, pahinga
lang pag Monday. So ayun, gauge yourself pero in case of doubt, rest.

A recent 2019 Bar Exam Passer told me na he agrees with that Monday-after-the-exam dilemma, but what he
did is since hindi siya nakakalabas nor nakakapasyal, ang ginawa niya na lang daw is every Monday afternoon,
binabasa niya yung mga last year’s Last Minute Tips (LMTs) for the upcoming bar exam subjects -at mabagal
daw talaga yung absorption pero at least natatapos niya kasi super iksi lang at napapareview na rin siya sa
mismong legit na LMT na ilalabas later that week.

7. What, if any, were your shortcomings?

Hindi ako nakapag 2 quality readings sa lahat ng 8 subjects. Sana nasunod ko yung schedule or calendar ko.
Nag focus ako sa recent jurisprudence or rulings sa ibang subjects like sa Political law pero yung mga luma or
basics or seldomly touched topics/principles yung karamihan na mga tinanong. Even Chairman's cases ay ndi
natanung or kung meron man, konti lang. Medyo kakaiba yung 2018 Bar Exams kaya be careful, wag basta-
basta umasa sa trends nung mga nakalipas na Bar. I-turing mo nalang ang mga trends na bituin –“Hindi hawak
ng mga bituin ang ating kapalaran. Gabay lamang sila. Meron tayong free will. Gamitin natin ito” –Zenaida Seva,
(yes sya yung unang nagsabi nyan, hindi si Master Hanz!) :’)

Materials
What materials (Book and/or notes and author, and audio/video lectures, if any) have you used and please
give your comments (did those help you, how?)