What If I Have A Bad First Day Of the California Bar Exam?

The actual process of taking the bar exam is often compared to a marathon and not a sprint. That means managing your time, stamina, and emotions over an extended period, rather than expending everything all at once. When it comes to the California Bar Exam, applicants need to manage the test-taking experience over two days. For many, managing the test-taking experience over those two days is easier said than done. A variety of different factors can impact your test-taking ability, confidence, and emotions during the two-day California Bar Exam. So, how can you recover if you have a bad first day of the California Bar Exam? We discuss this in more detail below!

What If I Have A Bad First Day Of the California Bar Exam?

1. What’s Done Is Done

So, you had a bad first day. Sure, it’s not the greatest position to be in, but things could be worse. As you go into day two of the bar exam, remember that what’s in the past is in the past and there’s nothing you can do to change it. Feeling down, anxious, and upset isn’t going to change your day one performance or your result. Instead, try to put those feelings aside so you can go into day two feeling prepared and confident.  Instead of focusing on everything that went wrong on day one, try to relax your mind, eat a good dinner, and get some sleep.  It’s time to recalibrate and get yourself ready for day two of the California Bar Exam.

2. Focus On What’s Ahead

The great thing about the California Bar Exam is that you have multiple opportunities to recover, even if you completely miss a question. There are multiple essays and hundreds of multiple-choice questions. That means if you perform poorly on one essay but crush another essay you can still find success. It’s also good news if you performed less than ideally on day one. Why? There’s still an entire second half of the exam to go! Don’t forget that you’ve studied and prepared for months to take the California Bar Exam. You’ve watched the lectures, read the outlines, memorized the law, done the practice questions, and reviewed the supplements. You’re ready and prepared to head into day two of the exam!

3. Embrace The Experience

If you had a bad first day, take time to figure out what went wrong. Was there a subject that you didn’t expect to show up? A hypothetical that caught you off guard? Regardless of the reasoning, learning what went wrong can help you head into day two feeling more emotionally prepared. You’ve already processed the feelings that come along with a poor first-day performance. That means on day two of the California Bar Exam, you can better anticipate how to react to certain questions. You’ll also know where you’re going and what the test center setup is going to be like, so all you have to worry about on day two is simply taking the exam!

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