ProfessorTommy.Tips

I love this quote from Steph Curry: "I want to practice to the point that it’s almost uncomfortable how fast you shoot so that in the game things kind of slow down." If you're not a basketball person, here is the quick context: Stephen Curry is the face of modern shooting in the NBA, a multiple-time champion, and still the engine of the Golden State Warriors. Even now, in the later stage of his career, he isn't coasting. He is still known for doing the unglamorous work, over

A lot of applicants are coming from workplaces where “dress down” is normal. Business casual is common. Sneakers are normal. Jeans might be acceptable most days. Some places have no real dress standard at all. However, the Virginia Bar Exam does. And the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners' rule is explicit: There is no “dress down” or “casual dress” policy. Applicants are expected to dress in court-appropriate attire. This isn't a suggestion. It's a condition of entry. Source:..

Recently, a federal grand jury has twice declined to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James on federal mortgage fraud charges. Before those two grand jury “no” votes, an earlier indictment had already been thrown out because the judge ruled that the lead federal prosecutor was unlawfully appointed. In other words, the original case was dismissed before it ever reached a trial. If you are a Criminal Law or Criminal Procedure student, or studying for the bar exam, you

Every once in a while, a bar-exam order drops that makes me stop mid-scroll, blink twice, and say, “Wait! They did what?” That just happened in Washington. Washington will be one of the first jurisdictions to administer the NextGen UBE starting in July 2026, and on December 8 the Washington Supreme Court issued a short, two-page order that quietly made three big moves at once. In its new order, the Washington Supreme Court did three key things: 1️⃣ Set the NextGen UBE pass

Oxford University Press just selected “ rage bait ” as its 2025 Oxford Word of the Year . That alone feels like, well, a little bit of rage bait. But once you get past the eye-roll, it’s actually a useful concept for bar prep. Oxford defines "rage bait" as online content deliberately designed to make you angry or offended so you’ll click, comment, and share. Usage of the term has tripled this year, which tells you how common this stuff has become. If you’re studying for the b

Sour candy and the bar exam don’t exactly scream “perfect pair.” But there is a growing brain science that says sour candy can help dial down anxiety in the moment. And that’s something every bar taker should care about. Let’s talk about what’s going on, how you can responsibly use it during bar prep, and what to do on exam day when you can’t plop a bag of Warheads on your exam table. How Sour Candy for Anxiety Actually Works Yep. This isn’t just TikTok magic. Therapists and

This morning, a Peloton instructor shouted out 1,272 walks. Not 1,250. Not 1,275. One . Two . Seven . Two . For those who aren’t deep in the Peloton universe: Peloton is a fitness platform with live and on-demand classes where you ride, run, walk, row, or lift with instructors. When you take a live class, your username appears on the leaderboard alongside thousands of others. Instructors can see milestone numbers next to your name, like your 50th ride, 100th run, 500th walk

Yesterday I took a live Peloton ride from home with Camila Ramon . It was a 30-minute 2010s ride that turned into a masterclass on what to do when things don’t go according to plan. About a third of the way through, it looked like her bike completely betrayed her. The resistance seemed stuck on the highest setting. No matter what she did, the pedals wouldn’t cooperate. It looked like she was cycling through mud. So what did she do? She jumped off the bike. She moved to the fl

Cambridge Dictionary has officially named “parasocial” as its 2025 Word of the Year , defined as a one-sided connection that someone feels with a person they don't actually know, often a celebrity, influencer, or online personality. Most of the coverage focuses on celebrities, fandoms, and even AI chatbots. But I think law students and bar examinees have their own version of “parasocial,” and you can see it play out every day on Reddit. You know the pattern. You log onto r/L

Mel Robbins’ The Let Them Theory is basically a stress-management tool disguised as a mindset shift. And it fits law school perfectly. In her book, Robbins explains that “Let Them” is the phrase you use when you feel your control-freak instincts kicking in and you start obsessing over someone else’s behavior, reaction, or opinion. Instead of tightening your grip, you make a conscious choice to loosen it. You tell yourself, " Let them think that, " Let them act like that, "