Manneken Pis and the Bar Exam: Pee Like a Pro

This summer, I had the chance to visit Brussels. Like most tourists, I made my way through the cobblestone streets to see one of the city’s most famous landmarks: the Manneken Pis.

If you’ve never seen it in person, it’s exactly what the name suggests. It's a small bronze statue of a little boy urinating into a fountain. He’s been doing it, unapologetically, for centuries. He’s not in a hurry, he’s not worried about the onlookers, and he certainly isn’t worried about running out of time.

And while that leisurely approach works for a tourist attraction, it’s the exact opposite of what you want to happen during the bar exam.

Manneken Pis, Brussels, Belgium

Why the Urge Strikes at the Worst Possible Time

There’s something about a high-stakes exam that can make your bladder suddenly feel like it’s on its own schedule. You can sit for hours at home without thinking about the bathroom, but the second the proctor says “begin,” you feel the urge. Why?

For starters, overhydration is a common culprit. In the days before the exam, you might have heard the advice to “stay hydrated. And it’s true—being well-hydrated helps with focus and energy. But gulping down a large bottle of water right before the exam is a quick way to guarantee an unscheduled break.

Then there’s caffeine. Coffee, tea, and energy drinks are diuretics, which means they stimulate your bladder to produce more urine. Combine that with exam nerves, and you’re practically setting a countdown timer.

Speaking of nerves, the stress response is another factor. When you’re anxious, your body goes into fight-or-flight mode, and one of the less glamorous side effects is that your bladder becomes more sensitive. Even if it’s not full, you might feel like it is. And finally, there’s the psychological factor: If you spend the first part of the exam wondering whether you’ll need to go, you’re more likely to convince yourself you do.

Why Restroom Breaks Cost You More Than You Think

You might be tempted to think, “No big deal. I’ll just run to the bathroom if I need to.” But during the bar exam, every second counts. The clock doesn’t stop while you’re away from your seat.

Even a short bathroom trip costs you precious minutes that could have been spent answering multiple-choice questions or finishing an essay paragraph. Those minutes add up fast, especially if you’re already racing the clock.

There’s also the loss of focus to consider. On a multiple-choice section, you might be able to jump back in quickly, but on an essay, leaving mid-answer means you’ll have to reread and regroup before you can continue. That mental reboot takes longer than you think.

And then there’s the possibility of waiting in line. While some testing centers have specific procedures to limit restroom use to one or two people at a time, you may still find yourself waiting, especially if several examinees decide to go at once. Depending on the venue layout and timing, that short line could still cost you more time than you realize.

Pee Like a Pro: The Strategic Approach

So, what’s the solution? It’s not about avoiding the bathroom entirely — that’s unrealistic and uncomfortable. The key is to control the timing, so you choose when to go rather than letting your bladder make the decision for you.

• Hydrate the day before the exam, not the morning of. Keep your fluid intake steady in the days leading up to test day, but avoid gulping down large amounts in the final hour before you sit down. This ensures you’re hydrated without overfilling your bladder at the worst possible moment.

  
  

• Stick to your normal caffeine routine. If you usually drink one cup of coffee in the morning, stick to that. Don’t decide that today is the day to add an extra shot of espresso “for energy.” You’ll get more than you bargained for.

  
  

• Use the pre-exam window wisely. When proctors are giving instructions, take that time to go to the bathroom, even if you don’t feel like you need to. Sometimes, it’s just about giving yourself one more buffer before the clock starts.

  
  

• Plan your breaks strategically. On the MBE, if you absolutely must go, aim for the halfway mark so you can finish one full set of questions before stepping out. For essays, finish a complete answer before leaving, so you don’t interrupt your own flow of analysis.

  
  

• Practice this in advance. During your timed practice exams, plan bathroom breaks as if you were at the real test center. Get a feel for how long you can comfortably wait and how much time you lose. That way, nothing about this part of exam day will be a surprise.

Final Flush

The Manneken Pis can stand in one place all day, doing one thing, without worrying about deadlines. You can’t. On bar exam day, your job is to make sure your performance is dictated by your preparation, and not your bladder.

So, hydrate smartly, manage your caffeine, and schedule breaks so they work for you. In other words, when nature calls, answer on your terms.

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Did You Know? Brussels has another cheeky urinating statue: the Zinneke Pis, a bronze sculpture of a dog lifting its leg on a street corner. Together with the Manneken Pis and his female counterpart Jeanneke Pis, they form a humorous trio that captures the city’s playful spirit. It’s a reminder that Brussels doesn’t take itself too seriously—and maybe, when getting through law school or preparing for the bar exam, neither should you.

Zinneke Pis, Brussels, Belgium