Becoming a master of self-disciplined study is probably just as challenging as learning to score high on the LSAT itself. Sure, you say that you will finish Lesson 2 and the homework in one night. But once you finally finish the videos, you feel like taking a break. Eat, stretch, watch TV, sleep, pray, shower, whatever.

Before you know it, over an hour has passed, and you suddenly realize you’ve been vegetating on the couch watching Forrest Gump on TNT (again). You’d rather run Gump-style, complete with steel leg braces, than flip open to the homework, almost strictly because Lesson 2’s homework includes 30 Must Be True questions, and 30 Soft Must Be True questions, along with other drills. You can’t finish it all in just a few hours if you want to actually master this stuff. But who is going to stop you from watching Forrest run? Nobody. Who is going to force you to work on that logical reasoning? No one. You have to be disciplined enough to get your own butt off the couch.

With that said, I’ve quickly learned that caring for my mental self is going to be really important through these next few months of lengthy preparation. By studying for the LSAT you are essentially retraining how your brain processes information. It takes time, no matter who you are, and it can be exhausting and monotonous, especially for the first few rounds of instruction and homework.

I don’t have class a few times a week that I’m obligated to attend. All I have is that little voice in my head telling me to get working. That said, while prepping online, its important to stick to a sensible schedule. I got excited and scheduled myself to be on Lesson 3’s homework by now, but I did not correctly calculate how long it would take me to fully grasp the material and apply it, let alone get through it.

In the midst of lesson 2, I decided to go to the beach. I live next to Lake Michigan (and yes, we Chicagoans are fully aware it’s a lake, not an ocean), and I wanted to change up my studying environment. As you can imagine, studying on the beach in the middle of summer didn’t go so well with screaming babies and seagulls (I’m sure they are aware it’s a lake as well), but I definitely regained some peace of mind. Big bodies of water have that effect on me.

What I’m trying to say is that along with scheduling time to study, make sure you’re scheduling time to not study. Allot ample time for study breaks so that you don’t end up cramming two days’ worth of studying into one night. And don’t forget about your friends and family. They’d like to see your beautiful face every once in a while.

After three days of prep just for Lesson 2, I bet I could do a 1:1 Ordering Game quickly and accurately without so much as a flinch. I’m seeing logical reasoning diagrams in my sleep. It’s going to take some readjusting, but that’s life.

And as Forrest woulds say, the LSAT is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you’re gonna get. But I’ve got a feeling that if I keep up with my homework, I’m going to have a pretty good idea.