Stress Tip #4: We have a paper for Constitutional Law in which we have to discuss how different judicial theorists would look at a certain case. Our professor is allowing us to discuss the paper with each other and encouraged it. Seemed super awesome. In actuality talking through the paper and the theorists with others stressed me out more. It seemed that the things I had a firm grasp on were unraveling. Some of the students seemed very confident about ideas that completely collided with mine. I don’t think roughing the paper out on your own would be less stressful but a certain state of mind about the paper would lessen the stress. Take notes on your own before the chat session and while at the session don’t take any. Just listen to what everyone has to say and add in when you feel your ideas might help someone else who is struggling with an idea. Have confidence in your notes but don’t be afraid to acknowledge that you might not be 100% right. If you’re able to, take the ideas that you had the most difficulty agreeing on in your group and talk to your professor about them. If you can’t, consult the text and re-read the case. It helps to take copious notes if you only have one case to do it for.

Always remember: just because someone sounds confident doesn’t mean they’re right.