After you get where you're going, take off your shoes and your socks then walk around on the rug bare foot and make fists with your toes

Finals. Are. Over. Good thing to! I wasn't sure if I was going to make it. It was touch and go there for a while. The tests were brutal, but they are over. I'm so happy! And tired. I'm really tired.

Finals, as everything, came with their scandals and gossip. On Friday, after my federal civil procedure final, we got an email from the Dean of Academic Affairs (who also happened to be my civ pro teacher. Anyway). Apparently some people had been caught cheating. You could literally feel the anger coming out of that email. Dean Mayer ended the email by saying that anyone who had cheated should voluntarily withdraw because they do not meet the minimum qualifications to work in this profession. Which is true. If you have "I cheated" on your transcript, the possibility that you will pass the bar are slim to none. Despite what people think about lawyers, we actually do have an ethics code. The bar consists of the actual exam and an ethics exam. You also have to pass an apparently very vigorous ethics shakedown, like a background check but much more personal. At any rate, being a cheater doesn't bode well for passing a very vigorous ethics shakedown. And, though I try to remember mercy and forgiveness and all that, I have to say I think they deserve what they get. Not only did the majority of us work our asses off for these exams, but after the cheaters were caught none of us could go to the bathroom during the exam. They're four hours long!! Oh sigh. I'm so glad they're over. 1 semester down, 5 to go...

Anyway, I'm currently sitting in the Albany airport. Yeah!! It's snowing, so I'm hoping that my flight won't get delayed. It looks like everything is still on schedule, so here's hoping! I can't wait to be home. I'm so excited to see everyone. All my friends were talking about how excited they were to finish finals and go get wasted with their friends back home. I'm sure they thought I was a little dorky when I said I was excited to finish finals and go home and dance around the Christmas tree with the fam. I don't care. There's plenty of time to go party with friends, but I only get to see the fam for three weeks, so we're gonna party Brinkerhoff style! And I'm so excited! I expect much laughing, dancing, playing games, and - of course - dancing. Probably throw some singing in there too. I can't wait to see my sisters and my bro, the kiddies, even the dogs! And of course, my Mom! SG here I come! I hope you're ready; NY has made me a little crazy...

We think of the greatest stuff down here, but then I can never remember any of it later.

Finals week is upon us!! Not really. It actually starts next week, but it feels like it is upon us. My last class is tomorrow, but I imagine it's going to be pretty low key. Most of us have already checked out of the class-mode in favor of the study-my-brains-out mode. I've been waking up early to get a bit of extra study time in, but this morning I woke up a little earlier than I intended. I, and the rest of the neighborhood, were treated to the dulcet tones of two very angry people. Who knew someone could muster enough energy to be that bloody angry at 5:30 in the damn morning. I mean, honestly. I would have almost been impressed except they weren't even clever. So I was just annoyed. Ah well, I got even more time to study than I originally intended (b/c I couldn't fall back asleep) so I guess it's not a total loss.

Law school exams are definitely more intense than any other test I have ever taken in my entire life. The stress level on campus is.... up. On the advice of my mentor, I have stayed away from the library (that's where all the crazies are). It's probably a good thing too. I've had to woosah myself a few times. Yesterday, I even had to take a break from studying negligence and clean my bathroom b/c I was on the verge of freaking out. But my bathroom is nice and clean though, so you know, that's good.

I'm always amazed at the ability humans have to gossip. It's absolutely incredible how quickly information spreads. The latest information spreading about the school, besides who did well on their exams last year and why they did well, is who has dropped out. I knew there were people in my class who were having a second go at law school. Apparently one of those people has dropped out. Right before finals. And apparently she wasn't doing very well, so everyone is upset that she left b/c she would have helped the curve. You see what law school does to people? Plus, I'm not sure how everyone knows how she did on the research exam. If I did that bad, I wouldn't tell a damn soul. Who knows, it's probably all distorted, but she has been mysteriously absent since Thanksgiving. I hope she didn't get sick on bad turkey! If she did, she has an entire torts class to choose from to represent her. Assuming we all pass.