Law School classes are over now (though I still have two more weeks of my Divinity School class), and Finals Season is in the air in full force. I don't know which is stronger--the Spirit of stress and frantic cramming, or the Spirit of Christmas. Probably the former when you get close to campus, anyway.

This semester I only have two final exams. I have already written two papers. Unlike some other people, I actually prefer writing papers to taking tests. Here's why.

I have a lot more control over what I have to write about. With a paper, I'm usually given pretty much free reign to pick the topic of my choice. I don't have to write about things that I didn't understand or don't have much interest in. In fact, one of the fun things about papers is that you're often able to steer clear of the major thrust of the course entirely, writing about something only tangentially related to the title of the course. (The best example of this phenomenon was the Church and State class I took 1L year. The class was excruciatingly boring, going chronologically through a few major cases of church-state law, not really ever bothering to teach us much. I wrote a paper about the local government systems set up by the early LDS Church (with only one brief citation to a case we'd looked at in class), and I got an A.)

Secondly, I think it's a more efficient use of time. To me, it's the same deal if I'm studying for a test or researching/writing a paper. Either way, I'm sitting in front of a computer reading sources. I'd rather put that time to productive use, actually producing the product that I'll get graded on, rather than reviewing topics that may or may not actually pop up on the exam. If I get bored or confused, I can always take a break and surf the Net for a bit. Can't do that on exam day. I also have a lot more time to think out and organize my thoughts, which I like. The argument that being forced to just get on with the test at a specified time makes it easier to do--I don't buy that. I'm self-disciplined enough to set myself some deadlines. And if I don't feel my product is good enough at the time of the deadlines, then I can still take more time and make it better.

Third, I kind of like writing papers. Researching what I want to write about is certainly a lot more fun than regurgitating cases and arguments you think the professor wants to hear. This semester my topics are Just War and the Book of Mormon, and Why Digital Rights Management is Ruining Copyright. Can you think of anything more enthralling? It's good, old-fashioned fun!

Fourth, there's always the chance if the paper's really good, I can submit it somewhere and get it published. I've submitted the aforementioned Mormon Government paper for consideration, and the next issue of Family Law Quarterly will include my Family Law paper from last year about marital counseling laws. Honor and prestige await!

Fifth, I have found that there is a significant difference in my grades. I do great on papers, mediocre on exams.