How PREP can blend into the hectic daily lives of modern-day law students

Being a post-secondary student has never been more challenging.

With increasing competition among priorities, challenging curriculum and a competitive industry, the modern law student has a full slate of responsibilities and endless opportunities for distraction. With such a hectic day-to-day life, it is vital that students are spending their time as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Does it seem unlikely that teaching methods will keep up with the realities of today’s world? Well, think again. That is where PREP comes in.

PREP was designed by the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLED), a non-profit organization that provides training students require before becoming a lawyer in Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan. The organization is launching PREP in June 2020, designed to turn today’s law school graduates into the lawyers of tomorrow.

Built on best practices around the world, PREP delivers practical skills and competencies in an integrated approach that combines interactive, transactional learning and simulation within four distinct phases, each providing students with an opportunity to interact with lawyers, instructors and even simulated clients to improve their competencies.

It is changing the game on how law students are honing their skills. PREP not only rethinks the delivery method of curriculum, but it also allows for an unprecedented platform that is accessible on any mobile device and tablet for easy-to-use training wherever you go.

So, now we know that PREP offers us a modern way of learning, but what about balancing the demands of being a student? Here are five ways to ensure you’re setting yourself up for success:

• Prioritize your week on Sunday. Not only is organization a natural way of fighting the “Sunday Scaries”, but by developing a clear picture of everything you need to get accomplished at the onset of the week, you’ll know exactly when and where you’ll need to focus your time.
• Limit distractions as much as possible. Binging Netflix or scrolling through Instagram are necessary stress relievers but have a time and a place. If you feel like you’re getting behind because of the numerous distractions, consider limiting your usage.
• Leverage your free time. Often times, we have more free time than we might realize. After prioritizing your week, identify some free pockets where you can spend time recharging and potentially making progress on your to-do list.
• Don’t sacrifice sleep. Make sure you are giving yourself ample time to rest. This will not only allow you to feel better, but it will help optimize the time you do have to tackle what you need to get done.
• Make time for you. If you get overwhelmed with work, you retain less and perform at a lower level. Ensure that you are making time to do the things you love in order to recalibrate and bring your best self forward when it’s needed.

We recognize how hard it is for today’s students to balance what they’re expected to. We’ve designed PREP with this in mind and are excited for you to engage with a modern approach to traditional law curriculum.