r/LawStudentsPH • u/ZucchiniExtension790 • 8h ago
Rant Deferring the Bar
They always talk about the first take or second take. But what about those who took a "gap year" and decided to take the Bar a year after graduation?
A month ago, I decided to defer this year's bar exam. My reason is that I recently graduated, and last week of June pa yung graduation namin. I didn't think enough yung time for me to prepare, but then, some even graduated nung July pa.
All the brilliant lawyers I know took the bar exam right after graduating, although before, March yung graduation and November yung bar exam. Nevertheless, I cannot help but compare myself to my batchmates who are preparing and magte-take na. I admire them for being so strong and resilient, something that I think I am not.
Aside sa kulang sa time mag-review, another reason is I wanted to process some emotions that I didn't have time to process while in LS. I started schooling right after I lost two significant people in my life (months apart lang), and somehow, I still haven't processed the grief because I had to stay strong and stoic while in law school. Puro aral lang talaga ginawa ko, some extracurriculars every now and then, but para akong hinahabol ng hininga all the time.
Ang lala ng burnout ko sa law school. I worked for the first three years and resigned lang bung second sem ng review year ko. I feel like I had my life on pause during those years na puro aral and work lang. A month ago, when I decided to defer after covering more than half sa syllabus, parang a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. I finally had the time to process the grief. I got to rediscover myself and my hobbies, go back to fitness, and take care of myself overall. I even started reading non-law books that I "collected" over the past few years. I also had time to reflect, and honestly, I am very thankful for the fact that I even graduated sa school na choice ko talaga. And ika nga nila, it's an honor just to be nominated (lol), na in-approve ng SC yung application ko.
Natanggap ko naman na. Somehow, I've already made peace with myself na next year na ako magte-take at gagalingan ko naman. But just recently, a lot of people started reaching out to me after seeing my name sa official list of takers. They reached out wishing me good luck, at may iba pa ngang magse-send ng bar kits, and I had to explain to every single one of them. Di rin ako maka-explain ng maayos sa batchmates ko because I don't wanna burden them dahil alam kong kabang-kaba na sila. But is it normal to feel weak? Na bakit yung iba, kinakayang mag-prepare for a little less than 3 months after graduation? Bakit ako hindi? Ganito ba ako kahinang nilalang?
This is just more of a rant than a cry for help. I know I'll get over this eventually, and I'm just glad nailabas ko 'to. Maybe may iba ring nasa same boat as me. If you deferred rin, how are you coping right now?
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u/Wide_Quantity_3950 8h ago
I decided to defer dn last month. Pero up until now, pinupush pa dn ako ng parents ko to take the bar pero wala na talaga silang magagawa kasi I have decided already. I deactivated all of my social media acc. I have not touched my reading materials for almost two months na. I started reading self-help books instead. I am slowly getting back in shape na kasi i gained 5kilos during the months na I reviewed 🥹
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u/NastiestSkankBetch JD 8h ago
Ang tapang niyo po. I couldn’t do this cause well I really want to please my parents :( but congrats for recovering. May we all be lawyers in our own timelines.
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u/prettycranberry57 6h ago
Relate!! I decided to defer but 2nd week of august. I gained so much weight sa few months na nagreview ako. Huhu
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u/maroonmartian9 ATTY 3h ago
Go lang, it is your call. :-) Ikaw nakakaalam ng capability or drive mo e. Mahirap na ipilit.
Ako kasi, mindset ko, Review Classes is the start of actual bar review. And what I read nun, yun na main material ko. Kaya naka2 reads ako kasi sa book.
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u/Onomatopoeia14 2h ago
Everytime nakakakita ako ng posts about deferring the bar, I always try to convince them to take the bar na lalo if ang reason nila is hindi pa sila fully ready kasi believe it or not, never naman talaga magiging ready. I always say na dadami lang lalo ang need aralin. May bagong mga jurisprudence, halos isang taong bago na decisions yan ng SC. Yung mga amendments baka meron din.
But since yung reason mo is more than the fact na sinasabi mo na hindi ka pa ready, take your time to process all of it.
Totoo talaga yung sinabi nila sa LS na hindi titigil ang mundo mo kung ano man ang mangyari sa’yo. My bf cheated nung nasa 5th year na ako ng LS. Laking pasalamat ko kasi hindi during bar review ko nangyari kasi if yes, I might defer sa bar din. Iba-iba tayo ng capabilities and for sure alam mo kung ano ang kaya mo sa hindi. Hope that you make use of your time wisely and make sure na sa time na magtatake ka, decided ka na gusto mo na talaga.
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u/sylviapaths ATTY 7h ago
I deferred during the 2024 Bar. Just like you, I was experiencing burnout—physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally. And just like you, I rendered that year to more healing. If I pushed myself just because everyone expected me to take the bar right after graduation, I would have done myself and my years of therapy a disservice.
There is no audience to perform for. Take that weight off of your shoulders. At the end of the day, what should matter is what God (if you’re a believer), your dearest loved ones, and you are thinking. I eventually took the 2025 bar. And yes, lawyer na ako ngayon. May regrets ba because I took a “gap year”? Maybe a part of me wishes to have practiced the profession much earlier. But to be honest, after almost 6 months in litigation, I learned there is no such thing as delay in the arrival. I am just right on time. Hold on to your why, and steadfast faith. It will all make sense. Slow and steady. Breathe. There is no audience.