Elle Woods, in Legally Blonde (stop rolling your eyes), chose a front row seat in her Civil Procedure class on the first day of law school. The professor menacingly tells those in that row to “BEWARE.”
I think choosing the right seat for you in your classes is one of the key ingredients to your success while in law school. Some people, like me, prefer the “danger zone.” Others prefer to be tucked away in a back corner where they are less likely to be called on. And yet others prefer to choose a middle row, center seat. Be cautious of all of these. I have tested out each of these locations and here are my findings:
FRONT AND CENTER
PROS
-You have less distraction
-This location forces you to pay attention
-You get some face time with the professor
CONS
-You are more likely to be called on
-People can see your computer screen
-If you have to leave the class during a lecture, everyone sees you and you can cause a distraction
FAR BACK CORNER
PROS
-No one is checking out your notes
-Sometimes you have that whole row to yourself
CONS
-You may be overlooked when it comes to “awarding” participation points
-You can be distracted by the computer screens in front of you
-Harder to see the slides
-Easily distracted because you won’t be noticed
-By the end of the semester, the professor doesn’t know your name
CENTER AISLE
PROS
-Neutral zone
-Some face time
-When you raise your hand to volunteer, you are statistically more likely to be called on
CONS
-Easily distracted by the computer screens in front of you
-Most people choose this area so there is not a lot of elbow room
-You are always asked to pass out handouts
Like I said, where you choose is your preference. After my first three classes in which I chose different seats, I found that front and center was the place for me and I have been successful in every class in which I chose that seat. However, at the movie theaters, the back row is the place for me.
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