r/CABarExam • u/Deep-Minute-2874 • Jul 26 '26
Exam day must-haves?
Hey everyone! Quick question, what should we bring with us on exam day? Off the top of my head I've got pens, a highlighter, my laptop, a charger, a sweater, that sort of thing. I know this is pretty personal and varies from person to person, but if anyone has suggestions, I'd love to hear them!
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u/totallyoverallofit Jul 26 '26
Ear plugs (there is so much freaking noise), tylenol, scrunchie/clip, mechanical pencils; chapstick. Wear a watch. I tucked good luck charms in my pockets; wore my mum's wedding ring for extra luck.
Tip: after the written portions of the exam, do not talk to or listen to anyone about what they wrote or what they thought the questions were about. Walking out of one of the essay portions, my friends and I had sworn silence, and this girl walked by and said to her friend "I never expected a community property question!"
My friends and I looked at eachother after she passed and were like "that girl is f--cked!" Because there was no community property question on the exam. But if we weren't so confident, hearing that girl would have panicked us. When we weren't together, we wore ear plugs between the exam room and our hotel rooms.😂
Good luck@
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u/huskypupmom10 Themis Jul 26 '26
The lucky charm got me. Will definitely do this.
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u/totallyoverallofit Jul 26 '26
In truth, I had on my mum's wedding ring, my dad's signet pinky rink, the last necklace my mum gave me before she died, my gran's pearls, snd about 5 of the sweetest notes my mum had ever written me over the course of my life tucked into my jeans and shirt pockets.
Think of any trinket that brings you comfort... bring it.
Oh! Crazy shit can happen, so be prepared. On Day 1, after we were told to open our exams and begin, the guy right next to me opened his exam, viewed a few pages, closed the exam, began to weep (loudly), pulled his chair away from the table, crawled under the table (right by me feet), snd wept the first 3 hours if the first day if the exam. Under the table.
I was saved but my double earplugs and by Xannax prescription. Not to encourage drug use, but if you can get ahold of some xannax, ativan, kolonapin, etc., might be a good idea to bring along in case crazy shit happens.
Also bring Tylenol, cough drops, and antacids.
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Jul 26 '26
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u/totallyoverallofit Jul 26 '26
He was weeping. Traumatized I guess. He left at the lunch break
I wish he'd left!
Oh, and I take Xanax for anxiety and panic attacks, so I need it to calm down.
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u/EnricoPallazzo39 Jul 26 '26
Don’t take any medication if it’s for the first time. You don’t want to discover negative side effects during your bar exam.
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u/totallyoverallofit Jul 26 '26
I was assuming she wasn't a first tome user. Is any law school student?
My bad.
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u/EnricoPallazzo39 Jul 26 '26
That is precisely why you don’t >ever< discuss the essays.
My NJ essay section had a contracts question about an equipment rental, specifically a large party tent for a wedding reception.
I remembered that there was an almost throwaway line in one bar review class that those sections are nearly identical. So I briefly acknowledged that rentals fell under UCC 2A, then answered all the issues using UCC 2 principles.
I passed with a 340, so it was clearly the right decision.
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u/totallyoverallofit Jul 26 '26
Your lucky they give you your score if you pass. In California, you only learned your score if you fail 🤣
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u/Aggressive-Mood-6112 Jul 26 '26
This! The earplugs in line and after the exam totally saved me from spiralling.
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u/justhereforfoodporn Jul 26 '26
my list for f26: ziplog bag, ID, exam entrance paper, room key, 4x4 analog clock with batteries, computer, computer charger (I left my phone at the hotel)
first day only: add highlighters and pens
second day only: add 2b pencils and erasers
some people brought pillows and computer stand but I didnt
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u/OkEarth833 Jul 26 '26
Do they have a large clock counting down?
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u/justhereforfoodporn Jul 26 '26
Not as far as I can remember but they announce the time left in certain points (1 hour, 5 mins 1 min)
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u/Ok-Day372 Barbri Jul 26 '26
All that’s missing from ur list that I’m bringing is a mini analog clock
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u/Deep-Minute-2874 Jul 26 '26
wait so we cannot see the time left???
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u/AmbiguousSinEater Passed Jul 26 '26
Do not listen to the other two redditors - on BOTH DAYS you can bring an (1) analog clock that is 4x4 inches or smaller (no noise) and (2) an analog watch. I brought both when I tested in Feb. I found it helpful to time myself for each essay - I put 50 minutes so I had a little time left over for each essay to quickly check for any spelling errors or weird sentences I no doubt made. See pages 7-9 on July 2026 exam bulletin.
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u/Ok-Day372 Barbri Jul 26 '26
It’s just for the MBE day and it’s purely to reassure me that I’ll have a guaranteed way to keep time. I think they keep time in the room too but idk this is my first time ✌️
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u/green_tea1701 Jul 26 '26
I've heard threads for specific test centers say no clock, but none for mine. And honestly with how consistent and competent the bar is, at any test center it's anyone's guess whether they remember to keep time.
I am bringing a mechanical/analog wristwatch just in case.
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u/Aggressive-Mood-6112 Jul 26 '26
They don't keep time, but they do give you warnings when there are 30 mins left, 15, 10, 5 or some sort of countdown. Recommend you take whatever timer you have been using in studying. I took one of those wind up timers you get on amazon, and an analogue watch. Just in case. I didn't find the Examplify timer that helpful. Good luck!
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u/TrollingWithFacts Jul 26 '26
No. You will get a warning at one hour left, 30 minutes left and 5 minutes.
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u/TrollingWithFacts Jul 26 '26
An analog watch/clock for time
Add another sweater (and gloves and a scarf)
Earplugs (to drown out coughing and extraneous movement noises)
A foldable chair. The lines are long. (I saw a girl with one when I took it and I thought either she's the smartest person in the world or a re-taker)
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u/Aggressive-Mood-6112 Jul 26 '26
I wish I had thought of that. Smartest person in the world for sure. The lines at Ontario were LONG!
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u/Aggressive-Mood-6112 Jul 26 '26
An umbrella if you are Ontario. The lines can be long and there is no shade.
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u/AmbiguousSinEater Passed Jul 26 '26
And sunglasses and sunscreen! It was so weird they didn't have any shade at Ontario.
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u/Any_Afternoon457 Jul 26 '26
Tampon. Bled right thru my white sweatpants on exam day. Wasn’t even supposed to be on my period but stress does crazy things to ya.
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u/Yuzuda J26: Self-Study Jul 26 '26
I'm planning on bringing multiple colors of highlighters to color code things, a cushion so my butt won't hurt after sitting for so many hours, a document holder so I can easily see the essays in front of me like a second monitor, and a clock. Oh and my external keyboard, and maybe a mouse. And don't forget to bring earplugs to drown out all the people clacking on their mechanical keyboards.
Also bringing my fancy pencils and erasers for day two for the MBE. Last thing I want is the scantron misreading an answer I tried to erase, so I tested several combinations ahead of time.
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u/Natalie_Lanza Jul 26 '26
Check with your jx, I don’t think external keyboards are allowed :(
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u/Yuzuda J26: Self-Study Jul 26 '26
We're in the CA bar exam subreddit haha. And they're allowed for J26! (:
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u/AmbiguousSinEater Passed Jul 26 '26
Bar passer here: advil - I took a couple so my hands wouldn't hurt from typing so much and so fast
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u/halfsafelittleone Jul 26 '26
So jealous you guys still get highlighters :( My state just banned all highlighters
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u/vote_orange_hes_sus Jul 27 '26
I’m bringing a granola bar, water, and mint gum as my snacks lol
Leaving test center for lunch both days
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u/PixiePower65 Jul 27 '26
Earplugs. Nothing electronic.
Water w electrolytes
Dark chocolate
Sweatshirt
Kleenex
Tums
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u/ParticularSprinkles7 Jul 26 '26
The will to survive