I met the vibrant, smart Bianca Taraschi as a 1L in my first class ever of my legal career: Contracts. She was gorgeous, sharp, funny, and witty. We became quick friends as we both had graduated from FAU in Boca Raton, Florida, but found ourselves in law school together in the big city (to us) of Atlanta, Georgia. We have laughed and cried together. Law school will do that! She just took the Bar Exam, the UBE, during a global pandemic. Here’s our interview:
Z: Bianca, thank you so much for doing this! I think it will help out a lot of law students and attorneys taking upcoming exams. But it will also be simply interesting to anyone who wants to understand how this pandemic has affected different fields. First off, CONGRATS! How do you feel being FINISHED with the UBE?
B: It hasn’t really hit me yet that I don’t have to study anymore. I think it will kick in tomorrow (Monday) when I don’t have to be up at 7am so I can finish my work-out by 8:30 to be at my desk by 9am for 10 hours of studying.
Z: So many Bar exams have been postponed or moved online, to be completed in the comfort of test takers’ homes! What are your thoughts on this? Do you think it would make the exam less stressful to take it at home? Did you think your exam was going to get cancelled?
B: I think the online testing is going to be a mess. Exam vendors have already had cyber-attacks and issues with the exam software crashing and these have only occurred pre-bar exam when states wanted to “test” the exam vendor with all the bar examinees.
Sure it must be nice to be able to take the exam with your notes and books open (in some states who have gave permission to this for the essay portion) but it will very much be a struggle for test takers to complete their MBEs and MPT without being able to circle, outline, or diagram anything.
I thought ours MIGHT get cancelled but I also knew South Carolina was a state that was not going to let the increase in COVID cases stop them from administering an exam.
Z: Did you have to get COVID testing before the exam? Were there temperature checks?
B: I did not have to get tested, however I had to sign off that I had not been in contact with anyone who had it and that I was basically following CDC guidelines.
We had nurses outside each entrance who took our temps anytime we left the building. Also the morning before the exam, and then on our way back in after our lunch breaks.
Z: How did you feel on day 1 going in? There are generally really long lines heading into the exam – was everyone social distancing? Was it less stressful on day 2 since you’d seen what it would be like?
B: The SC Supreme Court and the BBE did an amazing job at spacing us out. We all had different report time in order that there were no lines and no one was ever “waiting.” They kind of gave us an idea of how it would go in an email before so I experienced exactly what I was told I would. I rarely came into contact with any other test takers.
Z: I took the Florida Bar 5 months ago – roughly a month before the lockdown was announced in the USA. I sat next to a girl at 1 shared table in a room absolutely stuffed with people. Was your experience much different? What was the testing room like?
B: SO different. I was in a room with maybe 25-30 people. We all had our own long tables and were spaced out in huge ball rooms in the convention center. They further had a second test site where half of the testers reported. I lucked out and got the convention center. We all had our own bottle of hand sanitizer that the SC Sup. Ct provided us with along with masks if we wanted a new one.
Z: Wow – so different, but I’m sure that helped alleviate a bit of stress. Especially because most test takers spend months filing for accommodations for a semi-private room. Did anyone cough during the exam, and did it freak people out?!
B: I was the only one who coughed. Multiple times. Most likely because my allergies but I did not hide it and I had no shame. I kind of giggled to myself knowing I would probably freak people out.
Z: That is too funny. Was it weird being around so many people while we’ve been instructed to avoid crowds, socially distance, etc.? Were you worried about getting COVID?
B: I think going to the grocery store was and is riskier than what I experienced. I cannot be more impressed with how South Carolina took precautions well and did the best job at spacing us out and doing it so we rarely came within 6 feet of anyone else.
I was not worried about getting COVID. I had mentally prepared myself that if I get it, oh well, it’ll make for an even better story. Knowing I would most likely be fine from it too because of my age and constant immune supplements I took pre-bar had me not so worried.
Z: You definitely have always prioritized your health, and I’m glad they went above and beyond to be careful to protect everyone. We are heading into 6 months of dealing with the pandemic in the USA. I know your future is bright. What are your plans while you wait for the bar exam results? I hope you are planning to take a well-deserved break!
B: I plan to head down to Florida and just chill with my parents for a while. I may look into interning or shadowing a few different attorneys who practice in different areas to try and figure out what I want to do. But otherwise, until I get my results, I don’t plan to look for a job up here in Charleston until I can walk into a law firm as a barred attorney.
Z: Some time to relax sounds ideal. Simply not having to study now will be relaxing! If you could give one final piece of advice to someone taking an upcoming Bar Exam during this pandemic, what would it be?
B: Don’t fall off your schedule. Make one and stick to it for the study period. For me, I was up around 7am and slowly woke up. Ate some toast and took my pre-workout. Hopped on the Peloton and then I was in my desk chair for 8-10 hours, nothing less. For many students now, they can afford to take weekends off because they will have had almost 20 weeks to study, but for me it was every single day. I even ate the same meals almost every lunch and dinner because I did not have time to think about what I was going to eat.
Z: Such good advice for anyone in the thick of it or planning to take the Bar Exam one day. One last question. Where can people find you?
B: I am on Instagram and Twitter: @ _biancatee