Hello!

I am a 1L, and similar to many of you wonderful folks I'm adjusting to the workloads. While I was used to working often even through weekends in my grassroots organizing work, this is another level.

Two weeks ago while taking yet another break away from my reading (eating, making tea, using the bathroom, grabbing things from my locker, going to buy food, notecards, etc.), and I decided to give a try an app that another 1L had recommended called Natural Reader.

It's an AI text to speech reader that is as simple as uploading pdfs, images (they can convert image to readable file), etc and then hearing them out loud. Adobe also has this feature but it feels very robotic and difficult to focus on. It has various different voices.

The free version lasts 5 minutes but even after that I was convinced. There's unfortunately no monthly membership - only a one-year ~$120 subscription fee. I purchased and in 25 minutes I was able to explain case from issue to facts to rule to application/reasoning to a friend without having actually read the case. Since then I used it every day. In the shower, on the subway, eating, running errands, etc. I definitely feel like I get my money's worth.

Since then my capacity to work has increased significantly while substantially reducing my stress because I get more done in less (or more? depending how you look at it) time actually reading and also utilize the opportunity to write out case briefs from memory of what I'd listened to and cross checking with the case itself.

Do you use AI text to speech tools? How has that benefited you? If not, consider it! There are probably better and cheaper ones than N.R., but it was the first I used. Life is busy and stressful enough as a 1L. We need all the tips and trick we can get.

Only downside is..I'm constantly studying.. oh well.