The Exam Dream Is Real
INCEPTION: THE EXAM DREAM IS REAL Alan J. Oxford, II1* I. INTRODUCTION Morpheus: Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world? Neo: This can't be. Morpheus: Be what? Be real? .... Welcome to the real world. --THE MATRIX, (Morpheus played by Laurence Fishburne; Neo played by Keanu Reeves).1 Dreams are a material part of the human experience and thus the law school experience. Dreams manifest our thoughts, fears, and passions often diametrically inconsistent with our *I borrowed the title of this paper from an INCEPTION movie poster stating "The dream is real". INCEPTION (Warner Bros. 2010). I thank my invaluable research assistants Katherine Kennedy and Melanie M. Ghaw who were expedient and diligent in their research, and who provided many dreams and much thought throughout this process. Many of my Appalachian School of Law students volunteered to write down their dreams and the emotions surrounding those dreams, as those dreams occurred during the fall 2012 and spring 2013 exam seasons; I thank the students who were brave enough to share their dreams, only a portion of which I could use herein. Unless indicated otherwise, the dreams recited herein are presented as reported; personal attribution, where made, is with the dreamer's consent. I also thank Callan R. Jackson and the staff of the Penn State Law Review for their excellent work in making this a better article. Finally, I give a most heartfelt and loving thanks to my wife, Brenda, who is always my first editor and my greatest critic, and who must necessarily listen to me relate my own dreams.
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