Law school is a unique kind of grad school. It requires a lot of reading and even more arguing. You're encouraged to disagree with the teacher (so long as you can back up your argument.) You will challenge your own beliefs and question yourself. Applying the law to an argument that you need to win is both frustrating and invigorating. I can promise you this: if you're planning on embarking on the journey that is law school, you will change. I believe that it's possible to negatively change, but if you hold on to who you are and what you believe, it's absolutely possible to become a far better version of yourself.
From everything that I've learned, here are 7 easy tips to know before going in to law school in order to have a great time and succeed:
ONE: Know Yourself
So much of the first term is spent comparing yourself to your peers. I constantly asked if I was studying enough or if my outline was right. At the end of the day, I had to determine what was right for me. That happened to be many colorful, disjointed, and handwritten outlines. One friend would use flashcards and another friend wouldn't need an outline at all. There's no reason to compare yourself to your peers because in the end, you have to remember the information and only you know your own brain. If possible, try to start your law school journey knowing what study techniques work best for you.
TWO: Get involved
A lot of students think that it's wise to not get involved in their first term in order to focus on studying. My personal belief is quite the opposite. I think that you should get as involved as you want in your first term. Keep in mind that you need to study and put school first but the more you're involved and the more your face is seen, the more you'll be thought of for projects and opportunites. Meeting and knowing people opens doors. I will never regret getting too involved and yet I know friends who regret not getting more involved.
THREE: Plan Ahead
Whether you're doing law school in 2 years or 5 years, plan ahead. Know what classes you want to take and what clubs you want to get involved in. If you have no idea, then learn more so that you'll be able to decide. A lot of clubs have prerequisite classes. Many organizations are really great resume builders depending on what future you see. Put together a law school bucket list and start asking about what you need to do to achieve it.
FOUR: Use the Resources
All of the advisors and resources are there for you. If you have a free search engine, learn how to use it. The better that you understand Westlaw or Nexis, the more marketable you'll be when you need to get a job. Meet with the advisors and teachers. Get all of your questions answered and polish your resume while you still have professionals who will help. Many students don't take advantage of everything that a law school offers as part of the educational journey.
It's okay if you don't know what a plaintiff is. It's acceptable if you need to ask why jurisdictions matter. Don't feel stupid if you have to ask the professor or fellow students a question. If you're thinking it, chances are that others are as well anyways. If a professor doesn't explain a word or meaning, it's not because they assume you know it, it's because they're so used to saying the words that they just don't realize that you may not know the meaning.
SIX: Be Friendly
Law school is stressful and there will be times when you want to shut everyone out. One of the best pieces of advice that I could give is that it is crucial that you maintain friendly relationships with everyone. You never know who may hire you for a future job or who could be the next district judge. How awkward would it be if you had to represent a client in front of your law school arch-nemesis, Honorable Judge So-and-So?
My friends are probably my biggest support system through law school. While my family and other friends know what I'm doing, it's really hard to understand just quite what being a law student involves. As a gift to you I asked them all what advice they would give. Here are their responses:
1. Make good friends who have your best interests at heart
2. Wine & ice cream
3. Networking (sometimes involving drinks)
4. Know that it's going to be difficult at times and accept that
5. Have a good cry if you need to, then pull your sh*t together because it's your future
6. Remember that the profs were in your position once
7. Keep in touch with your family and loved ones. It's easy to end communication with the world
8. Keep the hobbies that you had before you started
9. Organization is key
10. Force yourself out of your comfort zone
No comments:
Post a Comment