I've officially been a law student for three whole days, but somehow it feels like it has been three long months already. I am exhausted. Law school is both physically and mentally demanding... and clearly my stamina is lacking in both departments.
The first year of law school is considered the most difficult of the three years of school. The amount of information that you must not only read, but also understand, and then apply is mind-numbing. I have never had to read and then reread to understand a case- only to get to class and find out I didn't understand the case at all with the questions the professors are asking. When they say legal language is a foreign language they weren't kidding. Most of the ridiculously long statutes could easily be written in plain English in a sentence or two. But... as the saying goes- 'if law school was easy, everyone would do it.' I get that it shouldn't be or isn't easy (if it was who would actually need an attorney to represent them? I guess we need some form of job security), but I don't see the point in it being so ridiculously hard!
Despite the difficulties of trying to comprehend SIX different classes, I have enjoyed classes so far. The professor's all have very different personalities ranging from super mono-toned and flat to bubbly and hyperactive to downright scary. The funny thing is that the scary professor is probably my favorite one because he gets right down to business. He forces the class to answer the questions that really matter. I say this now, but I may change my opinion on liking him so much when I get in the hot seat :)
Speaking of the hot seat, let me explain classes and how they work. First off, there are 200 + students who are 1L's this year. (you're called a 1L if you are in your first year, 2L second year, 3L third year.) Those 200 students are divided into 3 different sections... 101, 102, and 103. Each section has it's own class schedule and its own set of professors. We do not share professors or classes between the sections in the first year of school. In years 2 and 3 we will all mix together again, but for now we have our little family (and by that I mean 80 or so students) in our section all year long.
Think Harry Potter and Hogwarts (because I'm a nerd and I love that I can apply Harry Potter to my life woo!) :) I'm going to say section 101 is Gryffindor... 102 can be Slytherin... and 103 can be Hufflepuff. Wild guess which one I'm in ; ) If you don't understand Harry Potter then you need to re-evaluate your life and read those books!!! Or... just watch the movies if you are tired of reading like me right now!
The other thing I wanted to post before I forget and the weeks fly by is about my experience during orientation. First of all, I think the Dean of our school is a brilliant lady. Her opening speech knocked my socks off. I don't think there was a person there who wasn't hanging on her every word. During her speech, she told the story about a past Chancellor who recently died of heart failure and retold the story of what was said at his funeral. This is what stood out to me from her speech...
"They didn't speak about how prestigious he was or of all of his accomplishments, they spoke of his kindness and his heart... He gave a piece of his heart away until he didn't have any heart left.... What differences will you make? What legacy will you leave? ...Our times are crying out for you."
I was deeply moved by this and hope that I can remember it for the next three years and keep a firm grasp on why I want to become a lawyer in the first place. I aspire to be in a position where I can make a difference and that I too will leave a legacy worth remembering... or at least one that may impact a future law student as the legacy of this man has done for me.
There was also a quote read during orientation (I forget who quoted it) that I had heard countless times before, but it had not resonated with me so loudly until I heard it last week...
“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become your character.
And watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
What we think, we become."
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become your character.
And watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
What we think, we become."
This quote is one that I have taken to heart as I know my thoughts tend to dwell on the negative and my actions have often reflected this. I tend to see the cup half empty and give people very little room for redemption in my book. I'm not sure you can change many habits by the age of 24, but it never hurts to attempt to self-improve.
It's only been three days, but I already feel myself changing and looking at things in a new perspective. Being an English major for so many years made me love the written word, but being a law student has given those words real meaning.
-L