Almost There!

Right now, I am 2 weeks and 6 days away from being able to say this: "I finished my first year of law school!!" So excited! This has actually been a really great year--I love my school and the city where I am, and I've made great new friends and had a lot of good experiences here. It's hard to believe it's been almost a whole year since I graduated from college, and I've really enjoyed navigating the post-grad life and figuring stuff out. But now, even though it's been a great year, I am just really excited to be able to say that I survived that introduction to law school, my 1L year, what is aptly referred to by many people as "1L of a year"! It is tough, no doubt about it, and I know I will feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment when I am actually done.

I am still trying to find a summer job, so that's also something I anticipate getting figured out in the next few weeks (at least I hope!) Right now I'm mostly trying to find work at a firm that practices either family law or personal injury, because those are the areas I have become most interested in during my first year. In fact, as we speak I'm supposed to be writing some cover letters . . . but I'll get there. I know that something will work out soon.

In the meantime, right around the corner, lurking dangerously close, are FINALS. For all my classes except legal writing, the one final exam is worth a casual 100% of my grade in the course, so as you might guess, they're kind of a big deal. In legal writing, I have a memo due Monday that makes up most of my grade, and then I have exams in constitutional law, civil procedure, and contracts. I also have a legal professionalism class that is pass/ fail, and I don't have a final in that class. This is definitely the time of year when law students tend to get stressed, freaked out, and exhausted. And also pretty competitive, because everyone wants to "beat the curve" to be able to do well in classes. This year has made me stop and think a number of times, "I used to think I was smart. But then I went to law school!"

I always make "exam playlists" and "study playlists" that include a very eclectic mix of the High School Musical soundtracks, other movie soundtracks, Costa Rican dance music, Kelly Clarkson, Sugarland, and that old classic, Livin' on a Prayer. Then I try to keep myself motivated with inspiring music when I'm knee-deep in outlining and checking citations for my memo.

Here's a song for y'all today from one of these playlists: "Hold On" from the Princess Diaries soundtrack (random, I know, but the lyrics are great and listening to it always makes me happy).

And this website is great for a study break: Only in Law School. It's basically a bunch of law school inside jokes. Some of it's a little over-the-top, but I know my law school friends will totally relate: