Seems like just yesterday that I shared with you all that I would be attending law school. Flash forward to now and I’m a couple of weeks away from starting my last year of school ever. Growing up, the back-to-school season was always a wonderful time for me. I was the kid who tried on her backpack and wore it around the house just out of excitement. The excitement dies down as you get older, and especially when you get to graduate or professional school, but this year marks a monumental year. Besides it being my last year of school ever, it’s also the first year of in-person learning since the pandemic hit and hopefully, my first (and last) full year of in-person learning on campus. So it’s worth a little back-to-school effort and general reflection on what this year means for me. Here’s how I’m getting ready to go back to law school :
New Supplies
I know there is absolutely no need to give myself new supplies when there is only one year of school left. But something about a fresh set of pens and highlights does something for me. I’ve already given my desk space a full makeover which you can check out here. Instead of deferring to my generic (and very unsightly) Columbia Law School backpack that I used during my first year, I’ll be using this backpack from Dagne Dover which is more stylish and functional.
New Goals
I don’t think I’ve really intentionally set goals for any of my two previous years of law school. The first year I was just happy to be here and I think the goal was just to just do as well as possible. My second year was during a pandemic and I think the goal was to just make it out of Zoom School of Law in one piece. But I’ve kind of left thee last two years of law school feeling dissatisfied with my experience and wanting more. I talk a little bit about why I’ve been feeling this way in this YouTube video, but essentially I don’t feel like I’ve fallen in love with any particular area of the law. That’s probably because I’ve spent my entire law school experience sitting in classrooms listening to professors lecture about theories and case law, instead of being able to see what real-life practice looks like. So my goal for this upcoming year is simple: spend as little time in a traditional classroom as possible. I want all the clinics, all the experiential learning, all the pro-bono. All of it. It’s time to see and to feel what it’s like to be a lawyer.
New Milestones
On that note, there are also plenty of things that need to happen in preparation for my pursuit to become an attorney in the state of New York. It is so surreal to think about the fact that the preparation process starts now. I’m grateful to have received a full-time offer from the law firm I worked out at this past summer. This past summer I took the MPRE which is essentially a professional ethics exam that all attorneys must pass in order to gain admission to the bar. I’ve also had to spend some time thinking about bar prep courses and other exams that are required in the state of New York. This stuff is getting more real with each passing day, so send some good vibes my way!
And Old Routines
Besides all of the new things that I’m doing in preparation for going back to law school, I’m also making sure to hone in and solidify the self-care routines that keep me grounded. 3LOL or not, law school is stressful, but I definitely do not want to lose sight of the habits that have kept me feeling centered and balanced.
Those are the major ways I’m preparing for my third and last year of law school. Congrats and good luck to anyone going back to school this year!
“The end of a matter is better than its beginning; patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.” Ecclesiastes 7: 8
