The Benefits of Joining Law School Student Organizations

The Benefits of Joining Law School Student OrganizationsThis week we welcome back guest writer Marissa Geannette to discuss why joining a law school organization can be beneficial to your life as a law student.

Law school can be an intense experience, filled with long hours of studying, tough classes, and even tougher professors. While most law students are focused on academic success, seeking out a supportive community that fosters personal and professional growth is just as important. One of the most effective ways to do this is by joining law school student organizations.

You might not feel like you have a lot of free time on your hands, but making the time for these extracurriculars offers benefits that can significantly enhance your law school experience and your future legal career. Here, we explore the many advantages of becoming an active member of your law school student organizations and how doing so can help you find your legal community during law school and beyond. [Read more…]

How To Juggle Multiple Work Assignments At Once

How To Juggle Multiple Work Assignments At OnceThis week we welcome back guest writer Marissa Geannette to discuss managing multiple work assignments as a lawyer.

As a law student, you already know what it’s like to have more than one thing due at once. Having competing obligations and multiple assignments due at once is nothing new to you.

When you begin working, especially at a law firm, you’ll likely find that you have even more things to juggle. Sooner rather than later, you’re bound to receive multiple assignments, from multiple lawyers, all due at the same time. So, what’s a new lawyer to do?

First of all, let’s put something to bed once and for all– multitasking doesn’t work. Our minds can’t do two things at once, so when we try to do that, we end up costing ourselves more time in the end.

That’s why none of these tips are about how to multitask. Instead, we talk about other strategies you can implement to juggle multiple work assignments without driving yourself crazy.

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Time-Saving Tips for Law Students

Time-Saving Tips for Law StudentsThis week we welcome back guest writer Julia Gourary to talk about some ideas for saving time as a law student.

In law school, it sometimes feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day for everything. Whether you’re juggling school with a part-time job, a relationship, parenting, or just trying to find time for healthy habits like exercise, sleep, and eating right, time can be tight. Assuming you’ve already gone for low-hanging fruit like putting your phone on Do Not Disturb, avoiding social media, or staying out of Internet rabbit holes in order to avoid distraction, what else can a busy law student do to save time? Read on for some time-saving tips for law students. [Read more…]

First Few Weeks of 1L as a “Non-Traditional” Student

First Few Weeks of 1L as a "Non-Traditional" StudentThis week we welcome back new 1L Stephanie Gregoire to discuss what it’s been like transitioning from a career to starting law school.

The first few weeks of 1L can be a lot. If you’re someone who, like me, had a career before law school and wonder what those first few weeks are like from that perspective, look no further!

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The Six Best Pieces of Advice I’ve Received as a 0L

The Six Best Pieces of Advice I’ve Received as a 0LThis week we welcome back Julia Gourary to discuss the best advice she’s been given before starting law school.

For incoming 1L students, or “0Ls”, the summer before school starts can be full of nervous excitement and anticipation. As a 0L, I’ve been making an effort to talk to current and recent law students for advice on everything from preparation to academics to social life. If you know anyone in law school, especially the law school you’re planning on attending, it’s definitely worth reaching out before you start. Everyone I’ve talked to has a unique perspective, emphasizing different things, including aspects of law school life I had not previously considered. In this post, I’m passing on some of the best pieces of advice I’ve received. [Read more…]

Things I’m Stressing About Before Starting Law School (And What I’m Telling Myself)

Things I’m Stressing About Before Starting Law School (And What I’m Telling Myself)This week we welcome back guest writer Julia Gourary to talk about getting ready for law school.

Starting law school is exciting, but it’s also a big transition, filled with lots of new and challenging experiences. While I’m looking forward to embarking on this new adventure, there are also some (okay, a lot) of things I’m stressing about, from all the costs of law school to those infamous cold calls to maintaining mental and physical health and wellbeing through long hours of studying and a high-stress environment.

Read on to find out the five things I’m stressing about most before starting law school, and what I’m telling myself to ease my worries. [Read more…]

What I Wish I Thought of a Month Before Law School

What I Wish I Thought of a Month Before Law SchoolThis week we welcome back guest writer Zoila Sanchez to discuss what she would have done the month before she started law school, if she had known then what she knows now!

Congratulations on committing to a law school program that you will start very soon! It may feel like a crazy time, with many logistics that need to get done before you begin school.

Aside from the to-do list, here are some potential things to consider—which I personally wish I knew—before law school officially begins:

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Losing Friends in Law School

Losing Friends in Law SchoolThis week we welcome back guest writer Hannah Myers to talk about navigating friendships in law school.

Perhaps one of the best, yet worst, aspects of law school is the social component. Suddenly, you feel like you’re back in high school at times, with all of the friend politics and occasional drama that rivals that of Homecoming, Sadie Hawkins, and the prom. In fact, there actually is a prom.

During orientation and that first grueling semester of 1L, everyone seems to be in the same boat. Finding their footing academically, bonding over how little everyone knows, making small talk between classes and in the library. But once those first few weeks (or months) pass, it’s natural for everyone to settle into something of a groove. You start to develop real friendships outside of class, seeing people on the weekends and during school breaks. But as friendships form, it is inevitable that some may drift apart as well. [Read more…]

Law School Affinity Groups – What They Do And Why You Should Join

Law School Affinity Groups - What They Do And Why You Should JoinThis week we welcome back guest writer and 3L Tiffany Lo to talk about what affinity groups are and why you may want to participate!

Law school affinity groups are created around a common identity and allow their members to connect and learn from each other. Some of these groups are Outlaw, Black Law Students Association, Asian Pacific Islander Law Students Association, Latinx Law Students Association, Native American Law Students Association, Jewish Law Students Association, Women of Color Collective, First Generation Law Students, Middle Eastern Law Students Association, and many more.

So why should you join one or multiple? Here are some things to think about:

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Following Your Own Law School Timeline

Following Your Own Law School TimelineThis week we welcome guest writer Zoila Sanchez to talk about how to focus on your own law school experience and adapt to what you need to in order to make it through school.

As you may have already realized, there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to experiencing law school as we are all different and rarely fall into the “traditional” law student mold. For example, some students are parents and attend school full or part-time. Some students are returning for a second or third degree.

You may have experienced feeling “behind” in some way. For example, you may feel late on securing an internship merely because someone else has already interviewed or secured one.

As a law student, I remember representing a bar prep program and promoting a prescribed schedule to help students stay on track. Specifically, there were dates on when to complete the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE). While the recommendation seemed to emphasize starting early to set yourself up for success, I came to realize how so much of the real-life law school experience for many is set to a totally different pace than what was on the schedule. [Read more…]