I’m officially past the midway point of my first semester in law school. That is such a wild thing to think, let alone say out loud! Along with the thrill of having made it this far comes a deep sense of dread. The end of October might just be the toughest stretch of a 1L’s experience.
With finals that count for nearly 100% of your grade fast approaching, a research memo due, and big law applications looming on the horizon, this month can feel like you’re barely staying afloat. Luckily, I feel like I’m keeping my head above water. I’ve officially started outlining for my courses and feel confident in my research!
Still, the reality of the ever-quickening law school job application process threatens to pull me under. Everyone says your grades are the most important thing, yet it’s hard not to get caught up thinking about your future as a “real” lawyer. What will my first summer job look like? Will I be clerking for a judge, working for a nonprofit, the government here in D.C., or at a big law firm?
Most people chase that big law job, and the salary that comes with it, but the harsh reality is that they don’t take many first-years. Even so, applications for 2L summer associate positions open as early as this December. Facing a competitive job market and deciding who you want to be as a lawyer is the scariest part of this season; it feels incredibly overwhelming.
But in this time of great stress, I’ve also experienced great growth. I’ve learned more than I ever could have imagined and feel like I’m exactly where I need to be, school-wise, city-wise, and life-wise. Though I don’t know where I will be next summer or after graduation, I can focus on the now.
In the midst of the raging storm around me, I make sure to prioritize time for myself every weekend, to see family and friends, explore my new city, and take in current events or history. Most recently, I visited the Holocaust Museum, and the experience left me completely shattered. I still struggle to find the words to describe what it was like to confront that history. Carrying that weight, and the reminder of both human suffering and resilience that I encounter beyond class each weekend, makes the daily pressures of law school feel a little smaller, a little more bearable.
Though life and law school can be daunting, I genuinely love writing these blogs. They bring me back to earth and reconnect me with the version of myself before law school began. I learn through this process and from the little things every day. Just this morning, I made a breakfast frittata for the first time. It wasn’t perfect, but I was proud of myself for trying something new, something you definitely won’t learn from a casebook!
I’m so grateful for where I am today, and I’ll continue to push, learn, and grow. Happy Fall! I hope everyone takes a moment this week to pat themselves on the back for all they have accomplished in this busy and exciting season.
