Reflections on 1L

It has been 10 days since I took the last final of my first year of law school. The deer-in-the-headlights feeling of overwhelm has almost completely faded away and I have mostly been able to recoup my brain facilities. However, I don’t know if I’ll ever be back to “normal”. Even one year of law school has changed the way I think and interact with the world. The jury is still out as to whether I have changed for the better *cue Wicked soundtrack here*.

            For example, I now consistently correct people, even people on TV who have no knowledge that they are being admonished, for saying that someone was “assaulted” when they have actually been victims of battery. Now that I know the technical definitions of the two crimes (assault is the intent to cause fear or apprehension of physical harm and battery is an actual harmful or offensive contact) my legal brain, which may have some relation to the proverbial lizard brain, refuses to ignore such a blatant misnomer.

Moreover, I see Torts everywhere. I have been helping Tim pull together the last minute details during Hell Week (the last week before his student’s musical Dream Girls opens) and couldn’t help closely guarding the handsaw and cans of spray paint I brought to make sets. You’d be surprised at how many things can go wrong with aerosol and goodness knows I don’t want to be held liable for negligently leaving spray paint out for teenage vandals to convert.

Aside from noticing how much more analytical and technical I have become over the last year, I have been reflecting on the whole experience of being a first year law student. All in all, despite long, tedious hours of reading, occasional stressful moments under pressure of deadlines and only two serious emotional breakdowns, I can look back proudly and say I had a positive experience and do not at all regret my decision to go to law school here.

The rumors about competitive nastiness in law school are not wholly unsubstantiated (at one point early in the year, I was excluded from a study group I asked to join and a few times I overheard some nasty gossip about high achieving students) but I found the majority of my peers to be cooperative and kind. Most are willing to share notes and outlines and tips on available jobs or internships. I imagine that some day I will be working with or even hiring some of my impressive colleagues for their legal counsel one day. And of course, some of my colleagues became my friends and I am so grateful for them. I am so blessed to have friends in law school so we can support each other through this adventure. I believe some bonds of friendship I formed will last my lifetime.

The staff and faculty at my school are incredibly supportive as well. The key to forming mentorships and getting help in law school is taking initiative. With a little effort and follow-up on my part I have gotten help editing my resume and cover letter, been given influential recommendations to two separate internships (both of which I was offered, one which I accepted as my summer job), made friends with the library staff who kindly waived a late fee when I had a book out too long during finals week, and always had friendly conversations and a positive experience with the folks at the school cafeteria.

In the supportive community, where people lift each other up, I feel like the challenges of learning how to think, write and speak like a lawyer are not insurmountable.  At times I was stretched thin, startled by my own strong emotional reactions to certain cases or subjects, frustrated by the work load and sky high expectations (both my professors’ and my own) and feeling down. But then, just when I needed it the most, I would be uplifted by a kind word from a peer, given confidence from a compliment from a professor or my own correct answer in class, and most usually, encouraged by my amazing husband. Tim’s unflagging confidence in me and willingness to sacrifice his own time and energy to make law school possible for me was my rock in the storm throughout this year.

Some people say that going through law school with a partner puts a strain on the relationship and can often lead to conflict and separation. Now, I won’t sugarcoat things and saying this year was all marital perfection and bliss. We nagged and argued at times. But we got through 1L without any scars because we worked as a team. Tim and I are true partners. We share the household responsibilities equally and when we can’t we each pick up the slack when it is needed. When I am in the midst of a project or exams, Tim kicks into superman mode, doing all the laundry, shopping, cooking, cleaning and dog care. Then when the situation calls for it, we switch. I am playing that role now while he is working with the Dream Girls cast in Hell Week.

The last thing I think helped me get through my first year of law school with relative grace and success (although what level of success is still to be determined, as I won’t get grades for another 3 weeks) was the advice that my Oma’s friends Lizbeth and Anne, whom I consider some of my fairy grandmothers, to make sure I take time to enjoy being young, married, healthy and free. Generally to, and I quote, “chill the fuck out”. CTFO became my motto this year. Because of my own high standards, when I CTFO I am still working my butt off but it helped me remember to pursue balance in life and law school. I continue to strive for balance as I look forward to a summer of new, exciting challenges.

May Days: The Heat is On

Sun Setting at the Dog Park

 April has passed us by in a blitz of birthdays and books. It was a good month for me, full of CST test prep for my students as well as a wonderful birthday bash; for Chelsea it was the winding down of her schedule as she prepared for finals. 

But now May is here and she hath come with a fury. The last two weeks it has averaged about 85-95 degrees Fahrenheit in the Sacramento area and as Chels reminds me it is just the beginning.

April sped by and early on I was finishing up Spring Break and working slowly down my “Honey Do” list. The next weekend we spent in San Francisco with some of our wonderful San Diego friends where we scavenger hunted, ate some astonishing food, and enjoyed the Big City. Our friend David, who recently moved to Chicago came in for a few days and it just so happened to line up with my birthday weekend, it was perfect and just tons of fun. I was so appreciative of all who came. The next week after the birthday I played catch up at school because if I take a weekend off I need to find the hours somewhere to correct papers, plan lessons, and organize the Spring Production. Another week passed and it was crazy for me because it was the California Standardized Test, a huge thing at our school. We had some crazy weeks where on the Wednesday and Thursday the kids were done by noon, but the other days we still had our 8-4 days. Since I don’t work with 9^th-11^th graders in my “Advisory Class” (the class where most of the tests take place) but rather work with 12^th graders to get them college and graduated, I was able to participate in some fun Senior day activities, and of course all the extra time we had after school I devoted to our school play (which opens May 24^th and 25^th!!!

The Chancellor of the Hunt put us in pairs. My partner, Groth, is swooping for a shot with David's ice cream. We didn't win, but it was fun!

In terms of Chelsea, at the beginning of the month she was participating in “Moot Court” competition where she had to research some cases in a hypothetical “closed-universe” (meaning they gave you all the cases to read), write a 5-page brief on the cases, and then argue an oral argument   in front of judges. She did really well out of 30+ contenders she was in the Top 4 which meant that on the second day of the competition she argued in front of REAL Appellate Court Judges. It was so great to watch her. She is so, so impressive and I am such a lucky guy to be married to her. Chelsea was the only female in the top 4 and the judges heaped tons of praise, not only on her, but on all the finalists. It was really inspiring to watch her. In addition, her brief that she wrote was one of the top 10 briefs that were submitted (I think hers was 6^th). So amazing.  Other than that she finished up her first year of Law School classes and has been diligently studying for finals. She has taken two already and is in the midst of studying up for her last 3 finals. I am sure she will write more once her craziness is done. 

Chels with the other final four and the Appellate Judges they spoke in front of.

The month of May is promising so far. School is pretty mellow for me, since the testing is done and we can really teach lessons that we want to teach rather than teach to the test. I am working on lessons for Macbeth which I am very excited to teach. Then before I know it, it will be finals and summer will be here (yay!!!). Moreover, the school play goes up on the 24^th and closes on the 25^th and once that is done it will be a sigh of relief. But I know it will be great.  Also I have purchased a road bike to ride around Sacramento so these last few weekends, Chelsea and I have been riding and running errands by bike.

Chelsea is done this upcoming Friday and is going to visit her mom and grandmother down the coast for a week or so, and then she starts her summer internship. So good things are coming, and even though it is burning out here, we’re burning too. We’re working hard getting things done and really enjoying life and all its craziness.

Reading Macbeth and prepping for this coming month. Nice times!