Spring Semester Goals

My second semester of Law School is just 3 short days away! Break has flown by. As I prepare to start another semester, I am making some goals for myself to try to further improve my learning and study habits. Hopefully I will stay on track.... Here are my 10 goals for my second semester of Law School.

Sunday Six 11/11/18

Happy Sunday!

I normally do this on Friday but I had a really busy week and I just ran out of time. So instead of a "Friday Five", I am doing a "Sunday Six" of things I am currently into.

Ohio is currently freezing and experiencing our first snow so I have spent most of my weekend bundled up and cuddling with my hubby and pups. We also took down Halloween decorations, did some Christmas shopping, cleaned our basement and I got one of my outlines up to date. I know, we are really living it up. I have no class tomorrow so it's a 3 day weekend and there is nothing better than that to get rested and prepared for the week ahead.

Why the First Semester of Law School Does Not Define You

If you have been reading for a while, you may know that I struggled with my first semester of law school. If you have not been reading for a while, here's the cliff notes version: I entered law school having always been a top student, one of the smartest in my classes, on a full-tuition scholarship and having just graduated Magna Cum Laude with dual Bachelors degrees. I was ready to crush law school just like everything else. Suddenly, everything I thought I knew about school and studying didn't work and I was surrounded by people just as smart and often smarter than me. That was a big adjustment. I questioned myself and my choice to attend law school daily. Eventually, I got into the swing of things and it got easier. Then, I took law school exams... wow. They were unlike any exam I had ever completed and I struggled. A lot. No matter how hard I studied, it didn't seem to be enough and the format of the 4-hour exams was just draining. I squeaked by but my grades were nowhere near where I wanted them to be and I was confused, heartbroken and completely frustrated. I contemplated dropping out. I thought of back up plans if I couldn't finish law school. I cried to my parents and husband.

Finally, my wonderful mother got tired of my whining and moping and gave me the kick in the butt I needed- She informed me that it was okay to be upset and disappointed with myself. But she also said I had never not excelled at something I put my mind to in my entire life and it was about darn time I got knocked on my rear. She told me to stop whining and make a decision- I could either buckle down, work harder than ever before and prove to myself and my school that I could excel in law school the second semester. The other choice was dropping out and figuring out something else to do with my life. I took the first option.

I am happy to report that my hard work paid off- I re-engineered my study tactics, worked my butt off and was able to pull my GPA up 2 entire points after the second semester. I got a higher grade in every single class and I even got my first A in law school which led to me dancing down the hallway of my internship. I am eligible for Moot Court and moved up in the ranking. I have a wonderful internship and I am learning something every day. Overall, I am heading into my 2L year much more confident and set in my plan to finish law school and succeed in the legal field.

So why did I tell this story?? Because one semester does not define you. You can fail and fall flat on your back... it's okay. You can cry it out. Just pick yourself up, make some changes, buckle down and choose to improve. Never ever let one bad class or one bad semester break your dreams. I failed. I had the worst GPA of my life. I got my first C's. I took that failure and let it fuel me to never get those grades again and succeed. If I can do that, so can you!

Never give up after one tough break. You are smart enough, you are good enough and they would not have let you into law school if you couldn't do it. Re-engineer, redouble your efforts and attack it with a vengeance-fueled by all your frustrations. Work so hard you will never have grades that low again. Make success the only option. Whining and complaining will not change your grades- only hard work will do that. Do not give up after one bad semester.

The caveat to that is that it is okay to change directions. If after the first year you truly realize that law is not for you, then find something else. That is not giving up- that is making a way for yourself that is right for you. The law may not be for everyone and it is not what it seems from the outside looking in. There is no shame in choosing to go for a different career. You must do what's best for you.

I wish everyone finishing their first year the best of luck as grades come back- I hope the curve falls in your favor. For those gearing up for their first year of law school, prepare for a lot of hard work, exhaustion and the possibility of failure... but remember, you can always improve and that first semester does not define you. As my internship supervisor wisely told me, there are a million great lawyers out there making a difference and some never even got an A in law school. Grades do not define you. Keep your head above water- you can do it!!

My First Law School Midterm

Happy Halloween!!!! Law School is getting real folks. Want to know what sacred me today? I had my first midterm this afternoon. I realize this is a lot later than most schools but my teacher pushed it back a whole week to ensure we covered the last chunk of material. My exam was over Estates and Future Interests of Property Law. According to my professor, this is the hardest material we will cover all of 1L year... I am pretty sure I believe him. That stuff was hard. 

What it is like Being Married to a Law Student

Hello everyone!

Today we have a fun post from a different point of view- my wonderful hubby is guest posting! I have had several people ask for more posts on what it is like to be married while in law school. I thought it would be interesting to see the other point of view- what is it really like to be married to and to live with a full-time law student? I am sure there are lots of spouses/boyfriends/girlfriends out there who wonder what it is like to live with and deal with a full-time law student. I successfully bugged my husband until he agreed to do this post.

A little background: my husband and I got married the summer before I started law school. We were still very fresh newlyweds living together for the first time when I began my 1L year. It has not always been easy to balance marriage and the demands of law school and I know it has been hard of my husband. To his credit, he is has been a trooper. He puts up with my constant studying, listens to all of my whining and complaining about classes and makes sure I eat and sleep during final exams. I am beyond lucky to have such a wonderful partner beside me throughout this journey!

Now without further ado, I turn the keyboard over to my wonderful hubby!

Hello blog-people. I am the husband of this situation. My wife won't stop bugging me to write this so I finally caved. Maybe it will help future law student husbands or wives or boyfriends or girlfriends. I have 5 tips for being married to and living with a law student. It is not a walk in the park but I am still happily married after 2 years so it is possible.

A Week by Week Study Schedule

Happy Thursday!

This post come s by request and I think it will be super helpful. I have alluded to my weekly study schedule in the past but I have never devoted a whole post to it so that is what's on tap for today.

Figuring out what you need to study and work on week to week in law school can be challenging. There is always a ton of stuff to do and just so many hours in which to complete it. I am sharing the study schedule which has worked well for me over my 2.5 years in law school. I have honed it to what works perfectly for me. I hope you find it helpful as well!

Here is a sample look at my week to week study schedule. This is what I do during the majority of my semester until about a month before finals. Then I integrate more study time to prepare for finals. More on that in this post: PREPARING FOR LAW SCHOOL EXAMS ONE MONTH OUT

How to Survive Commuting to Law School

Hello friends!

This is a highly requested post that has taken me a little while to compile information for because it is not something I have personal experience with. I do not commute a large distance to law school- I have about a 15 minutes drive. I know that many people have to commute to law school (or grad school of any kind) and I can imagine it would be difficult on top of an already busy and exhausting schedule. Though I do not have personal experience, I polled a few of my super successful classmates who commute to law school for the information found in this post. Though this is not my own thoughts or opinions, I trust the people who I talked to implicitly and I think their advice is very valuable as they have all managed to commute through law school while still doing amazing in school. Sometimes I quote them directly and sometimes I summarized but overall, I hope this is helpful to those who are currently commuting to law school or those considering it in the future.

My Opinions on 1L Core Classes

I am just getting started in my fourth semester of law school. Thus far I have taken 15 classes and I am in the process of taking 5 more. Throughout all my classes, I have had some favorites and some that I did not enjoy. I am going to touch on the highlights of both for the 1L core classes everyone has to take. While everyone is different and enjoys different classes or concepts, my hope in doing this is to just give a little more insight into what law school classes are actually like: the good, bad and ugly.

Contracts
I took Contracts in two installments 1L year. Overall, I found Contracts to be extraordinarily boring. I felt like it was mathematical... a good contract requires filling in a formula of sorts. You have a formula of law to create a contract and a formula of law to breach one. Though this made the class relatively easy for me and I did very well, it just wasn't my cup of tea. I have never been a math person and I think that is why contracts didn't click with me either. For others in my class, they loved the formality of contacts. I think it is a class you either love or hate.

Property 
Oh Property... it's a love/hate relationship. This was another class I took in two installments 1L year. I LOVED some parts of Property law... I loved how historical it is and how the law has changed little in hundreds of years. It is precedent based.  It brought out my inner history nerd. I also loved how it is so applicable to real life- as a homeowner, I could relate to Property law because I had used it. However, some concepts just blew my mind and I could never quite grasp them (and yes I am talking about Estates and Future Interests... and mortgages...). Though I genuinely enjoyed Property law class, I found studying for and taking Property exams to be some of my biggest challenges 1L year.

Torts
I took Torts my very first semester and it was my highest grade first semester. I LOVED Torts. I think it is such a fun class. The concepts are conceivable- we have all heard that if you slip in a store, you could recover damages. You can wrap your head around the laws easily. The cases can be so ridiculous they are hilarious- one I always remember is a claim by a woman that her car trunk should have had a release from the inside because when she locked herself in the trunk of her car to commit suicide and it didn't work because the trunk wasn't airtight, she should have been able to get out on her own; instead she was in there for 5 days until someone opened the trunk by happenstance (she lost because it was decided that suicide was not the intended purpose of a car trunk). The utter ridiculousness of this case makes it impossible for me to forget, along with the accompanying Tort law concepts. I love Torts so much that I asked to be a part of the Products Liability Moot Court Team when given the option.

Civil Procedure
Civil Procedure is a great first-year class because it involves cold, hard, black letter law rules. There is no guessing and arguing- there are just rules. Though this made it a great class to learn in and was easier to study for than some others, it also felt a bit stale and stifling at times. I had a great professor who made it as fun as legal rules can be but it still is just very stale. I know that it is a very important class for those who want to go into civil litigation and trial work and if that is your focus, I suggest making Civil Procedure a priority!

Constitutional Law 
Con Law is a very important class. I know not everyone will agree with me but I truly believe it is. The Constitution is the basis of our country and its legal system. As aspiring attorneys, the legal system is going to be our bread and butter. Knowing where the laws came from, why they came to be and how they came to be may not always be fun but it is integral. Con law seeps into all other classes because a constitutional issue will inevitably pop up in every other law class. I always felt there was something extra important about learning the law of our country through the frame of our constitution... it is just so important as an American. I also enjoyed the historical aspect because I am and will always be a self-professed history nerd.

Criminal Law 
Crim law is my absolute favorite. I have always said I wanted to go into criminal law but I really didn't what that entailed until taking this class in the spring of my 1L year. Two weeks in and I knew this was the only law I wanted to practice. I just love the challenge each case presents- you need to find out the truth of the case and fit it into the elemental boxes of a crime and then argue for or against conviction. My professor taught us criminal law by assigning us defense or prosecution and letting us argue our way through class according to the statutory provisions and facts of a case. I just loved every minute in that class. Criminal law is unique because you are applying statute to facts to determine if there is a crime or not. It is a bit different than other classes that have laws based more on the decisions of precedent cases and the common law system. After finishing Criminal Law, I knew this was the field for me... and it was my highest grade in law school to date which certainly made me happy.

Legal Research and Writing 
Legal research and writing is such an important class. It is truly hands-on and simulates what you will do in practice as an attorney. However, it is also technical and at times very frustrating... and it is easy to put on the backburner during the hustle and bustle of 1L year. By the end, I wanted nothing more than to burn my bluebook. I did really well with the appellate brief because it was persuasive writing. But I struggled with objective writing for the memorandum. A lot of the things they made us do in LRW just felt like busy work... I never want to hear the words "Core Grammar" again. But all of that aside, I did learn to be a better legal writer and when I went to my internship after 1L summer, I was armed with a group of skills to complete any research or writing assignments they gave me. So no matter how annoying and boring it was, legal research and writing is so very necessary and a class that should be taken very seriously.

Well, there they are: my very honest opinions and thoughts about 1L classes. I know everyone is different and has very different opinions about which classes they enjoy and which they hate. I just hope this helps to give some insight into what to expect in these classes so you can go into 1L year with some understanding of what to anticipate.

Also, I am happy to have no classes today in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. day but I want to take a moment to remember why we have no classes. Today we honor a man who worked tirelessly for justice, equality and rights for all- the three things I think lawyers should strive to protect and uphold. Today, I remember a great man with a dream for freedom and I will work extra hard toward my own dreams so that someday, my license to practice law can help me to provide justice, equality, and protection of the rights of my fellow citizens.

Tips for Remote Law School

I know this is a crazy and scary time for law students. 3L's are dealing with the lack of graduation and uncertainty around the bar exam and my heart just goes out to all of you. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone and my hope is that this pandemic will pass and everyone will have access to all normal opportunities.

What I want to discuss today is the change to remote law school. I know it has been a hard adjustment for everyone. As I am now working for my law school, I have remained pretty informed on the transition to online law school and the struggles students are facing. While I never completed law school online, I did study for two bar exams online from home and through a lot of trial and error, I figured out a few tricks to handle full time study online from home. I want to share these tips in the hopes that they might provide a little assistance to all the law students out there figuring out online law school.

1. Set a Routine 
It literally doesn't matter what your routine is, but find something that works for you. Personally, I would do work in 3 hour increments throughout the day. It was unusual but it worked for me. Having a routine gives you a reason to get up and get to work in the morning. Having a routine also makes it easier to ensure that you are getting enough work done. It is sometimes hard to keep up when you don't have the usual parameters. Having a daily routine keeps you in the rhythm of getting your work done and will help you to stay on top of the work load.

A routine also helps you make time for relaxation. You need to take breaks and rest your brain. Work hard and then enjoy your leisure time.

2. Make a Study Space
I think it is super important to have a defined area in your home for studying. Just like when you get home from class, you can relax and step away from school work, if you define a place in your home purely for studying, you can step away from that area when you need to relax. Further, when you get into your study space, it helps to motivate work just like arriving to class motivates you to be prepared and do your best.

3. Ask for Help
If you are struggling, absolutely reach out for help. There is no award for going it alone. These are hard times- these are unprecedented times. Everyone is figuring it out as they go. I urge you to seek out help if you feel like you are starting to struggle. Talk to professors, faculty, mentors.... anyone you trust to advise you and assist you. If you feel mental health issues beginning, seek out help. There are many free and online counseling options available. Please please please ask for help if you are struggling. I know personally I always hate admitting I need help but when I seek it out, I always feel better on the other side.

4. Have Grace with Yourself
Life has changed drastically- it's okay if your motivation and productivity changes too. Have some grace with yourself as you adjust to this new reality. It will get easier, it will get better and eventually, this pandemic will come to an end.

5. Helpful Products 
I put together an Amazon list of items I think are gamechangers for studying from home.

•  Laptop stand to get your laptop up to a better position to improve your posture and alleviate neck strain
•  Wireless mouse
•  Wireless keyboard- it makes it easier to type while your computer is raised
•  Ring light- clip this over your laptop camera and look like a rockstar on Zoom or Facetime
•  Blue light blocking glasses help to alleviate the strain of computer screens on your eyes and help with headaches
•  Seat cushion to help with posture
•  Water bottle- I like to have water next to me at all times while studying at home 
•  Coffee mug with lid- don't let your coffee spill on your computer!

Shop all these products here!

I hope this is helpful! Best of luck everyone!

Everything You Need to Know about Taking Notes in Law School

Notes.... seems like half my life during law school is spent taking notes. Reading notes, class notes, notes on how to outline, notes of how to study, notes on internship searching.... it never ends. One of the pros to this-I have gotten extremely good at my notetaking system.

How to Choose a Bar Prep Company

THE BAR EXAM

Words that strike a small sense of terror into every law student. The test that determines whether or not you will be allowed to practice law. The test that quite literally determines your future. If you want to be a lawyer and you are not thinking about the bar exam, you should start now.

My law school starting prepping us for the bar exam right in orientation. Bar exam passage has been low universally among all law schools the last few years so they wanted us to start off strong and do everything we could to prepare over our three years in law school for the bar exam. The strategies they implemented included requiring all students to complete classes in bar tested subjects, multiple choice questions on all exams, semester check in's on where we should be in our bar prep process and a professor dedicated to helping us with bar exam questions.

One of the most important parts of the bar examination process is choosing a company for your bar exam preparation course. Basically, if you graduate in May and take the bar exam in July, you spend those 3 months studying basically nonstop for the exam. The most effective way to do this is with an intensive commercial bar preparation course. Some of the most popular companies are Themis, Barbri, and Kaplan. These intensive bar preparation courses provide you will condensed instruction on the relevant black letter law, practice multiple choice questions, practice essay questions, essay grading, support staff and test-taking strategies to excel on the exam.

Transitioning from 2L to 3L year

Hello friends.

My apologies for being basically MIA for the last few weeks. I turned my Moot Court brief in on Friday and finished the Advanced Leadership Academy I was attending on weekends yesterday so I finally have some free time back to spend on the blog.

Today's post has been requested by several people so I figured I would give it a shot. Transitioning from 2L to 3L year was much easier than the transition from undergrad to 1L or from 1L to 2L. At this point, I have law school classes pretty well figured out as well as balancing classes with extracurriculars (such as Moot Court) and work. The first bit of 3L year seemed like it was going to be pretty chill and not very different from 2L year.

How to Maintain a Law School-Life Balance

Acclimating to life in law school is not easy. It is nothing like undergrad and the difference takes some getting used to. Tomorrow night I am going to be a part of a 2L student panel to give advice to my schools new 1L class during their orientation. One thing I am going to stress to the new students is a school-life balance and how important it is to maintain. It may not be easy and it will likely take a few weeks to establish a good balance between law school and life but it is very important. I suggest starting right from the beginning with establishing a solid school-life balance.

My first few weeks of 1L year were trying... I had a hard time finding a balance between my school work and my normal life. It was about a month into school when my husband sat me down and let me know that I was letting law school take over my life and he was worried. From then on out, I made a point to maintain a better balance between school and life. I wasn't always successful- around final memo time or exams, law school took over. But the rest of the semester, I worked to maintain a good balance between school and life and I think my mental health benefited greatly as did my marriage, family relationships, and friendships. It is easy to get caught up in law school and letting your life revolve around it in the first few weeks/months; if you make a school-life balance a priority from the beginning, it will be easier to maintain in the long run. Here are my tips for establishing a school-life balance right from the start.

How I Pull Myself Out of a No-Motivation Rut

Happy Tuesday!

If anyone has been following my Instagram stories lately, you might have noticed that I have been in a little bit of a "rut". It's the 5th week of classes, I've been fighting a little bit of a head cold, I have a million things going on, work is getting busy, we are trying to get projects done around the house before the weather turns and I have just been feeling blah. I come home and just want to do nothing but sit on the couch and watch TV and avoid my responsibilities.... hence, I am in a no-motivation rut.

I feel like I hit a rut like this every semester at some point. Once the excitement of starting a new semester wears off and the hype of exams hasn't set in yet, I get super burnt out and unmotivated for a time. However, I really don't have time to give in to this. I am a busy law student and lazy time is not built into the schedule. As this has happened to me several times, I have established a little routine for pulling myself out of the rut. It might not work for everyone, but this does work for me!

My Tactics for Bar Exam Prep

Well, I am almost done with my third week of bar prep and I am starting to get a routine down I think. I can say that it is not the most fun thing I have ever done but it is also not the worst. I am in my third week and I am 20% through my program already. Below I am outlining what I am doing, how it is working and what I am using to make it happen.

My Study Space
My study space is simple but effective. My husband and I turned our extra room into an office. I have a desk, bookshelf, filing cabinet, printer and it works out just how I need it too.

Two really helpful things I have in my space is a laptop riser and book stand. Both of these help to keep me from bending over and straining my neck. I have linked them below:

   

How to Combat Senioritis

3 weeks.

2 presentations. 

4 papers.

3 final exams.

That is all that stands between me and graduation from my undergraduate institution. Senioritis is at an all time high... I am just ready to graduate, get married, buy a house and start Law School. Finding the gumption to get my work done and finish this semester strong has not ben easy but I am doing my best. Here are my tips for finishing that final semester strong no matter how much you don't want to.

Write it Out
I have lists all over with everything I have to do in order of when it is due. This gives me a list with priority so I can get everything done in a timely manner according to due date. Also, constantly bumping into lists showing me everything  have to do helps me to get productive and start crossing things off.

Don't Procrastinate
Though I have a hard time following my own advice, I have been trying harder to get things done early and over a period of time instead of waiting until the last minute. I have always been a notorious procrastinator and especially when trying to finish this last semester with zero motivation I knew I could not leave it all to the end. Therefore, I got some easy papers done early in the semester when I had time and have been picking away at the others in my spare time so I don't have to do them all at once in finals week. I want to enjoy my last few weeks of college and getting things done ahead of time will allow me to do that.

Save Good Classes for the End
I got all my annoying general education and harder major classes out of the way  other semesters so that my very last semester would be filled ith classes I enjoy. I have all History courses and a self-defense class this semester. Though not easy classes, they are subjects I enjoy and therefore I am not struggling through a subject I hate or something that challenges me significantly my final semester. This leaves me the necessary time to prepare for law school, finish wedding prep, find and buy a house and start packing for our move. It also gives me a nice farewell to undergrad with an enjoyable semester of learning.

Keep it Light
I have been making an effort to enjoy my last semester despite the workload. My fiance and I have weekly movie nights, I spend ample time at the barn getting some equine therepy and I am enjoying time with my college friends for the short time we will still be together. It is easy to get bogged down in work and stress and just wanting to be done so making a point to enjoy this time is very important. This is the last few months of college so make the best of them!

College is some of the best years of your life. Don't let the last semester bog down your happiness or your grades. Make some memories, try for a 4.0 and just imagine how sweet it will be when they finally hand you that diploma!

We can finish strong guys! What has helped you combat senioritis???

Maintaining Mental Health in Law School

If anyone has ever told you law school is easy, they are either a super genius or insane. Because it is hard. It puts you to the test. It is easy to get caught up in school and forget to take care of yourself physically and mentally. I cannot stress enough how important it is to take care of your health- particularly your mental health. Here are some tips for maintaining mental health during law school.

1. It's a marathon not a sprint
Law School lasts a solid 3 years followed by several months of bar preparation. You have to keep yourself moving forward toward that ultimate goal: a juris doctor. Starting out going balls to the wall and burning yourself out will not help you in the long run. Slow and steady is the goal; try to maintain a balance between school and life from the beginning and when you need a break, take one. Get a good nights sleep, spend time with family and friends, eat healthily, relax sometimes, find a way to destress and if you feel like you need help, get it. Good grades mean nothing if you sacrifice your mental health to get there. Just take one step at a time to get where you need to go.

2. Me-time is Necessary 
I mentioned relaxing. It is so important to take some time for yourself to relax. Maybe this is a long bath or baking a batch of cookies. Whatever settles your mind and brings you some peace, do it often. Personally, I like to bake or clean my house (just call me Monica Geller/Bing). As weird as that might be, it helps me to clear my mind and not think for a while. It also gives me something to look forward to: a sweet treat or a clean house. Sometimes I just take 30 minutes in the morning to drink my coffee and watch one of my favorite TV shows. It doesn't have to be extravagant, but finding a relaxing way to have some me-time and turn your brain off for a little while is very important when things get crazy.

3. Make Friends not Enemies
Law school is competitive. It is the nature of the beast and the type of people who pursue law. However, constantly being on edge and trying to compete with classmates is just downright exhausting. It is much easier to go to school and enjoy it because you have friends there. You are going to spend 3 years of your life around those people; it is much better to work toward making friends not enemies/competitors. Friends make you happy and happiness is much better for mental health. Law school is hard enough, don't go through it alone.

4. Don't Fake It
If things aren't going well, do not try to fake your way through it. Relax, slow down, talk to someone or get some help. Faking it and letting the pressure/stress/anxiety build will cause it to blow up later on. It is much better to address these things sooner rather than later. During my first semester exams, I tried to fake it whenever I was around my husband and put on a happy face, cook dinner and be superwoman. Around exam #3, I had a complete and utter mental breakdown in front of my poor husband who just didn't know what to do to make it better. After we talked through it and I finally stopped crying and screaming, we decided that whenever law school starting to send me over the edge, I would let him know and he could take a few things off my plate and cook dinner for a few nights or clean the house, etc. I needed to give up on being superwoman and accept that sometimes, I can't do it all. Open communication and taking care of problems earlier will be so much better in the long run.

5. Find a Healthy Way to Destress/Relax/Let off Steam
I have already talked about "me-time" and relaxing. This is a little different. During law school, often you need an outlet for all the frustrations. I know some people have healthy ways of dealing with this (exercise) and others have less healthy (alcohol or stress eating). It is much better to find a healthy way of dealing with these frustrations and to let off some steam. Personally,  I like doing Yoga or taking the pups for a long power walk. In undergrad, I loved spinning or kickboxing to get out my frustrations so I am currently begging my hubs to buy me a spin bike. Whatever works for you, a healthy outlet for stress and frustrations is always a good idea. However, many people turn to less healthy ways to deal with these frustrations; alcohol, drugs, stress-eating, etc. It may be easy to fall into those habits but they are not good for you long term. Try to find a healthy habit and start it before the stress hits. This way, you are already in a healthy routine so when you need to de-stress, you already have the habit of running/biking/swimming/yoga/etc. to blow off that steam.

6. If you need help, get it
Law schools generally have great access to mental help professionals, counseling services, etc. due to the stressful nature of law school. If you are struggling- go see someone. There is absolutely no shame in taking steps to ensure your own mental health. You do not even need to tell anyone- just do what you need to do and get yourself (hopefully) feeling better. You must put yourself first and make your mental health a priority.

Law school is really really hard. It tries you intellectually and mentally. Take care of yourself and keep your mental health in check because without that, it's going to be even harder. Make yourself a priority because no degree is worth giving up your health.

If you ever need to talk through things, my inbox is always open. I may not have all the answers but I can always listen.

Reflections on 1L Year

Well... I did it. I completed my first year of law school. I am still too tired to really comprehend that fact but it is starting to sink in. This whole experience has been hard, exhausting, enlightening, entertaining and completely fulfilling. I have never been so proud of myself as I was upon completing my last exam and officially becoming a 2L. Now that a few days have passed, I have had time to sit back and really reflect on this year and all I have learned; inside the classroom and out. Here are my reflections on 1L year and tips for future 1L's.

1. Law School is a Whole New World
Cue the song from Aladdin because law school really is a whole new world. Sadly there is no magic carpet to guide you through your first year and you will have to rely on good ole' trial and error coupled with hard work to make it through. No matter how many blogs you read, older students you talk to and preparation you do, there is really no way to truly prepare yourself for the first year law school experience... it will try you but you will survive.

2. Friends Make it SO Much Easier
Just like anything else, friends make things easier. Particularly in law school, it is great to make some good friends within the school who understand what you are going through. Your best friend, parents and significant others will try but no one can really understand this experience unless they have gone through it/are going through it. I cannot stress enough how great it was to have those law school besties to lean on when things got tough. I could not have gotten through it without breakfast dates, study sessions, group texts and the constant laughing thanks to my law schools friends.

3. You're Not the Smartest Anymore
Law school forces people of extreme intelligence, strong work ethic, type a personality, competitive nature and a passion for the law into a few small classrooms. Most of us have always been "the smartest" prior to coming to law school and suddenly, everyone is like that. You have to put your ego on the backburner and not let it get to you. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses in law school; some excel in legal research and writing, others in oral arguments and some people just jive with criminal law. Find your niche and be proud of that and stop trying to be the best at everything- being your personal best is plenty good enough. This was a bit of an adjustment for me... but as soon as I stopped comparing myself to everyone else, life got a lot easier.

4. But, You are Smart Enough
There will be moments in the first year where it just seems like too much information, you will never be able to remember everything, you will never be able to comprehend adverse possession... let your doubts and concerns fuel you to work hard but also remember that you can do it. You are smart enough or you wouldn't have gotten in. You will be amazed by what your brain is able to comprehend, memorize and discuss by the end of the semester- you will be able to speak what seems like a whole new language. That's the light at the end of the tunnel. I am not the same person I was in August... I know more, I think differently and I have changed.

5. It Gets Easier
The first weeks of law school are hard... everything is so different. But, it will get easier. You will get better at case briefing, you will learn to read faster, you will crush a few cold calls. First semester exams will seem daunting, second semester will seem conquerable. There were a lot of moments where I wondered if I would ever be able to finish reading before midnight or answer a cold call without sounding silly and I can proudly say, I did it and you can too.

6. Don't Lose Yourself in the Process
Law school will change you and that's okay. But you can't let it change who you are. You are becoming a lawyer- that will be your career, not your entire life. Neglecting relationships, mental and physical health, hobbies and non-legal life is not worth it in the long run. Law school will be a huge portion of your life but don't let it take over completely. Balance (or something in that vicinity) is key.

7. Don't Lock into One Path Too Soon
I came into law school pretty open-minded as to an end goal- I wanted to be a lawyer and I wasn't picky as to what kind. I know other people who were dead set on becoming intellectual property lawyers or health compliance specialists. They put all their eggs in that basket and wouldn't accept internships outside of that field. I think they are doing themselves a disservice because you never know where you are going to end up and you never know if you might fall in love with a career path you never saw in your future. Stay open-minded and let life take you where it takes you.

8. Take Failures in Stride
Life is going to happen, you are going to miss a class or forget to read or heaven forbid, fail a class. It's not the end of the world. Life will go on and it does not mean you will not become a lawyer or be a good lawyer. Dwelling on failures will do you no good. Take it from someone who had a few hiccups in the first year.... life goes on and a few months later those things just don't matter anymore.

9. Take Opportunities
Law school is a great time to step outside of your comfort zone a bit. Join clubs, go to events you normally wouldn't, network... this is your last step before the professional world so take advantage of what it has to offer. I would say take chances but I don't think that's accurate- take advantage of opportunities. You never know where they may lead and how it may impact your life and your legal career.

10. If I can do it, You can do it
Law school is really hard but it is manageable. I struggled, I questioned myself, I cried a lot... but I made it. I completed my first year and I am 1/3 a lawyer. I am no genius and I am not the hardest worker in the world. I am newly married, a new homeowner and a dog mom x3. I spent a bit too much time watching Netflix, drinking wine and blogging. Despite all of that, I did it and I succeeded. You can too, I promise.

Law school is hard but if this is the path you are meant to be on, it is so worth it. My first year is an experience I will never forget and I am so glad I blogged my way through it and can look back on these times. Thank you to everyone who has been along for the ride- the sweet comments and emails I get just make my day. This blog is not slowing down anytime soon. I have a big summer full of an internship at my local criminal prosecutor's office, a few trips, lots more DIY's and cooking and just sharing my ordinary life with those who find it worth reading. Thank you to everyone who reads and follows along with "The Legal Duchess:.

Signing out as a 1L for the last time,  

Maintaining Friendships in Law School

Full disclosure- law school pretty much screws with every single part of your life. Where you live, how you spend your time, sleep schedule, eating habits, hobbies..... relationships and friendships. I think this is one of the hardest things about law school; figuring out how to write a trial brief and reading 100 pages a night is something you get used to. Having limited time with friends, family, significant others and trying to get them to understand what you are going through and why your stress is through the roof.... that takes a lot of adaptation. Also, law school throws you into a population of driven, competitive people and makes you spend several hours, 5 days a week with them. You either make friends or make enemies real fast; either way, relationships with peers is just another thing to navigate during your three years at law school.

2018: A Year in Review

Happy New Years Eve!


2018 has been a really good year. I got to travel and explore. I learned so much. I grew as a person and as a legal professional. I made some amazing new friends, cut some toxic people out of my life and decided to focus only on the positive.

January started off with my 24th Birthday and the start of my 4th semester of law school.

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The first #OutlineFriday for spring semester 📖💻 Getting a head start on my evidence outline and staying committed to my goal of outlining weekly on Friday afternoons after week! #HappyFriday #workhard #lawstudent #lawschool #lawschoolblogger

A post shared by Brandy (@thelegalduchess) on Jan 19, 2018 at 11:48am PST

In February, we had a new baby horse born- Olympia since she was born the week of the winter Olympics.

   

In March, I traveled for my first Moot Court competition and had a blast!

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Time for my first moot court competition! The court house we are arguing in is pretty imposing looking... hopefully I am up to the challenge 👩🏼‍⚖️⚖️ #lawschool #lawstudent #mootcourt

A post shared by Brandy (@thelegalduchess) on Mar 23, 2018 at 6:45am PDT

I also went on a fun trip with my law school friends to the cutest hotel ever to celebrate one of their birthdays.

In April, I took some outrageously hard exams and finished up my 2L year in law school.

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Final exam is turned in and just like that, my second year of law school is complete!! Time to say goodbye to this building until August and prepare for my summer internship clerking with a local Judge. #lawschool #finallya3L

A post shared by Brandy (@thelegalduchess) on May 4, 2018 at 6:23am PDT

In May, I started a summer clerkship with a local state Judge. I also found out that I got the highest grade in my Legal Ethics class which is a high point for my time in law school.


My hubby and I went on the most amazing cruise to the Carribean and had an absolute blast.

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A post shared by Brandy (@thelegalduchess) on Jun 2, 2018 at 10:09am PDT

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A post shared by Brandy (@thelegalduchess) on May 31, 2018 at 10:23am PDT

In June we attended a beautiful wedding and enjoyed the warmth and sunshine of summer. We also laid a new floor in our master bedroom and refinished our stairs.

We went to see Tim McGraw and Faith Hill in concert which was amazing.

  

I went to see Shania Twain with my law school mentor. 

   

In July, we celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary.

Made the best of the summer heat.

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When in doubt, be a unicorn (or at least float on one) 🦄🦄

A post shared by Brandy (@thelegalduchess) on Jul 13, 2018 at 5:26pm PDT

Visited my grandparent's cottage on Lake Michigan.

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On vacay 🏖👙👒🕶

A post shared by Brandy (@thelegalduchess) on Jul 28, 2018 at 2:12pm PDT

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Nothing better than a summer day just cool enough for shorts and a sweatshirt, sparkling blue water and a long walk in the sunshine ☀️

A post shared by Brandy (@thelegalduchess) on Jul 27, 2018 at 7:34pm PDT

August brought the end of my clerkship. It was such a wonderful learning experience.

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Finished my summer internship clerking with a local judge today. It was an informative and educational summer and I am so thankful for the opportunity to spend the summer working in this beautiful courthouse. Next up, 3L year! . #lawschoolblogger #lawstudentblogger #legalintern #lawclerk

A post shared by Brandy (@thelegalduchess) on Aug 2, 2018 at 10:35am PDT

We made the best of the time before school started.

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My life is complete 🦒🦒🦒 . #lawschoolblogger #lawstudentblogger #ohioblogger

A post shared by Brandy (@thelegalduchess) on Aug 4, 2018 at 8:21am PDT

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Island day before 3L year starts!

A post shared by Brandy (@thelegalduchess) on Aug 18, 2018 at 10:52am PDT

And then my 3L year began- I truly do not know where the time went.

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And just like that, it’s my last first day of school ever 💁🏼‍♀️ . . #3L #lawstudentblogger #lawschool #lastyear Dress is @brooksbrothers and shoes are @oldnavy

A post shared by Brandy (@thelegalduchess) on Aug 20, 2018 at 5:49am PDT

I got to see Taylor Swift in concert and it is one of the greatest moments of my life.

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Are you ready for it? 🐍 #reputationstadiumtour

A post shared by Brandy (@thelegalduchess) on Aug 28, 2018 at 4:06pm PDT

September was full of school and studying.

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September Saturdays might be my favorite. Settled into my desk for an afternoon of studying with hot tea and an apple cinnamon candle 🍂☕️🕯 . . #lawinsta #lawstudentblogger #ohioblogger #lawschool #targetdollarspot

A post shared by Brandy (@thelegalduchess) on Sep 15, 2018 at 11:56am PDT

We did take family pictures and spent some quality time with our precious pups.

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My little family revolves around these sweet pups: Gracie, our sweet Golden Retriever, Garth, our fluffy little Aussie and Annie, the kindest rescue dog in the world. I simply could not imagine life without them 🧡 . . #ohioblogger #goldensofinstagram #aussiesofinstagram #rescuedogsofinstagram #adoptandshop . P.S. please ignore my husbands white socks 🙄🙄🙄 I love him despite his fashion choices.

A post shared by Brandy (@thelegalduchess) on Sep 28, 2018 at 9:27am PDT

October was busy with school and work. We made some time for walks with the pups and made the best of the Indian summer and warm Fall weather. My husband turned 25 and I surprised him with tickets to a Kieth Urban concert.

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Such a wonderful morning with my in-laws; breakfast, pumpkin shopping and a long walk in the park with the pups 🧡 . . #familyiseverything #ohioblogger

A post shared by Brandy (@thelegalduchess) on Oct 14, 2018 at 12:49pm PDT

I dressed up like Elle Woods for Halloween.

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I think I’ll go to law school today 💁🏼‍♀️💕 . . Why yes, I did dress up as Elle Woods to attend law school today and carried Bruiser with me 🐕 . . #ellewoods #bruiserwoods #legallyblonde #halloween #lawstudent #lawschool #lawschoolblogger @reesewitherspoon

A post shared by Brandy (@thelegalduchess) on Oct 31, 2018 at 10:10am PDT

November was full of exam prep and a quiet Thanksgiving.

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Just a snapshot of how I spend 85% of my time... hunched over my desk with coffee, water, candle, casebook and Lexis Advance 💻📚📖🤦🏼‍♀️ . . #lawstudent #lexisadvance #lawschoolproblems #lawschoollife #lawschoolblogger

A post shared by Brandy (@thelegalduchess) on Nov 13, 2018 at 1:17pm PST

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Happy Monday!! As you are struggling through Monday morning, remember, this is a short week that ends in pie and shopping 🦃 🥧 🛍 . . . #toledoblogger #ohioblogger #lawstudent #fallfashion #falloutfits

A post shared by Brandy (@thelegalduchess) on Nov 19, 2018 at 6:09am PST

December brought the end of my 5th semester of law school and a wonderful Christmas holiday. A blogger friend and I kicked off a new book club and we got a Roomba vacuum for Christmas.

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Merry Christmas to all 🎄🎅🏻 . . . . #ohioblogger #toledoblogger #fashionblogger #fallfashion #amazonfashion #lawschoolblogger #lawstudentblogger #ootd #budgetfashion #sidehustle #bloggerlife #bloggersofinstagram #bloggergirl #contentcreator #wardrobe #styleoftheday #fashionblog #fblogger #onlineshopping #outfitoftheday #styleblogger #fashionbloggers #stylegram #whatiworetoday #holidays #holidaystyle

A post shared by Brandy (@thelegalduchess) on Dec 25, 2018 at 7:02am PST

I hope everyone has a fun and safe New Years Eve and 2019 is bound to be a great year!