This third day of orientation was probably the most stressful by far. I am feeling a little tired and a bit stressed out with the amount of course work we are expected to complete before classes even begin. Below is a little bit of an overview of what we went over today. Additionally, I will include a couple of tips that I may use to manage the stress better in the future.
Law School Exams
From this exam, I learned how easy and difficult it can be to take a law school exam. I was able to recall the material easily but feel like I did a poor job in referencing the cases. Although I followed the IRAC format, there were definite grammatical inconsistencies that made the essay difficult to read. Finally, we were told that most of our law school exams would be completed with a time crunch. This time limit made it difficult to review to ensure I articulated everything well.
Crucial Conversations
This discussion was centered in maintaining intellectual, civil debates while still being able to speak your mind. Often the discussions were able diversity and inclusion. Additionally, we discussed which identities we value and think about most and how to be respectful of all people. To sum it all up, it was a lecture on maintaining a positive code of conduct.
Legal Research
Because I am a little confused on how to complete these homework assignments, more to come on this later. For now it’s important to now that we research Statutes, Common Law, and primary and secondary authorities. We also learn how to cite those sources.
Faculty Panel
The biggest lesson learned from this panel came from an analogy. When you learned to ride a bike, you often fell off, scraped a knee and got hurt. However, with practice, you improve so much that it becomes second nature to ride a bike.
Studying law is very similar to riding a bike. At the beginning, it will hurt. There is a lot of material that needs to be learned and articulated. Doing so will cause us to make mistakes and potentially feel pain. In other words, law school is hard. However, over time, you will improve in all of those skills. He said that thinking like a lawyer will become second nature. Personally, I can’t wait for that to happen.
Student Organizations
Following the panel we met all the student organizations. Students could put in for a drawing by visiting enough of them but I didn’t care. Instead, I went to the organizations that align with my interests to ask for information. Although I recommend going outside of your comfort zone, focusing on your interests will also bring great excitement to participate.
Takeaways
- Law school is going to be a lot of work. Before school even starts (on Monday) I will have been expected to read over 70 pages, not including the cases I read to prepare for orientation (about another 50).
- Be diligent and be consistent. It’s alright to feel discouraged. However, use those feelings to drive you forward.
- Remember why you came to law school. Understanding your purpose will motivate you towards success.
Disclaimer
The content contained in this article may contain inaccuracies and is not intended to reflect the opinions, views, beliefs, or practices of any academic professor or publication. Instead, this content is a reflection on the author’s understanding of the law and legal practices.
