This blog originally appeared on New England Law | Boston's website.
The time between submitting your law school application and arriving on campus for first-year orientation will fly by. Before you know it, you’ll be a full-fledged law student, taking classes, crushing clinics, and working with faculty on cases that feel like something out of a movie. So how do you make the most of it all? Following this advice from law students who’ve been there is a good place to start.
Be thoughtful
“Sit down and really think deeply about what drives your desire to be a lawyer. Your first year is daunting, humbling, and eye-opening. Remember to prioritize self-care and mental health. Law school is a high-pressure environment, and you can easily forget to take care of yourself when you’re constantly putting your energy in other things.” — Czara Venegas, New England Law Class of 2018
It’s a full-time job
“Treat the first year of law school as more than a full-time job, but do not abandon your family or friends. Study hard and be intentional so that when you recuperate, you feel like you earned it.” — Ben Strobeck, New England Law Class of 2019
Related: 5 Smart Ways to Prepare for Law School in Undergrad
But you can make work…work
“I’m going to completely contradict everything everyone else tells you…but you can have a job and be successful in law school (even during 1L year!). Time management is key. If you’re like me and holding a job is important to your identity, you can make it work.” — Abbey K. Young, New England Law Class of 2019
Don’t give up
“Keep pushing! You will always feel like you do not understand some of the material as well as you should or that you aren’t capable, especially the first year of law school. But at the end of the day, you have to tell yourself that you made it this far, and you would not have been invited to attend the school if the admission committee didn’t think you were capable. So keep pushing—you will get through it.” — Chevelle Allison-McIntosh, New England Law Class of 2018
Related: When Is the Best Time to Apply to Law School?
Enjoy it!
“Although law school can certainly be stressful, you will become part of a tight-knit community where there will always be someone to study with or just have fun with.” — London Lundstrum, New England Law Class of 2019
Related: How to Deal With Law School Stress in Healthy Ways
We can’t say that this advice will magically make law school easier, but it does show you how much you’re capable of—even when you doubt yourself. Keep this quick advice close to your heard as you go about your academic endeavors. Law school will be worth it in the end, even if you struggle a bit along the way.
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