Orientation to the Real World

By Yungmoon, 2E

By the time December exams were over, I felt like I had survived Navy seal training camp with my fellow classmates. I slept and ate my way into January, whereupon I discovered I had an email from the school requiring my attendance at 1E Orientation Part II. I'm sorry, did you say orientation? As a veteran 1E Spring quarter student, I felt like I had conquered case briefing, outlining, and the all-dreaded Socratic method style of questioning.

As it turns out, Orientation Part II was filled with as much helpful information as Orientation Part I. We learned about networking, professionalism, how to have a successful first conversation with someone, and we even had an opportunity to put those skills to use in an alumni networking happy hour. We also met with panels of alumni in small groups to ask frank questions about their jobs, the market, and how they obtained their positions. Rather than shying away from the current less than stellar status of the legal job market, Loyola decided to respond by arming its students with skills and tips for using professional contacts to gain access to jobs that are never posted. I was really impressed with the quality of the speakers and the material that the school was able to pull together.

Looking back, Orientation Part I was really about surviving law school, and I was grateful for that information in August when my biggest concern was about my academic performance. But Orientation Part II reminded me that my ultimate goal is having a career as an attorney. Now does this mean I can skip my Torts readings this weekend? No, but at least it does give me a little more motivation in getting it done.