Introduction

Going to law school was not always in the cards for me. Back in high school, I thought I wanted to become a pharmacist…and then I took a chemistry class and realized I would not make it through pharmacy school. I started thinking about my other interests and found that I really enjoyed reading and writing. Once I entered college, I felt secure in my choice to major in political science, as all of my classes revolved around reading and writing papers. It was around this time that I also started thinking about law school, especially because my university (UC Berkeley) had an amazing law school (Boalt). I decided to take initiative and applied to several internships for the summer, landing one at a small civil and family law firm. My summer experience at the small firm was fantastic, as I was given the opportunity to research and even write a little. The lawyer I worked for also allowed me to sit in on his client meetings and essentially gave me the responsibility of handling the family law sector of the firm. That experience definitely helped cement my interest in law school.

Unlike most other people, I went straight from undergrad to law school. I have been lucky enough to travel with my family since I was little so I didn’t feel the need to take a year to see the world. After graduating from Berkeley in three years, I knew I wanted to jump straight into the next adventure of law school. And I don’t ever regret my decision—I think the decision to take time off depends on the person and the difficulty of his or her undergraduate career.

Even though law school can be hectic and busy, I still make time to do the things I love. I make sure to go visit my family at least every 2 weeks and I try to bake every so often to relieve stress. Baking is one of my favorite hobbies and I love trying out new recipes for my classmates to taste. I also enjoy going out to new areas of LA and exploring the different types of food in the city. So I suggest that everyone take study breaks, especially since they are perfect for going to a new coffee shop!