My Summer Before 1L Year

In the road to law school there are many crossroads. From where to attend to where to live, and what organizations to join; it is a constant decision-making exercise. One of these crossroads for me was deciding how to spend my summer break. This summer, I was torn between wanting to save money and taking advantage of what will likely be my last opportunity to go on vacation (at least for a while).

Since my family didn’t have much growing up and we didn’t get to travel many places, I made the choice to use some of the savings I had from working to make sure I saw as much as I could before law school started. I kicked off my summer by relaxing in Hawaii and eating fresh coconuts by the ocean at sunset. I drove the Road to Hana and saw some of the most amazing views of the Pacific. I concluded my trip by learning that snorkeling is not for everyone. Mid-summer, I flew for my first ever trip to New York City. For me this was a childhood dream. Coming from a working-class Mexican family, my idea of the United States was shaped by the portrayal of New York City in T.V. shows and movies. Walking across the Brooklyn bridge, taking the ferry to the Statue of Liberty and getting lost and caught in the rain at Central Park, was all a dream come true. Even the subway had its own kind of charm.

As the first one in my family to attend professional school, I had many anxieties and fears that came with the excitement of embarking on this journey. However, it is easier to drown out those fears with the sound of the waves, sand on your feet, and the lights in Time Square.