And just like that I’m in my last year of law school! It’s hard to believe that just last year I was starting my first year at Loyola as a transfer student. I remember being nervous and wondering how I would start over at a new school. One year later I can confidently say that “starting over” at Loyola was the best decision I made. I’ve become active in the school’s student organizations, joined an awesome clinic, am working at a great firm, and have met some amazing people.
It’s hard to tell people you’re going to law school without getting some kind of unsolicited advice in return. However, I found that the actual advice varied depending on where I was in my legal education at the time of the conversation. During my first year, the most common response was “I hear the first year is tough.” As a 2L, it was much more motivational as people reassured me that “you’re almost there!” Now as a third-year law student, the question has become: “Are you excited to graduate?”
While graduation has always been the endgame, it is bittersweet to think about closing such a big chapter in my life. Law school is hard, there is no way around it. But law school has also shaped me into a more aware, knowledgeable, compassionate, and hardworking person. As someone who has always been in school, this is likely the last time in my life where learning will be my full time job. That in and of itself is hard to wrap my head around.
Don’t get me wrong though, I am excited to graduate. Soon enough I will be putting my law school knowledge to use. This summer I got a glimpse into how I would actually be applying this knowledge working in employment law. Learning about a legal concept and applying it to a real case are two very different things. However, I’m glad to report that Loyola prepared me extremely well for this task. From writing motions to preparing reports, I used the skills I gathered at Loyola to help my firm make a real difference for our clients. Ultimately, I hope to be doing this work on a higher level as an attorney.
With that said, here is some unsolicited advice from someone who has been through it all: learn as much as you can and try to enjoy the process. It’s easier said than done, but soon enough you’ll be a 3L and getting ready to enter the real world.