Hello again, Jury of Peers! It’s feels crazy to say, but 2019 is winding down already! With the end of the year coming up, I now have over three months of law school under my belt and I have so much to share.
Law school has been better than I expected in many ways, but there were some aspects that I did not anticipate being so hard. The work load is actually less than I expected it would be (but that’s probably because I anticipated biblical levels of work). The days are long and the exhaustion can be real, but it’s all part of the process.
The part of law school that I didn’t expect to struggle with so much is the social aspect. This isn’t to say that I don’t have friends or that people here aren’t friendly because that isn’t true. The social atmosphere of law school is just a lot different than in any other space I’ve been. There is this air of needing to be ready at any moment to prove yourself (cold-call style). In some ways law school feels like a never-ending job fair where you always have to be the turned-up version of yourself rather than just who you are. And believe me, I understand that law is a profession of connections, but having no respite after months of it can be very draining on an introvert like me.
But something I’ve learned through all this is what I truly value. I value my alone time to recharge. I much prefer small meet-ups rather than networking symposiums. I’ve learned to listen to myself for when it’s time to go home.
To end on a high note, here is something I really like about having gone to law school so far: it’s an extremely powerful knowledge base to have. Actually being able to answer questions my non-law-school friends have is an amazing feeling. In a weird way, I can tell it makes them feel safe that their peer can explain legal principles in a way they understand. Being able to help people in even just that tiny way makes it so much more worth it.
See you in the next one,
Kelsey
Kelsey’s Club: Good Related Articles
- “10 Signs You’re Burning Out - - And What To Do About It” by Lisa M. Gerry [forbes.com]
- “Networking for Introverts” by Dorie Clark [hbr.org]