Hello Jury of Peers!
My name is Leilee and I’m a 1L. I’m in section D2 which means my classes start at 8 AM, which also means, in a raging pandemic and the world of Zoom, I’m out of bed around 7:58. But I swear before law school and the pandemic, I would wake up a lot of days around 5 to have proper time to spend on my phone in bed, have a full breakfast, study and still make it to campus late (yes, you read that right). I went to the University of San Diego for my undergraduate, where I studied English literature with an emphasis in creative writing (I’ve been writing my whole life and I can safely say it is my favorite thing to do). After that, I took a year off to go back to Tehran, Iran, where I was born and raised.
I’d have to say out of all the things that someone can do prior to deciding on law school, going back home to a country you haven’t ever lived in as an independent adult (in the midst of extreme political and cultural unrest) is probably on my personal list of top 5 stressful things to do. But it’s also definitely on my top 3 best things I’ve ever done list and it’s not number 2 or 3.
Before going back home, I felt like I had to choose between my interests and goals. While in Tehran, I worked in a variety of fields (as someone who is simultaneously interested in law, literature, writing, and education, this was especially nice) and by the time I’d submitted all of my law school applications, I felt certain about law school and about the fact that I wanted to go into international law, a field that I’m hoping will allow me to work and live internationally.
I’m sure law school will still change a lot of my future goals and plans. I’m a firm believer in living in a constant state of growth, even though I’m also terrified of doubts and change. But at the end of the day, I’m happy to experience it all and I look forward to sharing it, as well.
