Fall Exams and a Much-Needed Winter Break

Welcome back Jury of Peers!

After an intense two weeks of finals, to a relaxing winter break, Spring semester is finally back in session. Here’s a recap of my last month:

Exams. Oh, boy. Throughout law school, there always seems to be a dark cloud looming over you, following you everywhere you go. That dark cloud is exams. From the moment you start law school, you instantly start thinking, worrying, and preparing for your final exams. I know that sounds overwhelming, but it’s the reality. In a few of my 1L classes, the final exam accounted for 100% of my final grade, so beginning to study earlier rather than later was crucial. Although it may seem daunting at first, if you start preparing for finals early, that dark cloud will slowly lift, and you’ll be able to see some sun.

My exams went well. They were challenging yet fair. Finals week was undoubtedly one of the most stressful two weeks of my life, yet I survived, making winter break a peaceful and well-deserved few weeks.

After my last final, my mind instantly entered vacation-mode, and I couldn’t wait to finally go home and not think about civil procedure or what constitutes a contract. However, I knew I wasn’t completely off the hook in terms of law-related work. After fall finals comes the lovely period of applying to summer associate positions, and I spent many days of winter break perfecting my resume and mastering the art of the cover letter. Although I wasn’t studying the law, I was still consumed with applying to summer clerkships and legal internships, which kept me very, very busy.

When I wasn’t working on my summer job applications, I was honestly doing nothing. It’s called relaxing, okay? I caught up on my favorite Netflix shows, read a few books that had been collecting dust on the shelf, ventured to my favorite hometown hiking spots, and spent quality time with my family. By January, I was back in Los Angeles, prepping for spring semester. This included ordering new textbooks, deep-cleaning my apartment, and mentally preparing for grades to be released. Then, in a blink of an eye, it was the first Monday back at law school.

As always, thanks for the read. I look forward to documenting the second half of my 1L year with you all!

Until next time,

Madison