Beginning law school, I received a lot of advice on how to prepare, what to do when struggling, and how to manage time. One of the main themes across all the suggestions I received was creating relationships with professors and other faculty. During my first semester, I was really intimidated and nervous about everything, so I shied away from my professors. However, I told myself that I had to at least try to create a relationship with one professor at some point. I started working towards this by attending office hours for LRW and legal research. I slowly became more comfortable with communicating with professors, and office hours were truly helpful. This semester, I feel more comfortable and empowered in claiming my space on campus. I reached out to several of my professors to discuss my exams, because I knew it was non-negotiable if I want to improve. After having those meetings, I am wholeheartedly proud of myself but I also feel immensely supported by everyone. I finally understand why so many people advised me to create relationships with my professors and to reach out when I need support. I do think our campus is blessed with the presence of professors and faculty that care about our well-being and academic success. If I didn’t take the step of reaching out and attending office hours, I would have deprived myself of an amazing resource. I am amazed at how accessible faculty is and how accommodating they are when setting up meetings and opening a line of communication. In reality, professors and faculty offer much more than lectures, cold-calls, and reading assignments. They also offer guidance, mentorship, and loads of encouragement.
