Like many curious law school applicants, I couldn’t help but fall down the rabbit hole that is r/LawSchoolAdmissions. As I prepared to submit my applications, I scrolled through the subreddit, hoping to find useful information. Instead, I was misinformed (a truly surprising outcome despite the forum’s infamy).

I expected law school to be a highly competitive environment. However, LLS debunked that myth before 1L even started. At orientation, I met classmates who not only shared in their excitement and expressed their congratulations but also were transparent about the anxieties they faced about starting their legal journey. And, when classes started, I found support from other students in my section as well as our professors! While Professor Nockleby validated our fears about cold calling, telling us that we “will fall on [our] faces” but will recover given our extreme talent and intelligence (his words, though paraphrased), my study group texted about how grateful we were to have him in our first semester at LLS in the same group chat where we anguished over legal research assignments, arranged study sessions that would be followed by celebratory dinners, and, on the day I write this, gave thanks for having each other’s companionship this past semester.

Knowing LMU was LLS’s parent school, I expected they would set a different standard for the type of education they offer. However, I didn’t expect they would also replace the typical law school’s cutthroat, competitive learning environment with a supportive, collaborative one. It certainly was a welcome surprise that I hope other students can experience.

 

Before starting law school, I heard countless myths. I was told I would be burdened by debt, have no free time, and face an exceptionally competitive job market. But none of those comments made me second-guess my decision. However, the one myth that did get to me was the fear of cold calls.

As a perfectionist, the idea of being called on in class and not having the answer felt like the ultimate humiliation. This fear was fueled by friends, family, fellow students, and even practicing attorneys. I envisioned cold calling like the scene from The Paper Chase, imagining professors as cold, unapproachable figures who wanted to embarrass students with deceptive questions. 

When the first day of law school arrived, I was well-prepared to be called on. I had read and analyzed each case in detail, spending hours rehearsing potential questions—all to avoid embarrassment. However, to my surprise, the first student called on in my Contracts class was asked to simply restate the law from Restatement § 19. At first, I thought this might have been a special occasion, but as the semester progressed, I realized the focus was not on recalling every fact about a case but on demonstrating an understanding of the law.  

My first cold call came Week 2 of Torts, and it was anticlimactic. I did not have to stand up and recite the entire facts of the case as in The Paper Chase. Instead, I was asked to discuss the application of assault in a specific case. I quickly learned that cold calling was not meant to be stress-inducing, but rather an opportunity for discussion and learning.

By the time I was cold-called in Contracts in Week 9, I no longer viewed the experience as something to fear. This was particularly true because professors were not only understanding but also incredibly supportive, offering help during office hours and reassuring us that it was okay not to know everything. They made it clear that law school was a learning process. More importantly, all of my professors and classmates fostered an environment where cold calling was not embarrassing. In fact, we supported one another when we did not have an answer. 

So, my tips for you are as follows: Instead of spending hours on a single case, time is better spent reading the case and practicing how to apply the law, outlining, and reviewing supplemental materials. If you really want to avoid being cold-called, try sitting in the front rows of the classroom. But most importantly, don’t believe all the myths you hear or see on TV. 

This summer, I had the chance to attend Summer Institute before starting law school. Initially, I imagined my summer filled with adventure—maybe visiting the Mona Lisa, taking a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon, or binge-watching all nine seasons of Suits. But that’s not how my summer unfolded. Instead, my plans shifted when, along with my admissions letter, I received the opportunity to attend Summer Institute, a three-week introduction to law school course that ran from mid-July to orientation week. I went from envisioning a carefree summer to diving straight into the world of legal studies.  

However, Summer Institute turned out to be an invaluable experience. Led by Dean Winograd, Professor Craig, Professor Tan, and Professor Yagura, I gained insights into the legal field. I met experts and alumni, learned how to read and brief cases using the IRAC method, and even took a mock exam. The free dinners before class were a nice bonus! Beyond connecting with remarkable mentors—who continue to offer support—I built friendships with fellow students from diverse backgrounds, some of whom are now part of my study group. Summer Institute served as a small but meaningful introduction to law school, preparing me for the journey ahead at Loyola Law School.  

If you see the Summer Institute note on your admission letter, know that you are about to embark on an incredible journey before your first year of law school. It was a summer filled with unexpected adventure—different from what I had initially envisioned, but better in every way.

 

To prepare for my first Civil Procedure class, I had to complete my Professor’s Intro Survey. To the question, “What is something that you love so much you will do it over and over?” I responded, “Watch Derry Girls.” However, my real response is “Doom scroll on TikTok.” When I had more free time this summer, I browsed through LawSchoolTok, TravelTok, and BookTok.

While some creators on LawSchoolTok emphasized how important it is to relax before 1L starts, others shared tips for resume writing and networking events. Both sides were satisfied when I volunteered to sort donations at The Midnight Mission in downtown Los Angeles every Monday. This once-weekly commitment allowed me to build community with those impacted by the housing crisis and contemplate landlord/tenant law as an area I may want to practice in the future while granting me enough free time to sufficiently “break” before school started. Towards the end of the summer, though, I increased my commitment and began volunteering as an English literacy tutor in the shelter’s education and career department every Wednesday.

From TravelTok, I learned the best places to visit internationally and locally. When I traveled to Puerto Vallarta with my mom and sister in mid-June, for instance, that side of TikTok led us to one of the best beaches we have ever visited, Conchas Chinas. When we returned to Los Angeles, TravelTok guided my best friend and me to different places and experiences that made me feel like a tourist again. We visited several coffee shops to determine which one made the best-iced matcha lattes (1. Meccha Matcha in Cerritos, 2. Coffee Code in Norwalk, and 3. Stereoscope in Long Beach), saw a gaggle of geese as we rode bikes through El Dorado Park, and enjoyed concerts at the Hollywood Bowl.

Finally, BookTok allowed me to rediscover my love for reading and stay on track with my Goodreads 2024 Reading Challenge. Before Garratt v. Dailey and Restatement (Second) of Contracts § 24, there was The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri and Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami. Although my reading this Fall was more academic than recreational, I have added many books to my TBR, or To Be Read shelf, that I plan on getting to after surviving (maybe even thriving) through finals, such as The Little Liar by Mitch Albom and The Eye by Vladimir Nabokov.

I first heard the term “double lion” during orientation from a graduate of both Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School and, ever since, I’ve aspired to join that pride.

My journey to become a double lion unintentionally began in Fall 2018 when I attended Loyola Marymount University. I did so for two reasons. First, my older sister graduated from LMU in 2015 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and, as an annoying younger sibling who takes her family role seriously, I copied her—or, more politely, I followed in the footsteps of my lifelong role model. Second, LMU’s emphasis on the encouragement of learning, the education of the whole person, and the service of faith and the promotion of justice resonated deeply with my own values. While my sister inspired me to excel in the classroom as an International Relations major and Peace & Justice Studies minor, LMU encouraged me to go beyond the classroom and build community with the Marians Service Organization, the Alternative Breaks Program, and the El Espejo Mentoring Program.

After earning my title as “single lion” in Spring 2022, I started work as a behavior technician in applied behavior analysis. I intentionally stepped into this non-legal role before entering law school because of my interest in serving the underserved and mentorship experience that taught me the value of centering a student in their development. I had the privilege of working with children with autism at an early intervention program in Alhambra and an elementary school in Inglewood. And, while I taught them fine motor and verbal skills, they taught me how to push through the frustration of “getting things wrong,” by squeezing out a few tears or breaking to eat a snack before trying again—an important lesson as I approach my first law school finals. This challenging but rewarding experience also exposed me to the inequities surrounding neurodivergent student’s education and joined other legal interests I hope to explore in the next three years: post-conviction relief and eviction defense.

I plan to indulge these interests—by, hopefully, participating in clinics such as Juvenile Innocence and Fair Sentencing Clinic, Loyola Project for the Innocent, or the Shriver Landlord Tenant Clinic— and non-legal interests such as reading, traveling, and bust-a-gut laughing on my journey of becoming a double lion.