1. It’s different from undergrad—treat it that way.

 The way you learn in law school is completely different from undergrad. It’s not just about understanding the material; it’s about knowing when and how to apply it and doing so better than others. When you start law school, bring your best study habits with you, but be prepared to adapt how you approach learning.

2. You can be anyone you want in law school.

 I truly believe you can be yourself in law school. You can love shopping, watching movies, cooking, hiking, going to the beach, or spending time with family. Loyola is full of all kinds of people, and no matter who you are, you will find your place.

3. Be proud of yourself at every step.

Law school is a long journey, and it’s important to celebrate the small wins along the way. For me, that meant being proud of myself every time I nailed a cold call. As you settle into the routine, the things that once felt intimidating will start to feel manageable. Don’t forget to recognize the progress you’ve made to get there, starting with choosing a law school.

At Loyola, there are so many alumni panel discussions that it’s almost impossible to attend them all. When I first arrived, a professor joked that there are enough lunch events with free food that you never have to buy lunch. I laughed at the time, but it’s actually true. Outside of midterm and final weeks, there are events happening almost every day across nearly every area of legal practice.

Coming to Loyola, I had an idea of what area of law I might want to pursue, but I also wanted to explore. I’ve gone to panels from divorce law to construction law to sports and entertainment law. Each speaker feels like a job posting brought to life, you get to hear about their day-to-day work and decide for yourself whether you could see yourself in that role.

I was also assigned a mentor at the beginning of 1L whom I can reach out to with questions or simply to talk to about law school and networking. Having a mentor to turn to during this year has been invaluable. Speaking with them has helped me navigate the process of networking and connecting with practicing lawyers with confidence.

At Loyola, a large portion of students are from California, but not all of us are locals. I grew up in the suburbs of Connecticut, attending school with the same group of kids from kindergarten through graduation. For college, I chose the University of Washington in Seattle, which felt about as far from home as I could possibly go.

When it came time to apply to law school, I focused my search on the Northeast, where some of my family lives, as well as cities where I could truly envision building my life. With a strong interest in entertainment law, I knew that Los Angeles would offer the greatest opportunities to pursue that path. 

Although adjusting to a new city and state took time, Los Angeles may be the best place I’ve ever lived. My weekends are spent at the beach, my readings can be done outside year-round, and there is no shortage of neighborhoods to explore. Even if you don’t see your career lasting forever in California, Loyola’s alumni network extends far beyond the West Coast. I was able to connect with a Loyola alum practicing in Connecticut to discuss what my options might look like if I choose to move back closer to my family.

Moving to new cities for both undergrad and law school has been the greatest experience of my life. It challenges you, teaches you to trust yourself, and reminds you that you are capable of far more than you might expect.

Since I went to a large undergraduate university, it wasn’t common to form study groups. I didn’t even know the names of most of my peers in my 100+ person classes. Outside of class, all of my friends were in different majors. We studied together at coffee shops every weekend, but we weren’t studying the same material.

At Loyola, you get to know everyone quickly. Your peers are the people you spend every day with, specifically, the people in your section, and they are the only ones who can truly relate to what you are learning. My peers have served as a support system for me here, especially because I don’t have family nearby. When I need to go on a coffee run, take a 15-minute break to chat about the latest reality TV scandal, or do anything other than read my assigned cases, my peers are there.

One of the most important parts of a study group for me is being surrounded by people I feel comfortable with. There are no stupid questions, but there are sometimes questions you’d rather not have classmates or a professor hear. My friends are always kind and caring and give me the space to ask about anything. I’ve learned so much from their patience in explaining rules, ideas, or cases. They’re also always there for the 9 p.m. text to clarify something or the 6 a.m. “It’s going to be a great day” text.

Finding people to study with is important, but it’s even more important to find people you trust and feel comfortable with. The best studying and improvement comes from treating each other with kindness, respect, and patience, which makes studying a little more bearable.

Everything about exams is long. The hours spent actually taking them. The weeks devoted to studying. And perhaps worst of all, the wait for grades. In college, exams were packed in a single week. There was only five days of immense stress followed by the relief of heading home. Law school is different. Exam stress stretches over a full four weeks, not including the additional weeks spent trying (and failing) to push the thought of my grades away.

The week before returning to campus feels like knowing a massive wave is coming, you just don’t know whether you’ll dive beneath it or get knocked to the shore. It’s the classic impending doom of grades being released. Before exams, professors reminded us not to let our grades define us, but that’s far easier said than done. What felt even stranger was the expectation that after being knocked down by that wave, you’re supposed to be excited about jumping right back into the water. I hadn’t opened a textbook in weeks (they had collected dust!), and on top of schoolwork, I was expected to apply to summer jobs. Re-entering all of that at once felt daunting.

A few days before the second semester began, I went on a walk around Los Angeles to reconnect with my “why.” Why did I decide to take the LSAT? How did it feel when I got my acceptance letter? Who am I doing this for? Reflecting on those questions helped me gain perspective beyond the letter grades I received and allowed me to rediscover joy in returning to campus.

The truth is, I love to learn, and I love my school. I came to law school to learn the law and pursue a fulfilling career. Loyola is a community where I’ve always felt supported, and that reassurance carried me into the new semester. I know the resources are there for me to grow, improve, and feel more confident. I’m ready to begin again.

The biggest myth about law school? That it’s always serious. Every single day so far, I’ve found something to laugh about. Whether it’s a professor’s perfectly timed joke or a classmate’s comment, the campus is always filled with laughter. Between potlucks, bar reviews, and the simple day-to-day routine of getting to know your peers, law school is a lot lighter than the reputation suggests.

When I pictured a prestigious environment like law school, I assumed everyone would be intimidating. I was stressed from what to wear to what bag to bring to school. But the reality is that it is really not that serious. From sweatpants to hoodies and ugg boots, comfort is definitely prioritized even whilst learning the hardest material.

What surprised me most is that with this unseriousness, law school can be surprisingly fun. When deciding to go to law school, I wondered if I would have to be a polished, toned-down version of myself. In college I was silly, bubbly, and loved to joke with my friends. But being here has made me feel more like myself than ever. The LLS community encourages us to be our truest selves and to have fun we learn.

In fact, on the last day of my torts class, my entire section pulled off a class-wide prank. Our professor begins each class by saying, “This might be my favorite class of the semester.” So, to show how much we appreciate him, we all wore shirts with that phrase printed on the front. It was a great way to celebrate our section’s hard work and end our last class on a great note.

Of course, there are times when professionalism matters. Networking events, conversations with professors, and general campus decorum all require a level of professionalism and respect. But that’s the balance. Law school is a blend of working hard, being professional when it counts, and finding ways to have fun.

Hi everyone, I’m Elizabeth! I’m currently a 1L at Loyola Law School in the day program. I came to law school directly from the University of Washington, where I double majored in journalism and psychology and minored in law, societies, and justice.

When I first got to college, I had no clue I would end up attending law school. But after diving deeper into journalism and psychology, I realized how much I cared about meaningful impact. That discovery ultimately led me to begin my law journey.

Part of that realization was sparked when I had the opportunity to lead Her Campus at Washington, a student organization that produces online magazine and social media content and hosts on-campus events. Building a creative and supportive community for women of all majors and grades was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my undergraduate years.

Finding community is what inspires me most. I knew that LLS was where I could take my next leap and find my people. I’ve made some challenging but rewarding moves in my life. My entire childhood I lived in a small town in Connecticut. I then moved to Seattle for college. If that wasn’t enough, I then spent a semester abroad in London, England. And of course, now, my home is Los Angeles. Living in all of these places has taught me so much about independence and confidence, qualities which have helped me navigate law school. I’ve also learned that the people are what makes a place so special. At LLS, the community is part of what makes it so great.

Outside of my studies, you can almost always find me reading or listening to music. This year alone, I’ve read 33 books! I also love going to concerts, with some of my favorites being Harry Styles’ Love on Tour and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.