I have mentioned this in past blog posts before but what I truly love about Loyola is the faculty.  The professors at Loyola leave a positive impact on every single class I am a part of.  One of my biggest fears about coming to law school was having to come across professors that were intimidating and unhelpful to students. You always hear horror stories about law professors putting students on the spot and making them uncomfortable. However, I truly never felt this at Loyola.  Loyola’s professors are kind and approachable and every single one I have had has helped me tremendously.  You can really tell that they care about not only the academic successes of their students but also their wellbeing.  I got COVID in the beginning of Spring semester and all my professors reached out to me to make sure that I was doing okay.  I was so grateful for them during this time.  I think the faculty at Loyola really makes the student experience unlike any other law school.  I don’t think Loyola would feel like “home” if it weren’t for the incredible faculty.

I have been reflecting on this for a few weeks now and talking to my friends about our Loyola experience. While we all had different experiences regarding law school, we all can agree on one thing, if it weren’t for the incredible faculty, Loyola would not be the same.  I really feel that the faculty has made me love Loyola more than I originally thought I would.

I walked into law school thinking that law school professors were going to be the toughest, least understanding educators I would ever have. I quickly learned that they were actually the opposite. Loyola Law School is the fourth academic institution I have attended, and I have never had more caring educators. Law school professors work to get the best out of you. They will call on you and they will push you. This can be daunting and can be a setback in trying to build relationships. Despite all of this, all of my professors have been extremely caring. My Contracts professor responded to an email I sent him about not feeling well enough to attend class in under 5 minutes. I was shocked to say the least. As I write this post, I am reflecting on all of my experiences will faculty. Each and every professor has been nothing but kind, encouraging, and helpful. After final grades were inputted, all of my professors made time to meet with students to ensure that we all have the necessary resources to improve. My Civil Procedure professor is still making time to meet with students on a weekly basis even though we are about to be in the fifth week of the semester. All of this to say, do not be afraid of law school professors! They are extremely caring and want you to succeed. They were law students, too. If anyone knows how you feel, it is your professor. I can honestly say Loyola Law School’s greatest strength is the incredible professors that we have.

As an introvert, one of the scariest parts of entering law school was finding a friend group I could rely on, both through the trials and errors of academics and for emotional support. Support during 1L is vital to your academic and emotional well-being. Luckily, Loyola puts together one of the best orientation programs prior to the first week of school. Through the orientation social events, I made friends immediately. I realized that everyone was eager to find friends to study and hang out with. It’s important to remember that everyone is on the same boat. You will find common ground quickly. I found my long-term study group before classes had even started!

Finding classmates I could rely on helped tremendously. We outlined together, studied together, shared notes, and went to dinner after classes to destress. Our friendships have gone beyond academics. We share life stories, hardships, and fun times together week after week. I truly believe I have developed a law school family and met friends I will have for the rest of my life. Loyola students are great, and I rarely feel competition between us. Teamwork really makes the dream work!