No matter your area of expertise or background, law school is a challenge. Study groups really do help with the challenges that come with law school. For me, working with different classmates throughout the year has been really beneficial. It has definitely helped with what felt impossible to understand in a classroom. 

During exam season, I usually go through practice problems and share outlines with my study groups. I think the best part about study groups is that they can provide moments of self-reflection. You may catch yourself unable to explain a concept to your friend and realize that a topic you thought you knew, you may actually have to go back and review. 

Although I do like study groups, I think it’s equally important to be able to sit down alone and study. During exam season, I love creating a good play list to listen to as I memorize and practice problem sets. 

I think we’re really lucky at LLS. The student body is unbelievably collegial, collaborative, and supportive. Both in and out of the classroom. I think that’s the reason why study groups work so well at the school. Missed yesterday’s lecture because you were out sick? You can always count on the person next to you to share notes. That’s just the type of students that make up LLS.

No man is an island. There is a lot of talk and myths about the cutthroat environment that you can encounter in Law School. I cannot attest to that. When I came to Loyola, I felt welcomed. All my professors were extremely supportive, my colleagues were inviting and friendly, the staff was just phenomenal from admission throughout the semester.

I’ve observed how study groups have fostered amazing bonds among many of my colleagues throughout – not only the school years – but also after graduation. Personally, I’m a solo study person. I am a slow learner and I like to take my time with the research I need to really get the material.

I was never in a study group, but I paired with friends – especially for writing assignments. I had colleagues review my papers, give me feedback, guide me through Table of Authorities etc. I’ve received nothing but support whenever necessary, from both students and professors.

In Law School, practice is key. For example, my Civil Procedure Professor would offer to read our essays from the book and give us feedback, which was very helpful. I would usually stay after class and often go to office hours with questions that I had about the subject.

I would also re-watch lectures on the subjects, which was a great way to identify my strengths and blind spots.

Law School really is your reign. It’s the place to learn about the law and yourself. Whether with solo study sessions or study groups, you can experiment and see what works for you. The fact you will find support no matter what you choose is comforting and sets you up for success.

 

LLS is known for being a “friendly” law school, and that makes a huge difference. I quickly realized that law school requires sacrifices- unfortunately, this can mean not seeing friends and family as often as we might like. This means our classmates understand our struggle more than anyone, so we must lean on each other, even in a competitive environment.

Admittedly, I was slow to join a study group. I tend to be shy and reserved and built habits around solo studying in college and graduate school. While studying alone has benefits, discussing the material and sharing practice problems together helped me try out different ways of “attacking” exam essays. One of our professors even suggested texting him while we studied if we had questions, which we did (sometimes quite late at night!). Study groups are great practice for real world law.

The best practice I have learned in working collaboratively is always to offer something before asking for something. Classmates are usually happy to help, but it is also useful real world practice to be a good colleague. This means doing our own preparation so we can maximize our study group time.

If I could only pick one thing that has gotten me through these last three years of law school, it’s the friends that I have made. While friends and family outside of law school are just as important, no one truly understands the trials of law school like the friends you make there. To say that I lean on them for support is an understatement.

Coming into law school can be daunting, and a big deal is made about creating study groups for the best grade results. That puts a lot of pressure on not only choosing the right people but also being a part of a group in general. It is a pressure that I feel is unwarranted because many people don’t study well in groups. I think what is more important is to cultivate friendships and relationships that aren’t entirely reliant upon the idea of study groups. I lean on my law school friends not just to rant about school but also to deal with personal issues, or to spend time together away from school. These types of friendships are especially necessary during exam season. During my 1L year, my friends were also the people I studied with, and it made getting through the hardest courses that much easier. Now as a 3L, while we may not have the same courses, having friends around that can lift me up when I’m not understanding a concept or I need a break has been comforting.

All that said however, don’t put pressure on yourself to make friends or be in study groups! We are all different people with different capabilities, and not having a ton of people to rely on in law school does not make your experience any less valuable. While it is important to every once in a while, strike up a conversation with the people in your class in case you need notes, it is not the end all be all of law school to not have a study group or friends. Loyola’s student body is filled with all types of people from all different backgrounds, its welcoming and embraces people’s differences. While you may not get along with every person you meet (not unlike regular life) you are bound to find someone in Loyola who you can connect with.

Loyola’s wealth of courses seems overwhelming at first once you are able to branch out of the rigorous core requirements that 1L requires. As much as I had my sights on certain clinics and classes from before I started my studies that were major contributors in my decision to attend the law school, I wanted to explore as much as I could.

I luckily had several mentors from student organizations at LLS – namely, the Environmental Law Society, APALSA, and PILF – that had lists of their advice, favorite professors, and which classes to take in conjunction with one another.

What they told me created the skeleton of my schedule for the next four semesters; and I am forever grateful for their advice and words of encouragement as I followed down the path they had so recently walked; and I leapt at the opportunity to do the same when I heard familiar professors and courses being tossed around by 1Ls and 2Ls as I progressed at LLS.

As a first-generation law student, you sometimes feel lost or without guidance; everything’s uncharted. I’ve found that the most important resources that I’ve had since starting law school were my mentors and peers, from the above student organizations and from the Philippine American Bar Association. Leaning on others who had similar experiences to my own: be that through their interests in the legal profession or our shared cultural heritage, meant for easier decision-making when navigating my time at LLS, and I am certain will continue beyond graduation.

 

Creating my schedule always feels a bit like a puzzle, and a bit like a guessing game. First, I consider my other obligations—work, clinic, organizations, personal life—so I can look at how much time and energy I will be spending outside of class. Second, I look at how much potential work the class will have—is it a paper class? Is it a Bar class? How much reading will there be? To do this, I talk to friends who have taken the course already. But the amount of work a class takes me, might be different than my friends.

Additionally, I have a concentration—International Criminal and Human Rights Law—so it guides my class choices a little more than some of my friends who do not have a concentration. Beyond the general requirements that all law students must complete before graduation, I have additional course requirements to complete to round out my education within the concentration.

I chose my concentration because I came to law school with a pretty good idea of what kind of law I wanted to practice, and this has not changed after two and a half years of law school. This way, I get to take classes that have to do with my chosen field.

While my concentration guides my schedule a little, it does not fill all of my credits. With my remaining classes, I take classes that cover popularly tested bar topics, classes that sound interesting, and classes that I will wish I had taken upon graduation. It is easy to fill my schedule and be busy with classes, extracurriculars, and things I love to do.

As a 1L, I was unsure of what to expect from my first set of law school final exams. I studied for several weeks and made sure I understood the major concepts from each of my classes. I left each exam satisfied that I did my best to put down my thoughts in a clear and succinct way. However, I knew that if I wanted to improve and feel more confident, I would need to make some changes. After receiving my grades, I have now updated my study process to ensure I am more prepared for each of my exams. This semester, I would like to implement my new plan in order to get even better grades on my exams at the end of the term, which includes giving myself more study breaks and prioritizing my mental health. Additionally, I plan to use various techniques – such as handwriting outlines and study guides or going over class notes – to ensure I have grasped the information from each class.p

I spent winter break resting, clearing my environment and mind, and spending time with friends and family. I visited local places such as the LA Zoo Lights and Universal Studios.

I also worked on planning a trip for June, giving me something to look forward to this summer. I tried several new cafes and restaurants around the LA area. Though I did not allocate much time to law school itself, I found winter break was a much needed pause from the semester and left me refreshed to return this spring. I look forward to seeing what the future brings and have promised myself to work even harder to earn good grades.

Law school exams are hard, and they were just as hard this time around—as expected lol. I’ve come to realize just how important study groups can be during exam season. It’s always nice to have a couple of classmates to be able to bounce ideas off of and work on practice problems together.   

After exams were over, I spent my winter break visiting Northern California and catching up with friends/family. Breaks are great opportunities to slow down and unwind for a bit.   

Most notably, I was able to visit Hearst Castle, located about four hours North of Los Angeles. I love paintings, and the castle (once a home to the Hearst Family) is full of works from Egypt, Greece, and Rome. A great place to visit!   

As a 3L, with the Bar Exam right around the corner, I also took the opportunity to do some light (emphasis on light) review of outlines, flashcards, etc.   

I am still in disbelief that law school is almost over, one more semester to go!  

Happy New Semester!

After a month-long break from school, coming back to campus is so invigorating! Especially, when coming back to a schedule filled with subjects I’m very excited to learn about – something you can easily do at Loyola!

My Fall 2023 semester was very demanding, pushing me more than any other. I tend to focus on practical and lecture classes, making both the exam season and the preceding period, filled with papers and presentations, quite nerve-wracking. I had a tough Criminal Law exam, but overall, I am very happy with my grades and how much I have improved after my last semester.

During my winter break, I travelled back to Brazil to spend a month with my family. It was amazing and I had so much fun! We had a family trip to the northeast of Brazil, where you can find beautiful beaches. This was the best beach I’ve been to: warm and not-so salty waters.  I highly recommend it!

 

 

This is a picture of a very famous tourist place in Downtown of Porto de Galinhas, Pernambuco and our hotel at Cupe Beach.

The quality time I shared with my family was such a gift. This was the first real break I gave myself after starting Law School. I took time off from all activities – a TRUE vacation. I steered clear of law-related activities, focusing only on planning my calendar and organizing my weekly study schedule.

Having down time and a mental break from all demands of Law School/Bar Prep made a lot of difference. This true vacation, a blend of relaxation and family time, has not only recharged me but also given me a renewed zeal to embrace the challenges of law school. I feel ready to conquer this new semester!

 

Taking an informal poll of my peers, I found that the first year class has mixed feelings about the length of winter break. While many said “it wasn’t nearly long enough,” others shared they were ready to come back and start the “law school routine” again. I think I fall somewhere in the middle.

 

In the days after the final winter exam, I slept, and slept hard. Then, I cleaned. It felt glorious. I felt a little bit of the holiday rush, having completed no shopping before exams ended, but overall, I shared my exhaustion with my family and they understood. In the final two weeks of break, I started writing an article for the Sports Law Association about the NFL’s Arbitration Clause and immersed myself in the hunt for a summer internship. Let me take a moment to applaud the Career Development team at Loyola Law School- they are incredible. As an older student out of practice with resumes and interviews, my counselor answered every email I sent promptly and with excellent guidance. For most of us first year students, this time is exciting, anxiety-inducing, and uncertain. It is exciting to consider the range of possibilities of applying our knowledge to real-life legal situations, and of course, we are anxious without knowing for certain where and with whom we will work.

 

If I had one recommendation for first year students over break, it would be to rest your mind. It felt great to perform contemplative practices like cleaning and exercising. I am also glad I took time to consider what kind of internship I want to try this summer and recognized I will have multiple opportunities to apply what I learn.