The end of Winter Break means I am officially over halfway done with law school! This is a feat in itself, I think.

But as much as I needed the rest, by the time Winter Break is over, I am antsy to get back into the rhythm of school. After spending Fall Semester in the thick of it, I sometimes find it difficult to sit around and do nothing after working so hard!

After my Fall Semester, however, I was glad to have a few moments to myself. My finals this past semester were hard – I cannot tell a lie! So I was happy to rest a bit after all of the studying.

One of my favorite things to do in my down time is read. It quickly falls by the wayside during school because once I’m done reading cases and rules for class, I don’t want to read anything else! Throughout the school year, I collect books I want to read on my breaks and pile them up around my room.

This Winter Break, I read a grand total of *drum roll, please* 15 books! To some, it might sound like a lot. But I’m a fast reader, and some of the books were quick “beach reads.” This is a great way to relax my brain and focus on something else – someone else’s story for a while.

Winter Break also offers a great opportunity for me to work on job applications. While some of my friends are long done with their job applications because they are on the Big Law track, most Public Interest firms and organizations do not start hiring until the Spring! Winter Break offers me some time to perfect my cover letter and resume, and get all those job applications done!

All in all, I use my Winter Break the way I always have – a time to reset, reconnect with friends and family who I don’t always get to see during the semester, and relax.

Now, I have to hang up my fun-to-read books, and turn back to my law books!

For the most part, I like law school. I have made great friends. I learn so much, and I get to represent actual clients in my clinic and get a head start on my career. However, there is one part that I hate. Exams. I have never been a good test taker. Exams are such a big part of law school, so I had to learn how to deal with them. Now that I’m one and a half years into law school, I can confidentially say I’ve learned how to deal with exam season. It took a lot for me to get to where I could deal with my test anxiety, but there are three main things I’ve done that help me.

 

First, I start early. I start outlining early and start doing practice questions early. By doing this, I avoid the stress of cramming and can ask my professor questions about the material well before the exam. Next, I study in a way that works for me. I am a firm believer in that there is no “right” way to do law school. All of us are different, so our studying should be different as well. For example, while some students do a traditional outline for their classes, I make flow charts. This helps me visualize the concepts we learn and how they all interact and affect one another. Lastly, I remind myself that my grades don’t define me. Like most law students, I used to obsess over my grades in undergrad, and I would get upset if I didn’t get an A. In law school, the curve makes it impossible for all of us to get an A, and so much of my grade is out of my control. The only thing I can do on an exam is my best, so while I put 110% into my studying and exam prep, I remind myself that the letter grade does not define me and not getting an A in every class does not mean I will not be a good lawyer.

 

I also think what I do after exam season helps me not be stressed about my grades. Most importantly, I never talk about the exam material with classmates after the exam. Once I’ve hit submit, I forget about the exam and move on. I also spend Winter break with my family in Texas every year. When I’m there, I’m focused on spending time with them, making memories, and enjoying my time at home, so I don’t think about how I may have done on the exam. This year, I helped plan my cousins bridal shower, and that helped me take my mind off law school.

 

Overall, I keep exam season in my mind during exam season only. Once I’ve his submit on an exam, I can’t go back, so there’s no reason to think about it anymore. This has helped immensely in lowering my stress surrounding law school, and my mental health is better as a result.

In the Jiu Jitsu community, there is something called the “blue belt curse.” It is a phenomenon where practitioners quit after they have been promoted to their blue belt, and my promotion was a few months before the start of 1L.

I was terrified I would let go of my hobbies and fall victim to the “curse” because one of the law school myths that I found most often repeated was “you lose your social life during law school.”

On the contrary, that first semester that I spent taking this myth too seriously was probably my least successful one.

I never found that I lost my “social life” during 1L. While you learn the art of time management and prioritizing tasks in a different way than you are (often) used to, the camaraderie I found with my classmates on top of maintaining my hobbies was the best combination for my studies and mental health. You build relationships with other students, with mentors and others in the legal profession that stick with you. Personally, finding the Philippine American Bar Association did wonders for both my career and my homesickness.

Those first few months I would feel guilty spending an hour on the mats instead of doing work, but I soon learned that those hours are well spent on yourself, and the notion of “wasting time” was more hurting than helping me. The semester I spent training at least twice a week was my most successful one yet, both inside and outside of school.

You figure out what works for you, and the scary thought of “losing your social life” is not a guarantee, but more something in your control. Law school is a challenge that requires balance, and 1.5 years later I haven’t succumbed to the “blue belt curse” quite yet.

In three weeks, I’ll be halfway done with law school. Even typing that out doesn’t make it feel real. As cliché as it sounds, time really has flown by. Now that this semester is almost done, I thought I’d share a bit of what a day in my life looks like.

Usually, my mornings are used to work on client work for the Juvenile Justice Clinic. This is when I’ll schedule court hearings, meetings with my clients, or work on motions, looking through discovery, or anything I need to do for my cases. Having this time blocked off for the entire semester is super important because you never know when you’re going to have an emergency visit or court hearing.

Around noon, I always try to take a break for myself to eat lunch, recharge, and break up my workday. This portion of the day is so important for me to be able to separate my clinic work from my classwork.

In the afternoon, I am either in class or working on doing readings for the next class day. If I need to, I’ll also review the material for my evening classes so I’ll be prepared if I get cold called. I also take a few minutes in the afternoon to call my family. They live in Texas, so with the time change and how busy I am it’s hard to find a time to talk to them. We’ve found that late afternoon when they’re getting off work and I’m getting ready to head to class is best. Talking to them is so important to me, so I try to set aside any time I can to FaceTime them.

Then, I have class every evening. I won’t lie, evening classes can be kind of draining, especially after working all day. But this is the best time to schedule classes because the courthouses are closed, so I am usually able to just focus on class instead of client work.

After class, I try to not to any class or clinic work. During this time, I’ll read a book, play a video game, or do self-care. No matter what I’m doing, I try to keep my mind off work. In law school, setting aside time to relax and do something that is not work related is so important for my physical and mental health.

Overall, my days are long and filled with a lot of work. And I’ll be honest, that was super scary to me at first. But I’ve wanted to be a lawyer since I was in high school, and now I am so close to accomplishing that goal, so the work is completely, 100% worth it.

They say 1L of law school is the hardest. It’s something we’ve all heard over and over again – from the internet, from attorneys, from other law students.

Halfway through 2L, I can say this is likely true. 1L is the hardest year of law school academically. This year, my classes are still challenging – don’t get me wrong. It is law school after all. But, after 1L, you have the foundational skills to handle law school classes well. You’ve bettered your reading strategies, you know when a good time to start outlining is, and you know how to balance your responsibilities.

In 2L, though, most students have additional responsibilities outside of class. To be honest, I likely spend more time on things that aren’t class – like my experiential learning clinic, law review, and the IACHR Project I am on.

Something that is great about 2L is that I don’t have class every day like I did in 1L. That’s a great change to my schedule because I have two days a week that I can dedicate to getting my reading done, working on my outlines, and turning to my clinic and law review work I have.

So while 1L is the hardest, I would say 2L is the busiest. But I thrive on being busy. It pushes me to get my work done so that I can spend time on the weekends doing things that make me feel like a person and not a law student. I go hiking, I spend time with friends, I crochet. It’s a great way to balance out my life so that I can give my brain a little break which is critical to law school survival.

After 1L finals, I only had one week before the beginning of my internship at the California Public Utility Commission’s Administrative Law Judge Division. I was excited, but I also felt unprepared for my first legal internship. I kept asking myself: what should I bring? What is expected of me as a first-generation international student who just finished 1L? Will it just be like LRW? Is there anyone else from LLS I might connect with who can help me?

The very first judge that I met who helped me get set up was an LLS Alumna. We talked like old friends about her time at LLS, I asked about professors, and how the campus has changed, and she spoke highly of how the LLS network has served her since graduating. Meeting her helped me settle into my new role as a Legal Intern, and we stayed in touch over the summer.

As a legal intern, I wrote rulings, resolutions, and proposed decisions for the ALJ’s, as well as attended hearings, voting meetings, and weekly lunches where we networked with different people across the CPUC; attorneys and judges alike. Everyone who worked with us interns was so helpful and insightful. I would never have been able to meet so many of them, especially since the state agency was spread over three offices, but the intern supervisors ensured that we got to meet and hear from people with valuable experience and fascinating work.

Having finished 1L gave me common ground with everyone; judges and attorneys were quick to offer their 1L stories, experiences, and advice. They assured me that despite how overwhelming it might have been, I would look back on it fondly and that the work they found was rewarding and fulfilling; showing me I had much to look forward to.

I am so excited to be returning to the Jury of Peers! A lot has changed since I last wrote here. I am in my final year as a law student, and in the next year I expect even more changes as I prepare to graduate in the spring!

As a student who’s entire 1L year was online due to COVID-19, this fall was my first official semester where I had a more traditional, “in-person” experience. It has been really amazing being able to connect with my peers daily and engage in class discussion face to face. My favorite part has definitely been the increase of in-person events! It seems like at least a few times a week some organization is hosting a panel, a lunch, a film screening, or some informative event so students who are interested in certain fields of law can learn and network. As the Vice President of the Child and Family Law Society on campus, my organization and I have had a lot of fun putting together informational and panel discussions on family law.

I would say that I am different this year because I have new priorities and things to look forward to in law school. In my final year, I get to shift my focus to post-graduate endeavors, like looking for post-bar employment and preparing for the bar exam. Now, instead of spending a lot of my free time going to look at on-campus opportunities, I am expanding outward. But I still have a few things to check off my bucket list, in and outside of law school. For example, I am looking forward to booking a trip this summer to celebrate taking the bar exam! I also want to continue my commitment to mentoring first-generation students on campus. I am excited for my final year and excited to continue with the Jury of Peers!

Hi everyone! This year I am returning as a blogger for Jury of Peers! I am looking forward to sharing with you some of my experiences and insights about Loyola Law School and law school in general. Hopefully you’ll be interested in reading my future and past posts and learn something new along the way!

I’m currently a 2L at LLS. This year I’m the treasurer for the Intellectual Property & Cybersecurity Law Society (IPCLS) and helping out as a 1L mentor in both IPCLS and the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA). I’m a student ambassador too, so hopefully I can see some of you at future LLS admission events and tours. I’m also a staff editor on the Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Review.

A little bit about me not law school related:

I graduated from UCLA in 2020 with a B.A. in Spanish. In my free time I like to watch any sports game that’s on (hopefully the Lakers and Rams will improve their records soon). I enjoy watching movies and anime, and keeping up with all the new social, cultural, and culinary trends. I’m also a big theme park enthusiast – I have an annual pass to Universal Studios Hollywood, and I think I know the park inside and out by now LOL. I’m super excited for the opening of Nintendo World next year! Last summer after 1L finals and the law review write-on competition, I was able to cross an item off my bucket list by flying to Florida and going to Universal Orlando. It was such a fun and amazing experience seeing how much bigger and different the counterpart park was in Orlando. I’d recommend anyone who’s thinking of a place to vacation to consider going! Here’s a few fun photos from my trip:

Blogging for Jury of Peers has been a great way for me to creatively write while taking a break from legal writing.  Law school can sometimes be stressful and overwhelming but it’s important to take breaks and stay motivated, but to find a balance and not burn yourself out.

Thank you all for reading my first blog post this school year and stay tuned for more!

My name is Missy Macuja Elizalde, and I am a new Jury of Peers Correspondent this year!

I am a 2L Day student, Secretary of the Environmental Law Society, and a student in the International Human Rights Practicum, born and raised in Pasay City, Philippines. I went to undergrad at Emerson College in Boston, and my background before law school was mostly in environmental sustainability and marketing, with a few years as a professional ballet dancer.

My legal interests are rooted in my childhood in the Philippines, I have a strong passion for human rights and environmental protection, which is what led me to law school in the first place. LLS has provided me with so many opportunities to figure out what kind of path I want to forge within those legal interests, it is so important to explore and see what excites you most!

I am an international student, which I know isn’t very common for law school JD programs and has provided me with a different experience with its own unique challenges in this journey. I am happy to speak to any prospective international students and answer any questions.

Outside of law school, I enjoy Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, rock climbing, ballet, scuba diving, and hanging out with my dogs. After tearing my ACL earlier this year and not being able to participate in my usual hobbies, I took up photography so I might still be able to join in without the risk to my knee, and I have thoroughly been enjoying it so far. My bucket list would probably include scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, photographing the Philippine Eagle, and getting to the podium of the No Gi World Championship.

I am so excited to get to write for the Jury of Peers blog this year!

Hello all! For those of you who are just finding Jury of Peers – welcome! I’m Emily, a 2L from Salt Lake City, UT (originally from LA!).

A few tidbits about me: I studied Creative Writing in college, I lived abroad in Israel for a year after college, and I love to read. Over the summer, I worked at an incredible public interest organization here in Los Angeles where I had the amazing opportunity to manage three immigration cases.

This year, I am on the Public Interest Law Foundation (PILF) board, serve as a staffer on the International and Comparative Law Review, write for the LLS Inter-American Court of Human Rights Project, participate in the Loyola Genocide Justice Clinic, and am a Student Ambassador for the Office of Admissions! Oh yeah, and I go to class too! I love being busy and while it can sometimes feel like a lot of work, I know it is all so worth it!

2L is different from 1L in that you get to shift from the foundational classes to more of what kind of law you want to learn about. For me personally, I am in more internationally focused classes and international human rights experiential learning opportunities. This is where my interest in law truly lies, so it is great to take classes and participate in a clinic where I really get to dig deep in the law and learn the intricacies behind it all.

After my 1L, I do see more familiar faces on campus, I know what the Erie Doctrine is (if you know you know), and I get to put to practice the laws that I learn in class. But law school is still a place where I get to explore the world in a new way. I get to ask questions of brilliant legal scholars and research new legal issues in front of international tribunals. I get to challenge myself.

As a 2L, you feel like you have a slightly better idea of what you’re doing, and campus feels familiar. You’ve also survived 1L, and you have a better idea of what you want to do after school, and what kind of lawyer you want to be. Better yet, you have a good idea of what kind of person you want to be.