Law school is a major source of stress in my life, however, there are certain aspects of it that I absolutely love.

First and foremost, I love the sense of community and friendships it has given me at this stage of my life. Loyola has been everything I hoped it to be in terms of a supportive and collegial environment. I have made lots of like-minded friends and look forward to spending time with them at school, and in my free time. As a recent college graduate, one of my biggest concerns about leaving undergrad was losing the sense of community I had established. Entering adulthood seemed like I would have less free time, and less opportunities to hang out with people. I consider myself to be a very social person, and I hoped law school would provide me with a similar community, despite it being a more professional setting than undergrad with people at different points in their life. Fortunately, everyone has been great, and I can tell I’ve already established many long-term friendships.

Aside from the amazing connections I’ve made, I also love my classes. Each class in some way pertains to something I am deeply passionate about and getting to experience that every day has been a fantastic experience so far. Law school has provided me the focused learning experience that I hoped for, and I am looking forward to continuing with increasingly specialized classes in years two and three. What strikes me as unique about Loyola is how much the students are encouraged to discover and pursue the endeavors they are passionate about. Superficial priorities such as chasing prestige or certain salaries are not emphasized (although the opportunities are certainly there for those interested.) I believe this has produced a very happy and comfortable learning environment and I feel very fortunate to be a part of it.

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.

Building relationships with faculty can certainly be intimidating at first. Our faculty is comprised of highly accomplished legal professionals, and I initially felt anxious about asking them dumb questions or appearing unprepared. It took while to shake off, but the important thing is just going for it and engaging with faculty members.

Once you do so, much of the intimidation will go away and you will realize that your professors are there because they are passionate about teaching you, and in my experience, they will not make you feel bad about asking questions, no matter how simple. I have yet to engage one on one with any of my professors, but all my professors have been more than available via office hours or email and truly wish to be the best resource they can be to help you succeed in law school. The faculty is extremely accessible and will always give you detailed and realistic feedback for any questions you may have about your coursework or career. I appreciate most the enthusiasm that emanates from our faculty members. All my professors and advisors are lively, engaged and bring so much passion for the law to campus every day, and it clearly rubs off on the student body. Professor Levenson in particular who was always dancing on top of a desk or hyping us up like a football coach at 8 am sharp is a great example of how much our faculty cares. I am thankful for the relationships I have built so far and look forward to more personal connections with faculty members moving forward.

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.

It was an amazing feeling to be welcomed by the LLS community once I got to law school. My 1L peers are friendly, very collegial, and have always been willing to offer a helping hand while navigating schoolwork. Similarly, the 2L and 3L students have made themselves readily available to answer questions about school and careers and are always willing to offer advice and study tips. I can confidently say the community at LLS facilitates an incredible learning environment and is a warm and accepting place to spend so much of my time.

As much as I love my peers, for me, study groups are not my favorite way to learn. I am a very social person and find that I constantly distract myself and others in groups, especially working with people I get along with so well. Instead, I’ve always felt that I learn course material best while studying independently, and the same has been true so far in law school. However, study groups have been extremely valuable when going over practice problems for exams. Having the opportunity to talk through your thought process and hear feedback from other students is an essential part of test prep and is something I would encourage all incoming law students to do come exam time.

My friends and I at LLS spend a lot of time together outside of the classroom as well. We get food together, hang out on weekends, and many of us get together every Friday afternoon to play basketball on campus. These friendships outside of the classroom are an essential part of getting through school, and it is amazing to have so many great connections already after just one semester.

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!

Happy New Year 2022! With every break, it always feels like it comes and goes so fast. It was nice to be able to take a break from law school and mentally reset and refresh myself.

Exams were tough and it was definitely a test of endurance. I attended UCLA for undergrad, which was under the quarter system, so it was interesting to now attend a school that uses the semester system. After fall semester classes ended, there was a reading period, which was about a week between the end of classes and the start of exams. It was a good time to consolidate study materials and transition into fully focusing for exams.

The time period between the end of classes and my last final exam was about 3 weeks. Our 1L exams were scheduled to be spaced out so that we could have a few days in between each exam to take a break and begin studying for the next one. It honestly felt like the longest 3 weeks of my life. Here are some of my takeaways from my first 1L final exams that I want to pass on:

• Start slowly studying and compiling your outlines early. The earlier you start studying, the more prepared and less stressed you will feel.
• Be sure to take breaks. The weeks of reading period and exams are not short. Be sure to pace yourself and take mental breaks from studying. Get some fresh air, don’t stay cooped up all the time in a room, but also stay focused.
• Stay hydrated during studying and during exams. It is very easy to get dehydrated and to forget to drink water when you are spending hours at a time doing assignments or studying that one hard concept you are trying to understand. Staying hydrated might be hard, but don’t forget to do so, especially during exams, where some final exams will span 3-4 hours.

Even though exams were tough, now that I have completed my first semester of law school, I have more knowledge, experience, and determination to tackle this next semester.

During my exam period and the beginning of winter break, I was also consolidating materials to apply for 1L summer positions. I applied for a judicial externship and internships for a few law firms. After submitting those applications, I felt that my winter break could finally begin.

Winter is my favorite time of the year. I love the holiday season and the festive lights that decorate the city. It’s always a nice time to meet distant family members again and to celebrate the new year with your loved ones. Being a big Marvel fan, I was anticipating the arrival of the newest Spider-Man film for a long time. I watched it opening night and if you haven’t watched it already, I highly recommend it. The whole theatre was cheering during the most climactic scenes. Another highlight of my winter break was going to LACMA with my girlfriend and seeing the Obama Portraits that were on tour around the U.S.

Besides that, I also got 2 wisdom teeth removed, which was not very fun…

Even though the beginning of spring semester is going to be online, hopefully we will be able to have class in person again soon. 2022 will be better than the last!

Day 82 – Fall Semester Update!

Whoa, almost three months into the semester! This has been a short, fun and very intense semester. Is it natural to be so overwhelmed at this stage of the semester? I am shamefully six classes behind in my Business Association class and I cannot seem to keep up with the racing clock to the exams. I can assure you I am not the only one lagging behind.  It is a rough ride, but I have zero doubt in my mind that I will be adequately prepared for the exams in a month’s time.

I can finally say this with some confidence; law school is not nearly as dreadful as depicted. Based on my actual personal experience, I am genuinely stunned by everything here. I love it. For starters, let me just appreciate the location of LMU Loyola Law School. The ambience alone has the potential to push you to dig into the deepest reservoirs of knowledge. It is very quiet, serene and very scenic with a fantastic view of downtown.  All the resources on campus have the ability to promote a very holistic development and proficiency in the legal profession. Don’t you just love the William M. Rains Library? Very many brilliant lawyers in the making here!

I have also discovered that law school is all about strategy. The one thing that has worked for me is office hours! Any time I cannot wrap my head around a certain concept, I always make sure I attend those extra hours with the professors. I am often stunned into silence by their eloquence and ability to break down complex concepts into comprehensible bits. My only law school wish was that there was some magic pill that could help me remember all the cases, rules and arguments. Lol!

Law school is not necessarily a total damnation. I hold the utmost respect for all those brilliant minds that walked this path before us and are now making real change in the world. It is no small feat but it is very fulfilling and rewarding.

I wish you the very best as you prepare for your finals!

Best,

Evah!

There is this invisible line that cuts the world in two and falls at 0o latitude. The Geographers named it the Equator. This is where the world is at its widest and only thirteen countries in the world can boast of possessing this amazing rare feature. This means that these thirteen countries do not get to experience the four seasons like the rest of the world. We only have the rainy season and the dry season. I have never experienced spring, summer, autumn and winter. Yes, yes I know that look on your face. It is the same exact look I get when I tell someone that I have never celebrated Halloween or Thanksgiving before. I had actually never heard of Daylight savings until Professor Selan explained it to me during one of my spring semester classes. A brief background: I come from a small village in Kenya that is suspended on the equator. I have never had the luxury of experiencing the stretching of darkness for more than twelve hours in a day. I started my LL.M online in spring 2021 due to Covid restrictions and consequent travel ban. I spent what would be considered my summer dusting my tweed jackets and polishing my boots in readiness for fall. A month ago, you should have seen me arrive at LAX with two suitcases full of jackets and other winter paraphernalia only to be welcomed by a heat wave and the bluest skies I have ever seen. I was deeply misguided. I was told to prepare for listless dark nights and rainfall all through September to February 2022. But L.A has been nothing short of sweet and shiny and shimmery! Should I hold my horses? Spoke too soon? Yo! Give this girl some Fall tips