Jordan Avey is an LLS student blogger.
Before starting law school, I heard about how cut-throat all of my peers would be. I was told so many horror stories about students giving each other the wrong answers on purpose and how people were so competitive that they would do literally anything to get ahead (I literally mean anything). I have asked a couple of my friends and they’ve all said they also heard several terrible stories before coming to law school.
Luckily, I am here to tell you that this is purely a myth at Loyola. When someone gets cold-called in class and clearly does not know the answer, people are there to help them out with a whispered hint. Someone is always around to answer questions (correctly, I might add) and people are always willing to study together and bounce ideas off each other. I just had my first midterm on Monday and when it was finished, there was collective relief that we had survived and joy that we had all made it through the first half of Property Law. We are competing for grades (the classes are curved and people who want to be lawyers generally like to win), but no one is out to get you or ruin your chances. If we all succeed, Loyola succeeds, and if Loyola succeeds, our degrees continue to help us get jobs (which is really the goal).
So do not worry if you have heard stories about people removing library materials or one of the many cut-throat law school rumors. People are far more focused on bettering themselves rather than tearing others down. It is a lot easier to get ahead by studying than by becoming a master saboteur!
TOPICS: Peers & Colleagues, Student Life