Noah Niksefat is a first-year student at Loyola Law School who aims to apply his business background toward a purposeful legal career.
Before starting 1L, I kept hearing students who had just finished their first year say, “You will not have time for anything you enjoy.”
I entered Loyola Law School determined to disprove this myth.
People can always make time for the things they genuinely care about. During 1L, I continued spending time with my family, exercising, meeting friends, and squeezing in the occasional movie. The truth is that you do not lose your life when you begin law school: you simply learn how to integrate law school into your existing life.
People warned me that staying on top of readings would consume all my time. But a few weeks into the semester, once I developed a strategy that worked for me, the workload became manageable. Law school is a responsibility, not an identity.
What truly takes time is exam preparation. I aimed for two full weeks of studying before my midterm. I ended up taking a week and a half, and I was still content with my performance. Finals, however, will require several weeks of preparation. My outlines insist on it, and I’ve learned not to argue with them.
If I could offer one message to future 1Ls, it would be this: law school is a privilege. You are here to grow, not to suffer. Try things. Make mistakes. See what works. Use the reminders app on your phone. Plan your time. You have twenty-four hours each day and more control than you think.
And yes, with a little planning, your Saturday night outings are doable.
TOPICS: 1L, Exams & Finals, Health & Wellbeing, JD Day, New Students