Yesterday, I was having an IM conversation with a regular reader who attends a very prestigious law school. She told me the following story:
"So I was sitting in the student lounge, and the 2L chick is talking to her friend, this 1L guy. She turns to me and asks, 'have you ever invited a professor out to coffee?' I turned to the guy and said, 'you are such a tool.' I had seen him and a few other 1Ls having coffee with [famous law professor] in the dining hall, and I put two and two together. He says, 'why?' Then the following exchange took place:
Me: Look, you are going to learn this sooner or later, and I suggest you learn it sooner: The professors here don't give a shit about you or your ideas, and honestly, you shouldn't give a shit about their ideas because it's just a bunch of recycled drivel. Law professors are just philosophy professors who couldn't cut it at philosophy. They don't even know your name, and they aren't going to learn it.
Him: But I care what [famous law professor] has to say.
Me: Why?
Him: Because it's interesting.
Me: No it isn't. It's the same shit that is in all his books. Tragic Choices my ass. The only tragic choice I made was going to law school.
Him: [look of disbelief]
Me: Let me ask you something: Do you ask questions in class?
Him: Yes.
Me: Don't do that, because all it will do is make all the other law students hate you. There is nothing you could possibly say that could impress your professors because THEY AREN'T LISTENING! Do you get that? They don't care what some scrub like you has to say. They only care what they have to say. Trust me, all the other students in the class will come to hate you if you act like such a tool. And by the way, you aren't going to get a clerkship because you asked [famous law professor] out to coffee.
Him: [stomps off]
If I could award this reader some sort of medal, I would. We need more people like her in law school.
