In the last week, I have been inundated with IMs from 1Ls who are about to start or just recently started law school. Typically, the 1L is seeking some sort of advice (which I am happy to provide) or some kind of reassurance (which I probably will not). But mostly, they want to know about my first days of law school. Why, I’m not sure. Perhaps they want to draw some parallel; “If only my experience is better than his, maybe I have a chance.”
I realized early on that law school just wasn’t for me. Remembering my early days of law school took some prodding. I repressed those memories, putting them in the same place that I put those ugly childhood memories of being teased and picked on. I trudged through my year first and a half unhappy with myself and my decision. This blog, started during my 2nd year is the equivalent to when I grew 6 inches and gained 40 pounds between 7th and 8th grade and went from picked on by bullies to protector of nerds. That slightly depressing allegory aside, here are my memories from the early days:
First, let me say that I was really, really naïve about law school before I started. I knew next to nothing about it, so I went in with an open mind. In hindsight, this was probably a mistake. Since I didn’t really know about the downsides, when I faced those downsides for the first time, it was that much more of a let down.
One thing stands out about the first day of class: it was the longest day of my life. I had four classes scheduled over five hours, but I felt like I was there for much longer. The time just crept by. Part of it was the expectations; I didn’t know what the next class would bring, so it seemed slower. But part of it was just how boring law school classes are. I recall equating it to the time I decided to take a manual labor job during a summer in high school. I had never done such work before, and when I did, I realized then and there why people go to college. That eight hour shift was the slowest eight hours of my life. I resisted looking at the clock for as long as I could, and when I did, I expected it to be close to lunch time. In reality I had been there a little over an hour. Needless to say, I didn’t go back the next day. That was sort of how my first day of school felt, only I returned the next day. I am still debating the merits of that decision.
One more memory: During orientation I went to the assignment board to check what I had to read for the first day. All of my classes had an assignment, except for torts. My torts prof had posted an assignment, but it was assigned to section 2. I was in section 1. Never mind that section 2 didn’t have him for torts, and that I was fully aware of that fact. Never mind that my classmates seemed to make the connection and realize his error. I looked at it and thought, “Cool! One less assignment to read this weekend!”
I got to school Monday, and people were talking about the torts case. I asked what case they meant, and they told me. I said, “But we didn’t have an assignment.” They all vehemently disagreed and pointed to the pages. I then realized, much later than the rest of them, that our torts professor had simply made a mistake. But no worries, I thought. If I was called on, I would simply explain the mistake and he’d move on. Right?
I know you are expecting me to tell you that he called on me, laughed at my excuse and ripped me a new one. But that didn’t happen. The nice thing about being in a section of 95 people is that you only have a slightly greater than 1% chance of being called on. And the odds were in my favor that day. However, nothing better illustrates my transition from naïve 1L to slacking 2L to jaded 3L better than this: My first year, I made the honest mistake of misunderstanding what was assigned and had the honest belief that the professor would understand. As a 2L, I would have seen that mistake and used it to my advantage by not reading and then pointing out the mistake to my professor and claiming ignorance if called upon. And as a 3L, I wouldn’t have bothered checking the assignment board to begin with, let alone read for the class. So incoming 1Ls, that is what you have to look forward to. Best of luck. If you need me, I’m here. It's the least I can do.
