Continuing from last week, here are more tips on how to make it through your first year of law school with the least amount of headaches, heartbreaks, and hang-ups. From adopting a pet to joining a student organization, these tried and true stress-busters are sure to make your first year of law school the best that it can be.
8. Have a Laugh
Over the course of your first year in law school, you will get bogged down with work, read cases until your eyeballs feel like they're going to fall out, and exert your mental abilities to the point of brain explosion. Somewhere in the middle, you may also lose your sense of humor. This could be bad, not only for those forced to hang out with you, but also for your health.
Studies show that laughter not only reduces stress, but improves circulation, leaving you with a stronger heart. So grab some friends, and head for a comedy club. Or simply let loose with a hearty belly laugh every once in a while. You'll feel better, and so will your heart.
9. Get Involved
The easiest way to carve out a niche for yourself during your first year is to get involved in one or two student organizations that interest you.
"Being an active part of student associations lets you meet people you would not generally see in class," said Anna Brook, a 2L and Editor-in-Chief of Harvard Law School's The Record. "It also makes school more fun by letting you do something completely different from class work."
In addition, you should get involved in your classes. This means speaking up and asking questions when you have them, not sitting in the back row trying to become invisible. Asking questions—even if you think they are stupid questions—is a great way to impress your professors and show them that you are interested in learning.
"Don't be a phantom student," Kirkman said. "Promise yourself that you will speak up in class and get to know your professors—practice being an advocate now, for yourself and your point of view. This applies especially to women."
10. Keep the Legalese Where it Belongs
Once you begin to catch on to the foreign language that is so commonly referred to as "legalese," you may find yourself using it in entirely inappropriate situations. Whether you're visiting with your grandma, chatting with your neighbor, or spending quality time with your significant other, it's important to remember that these people not only don't understand this language, they don't want to.
No use trying to explain it to them. You'll only be met with blank stares and possibly a non-existent dating life (unless, of course, you only date other law students).
The easiest way to avoid communication pitfalls during your first year is to allocate legalese and legal philosophizing to classrooms and law school social circles.
11. Get a Dog
Okay, so this one might seem a little strange at first glance, but studies show that simply petting a dog lowers blood pressure and reduces overall anxiety levels. Also, because anxiety is something you will experience during your first year of law school, a dog may be the perfect thing to help you chill out.
Healthier than happy hour and less time consuming than yoga, hanging out with your very own furry friend is a great way to unwind after a long day of studying; and, since all dogs need to be walked, having one will ensure that you get some stress-relieving exercise.
12. Include Your S.O.
As your significant other probably has no idea what you go through on a daily basis after you leave with your bag of books and travel cup full coffee, why not bring him or her along every once in a while to check it out?
If you're involved in a student organization, bring him or her to some of the meetings and/or events. If he or she has a free hour around noon, invite him or her up for lunch on campus with your law school friends. You can even check with your professors to see if they allow visitors to sit in on their classes. Anything that helps him or her understand what the first year of law school is like for you will likely be a big help to the relationship both now and in the future.
13. Get a Healthy Hobby
Another great way to reduce first-year stress is to take up a hobby, such as jogging, that provides mental as well as physical benefits. Jogging, which is an excellent stress reliever, also builds confidence and encourages a positive attitude. As you improve as a jogger, you will find that you become happier and more confident in your abilities. These characteristics will then carry over into the classroom.
14. Keep it Real
The first year of law school can be extremely disconcerting, especially if you let yourself forget where you came from and where you're going. Suddenly, you will be around a crowd of people who all have different plans for the future. Instead of jumping on someone else's bandwagon, though, Brandt Goldstein, lawyer and author of Storming the Court, advises staying true to yourself and your dreams.
"Don't lose sight of why you came to law school in the first place," he said. "Many people enroll with dreams of doing great things in the public interest, but then their idealism is ground out of them during the grueling process of learning to think like a lawyer. They end up taking jobs in law firms—just like everyone else—and wake up three years after graduation and ask, 'Where did I go wrong?' That doesn't have to be you."
15. Have Fun
You will only be a first-year law student once (hopefully). After this, you'll be off to tougher classes, longer reading assignments, summer internships, and the real world of law. So, amidst all of the hustle and bustle of your first year, remember to have yourself some good old-fashioned fun. Make some new friends. See some new sights. Have some new experiences. It may seem like the most stressful time of your life at first, but it just may turn out to be the best.
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