Life is Good (Again)

DONE with my first semester of law school!!!
And it didn't kill me. Somehow, I managed to make it through 1L fall with only minor psychological damage.

I didn't harm any of my frenemy classmates, my son still thinks I'm cool (enough), and my husband hasn't filed for divorce yet - all in all a success no matter what my grades turn out to be.

I'm pretty sure my friends and family will find me less likeable these days, but that's to be expected, right? I mean, who actually likes lawyers/law students? Not me...

Reasons Why My Son is the Cutest

1. He says "awfuls" instead of "waffles".

2. He says "cheese" instead of "geez". Example: "Cheese mom, stop kissing me!"

3. He can get a good hit if you throw him a baseball.

4. He comes home speaking Spanglish after visiting my parents.

5. He is always so concerned about people/animals.

6. He uses the word "though" correctly.

7. He's a better negotiater than Mr.

8. He has Mr.'s pretty blue eyes.

9. He's better at math than I am.

10. He's very competitive. And when you play a game with him, he'll tell you "I'm going to win and you're going to be LOST!"

Exam Update

The semester is almost over. I only have one exam left and then I am FREE for Winter Break. Words cannot express how excited I am to be able to watch tv, drink until I forget about law school, and not read ANYTHING until school starts back up.

Surprisingly, exams have not killed me (yet). I've been avoiding the law school library and my classmates like the plague. I think this has helped a lot actually. They all look so panicked and I just don't want to do that to myself. I've been busting my ass this entire semester so that I wouldn't have to kill myself now trying to catch up or outline - that's what I keep reminding myself when I start to get anxious. So I've been studying at home and making sure I get good sleep, take my vitamins, don't obsess over exams too much.

So far they have all gone really well. Ofcourse everyone I've talked to thinks they did okay though, so we'll see what happens once we get our grades back. I'll keep my fingers crossed until then.

For now, I have ONE MORE exam standing between me and the holidays -better get back to studying.

GOOD LUCK ON EXAMS EVERYONE!!

p.s. ESTATES & FUTURE INTERESTS SUCK

Things I'm Thankful for this Thanksgiving

1.  My son because he's the coolest person I've ever met and I love him more than anything.
2. My health.
3. My husband because he's sweet and supportive and hot and he loves me.
4. My FAMILY because they are some of the best friends I could ever ask for (also my bffs because they are extended family).
5. For cardigans (and twin sets).

Amen.

Open Letter

Exhausted.

Holy bags under my eyes!!

I am SO tired. I never imagined law school could be so mentally and physically exhausting.

Here are a list of things I am sick and tired of:

• Waking up before the sun comes up every morning.
• Seeing the same people all day, everyday.
• Being one of the twenty people who keep getting called on over and over again.
• My friends and family guilt tripping me about neglecting them.
• Carrying 300 lbs. of books around campus.
• Feeling like I don't have enough hours in the day.
• READING. And BRIEFING. And OUTILNING. And STUDYING. And PRACTICE PROBLEMS. OMG - I AM SO SICK OF LAW SCHOOL!!!

Love this.

"What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you ever close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."

- Billy Madison

They Hate Me.

Maybe it's depression talking, but why do I feel like all my friends and family hate me?

 

 

I know, I've been acting shitty.

 

 

Law school is a selfish endevour; I'm selfish for putting my friends and family through it.

 

 

I have so much guilt for missing birthdays and forgetting to return phone calls. I'm generally pretty cool. I'm a good friend and people usually think I'm fun to be around. But lately I don't even want to hang out with myself. I hate school, my classmates, and am finding the negative in everything.

 

 

I think law school is killing my soul.

FBI & Pizza

Today we had a guest speaker come in from the FBI and I loveddd it.

He talked about all the great job opportunities that the FBI has for law graduates and told us some crazy stories. I had no idea that almost 25% of FBI special agents have a juris doctorate. They also like to recruit accountants and, apparently, they are hiring like crazy right now.

I don't know if I would be cut out for the FBI, but it definitely sounds interesting. For a few years he specialized in crimes against children, so I stayed after and talked to him about it. He was so nice and helpful. He gave me some great advice on incorporating my interests in human rights advocacy into a career in criminal law. Definitely glad I didn't skip today's lunch lecture.

Best. Shirt. Ever.

I need this in my life ASAP.

Law school is depressing.

Yep, that's about all I have to say at the moment.

I could go on and on, but I've recently become particularly unfond of long, drawn out opinions that could just as easily (and much more conveniently for the reader) be thoughtfully presented in a simple thesis statement.

So, there you have it.

Law school = Life ruiner

Overheard in Law School #1

"You can't rape someone you love."

Thought of the Day:

Two thumbs down for the Socratic Method.

Lucky.

Lots of my classmates are from out of state. Today, I was having a conversation with one of them and she was nearly in tears talking about how homesick she is with all her friends and family so far away. I couldn't help but feel bad for her. Law school can be so isolating. Day after day, you are completely consumed with reading and studying. For someone who moves away from home and lives by themself, I can see how you would get really lonely living the life of a 1L.

Sometimes, in the deep corners of my mind, I question my decision to get married and start a family before starting law school. Balancing work, life, and family is downright overwhelming and can seem impossible at times. Wouldn't it have been so much easier to have finished school first? I'm sure in a lot of ways it would have been.

But then I think about what makes me happiest in my life... and that's my family. Every morning when I wake up before the sun comes up, it's them I say good morning to. When I have a bad day at school and come home cursing about my bitchy classmates, I know my husband really cares about what happened (unless there is an important game on, but he'll at least pretend).

I'm so LUCKY to have them here with me. Law school effects them too and I'm so happy to have my support system right here in the trenches with me :) They make me the luckiest 1L ever.

I should be reading...

But I thought I would give everyone a little update on my observations of law school so far.

1. The reading is intense. But it's nothing compared to the intense anxiety I feel when a professor starts randomly cold calling on people in class.

2. Being in a room all day, everyday with 100 type A personalities is far from what I call fun. Everyone is so similar... we're all assholes and smart asses. They might as well just put us all in a cage and have us fight to the death because that would probably be easier and less painful.

3. The gunners in my class have already been identified and made fun of by everyone else. In addition, the professors have recognized them as well and have already started ignoring them when they raise their hand (every 2 minutes). This brings great satisfaction to me and the rest of my non-gunner classmates.

4. Some people just do NOT know how to dress. I mean, this is a professional school. There is a dress code. Law school is not the place for sun dresses that are so short people can almost see your Britney. And it's definitely not the place for jean shorts and flip flops. What are these people thinking?

5. Wow, I knew it was going to be competitive... but I had no idea it would be like THIS. Example. Yesterday my civpro professor announces that he will be assigning seating charts today (lame, but whatever). Class starts at 8am. I'm super short and totally ADD, so I always sit in the front row to ensure that my vision isnt blocked by a big headed person and that I am not distracted by people in class. I got to school at 7:25am thinking I would have more than enough time to grab a good seat. When I get there, the door to the room hadnt even been unlocked yet and there are about 40 people already there!! WTF. When they opened the doors, it was like a mad rush for the first four rows. I almost got trampled to death and people were throwing elbows everywhere. I was able to get a good seat, but it nearly cost me my life.

This should be an interesting three years.

Tomorrow.

School starts tomorrow. I feel so weird about it. I mean, on one hand I am really excited to start a chapter of my life that I have been dreaming about since I was five.

And on the other hand, I AM ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED. Panic is defined as "sudden mass fear and anxiety over anticipated events". I'm pretty sure that is where I am at this point. Yesterday I was fine, today I'm crying over not being able to find my thermos. WTF? Poor Mr. is just looking on in horror and I know he wishes he could help, but he doesnt even understand.

He's worried that I dont think I'll be able to handle school academically and that is NOT it at ALL. After meeting my classmates at orientation and getting through several reading assignments, I think I'll be able to do this. Obviously it is going to be extremely difficult, especially going to school as a wife and mother of a toddler - but I think I have a couple advantages over my classmates. I havent slept or had fun since 2007, so while so many of them will be mourning those losses, I've already been there and done that. I majored in philosophy at an amazing university, have a legal background, and am extremely organized. I feel confident that I will be able to handle the work.

What terrifies me is thought of changing into someone else (especially when I married pre-law school... what if Mr. likes the old me better?) A professor at orientation said "It is an agonizing metamorphis from layman to lawyer". I've heard that before, but I never really understood what it meant. I still don't really know, but now I am scared to find out.

First Day of Orientation

This morning I woke up SO excited for my first day of orientation. I wore a button down white shirt, black pencil skirt, black/grey heels and pearls. The entire day was filled with lectures.

In the morning, we met with our faculty advisors in small groups and got our class schedules. Then we went on small group tours of the campus.This was followed by a speech from our state bar representative instructing us on how to get registered with the bar as a first year student. We had a short, buffet-style lunch break and then finished the day off with more lectures from the deans, professors, career services, and the legal reasearch and writing department.

The best part was scoping out the rest of my classmates. I'm pretty sure we are all equally clueless as to what the next three years is going to be like. Overall, it went well though. We'll see what the next four days have in store.

Yummy Sangria

Ingredients

1/2 cup brandy

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup frozen lemonade concentrate

1/3 cup orange juice

1 bottle dry red wine

1 lemon, slice into rounds

1 lime, slice into rounds

1 orange, slice into rounds

1/4 cup white sugar

8 maraschino cherries

2 cups carbonated water

Directions

In large pitcher mix together brandy, lemon juice, lemonade, orange juice, and wine. Float cherries, orange, lemon, and lime pieces in juices and refrigerate over night.

Creating a Law School Wardrobe

I'll be starting law school in about two months.

I feel like I've been waiting for this moment my entire life. I'm SO excited and SO scared/nervous all at the same time. I've started my summer reading assignments and thrown in a couple books I found on Amazon which may or may not make my first year easier.

I feel like there is lots of advice out there on how to survive the academic part of law school, but what about LOOKING GOOD? I mean, I'm a girl, after all. I like dresses and heels and feeling pretty. My school has a conservative dress code, but nothing has really been elaborated on as far as appropriate dress for classes every day.

So, I did some of my own research and came up with a list of must have items for any fashionable girl's law school wardrobe. They are as follows:

DRESS PANTS:

I love the look of the Express Editor Pants. Get them in all the basic colors (black, gray, brown). They are comfortable and professional (and will come in handy on days you don't feel like shaving.)

PENCIL SKIRTS:

This style of skirt is so flattering and polished. You'll definitely need a black one and however many others you can afford. Stick to basic colors for a classic look (gray, brown, navy blue, etc.). If you buy everything in your wardrobe in a similar color scheme, you'll thank yourself later because you can mix and match items to create lots of different looks.

BLOUSES:

I like the look and feel of silky blouses... especially in girly colors or prints. It's a nice way to change up your look and avoid looking too boring everyday. Definitely invest in one or two button downs as well for dressier events (like an interview, for example).

PLAIN TOPS:

Crew neck,v-neck, and boat neck cotton shirts are your friend. They are good for everyday wear and you can dress them up easily with a accessories or a bright cardigan. You can also wear them under a suit jacket for a nice, no-fuss look.

DRESSES:

You just can't go wrong with a well-tailored, conservative dress (no sundresses!). Sheath, pencil, and boat neck dresses offer a feminine, classic feel and you don't have to worry about putting an outfit together. Plus, they go great with either flats or heels depending on what you have going on that day. If you get them in basic prints and neutral colors, they are easy to dress up or down by adding different jackets/cardigans and accessories.

HEELS:

For the love of God, NO STRIPPER HEELS. Think "pumps". Yes, I know, it sounds like something an old lady would wear, but shoes do matter. You don't want to look like a high priced hooker, so avoid: anything too high, peep toes, crazy colors, or wacky prints. Heels in dark colors and neutrals are good. And if you can't walk in heels, go for wedges or kitten heels.

FLATS:

.... because, face it, you're not going to want to wear heels everyday when you have to lug around 50 lbs. of books plus a lap top and caffeinated beverage of choice. Switch these up and buy them in dark colors, nude, or animal print (if you're feeling sassy).

ACCESSORIES:

You're going to need a good bag (Long Champ is my personal favorite), belts, cardigans, and jewelry. When buying jewelry, buy a dependable watch and classic pieces (think studs and other pretty, understated pieces).

SUITS:

You'll need at least one of these your first year for oral arguments, interviews, and any professional events you might decide to attend. A three piece suit is a good idea because you can switch things up depending on whether you want to wear a skirt suit or a pants suit (and you can wear the pieces separately too, which is a definite plus).

BEST PLACES TO SHOP:

Banana Republic

Ann Taylor

The Limited

The Gap  

Express

Quote of the Day

Mr. describing the relationship between him and his lawyer bff.

"He's my friend, but I don't like him."

I think that's hilarious. God, I love my husband.

LSAT... Eww.

I took the LSAT last June and I would just like to say - "THANK YOU, BABY JESUS" that it's behind me! However, I know that not everyone is as fortunate as I am to have kicked the LSAT's ass with only minor psychological trauma and one teeny, weeny anxiety attack.

I remember scouring every law blog on the web last year searching for LSAT advice from those who had triumphed before me. And since the June exam is only days away, I figured I would add some of my own advice for the benefit of any law school hopeful who happens to stumble across my page. :)

(1) For the love of God, TAKE A PREP CLASS.
I know they are expensive. You should of seen the look on my husband's face when I told him I needed $1,500 so that I could take an 8 week course - on top of my full-time school load and job.

"By the way, honey, youre going to need to be cooking dinner for yourself and JV three nights a week while I'm in LSAT class til 10pm. You might want to start figuring that out now."

Justify the expense with reminding yourself that law school is a financial investment (hellooo, crippling student loans), and that the very first step you take towards your law career is one of the most important.

I took a Test Masters class and I picked them based on their local reputation. I had a couple friends in law school who took their course and swore by it. Other people I knew who took Kaplan or Princeton Review werent as happy with their experiences, plus Test Masters was cheaper. The end result? My score went up 14 points from the diagnostic exam!
(2) Undergrads: If your school offers courses in Logic, TAKE THEM.

Lucky for me - I was a philosophy major. Majoring in philosophy will NOT get you a job, but it WILL help you with reading comprehension and analytical skills. For my degree, I was required to take Logic 2. Hardest...class...ever. It was horrible. However, being the introspective philosopher that I am, I realized how much it could help me with the LSAT later on. So, after my required logic class was over, I signed up for Logic 1 as an elective. I know, I'm a nerd. But a nerd with extensive logic training. And a great LSAT score. :)
(3) You only get what you give.


Time yourself doing sections. Take practice tests. Study on the weekends and late into the night. Dream about Logic Game strategies. Immerse yourself in the painful world that is your life pre-LSAT and embrace it.
Learn it. Live it. Love it. Well, you don't have to love it -but my point is that you actually have to STUDY for this exam (even if you're one of those people who never study and still pull As). I studied for a solid six months, mostly emphasizing on the games section. In the two months before my exam, I was a total basket case. Mr. asking me what I wanted for dinner had the ability to send me into hysterics, tears, and hyperventilation. Seriously. I lost ten pounds, became mentally unstable, and the bags under my eyes were so bad that it provoked more than one "You look so tired" comment. And I'm not even going to go into my first ever (and hopefully last) anxiety attack, which occured just days before the exam. After it was all said and done though, I can say that I gave the test everything I had... and it was the first time in my life where I felt like hard work really does pay off.
(4) Don't freak yourself out.
Worry about yourself, not anyone else. It doesn't matter what your friends are scoring on their practice tests and it definitely doesn't matter what the kid next to you in prep class is doing to study. Everyone is different with varied strengths and weaknesses. Figure out what you need to do to get the best score you can, and then do it.
That being said, be careful not to let studying for the LSAT take over your life completely. I think I was a little guilty of this and it definitely led to me freaking myself out. Try and remind yourself that this is only a test and while it does dictate whether or not you get accepted to law school next year, your score will not ruin your life. You still have your health, family, friends, and alcoholic beverages. You will live through this, I promise. And if you bomb it, you can always retake it next time! Hopefully you won't have to though.

NOTE: The freak out can continue even after you have taken your test. I went back and forth over cancelling my score until the last possible second. Mr. was the one who took the phone out of my hands as I dialed LSAC, "Let me get this right. You want to cancel your score so you can spend the NEXT six months obsessing over game strategies and logical fallacies? Umm, no." Good thing he talked some sense into me, because I ended up getting my highest score ever!
(5) Take a break.
I solicited advice from every lawyer and law student I knew in the days before my test. When my husband's 3L friend echoed the advice of my Test Master teacher in saying "Make sure to take a break from studying in the days before your test, that way you're not burnt out from the material", I took a mental note to disregard it. After all, I live my life burnt out and I had soo much I still wanted to go over before I took the most important test of my life so far.

But when my aunt (who is a successful attorney) called to wish me luck the week of my LSAT, she said the same thing. I told her that I had heard that advice before, but I just couldnt bring myself to neglect studying the test material so close to the exam when I had spent the last six months living and breathing it. She told me to shut up and listen to her because she was the succesful attorney and I was the lowly pre-law student. Yes maam. So I willed myself to spend the day before my test blackberry picking with my husband and son, cooking large amounts of comfort food, and watching trashy tv. And you know what? It helped! Clearing my head from the material for a day helped me to calm down and mentally prepare myself for the impending doom. Bonus: I found that I was able to identify question stems easier after giving my brain a day off!

GOOD LUCK!!!

0L SUMMER READING

Ten Rules for Admitted Students Day

1. Do NOT bring your parents.

No matter how close you are to them, even if they'll be paying for school, or if they insist to attend with you... DON'T DO IT. You'll look like an asshole, I promise. The first impression you'll make on your future classmates is either (A) you're a baby who needs your parents to hold your hand through life, or (B) you're just an idiot.

2. Be friendly, but not too friendly.

DO make an effort to meet current and prospective students, professors, etc. DO NOT become a stage five clinger to any one person (or group of people). Also, fight the urge to tell people a summary of your personal statement/life story, personal details about your life, or friend request them of facebook the minute you get home.

3. Turn your cell phone off.

Obviously. You don't want to be the rude 0L that faculty hates before you even step foot on campus as a legit student. Manners, people.

4. Make a good impression.

Shower. Dress nicely. Smile. Be friendly. A first impression is hard to live down. And since you're going to be selling your soul to law school for the next three years of your life, you want to make a good one to the people you will be stuck in hell with.

5. Dress appropriately.

People need the most help with this one, I think. At my Admitted Students Day, the attire was all over the place. I wore a dark skirt suit and heels, but removed my jacket early on because it was pretty hot (and it didn't seem necessary to keep on). Most people wore a variation of business casual and looked really nice. However, there were a few people who literally showed up in t-shirts, shorts, and sandals! I remember thinking "WTF! I would never let that hobo be a lawyer!!". Don't be that guy/girl who shows up without shaving and looks like a bum... you'll always be thought of as a bum.

6. Observe your classmates.

This is fun. Do you like people watching? I do. Instead of being loud and obnoxious, I approached my Admitted Students Day quietly and stealthily observed all my soon-to-be frenemies. It's one of the few times people will have their guards down during law school, take advantage of it and figure them out.

7. Don't ask too many questions.

You don't want to reach gunner status after the very first day. If you have loads of questions, save them for a private one on one... otherwise you'll be the first name added to Asshole Bingo when school starts.

8. Introduce yourself to professors and faculty.

Why not? Now is your chance to talk to them before the fear of the Socratic Method sets in. Don't be scared, they were 1Ls once too.

9. Get a feel for the area.

While you're in town, drive around the campus' surrounding area. Are there good places to grab lunch nearby, or will you be better off bringing your lunch everyday? Do you like their library, or would you rather find a quiet park/bookstore nearby to hangout between classes? Figure everything you can out ahead of time. When August rolls around, you may not even have time to eat/shower.

10. Don't jump to any decisions.

Admitted Students Day should not make/break your descision to attend a particular school. Instead, take everyting into consideration (location, scholarships, area of law you want to practice) and make an educated decision based on everything together.

HAVE FUN!! IT'S YOUR LAST CHANCE TO SMILE BEFORE 1L :) 

The End Is Near...

I'm graduating sooo soon!!

And my seat deposit for law school is due almost exactly one month from now. I've officially heard back from all my schools and even though I was rejected from the highest ranked school in the state (where I go now), I am pleased with the schools I got into.

Mr. and I have agreed on a law school for me to attend in the fall and - lucky for us - it's only minutes from the beach!! Being an island girl at heart, this is something to be very, very excited about. I know law school is going to be three years of brain torture, but I can't help but be really excited about this next chapter of our lives... in a new home and town... by the BEACH! :)

Feel the Love

My closest friends describe me as a total romantic. And I love any excuse to dress up, eat chocolate, write a love letter, and snuggle with my favorite husband. Plus, red is definitely my color. So, naturally, Valentine's Day is one of my favorite days of the year.

This year, I thought I would share some of my favorite love quotes.

--------------------------------------------

"Across whatever desert it is, I send you my love."- What Dreams May Come

"I am no one special. Just a common man with common thoughts. I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect I've succeeded as gloriously as anyone who ever lived. I've loved another with all my heart and soul and for me that has always been enough." - The Notebook

"You're everything I never knew I always wanted." - Fools Rush In

"They say that when you meet the love of your life time stops, and that's true. What they don't tell you is that once it starts up again, it moves extra fast to catch up." - Big Fish

"If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you." - Winnie the Pooh

"Stop talking about love. Every asshole in the world says he loves somebody. It means nothing. What you feel only matters to you. It's what you do to the people you say you love, that's what matters. It's the only thing that counts."- The Last Kiss

"Love me and the world is mine." - unknown

"Maybe mistakes are what make our fate... without them, what would shape our lives? Maybe if we never veered off course we wouldn't fall in love, have babies, or be who we are. After all, things change, so do cities, people come into your life and they go. But it's comforting to know that the ones you love will always be in your heart... and if youre very lucky, a plane ride away." - Sex and The City

"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and them subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether you roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love"which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what's left over after being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards eachother underground, and when all the pretty blossoms had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two." - St. Augustine

Admissions Cycle Update

SO... the decisions are in. Most of them, anyway.

I've officially been accepted to my three back up schools, two of my three target schools, and two (of three) reach schools! The reach I'm waiting on is where I go now for undergrad, but I'm pretty sure I dont have a chance in hell of getting in.

Is it bad that I'm leaning towards the lowest ranked school I've been accepted to?? They are offering me the the biggest scholarship, we already have a good house option in that city, my husband has great job opportunities there, and there are nice daycares close by for JV.

But their the lowest ranked school I've been accepted to.

Dilemma.

Worst Christmas Everr

And its the first day of my last semester as an undergrad!! I thought I would never graduate. Still havent... but the future looks bright :)

SO it's been almost a month since my last post. I'll give you guys a quick rundown of what I've been up to.

Week1: I was super busy with finals. You know how that goes.

Week 2: Finished finals and was swamped with Guardian ad Litem paperwork I had been slacking on. After I caught up with that and finished getting Christmas presents organized and delivered to Guardian ad Litem kids, I spent the rest of the week cleaning the house and packing to visit my parents for Christmas.

Week 3: We got to my parents house on the 23rd. We had a nice Christmas Eve dinner with our extended family. On Christmas morning, we got an urgent phone call from my aunt urging us to head over to my sick grandfather's house. He was diagnosed with cancer two months ago. They read him his last rights on Christmas day. Needless to say the whole ordeal was horrible. He died two days later and the rest of our time with my family was spent attending funeral services.

Week 4: Our trip was extended by six days to be able to attend the viewing and funeral. When we came home, we brought my fifteen year old cousin with us who needed some time away from trouble at home. I started school today and Mr. was in charge of putting him on a train to head back home.

I can't wait for life to get back to normal again.