Mary Burns ‘20
Dear 2L Self,
YOU DID IT! You made it through the dreaded first year of law school and overcame the cliché of being “scared to death.” You used grit and perseverance to endure the academic year and gained valuable work experience over the summer. At this point, you’ve done a lot of things that many people wouldn’t dream of attempting, let alone accomplishing. You’re pretty much on top of the world!
But now that you have that experience under your belt and the jitters out of your system, get ready because the next law school cliché is also true: in the second year, “they work you to death.” With courses like Criminal Procedure, Constitutional Law, Civil Procedure, Business Associations, and Evidence plus electives, extracurriculars, interviewing, and work, how could that not be true?
This year may sound overwhelming, but here’s what you need to remember: you know how to do this now. The professors may turn up the heat, but you can handle it. You know what to expect. And, on the bright side, far fewer professors will cold call you this year.
Please also remember that no matter how much you do not feel like reading for class, DO IT! You will thank yourself for it later. Your future employer also will thank you for actually knowing how to read cases like an expert. And, who knows, maybe it will be that one day that the professor decides to change it up and put someone on the spot. You will be ready to go if you’re that person.
Most of all, remember how excited you were getting accepted to law school and the reason why you applied to law school in the first place. You wanted to effect change in other people and in yourself. This year, with its many ups and downs, is part of that change. You are shifting from a student to a professional in a profound way this year. You are deepening your legal knowledge by reading, going to class, and thinking deeply about each subject (even when you don’t feel like it). After all, what’s the point of making this huge investment and fighting your way through another year if you aren’t here to learn as much as you can?
I promise that this year will be easier than you think and will go so quickly. So self, you’ve got this and you are almost there.
Hang in there, and get it done!