Orientation, Legal Methods & the Time In Between

Tali Chernin

Tali Chernin (1L)

 

Leading up to orientation, I was repeatedly warned about the gusto of our law students.  Everyone who comes to the Faculty of Law, I was told, earned their spot here by being lifelong go-getters. Yet at every turn, organizers seemed genuinely stunned at the level of enthusiasm coming from our 1L class.

 

Our orientation website went live weeks before the first day with a general schedule and promises to provide details soon. Those details came, at best, several hours before a given event started. In the case of our last event on Centre Island, we were informed that morning that we would meet to catch a ferry to the island at 1 pm rather that the scheduled 10 am on the website. If people had other commitments—work, for instance, or childcare needs that required planning around—they were out of luck.

 

From the moment I arrived at 8:05 am on the first day and joined the swelling line up outside the building attempting to register, I sensed a problem. What should have been the most basic act of signing in, then taking a name card and a glorified loot bag, turned into a disordered mess that left people on their feet for over an hour. For students who struggle with standing for long periods of time, that must have been a torturous morning.

 

Nearly every social event was similarly stalled by the sheer quantity of attendees. The Amazing Race staggered people’s exits in such a way that it took the entire time planned for the event just to split people up into groups. The boat cruise was so packed that the top of the boat was completely inaccessible for the bulk of the time. The coffee house was so full that many people simply left. It’s a damn shame, too, because the performances were absolutely top shelf, even considering the fact that the class was only given a couple days’ notice that they would be asked to perform.

 

What might have been most disappointing on the social end was that because these events were so huge, it was very difficult to get to know any of my fellow 1Ls in a meaningful way. Sure, I recognize a large segment of them in the halls, but in most instances I remember their name and maybe whether they have a tattoo or like hockey.

 

But orientation isn’t about finding someone to make a building-wide blanket fort with, Tali! Many of the 1Ls were looking to have a risk-free preview of life as a student. Yet, by the first day of 1L, we still didn’t know how to find our classes, nor what Blackboard was, never mind  how to access it; even those willing to miss the coffee house to spend two hours standing in line at the bookstore didn’t get all of their books.

 

After all is said and done, these are easily solvable issues. The registration on the first day can be staggered in waves by last name, or even just eased with a second registration table. The details for events that have already been planned can come as it becomes available rather than when organizers feel it may be relevant. The small groups that have been used in past O-Weeks could be reintroduced to help new students have a more intimate experience, at least part of the time. Issues like finding class locations and enrolling in Blackboard could be resolved with a single email, which was eventually sent.

 

No doubt, many issues will be addressed before the class of 2020 first walks into the echo-giving halls of the Jackman Law Building. In some ways, I’m actually flattered. Really, if I have any hope for the remainder of my time at the Faculty of Law, it is this: that our year, and every other year, never stops surprising us with how intelligent, clever, kind, enthusiastic, and excited to be here they are.

Categories:
Tags:

Advertisement

Begin typing your search above and press return to search. Press Esc to cancel.