I promise nothing is that deep and everything will be fine.
I have very mixed feelings about being in my final year of law school. On the one hand, I am excited to finish and begin my career. On the other hand, I am going to miss being a full-time student. Being a student is the only time in your life when your full-time job is simply to learn new things. Law school has taught me a lot, not only about the law, but also about myself. I unfortunately can’t go back in time and give advice to my 1L self. So, instead, I will offer five pieces of advice to the next cohort of 1Ls to hopefully help you maximize your enjoyment over the next three to four years.
Please note that despite my use of strong language, all advice should be taken with a grain of salt. You know yourself best and ultimately are the only person who can truly know what works best for you!
1) Prioritize your interests. Don’t let anyone tell you what type of law you should practice or which classes you should be taking. Aside from pre-requisites, your upper years in law school should be a ‘choose your own adventure.’ Embrace your curiosity—you never know what exciting doors it may open! For example, I took construction law in 2L out of pure curiosity. It was a ‘paper’ class and took place late at night, which was not ideal, but I was determined. I loved it! The class greatly influenced my 2L recruit choices and eventually led me to a firm where I worked on many construction files last summer!
2) Relax—nothing is ever that deep. Your best got you into law school and your best will carry you through. Don’t let the threat of a few Ps convince you to sacrifice your mental health. If doing intramural sports or taking daily walks makes you feel better, it’s time well spent. If you don’t have the time or capacity to volunteer for something, just say no. I promise that not being selected to be on Law Review or not lucking out on the lottery to work at Downtown Legal Services is not the beginning of an endless downward spiral. Yes, if you choose to take part, the 2L recruit will suck, but no matter the outcome, you will become a stronger applicant for future job postings for having survived the process.
3) You belong here. Nobody accidentally trips and falls into law school. A multiphase selection committee looked through thousands of applications and yours stood out. If you don’t feel like you fit in yet, it is just because you haven’t found where you can be your best self. Apply for volunteer positions for causes that you truly care about, join a pre-existing club to meet people who share your interests, or even start something new! There are infinite niches to occupy at the school, and if you don’t like any of those, you can always create a new one.
4) Pace yourself. Law school is best treated as a marathon. If you’re one of the many sufferers of chronic over-achievement, ease in slowly and avoid overextending yourself. Mistakes will happen, and you’ll pay for them by pulling an all-nighter or desperately begging for an extension, but don’t make that your new normal. You have at least three years to try as many things that interest you as you like. In first year, I participated in a working group for the Asper Centre and focused on oral advocacy workshops and competitions. Second year, I wrote for UV and played dodgeball. This year, I’m part of the Moot Court Committee and my goal is to get involved with the Students’ Law Society and Law Follies.
5) Don’t forget to recharge. With all your classes and extracurriculars, it’s easy to forget to prioritize time for yourself. If you constantly operate above capacity, you will eventually burn out. Just because there is space burning a hole in your calendar doesn’t mean it needs to be filled. Spending time with friends, family, and even just yourself is valuable. In my experience, you should try to spend your time being productive or recharging. It’s the worst when you overwork yourself until you need to take a break, but you are so stressed about the work you’re not doing that you can’t recharge properly. Plan time and space to recharge with intention and feel good about it. It’s not only healthier—it’s also more efficient.
First year was definitely the most challenging for me. I had moved to a new city and enrolled at a new school where I knew nobody. Each subsequent year, my growing social network and confidence made navigating law school significantly easier. May your first year also be great and your subsequent years even greater!