Into it
Regarding a comment I received on a recent post:
"Woah - you're seriously into it! I guess I'm just not that into law school . . . I mean, I show up . . . but that's as much commitment as I'm willing to give to the experience at this point!
Well, the commenter (LSHM) has her own stuff going on -- young baby, husband in Iraq -- that makes that attitude totally understandable. In fact, I WAS in LSHM's shoes for the first semester of 1L. Though I was not nearly as funny as she is.
Heck, a lot of people feel that way about law school who don't have anything major going on in their lives other than law school. I get it. I do.
The thing is, yeah, I'm pretty into law school. I sometimes think I short change the experience, especially when I feel overwhelmed and depressed and frustrated.
It could be that I spent too long in a career I didn't enjoy ... in a career that many lawyers opt into when they discover they hate the law. I've been told by many I'm doing it the wrong way -- that I am supposed to become a lawyer, hate it, then become a teacher.
But yeah, I like law school. I like thinking about the law and solving problems and seeing how it all fits together. I like the challenge of it.
Just wish I had a job.
5 little fish:
I've been quoted! That implies I have something worthwhile to say . . . . Scary!
From an academic standpoint, I kind of like law school (don't tell anyone I said that). I like the daily brain-bend and am often inspired by my professors and the other students. That said, I also see law school as a huge waste of time. Having worked in law firms for over ten years, it doesn't seem like we use any of the information we learn in law school in actual practice. The whole purpose of law school seems to be weeding out the dummies and developing our brains to think critically. But it seems like that's accomplished in our 1L year, while the next two years are just ritual. A cruel ritual, that is.
LSHM: don't let it go to your head... its only worthwhile on my blog, whose readership numbers in the dozen. (Note: not dozens) (smile)
Newduck: Its the academic aspect I enjoy too.
Dude, how can you say you short change the experience because you feel overwhelmed, depressed, and frustrated? That is the experience. Law school is what it is. Some people love it, some hate it. But the fact is that you're learning about a man-made system that has no obligation to be internally consistent or even make sense. Millions of judges over hundreds of years making decisions based largely on what's best for the people in front of them at that time does not lead to coherency.
And don't even get me started on how ridiculous the actual practice of law--specifically, how firms choose employees--is.
The point is that this is law school and you're not alone in feeling any of the ways you feel, as you well know.
At the same time, though, you shouldn't have to explain being into law school. Law school is awesome--the law, as nonsensical as it might be--has a real impact on peoples' lives and trying to make sense of the past to help your client in the present is a lot of fun.
And don't worry about your job situation too much--it'll work out.
And that's what you get when I wake up before noon on a Saturday.
I was into law school too, although I definitely went through periods of time where I was dying from the overwhelmedness. In general, though, I welcomed the opportunity to focus on the theoretical and not have to deal with reality for a while longer.
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