Law School - The first week

The first week of school hasn't left much time for blogging (no surprise). I have spent much time waiting in lines for administrative matters such as my ID card, Medical, access to campus Wifi, etc. No real teaching was done this week as we received outlines, recommended texts and readings to do for next week. Most of what I am feeling at this point is anxiety and curious mixture of excitement.

The course I am least worried about is Academic Writing because a) I've done it before at various levels of my education and b) I love to write and already have a good grasp of Standard English.

The course I most interested in Legal writing, methods and research. It seems like the basis for thinking like a lawyer (getting that language right), a fundamental for getting good grades in everything else and paramount to understanding the mountain of legal documents (that currently seem like gibberish).

The course I think I'm gonna love the most is Law and Legal System. The first clue was that I really liked the lecturer (she's very plain spoken, organized and clear in what she wants). I think this one will be hard work but fun too.

Law and Society is still a mystery since the lecturer was still off the island so we had no outline, recommended text, etc. I busied the week with reading up on the functions and purpose of Law in society.

This week I will have work, school, private tutoring in Maths and English and training my teachers at work in IT skills. I will try to settle a regime for those before I undertake internship. There is also my commitment to Girl Guides (scouts) on the outskirts of all I have to do. Not thinking about it lest I go mad. Somehow all will fall in place after all failure is not an option for me.

Orientation

Summer is OFFICIALLY over. Weep! Law classes start on Monday. My, My, how the time has flown by. I really enjoyed my faculty orientation this week. The highlight for me was when some girls (new students) entered the room in barely there shorts (seriously, those shorts made better panties). It was noted twice during the function that as future lawyers, there is a dress code and such attire was not tolerated. I found it funny that persons needed to be told that...and I spent the summer obsessing on how to make my wardrobe lawyer worthy.

It could not have been more emphasized that law school is going to be hard. Every speaker was sure to mention several times that it would be beyond challenging but possible to survive. The feeling I had while I sat there was something akin to "Bring It!" Yeah, the idea of the challenged made me feel good, not because I'm over-confident (I know there are tearful, frustrated, I want to quit days ahead) but I'm looking forward to it all. The same feeling I get before I go mountain hiking (OMG every muscle is gonna hurt, I'm gonna be exhausted beyond thought, ooh pretty scenery, proud of my self for putting my best in each step and insanely happy to make it to the top...all in one feeling).

I'm nervous too..my continued mental mantra is "failure is not an option" alternated with "you can do this."

Did I get the internship I sought over the summer? Technically, no. But I have made contact with a firm (partner in firm) and I have gotten a tentative yes, so I intend to put in a few hours during the year. The firm specializes in Intellectual Property Law. Right now my interest lies in Land and Business law but that is mostly because I have been exposed to those study in those areas and find I enjoy them. I know almost nothing about intellectual property but I want to learn what I can about each field in law so that I can make an informed decision about my career path in the end. If you have to work hard, it should be at something you love.

Which takes me back to orientation. We were asked why have we chosen to law? I was interested in the responses of my new colleagues whose responses ranged from righting the wrongs in our current justice systems to a simple 'I've always wanted to do law.' I was glad they didn't ask for my answer cause there are many reasons I have chosen law. I guess I have a list and no, I didn't always want to be a lawyer. I would like to right wrongs in the justice system but that isn't my personal motivation. Honestly, the financial benefit is very high on the list and a true fascination for law is second. The outgoing Dean is his speech said we should do law because we love it. I think it's okay that my love for law is second...after all we don't live it the perfect world. What I do for a career I do out of genuine need to help myself and to help others (my family, my friends, my charities, my service group) and money is very high on their list of needs too. My dream is help others and do what I love at the same time. From a career in law I hope to find that sense of belonging, that "yeah, this is what I'm meant to do" feeling amid all the hard work ahead.

The first class...Law and Societies.

the summer continues...

Teaching for Summer School....done...
Sourcing a Loan to pay my tuition...done...
Finalizing the loan....ahhh....done next week :]
Securing an internship/voluntary work with a lawyer or firm for the next three weeks...not started (just informal queries to friends and family which has yielded some direction but I haven't taken action on it)... tentatively...done next week :]

Otherwise with my free time I have reading up on Commonwealth Legal Systems(more interesting than I expected) and studying abstract law terms (half of which is still gibberish, Especially when it refers to cases I don't yet have any idea how to find).

Technically, I'm giving myself this week off (rest, relax, maybe play) but I aim to finalize my tuition and actually make some calls and deliver resumes to get a law internship (I just wanna be near law stuff so I can maybe start learning something or understanding something).

Registration Completed, more summer...

I have selected four modules for semester 1 in my first year. These are Law and Legal Systems, Law and Society, Law Methods, Research and Writing and finally Academic Writing (Blah). I really should be exempted from the last course BUT the people in administration tell me that since my degree is over five years old...I have to redo this course. I'm not happy about this, but then again I love writing so it's not as big an issue, just an inconvenience. Having selected the courses and scheduled my class times all that is left is my tuition payment and enrollment (planned for August).

Now I'm enjoying some well deserved rest in between teaching summer school. While I am allowing myself to sleep a bit later (Oh how I enjoy rest :) I am working on the health area of myself. Building a habit of daily exercise, eating balanced meals and taking my vitamins.

So I've pulled the exercise bike (I bought with my first paycheck but almost never used) out of corner, re-inflated my exercise ball and have taken my five pound weights out of the closet. I know the important role physical activity plays in maintaining a sound mind and energy level I will need for my greatest challenge yet...(should already play a huge role in my life I know)...LAW SCHOOL +  A FULL-TIME JOB.

I don't like all kinds of exercises. I am partial to kick boxing, crunches, aerobics and weight lifting (interesting since I weight less than 100lbs). I don't like jogging, step exercises or anything that requires a lot of coordination. I definitely don't need expensive gym membership (although I don't mind it) and I am perfectly fine working out at home. I look forward to being on campus because I will definitely pass through the gym there.

Currently my eating habits are awful...I skip meals, then over eat, I definitely eat unbalanced meals and I am partial to sugary treats :) Yes I'm a chocoholic ;)

A great site I've found to be helpful is http://www.choosemyplate.gov/. Now I have an understanding what to eat, how much and I'm going grocery shopping next week with a weekly menu in mind.

For vitamins, I start with a good multivitamin, add iron with folic acid (because I'm anemic), add calcium with vitamin D tablets, add Vitamin C tablets (I get sick often) and vitamin E (mostly for my hair).

So a bit of update to my summer plans....health and wellness...fun and sun.

What to do with summer...

Well it's officially summer. I can tell by the sweltering heat, the hundredth party invite on the radio and my burning desire to camp out (scantily clad in a bikini) on the nearest beach.

I don't have any elaborate plans for the summer. I usually keep my summer plans simple (Beach + A Party or Two + Earning some extra income + learning something new - last year I took beginner's Japanese). The plan more or less is the same.

I'll spend the first three weeks teaching summer school (extra earnings), definitely hit the beach a couple of times and I see a couple of parties on the schedule ;) Under the learn something new category I started to seek an internship (voluntary) with a lawyer or law firm.

Will spend this weekend tweaking my resume and application letter. The course I hear will be most difficult and has a high failure rate is Legal Methods, Research and Writing. I am hoping I can do some volunteer work which will also help me to ace this course.

If you fail to prepare...prepare to fail... I believe goes double. I'll leave as little up to chance as possible so I have a higher probability of success.

The backup plan is to read, read, read... Trying to get past notes from someone who has done it before (mostly cause I like being one of those know-it-all people who come to class with the answers more than I like hating know-it-alls because I don't know s**t).

Fortune favors the prepared...So while summer is about enjoying my last summer before the eternal harsh winter of reality...it is also about preparation for me (in between the beach).

A bad night...

Apparently my family will now start character assassination and critiques with "If you're going to be a lawyer then....." Truth be told I hear nothing they say after that statement... For some reason, I don't really fathom, it makes me livid. Maybe because being a lawyer (or studying to be one) has nothing to do with whatever we are disagreeing on, maybe because I have no idea how being a lawyer is going to change me in the future and I don't want anyone else mapping it out for me (it's my experience damn it!). What I do know is my passionate hate for them using it as a supporting clause for their issue. Perhaps I'm jealous I didn't follow suit..lol (sarcastic).

It will probably be another sleepless night. I hardly sleep when upset. I hope this changes when I am a lawyer (I know better sigh).

I guess my anxiety is really over the registration and enrollment to school process. There is a pre-registeration fee I have to pay before I can even select courses and get a total tuition cost. My control issues doesn't allow for me to fly blind in a calm manner. While I have sourced most of what I think I will need to pay tuition (Family + Loan). The money is slow in coming in. I have a few weeks before I can get my hand on the pre-registration fee and I fear all the best classes will be gone by the time I get it. If I hadn't given up nail biting (nasty habit I know) I,d probably be biting them. As it stand I have to contend with my migraines and stomach pains.

I worry about the strangest things, I hope I get this under control someday (probably will have to pay a shrink) cause rationality would be to worry if I didn't know where to find the first dime for school. As it stands , I just need to be patient. A virtue I have yet to develop.

Fortunately I have papers to grade tonight....no more procrastination, its a better use of my brain space to just get down to some work. Things have a way of working themselves out, regardless of the mountain of worry I put behind it or not. All I do is make myself sick before realizing the ball wasn't in my court anyway.

pre-judging classmates...

It's very early in the morning (4 am) and mostly I am not a morning person, however, I have an obsessive mind that sometimes takes me out of my comfortable box and have me writing at 4 am. At 4 am I am pondering what to wear to law classes...like really...I'll be coming from work so it'll be what I wear to my teaching job. So I move the ponder the next important issue, I will need suits for court observation sessions and I should look it to getting some tailor made, since I'm overly tiny and generic suits are unlikely to fit me.

See what I mean by an obsessive mind? None of this has any significance in the now. In a meek effort to control my wandering thought process, I have spent a couple hours reading my current favorite blog  the recovering lawyer.

Her article Let's set the record straight reminded me much of my Pre-Registration Forum for law school I had last week. Like her I did a little pre-judging of my fellow classmates. When the faculty adviser asked if anyone knew the Dean (Past Attorney General and now Queen's Council) seriously rolled my eyes at the girl who said my Dad obviously knows him. Although I wasn't trying hard to chat-up anyone, everyone pretty much kept to themselves and I did experience a moment of trepidation that I was entering a den of sharks.

The faculty adviser reminded us that the University has enough paper to print everyone's Degrees. That's nice to know. The fact that she mentioned it, like people who tell you not to look down, suggest that something is there....I am hoping the experience will be full of good lifelong friendships amid all the intensely, insane, hard work. I have confidence in my socializing skills, after all, I am pretty far from being an introvert but sometimes saying "hi" is daunting.