So as far as 0L prep goes, I didn’t get to do all that I’d hoped, not enough time, and I also did want to enjoy the summer and life before law school started. I did however, finish Getting to Maybe, brush up on writing skills, and research the best ways to study, brief, and outline. Since a lot of what I wanted to do overlapped with these things, and with what Getting to Maybe teaches overall I think it worked out pretty well. I can already see it benefiting me and it’s only the first week.
Also! Side note: 1Ls have this program we sign up for that gives you a 2L or 3L mentor (and although it may be nerdy I signed up for it) and my 2L mentor actually said he just recently got Getting to Maybe this summer to better his own skills and he’s been suggesting it to everyone. So, major win for GTM in my eyes. And my Global Lawyering Skills class (which is basically the same as Legal Research and Writing), one of our required books is Plain English for Lawyers, which is also a book that was on my 0L prep list. I didn’t get to read it, but if I had, or if someone were to read my 0L prep post as far as my one and a half week of 1L experience goes lol, it’s definitely a good book list!
Which brings me toooo Orientation!
It was 3 days (too) long but offered a lot of insight, they had a briefing session, mock class, and other tips and tricks that were realistic and practical that have helped me in this first week. I think it was also partially depressing though lol, so much about depression, and becoming overwhelmed and substance abuse etc. etc….
On the one hand, we obviously all know what we’re getting into (or at least I’d hope people would’ve considered the stress ahead of time) but it’s a whole ‘nother thing to have a million sessions, and experts come in and tell us about how to be deal with the craziness that is going to ensue…I mean where’s the optimism? The good parts? lol
as described by my school haha
Anyway it ended Friday, and Monday was my first day of class.
I have Torts, Criminal Law, Global Lawyering Skills (LRW) and Property.
In my head I was thinking it wouldn’t get crazy as far as reading, and the amount of work until week 2 because it’s mainly introduction to these different types of law.
BOY WAS I WRONG.
Yesterday was day 2 and I’m already a little overwhelmed. I’m getting through it, staying above water, but this weekend I plan to super study so that I can get ahead of the reading hopefully up to Wednesday, but I’ll settle for Tuesday. That way, on Monday I’ll be reading for Thursday and Tuesday for Friday, and so on. Even if a case or reading turns out to be harder than others I’ll have a day cushion in between so that I will continue to be ahead.
I’m going to post a more detailed study schedule once I work it out this weekend so if anyone’s interested in organizing your schedule, look out for that!
That’s about it for updates. My hopes for the coming weeks are 1. to make FRIENNDDSS lol, I’m in a whole new city and all I’ve got is acquaintances I met during orientation but the potential friendships are blossoming lol 2. get ahead of reading and 3. create a real solid schedule so that I can do some things beyond studying (which is all I’ve done for the last 4 days) like working out, blogging, etc.
To my fellow 1Ls, how have your first weeks gone? What’s the workload like?
Kristin Does [Law School] 
I haven’t started actual classes yet. BUT, I will say that one of my professors was named one of the top 26 law professors in the US (important because it means he knows his stuff), and he admitted that ALL law schools assign 1Ls more work than they know we can handle, because they’re trying to force our brains to make new connections and re-learn how to learn.
So, basically, they’re teaching us how to swim by throwing us in the deep end.
It was weirdly reassuring that they know it’s not going to be perfect and they know we’re going to suck and that all this stress is for a reason. But it still sucks. A lot. I’m not behind (yet), but my first assignments are currently staring at me from the corner of my best. Time to get to reading!
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My first two weeks have gone fairly well. My classes are Criminal Law, Civil Procedure, Contracts, and Lawyering Process which is essentially legal writing. So far I like my contracts class best. The book is more entertaining than most, and the teacher is good.
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That’s pretty cool, I actually wanted contracts this year to see if I liked it and it was something I could see myself getting into. So far though i like criminal law the best, I really like the teacher, but I also think it’s the most straight forward and makes the most sense and the cases are crazy lol.
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In which case where are you going to law school? I seem to remember that, the more elite the law school, the less competitive 1L life is… There’s no question that 1L life is challenging at all law schools, though. Don’t forget: in the past five years or so, 1L life was advertised as hell on Earth in no small part thanks to the abysmal legal job market.
That said, most law schools that aren’t hellish are top-20 schools…
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