19 Things That Happen When Youre A First-Year Law Student

Lori Vee View Comments

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1. You will look like an idiot when you get cold called. This is pretty much inevitable
for every unfortunate 1L. No matter how prepared you are, how meticulously youve
book-briefed or how detailed youve briefed the case on Microsoft Word, the
professor is going to throw you a curveball out of legal left field. Youll scramble
frantically through your casebook, sweating profusely and wishing you could sue
your prof for intentional infliction of emotional distress.

2. You will abandon your diet and exercise regiment at some point. When all the
workshops/seminars/panels provide free pizza, and youre sitting on your ass all day
trying to comprehend legal jargon, salad and water just dont seem appealing. Oh,
and an hour at the gym? Aint no law student got time for that.

3. You will break up, or think of breaking up with, your significant other. Not because
its personal, but because you could have so much more time for studying and save
a hell of a lot of money for your looming, increasing student loans.

4. You will drink alcohol. Frequently. Lawyers drink, and this habit starts in law
school. After spending 12-hour days going to classes, meetings, and then to the
library to read, youll understand why completely.

5. You will improve, however slightly, at arguing. Youll secretly derive pleasure from
the fact that you have these newfound, argumentative abilities that youll start
using it in every day life. Your family and friends will be annoyed when you start
debating things like the best toppings for pizza, but at least youre getting practice.

6. and writing. Compare your first memo draft to the final brief at the end of your
1L year and youll see what I mean.

7. You will start actually reading things before you sign them. Gone are the days
when you blindly sign away your rights on those licensed users agreements,
waivers, and liability forms. Youll at least the skim the page and might even find
yourself crossing out disagreeable provisions.

8. You will start replacing the word Contracts with a K. And your non-law student
friends will be like ummm k.

9. You will constantly see torts in every day life. Negligence: here, there, and
everywhere.

10. You will get rejected when you apply to jobs or internships. A lot. (But youll also
learn to be okay with it.)

11. You will get obsessed with law/politics related shows, like Suits or Scandal or
House of Cards. Youll start aspiring to be the next Olivia Pope or Harvey Specter, if
you hadnt already prior to coming to law school.

12. Youll rewatch Legally Blonde and point out everything factually wrong with it.
Seriously, that shit is nothing like law school.

13. You will become isolated from the world. (Especially during reading period.)

14. and severely frustrated that no one who isnt a law student can understand.
At least your medical school friends have an idea.

15. You will cry. Probably around finals time.

16. You will become at least a little bit jaded and cynical. Justice is an illusion
(especially while Scalia remains on the Supreme Court.)

17. You will get really competitive. The curve is merciless.

18. You will start having ambitions and high expectations for yourself. You want to
be at the front of that curve, damn it.

19. You will become a stronger, more competent human being. Despite feeling beat
down, lonely, and like a failure at times, youre receiving a rigorous education and

learning how to become an important professional in society. Youre learning how to

handle stress, multitask efficiently, and think critically about legal issues. With every
embarrassing cold call and every 50-page outline, you know youre well on your way
to becoming a gladiator in a suit. TC mark