Law school is a lot of work, but it’s not a trial by fire. Law students don’t do hard labor, we just read and make pretty notes on our laptops. Reading takes time, and making my outline pretty takes time, but so what? I’m not lifting cement blocks all day. I’m not getting yelled at while I’m making my pretty notes. Granted, sitting in my apartment while progressing ever so rapidly towards nearsightedness is by no means an adrenaline rush, but it’s not stressful. I’ll do some work, pace around my apartment for no good reason, get some food, and then come back and do more work. Besides, one day, I may be able to go up to a girl at a bar and try this dandy line out: “Would you like to go get dinner sometime? Maybe we can watch my CivPro outline. It’s got this gorgeous section on Personal Jurisdiction and if you watch patiently enough, you can see an Erie Doctrine once in a while.” The girl will say yes, we will have The Date of A Lifetime, and Law School will be worth it.
I do wish, however, that I had more time to get to know New York. Embedded in law school is this persistent push to look forwards without taking stock of where you are. It is a practical push, though. You can’t afford to sit idle for too long, lest you ignorantly get run over by exams. But that doesn’t mean idling happily is not important. From my glimpses of The City, I’ve peeked an exciting place teeming with unusually friendly people; a place with things to do at all times. Most of the time, I’m scurrying from class to class, or from class to my apartment to do some reading, leaving me without an opportunity to longingly gaze at everything New York has to offer. Mostly, my only indulgence is that putrid waft of the sewers that occasionally dances under your nose when you walk around the streets. But even that is exciting. Sometimes.
After December 17th, when NYU 1Ls emerge from their last final exam groggily, with dark circles under their eyes, wearing sweatpants and hoodies, cringing at the sunlight, there will be time to do all of this. There will be some celebrating, some job hunting, some exploring of the city, and some sleeping. But most of all, there will, at long last, be time to take a step back and think, “damn, when does next semester start?”
Yearning for an apple scented scratch and sniff outline,
i.don’t.wear.skinny.jeans
My Contracts outline has really been taking a toll on my eyesight! Too close for contacts, switching to glasses.
By: Kate on November 14, 2009
at 10:02 pm
It’s brutal! I started law school with 20/20 vision. Now I can barely see the chalkboard
By: idwsj on November 15, 2009
at 12:13 pm
The funny thing about NYC is that there are so many amazing things to do but you keep telling yourself you can go another day. The Statute of Liberty isn’t moving anytime soon right? Then all of a sudden it’s 3 years later and you still haven’t been to MOMA or the Empire State Building.
If you find an apple scented scratch and sniff outline, lemme know.
- fellow 1L
By: WW on November 14, 2009
at 10:46 pm
Very true! I *still* have not been to said places in NY…but one day, I must.
By: idwsj on November 15, 2009
at 12:15 pm
It might not move, but it might end up headless. Haven’t you seen Cloverfield?
By: Caffeine Degenerate on November 15, 2009
at 11:13 pm
all i could reference to in that last paragraph is zombieland.
i think being a law student in nyc has a culture all it’s own.
By: bhlc on November 15, 2009
at 8:14 am
haha zombieland…great movie. it’s possible nyc law students are different, but maybe it’s just law school in general that makes us quirky
By: idwsj on November 15, 2009
at 12:16 pm
You make it seem like you WANT finals to come, or am I misunderstanding?
By: Ricky Nelson on November 15, 2009
at 9:29 am
Well, I have no choice as to whether I take finals or not, so why not meet finals head on? it’s going to be a train wreck, but potentially very entertaining.
i do find the exam questions remarkably funny because, well, to get enough issues into an exam you have to concoct some absolutely BIZARRE fact patterns.
You could totally have: A is drinking a bottle of gin when, alas, a baby throws his pacifier at A, who is a bit uncoordinated at this point and drops the bottle only to have a gust of wind carry the bottle and hit B on the head. Unfortunately, B was trying to start up his barbecue at this point and lighting a match. The gin caused the match to ignite a massive fire, burning down the entire city
EVERYONE SUE EVERYONE!
By: idwsj on November 15, 2009
at 12:19 pm
[...] NYU ‘12 IDWSJ compared himself to an outdated Terminator, explained when law school would really become worthwhile and had a lot to do before exams. North Carolina ‘12 TDot found himself using Lexis Nexis [...]
By: Fridays From The Frontline » Clear Admit: Law School Admissions Blog on November 20, 2009
at 9:18 am