It’s a RWU Law School Thing

So I had to take the Multi-State Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) on Saturday in Boston.  After the past few weeks I’ve had, the last thing I wanted to do was take the first section of the bar exam.  But, to make my life a bit easier and less stressful, my boyfriend (who also had to take the exam) and I decided to turn the test into a weekend away in Boston.  Luckily, I was taking the exam at a Marriott and they had rooms available.  My idea was just to roll out of bed, sign in, take the exam, and get it all over with.

Well, let’s just say things did not go as planned.  I did wake up, roll out of bed, and head downstairs to the test.  I didn’t however just sign up and get it over with.  Let me just set the scene a little bit.  You go up this long elevator to the second floor of the hotel and all it is is a sea of law students; it was a little intimidating at first, as everyone looked so serious, looking over outlines and notes.  Lots of students had on sweatshirts proclaiming their respective schools, must read Harvard, BU, and BC.  No one was talking to each other, everyone was reviewing.

Thinking I would be the only one from RWU who had to trek to Boston, I figured I’d just register and get a seat. However, much to my pleasant surprise, there was a huge group of RWU students once I made my way through the crowd.  And, much more to my surprise, everyone was talking to each other, wishing everyone well.  Not to say we weren’t taking things as seriously as the others, it was more that we all knew we were in the same boat and figured we’d make the best of it.  I have to say, it’s so much nicer to laugh with a group of classmates before one of the biggest tests of my law school career than stand against a wall, silent and alone.

It was so refreshing to see how the sense of community extends beyond RWU’s school walls.  I was talking to some friends last night who took the same exam at another location and they said the same thing happened; RWU students stick together.  So although Harvard may not have been tattooed across my sweatshirt, I think my test experience was made so much better by being surrounding by friends.