1L year v. 2L and 3L years: Rod Has Spoken and challenged the Common Thoughts.

It is common knowledge in the legal community that the first year of Law School they “scare you to death,” the second year they “work you to death,” and the third year they “bore you to death.” Because I have not yet been exposed to the mysterious ennui produced by the third year, I will try to refrain myself from mounting a direct challenge to its validity, however, certain unavoidable challenges will be hammered indirectly. Readers beware.

The existence of fear among first year Law students as they want me to believe it really does not exist. Rather it is a combination of an incalculable state of excitement and the anticipation of the unknown which creates the feeling that they now refer to as “fear.” This is what I refer to as “excitement plus.” The unfortunate characteristic of this feeling though is that it is very contagious and if left untreated, it can adversely affects one’s legal education. IT starts on day one during orientation and continues until the last day of first semester’s final examinations.

Currently I am not aware of any treatments for this feeling, but the following sets of self-administered intellectual vaccines will most likely help if taken on a daily basis.

Dose number 1:
You should not be too excited and equally afraid of an adventure simultaneously. This is counterproductive.

Dose number 2:
If you realize that someone exhibits the symptoms mentioned in dose number one, you should instead comfort them but not allow yourself to be contaminated with the feeling. As they said, “misery needs company.”

Dose number 3:
If a professor were to make you scared, remedy the problem, and move on. Unless it is something egregious most professors will forget it before class is over let alone remembering it during a future “Socratic” confrontation!

Dose number 4:
Compete with yourself, and yourself, only. You need to do your best, and nothing less.

Dose number 5:
Whatever was unknown to you at the beginning will be made known to you in January when you start to receive the results of your final exams. If you did great, celebrate. However, if you did not do as well as you had wished, gather your composure, see the dean, a trusted friend, and your professor immediately. Regardless of your performance, do not lose focus!

Dose number 6:
Whatever you do, do not talk to anyone after you have taken an exam; this will only stress you more.

Dose number 7:
Do not make yourself miserable and call it fear. This is unacceptable. You should not be scared or allow anyone to make you scared. If in doubt say this out loud: “I will not be scared, and I will not allow anyone to make me scared.”

I take no issue with the second proposition. The second year of law school is indeed the year when they work you the most. The readings are lengthier, you are beginning to take part in school activities doing pro bono employments, looking for next summer’s employment, competing for a spot on Law Review, writing and arguing your Moot Court brief and trying out for Trial Team. It is by no means an easy year.

As for the third year I heard many times that they “bore you to death.” I wonder whether that’s really true. My theory is that I think by the third year most everyone is tired with Law School, and people are just thinking of how they will pass the bar rather than the notion that Law School bores them to death.

Ps: If you are a Law Student reader, good luck on exams. For all others, thank you for your visit and come back soon.