Balancing school and social life...

[Trancer]

When I just started looking into law school everyone and their mother told me this was not possible.  I dont think thats true, anyone else find this to be the case?

[jimmyjohn]

It's definitely possible, at least right now.  As we get closer to exams things will start to kick into another gear I'm sure.  But I usually try to get ahead by a day or two on the syllabus so that my weekends are pretty much clear from work.  It's really all about how you manage things.  I can already see some people who are starting to get behind and just reading lexis briefs instead of reading the cases.  Anyway, yeah it seems like there's time for social life if you want one. 

[MidWestLawGril]

Definitely possible.

many law students go out during the week.  I didn't because my bf came to visit me on the weekend and I wanted to be free for him. (of course, I still had to study some on the weekends.)

You may have to "schedule" your social time more than you normally would, rather than doing spur of the moment things, but it is definitely possible and recommended to have a social life while in school.

[BigPimpinBU]

It's one of those things where you gotta know yourself. First semester of 1L - just do all the work and dont take chances, since you dont know where you stand yet. It might turn out that you were born for this, and you can have your cake and eat it too. Then again, it's possible that you have to work harder than most to make good grades. Then kiss either your social life, or your law school career good bye.

With that said though, most people go out here and there, without causing themselves too much academic harm. That all changes in November though.

[jimmyjohn]

It's one of those things where you gotta know yourself. First semester of 1L - just do all the work and dont take chances, since you dont know where you stand yet. It might turn out that you were born for this, and you can have your cake and eat it too. Then again, it's possible that you have to work harder than most to make good grades. Then kiss either your social life, or your law school career good bye.

With that said though, most people go out here and there, without causing themselves too much academic harm. That all changes in November though.

I do all the work and still have plenty of time to do what I want to do on the weekends.  Maybe my teachers just dont assign enough reading, but to me it seems that it's not hard to get all of it done and have some free time.

[BigPimpinBU]

like i said man, if you can get it done, then good for you. if you are an 1L though, and you have a lot of time to go out, you are probably doing something wrong.

[eray01]

Most of my classmates spend alot of time together socially. I haven't figured out whether there's a connection between their over-indulgence in wine and song and their consistent babbling, stuttering and panicky page flipping when called on in class.

On a somewhat unrelated subject, I've had a major revelation after my first month of law school. If you get called on a few times and are prepared when it happens, and you throw in a few smart sounding voluntary answers every now and then, you somehow become magically exempted from the socratic method. It's amazing.

[lipper]

ah yes - the wonderful "pre-empt" method. one student in my con law class last year volunteered so many times, that the prof. refused to call on him at all.

[dkast]

I traded sex for preparation in class once.  I got called on the next class, told my professor "Unfortunately I did not analyze this case to the extent that would be helpful to our class discussion"  I saw him take out a little red pen and mark me down.  It was worth it though we only get one "unprepared" per semester.  I was professional and if he had a problem with it i'm sure he would have went off like is the case with most students

In short, you may have to be a selfish lover.

[giraffe205]

It's all about time management and prioritizing. Most law students go to the gym regularly and hang out w/ friends on the weekends.

Unfortunately, it gets A LOT worse in your second year since you have a ton of firm research to do, interviewing, more school work, and possibly law review or moot court.

I'm sorry to be a downer. But even then, I just think "it could be worse."