Serious Responses Only Please

[AuburnChick]

Hey Everyone--I need a little pep talk or something.  I am starting to feel really down about law school.  I cannot motivate myself to work.  I can't stand most of the people in school with me, with the exception of a few I like.  I don't find any joy in any of the work or in any topics we discuss.  I always thought I wanted to be an attorney, and I always heard it was boring and stressful...it actually took me going to law school and getting in debt to believe the rumors though.  The atmosphere does not even seem academic--it just seems like work.  Unfortunately, I majored in public administration and philosophy for undergrad so I would not have any luck finding a job if I were to leave school.  Should I try to tranfer schools? What would my chances be? My gpa is only a 3.007.  I turned down georgia state last year for a tier 3...do you think they would even accept me again? Or do you think tranferring is even the solution to my problems...Help!

[midnight thursday]

I hate to give you the cliche answer but really....it depends.
I'm assuming you're a lL in your second semester.
I've talked to several people who came back from break feeling un-motivated and apathetic. Several 2L's said the same thing. Give it time...it should pass. Did you feel this way your first semester?
About the GPA...depending on your school's grading curve, a 3.0 might be good, or at least decent.
So what if you can't find a topic you're interested in during your first semester. It's all required classes anyway. I think very few people enter school knowing exactly what kind of law they want to practice.
Why do you want to transfer schools? If your unhappy studying law, a change of location won't help. If you think it's the school itself that is making you so unhappy, then maybe consider transfering.
If this feeling just started after winter break, then I'd say it's pretty normal. Everybody has feelings of doubt about their decisions at some point. Hopefully it will pass.

[Villus]

I agree with all above except I do think there are schools that are different in terms of atmosphere. That may be what you need, a change of atmosphere. I don't think transferring would be a bad idea if you can do some resaerch on schools (talk to current students, faculty, etc) and find ones that might fit you better in terms of personality. My school seems to be the antithesis (to a certain extent) of the "typical" law school atmosphere. Less of the nose in the book 24/7, grade mongering, ultra-competative crap. I also agree that the first year courses are not that interesting (except I think property is pretty ok).

[zemog]

I don't think transferring will solve your problem but here's my take on what I would suggest you do.  Finish out this semester and apply to transfer.  Don't take any summer courses.

(Now school is much different than work.  I'm one that hates school and never did well in it, but excel in a working environment. Maybe that's how you are regarding law school).

Now, over the summer, volunteer at a law firm or public interest or whatever specialization within law you are interested in or think you are interested in.  I suggest volunteering so you can get a feel of several different places, so for example, maybe volunteer at the DA's office for 2 days, 1 day at the PD's office, and maybe 2 days at a private firm.  Or split up in another way, 1 month at the DA's office, 1 month at the PD's office, and maybe one month at a private firm. 

If now you decide you don't like the working environment, that's a different story.  I think you need to do some soul searching and figure out what you want to do in life.

I would then take a leave of absence from school.  Not quit, but take a personal leave so you can come back in a year if you decide you made a mistake in quitting school.

During that year, I would do some research, whether that's to pursue a masters in something you like, business school, medical school, whatever. 

Whatever you decide, remember it's not really about the $.  Do what you want to do, and the money will follow.  If you do something just for the dollars and you are unhappy, it's just not worth it in my opinion.

That's my 2 cents. 

Good luck in whatever path you take.

[lincolnsgrandson]

Can't really pretend to know or understand you, but it sounds you like you will be unhappy being a lawyer.  You said that law school doesn't feel "academic," it "just feels like work."  I think many would disagree with that assessment (especially those who work - but the issue isn't whether it's true or false, but how you feel about it).  But more improtantly - what do you think a lawyer does?  If law school isn't academic enough to suit you, how are you going to feel practicing law?

[Texas]

Hey Everyone--I need a little pep talk or something.  I am starting to feel really down about law school.  I cannot motivate myself to work.  I can't stand most of the people in school with me, with the exception of a few I like.  I don't find any joy in any of the work or in any topics we discuss.  I always thought I wanted to be an attorney, and I always heard it was boring and stressful...it actually took me going to law school and getting in debt to believe the rumors though.  The atmosphere does not even seem academic--it just seems like work.  Unfortunately, I majored in public administration and philosophy for undergrad so I would not have any luck finding a job if I were to leave school.  Should I try to tranfer schools? What would my chances be? My gpa is only a 3.007.  I turned down georgia state last year for a tier 3...do you think they would even accept me again? Or do you think tranferring is even the solution to my problems...Help!

Hey AC (say hi to DAX for me...)

Monday I got my arse handed to me in mock trial, and all the sudden I didn't want to be in law school any more...didn't want to be a lawyer anymore...etc. That experience just wasn't fun and it left a bad taste in my mouth.

Later I realized that it was just that...a bad experience that is not an accurate reflection of what I will be doing as a lawyer...I think the same can be said for law school in general...our 2L's talk about their summers, and it seems that the most relevant class they took was Legal Practice (Research and Writing at some schools). Everything else in 1L is just foundational to under Law in general.

I think upper division courses will give you (and the rest of us) a better feel for what area we will enjoy practicing in after graduation.

Plus - it can be discouraging to think that we still have 2.5 years of work ahead of us...but trust me (I'm in my mid 30's now) - that 2.5 years will seem like a really short period of time when you are looking back at it. And when you have that perspective of being past the education part of it, you will also be in the position to reap the benefits...So stick with it AC, it will all be worth it in the end!!!!!!!!!

[ApproachTheBench]

Hey,

I'm sorry you are having a rough go.  I'd recommend just finishing out the semester and reconsidering what you're doing this summer.  Try and find a job (I recommend a paying one with a firm because it can make your life easier, but it's not easy to get as a 1L), if you can't get a paying one, volunteer somewhere and see what you think.

If you don't want to be a lawyer, or think you don't, I'd recommend quitting school after this semester or at least taking a leave of absence and finding something else to do.  Just because your undergrad degrees are useless doesn't mean you have to get stuck going to school for something you hate.

[lp4law]

If you're the auburnchick from the other board, I'd say you need to move out to an LA law school, and I'll cover room and board.

In all seriousness, do you have any work/personal background that draws you to the law school experience?  This is something I wonder about a lot with my peers, who seem to struggle because they view law school as academic torture rather than a source of valuable information.  They're focused on the ends rather than the means.  This is how I was in undergrad, so I can relate.  But because I spent several years involved in engineering and entrepreneurial ventures following undergrad, every night I come to law school with a real thirst for information.  The personal risks I'm exposed to in my line of work are substantial, and I'm in law school primarily to help me navigate shark-infested waters that I'm already swimming in.  That can really motivate you.  As a result, I actually enjoy law school.  I think your success in law school hinges more on your perspective rather than pure intellect.

Do you at least have some mentors or role models in the field of law?  Do you have personal experiences or memories of times when legal knowledge would have been valuable to you?  That might help you establish a perspective that allows you to enjoy your law school experience more.

Best of luck to you.

[ElizaB]

I feel your pain.  I loved my classes last semester and the profs I had and I am pretty happy with my grades (a 3.5)....but this semester I am really having a hard time getting motivated. I think I busted my butt studying last semester because I was scared.  Now that fear has gone away and I just don't feel like doing anything.  I think I am burned out.  And it doesn't help that my dog just died.

[tool]

Yup...law school sucks.