Law school vs. 9 to 5 job...give your opinion

[ray7]

I will be a 1L in the fall. For the summer, I am working at a large law firm that specializes in debt collection. I am on the phone for literally 8 hours a day with angry disgruntled debtors. Honestly, I cannot friggin wait for law school to start. Am I right when I say that law school is without question better than most 9-5 jobs out there, specifically mine? Law school HAS to be better than this lol. Let me know what you think.

[tacojohn]

Law school is a 9-5 job.  It would really depend on the person.  People who prefer their old 9-5 when they go to law school probably are more afraid of being judged strictly on their merit, and would rather stay in a place where they can kind of just do their work, get promotions and raises based on seniority, and work in peace.  Generally though, law school is thought to be much more enjoyable than most 9-5 jobs, especially those with similar workloads, because the people who become law students find the material more interesting to work on.

[jippyjappa]

The first year will definately be more interesting than your job now (hopefully anyway).

My experience was that the first year was slightly less than a full time job, but that the next year (especially if you are on a journal) was quite a bit more. But that was just me...

Second year I found myself looking back jealously at first year when I would take a nap in the afternoon and watch cartoons. Second year though I defeinately was overloaded and put in like 60 hour weeks.

That is not to say first year is easy or not time consuming- it just looks that way in retrospect. In actuality it is really stressful because you have none of the confidence that comes with being a 2L.

[mushayul]

I will also be a 1L in the fall, I currently work 7-4... DEFINITELY looking forward to quitting in two weeks and then starting law school a month after that.

Also, I currently live in a place that rains all the time and will soon be living in a place where they have this thing called sunshine. It's rumored that I won't see it much, but it's nice to know it's out there. Heh. 

[norm012001]

Law school is not a full time job, people sit in the study lounges and believe those are work hours, but they're really socializing hours.  I don't doubt that some people work it 40 or more hours per week all semester, but it's a small minority.

I say this because I worked full time and took 11 hours of class.  There's no way that adding one more class (which is what the full timers do) would have equalled a full work week.

You should look forward to law school, it's going to be a fun 3 years with some stress thrown in during exams.  The real pain starts when you get to a firm.

[jippyjappa]

I agree completely with the last post. Many of those people who spend all day in their libraries have their laptops with them and are really managing their fantasy baseball teams...  Don't let them intimidate you. And the groups of giggling girls in the lounge definately aren't talking about comparative v. contributory negligence.

[pinkybella]

Anyone else have any imput on this? I will be leaving my 8-5 job this week and starting law school in August. For those of you who left your jobs to go to law school, how did law school compare to your job (in terms of amount of stress, work etc)?

[violaterra]

I will also be a 1L in the fall, I currently work 7-4... DEFINITELY looking forward to quitting in two weeks and then starting law school a month after that.

Also, I currently live in a place that rains all the time and will soon be living in a place where they have this thing called sunshine. It's rumored that I won't see it much, but it's nice to know it's out there. Heh. 

Me too! Me too...I am actually looking forward to hot hot summers and cold cold winters as opposed to Seattle's constant cloudy rainy weather for 8 months a year.

As for leaving my job....I work two of them and my primary one sucks ass much like the original op....I actually think I may have more 'me' time now that I wont be working 60-70 hours a week.

[jason1114]

I have never been as apathetic at a job as I am at mine right now, 17 days left.

I am very excited, the end of one chapter, and the beginning of the next  .

[ellybean909]

Days like today in Seattle only validate my choice to attend law school in southern california....(it what, 65 and rainy - in July? Absurd!)

I'm looking forward to having a schedule at all. I just quit my job as a waitress, which was erratic if anything. I'd work 8 hour shifts on the weekends followed by 6 hours shifts ending at 11pm on the weekdays...the idea of having *some* semblance of a "9-5" is exciting, even if that includes giggling with the girls for part of it.