Class of 2010

[dbmuell]

Kilroy, any words of advice for some soon to be PSU 1L's? (Other than the requisite "don't go to law school" that I seem to hear from every other law student in the world). Anything you know now that you wish you had known when you were in our shoes?

[lizd]

I'm going to be at PSU-Carlisle in the fall!

[jman333]

Sent in a deposit to PSU-Carlisle last week.

dbmuell, how do you find Carlisle? I went to college in a big city so it'll be a little change for me. Are there adequate things to do (besides studying) and places to go (bars/restuarants)?

[kilroy55]

Kilroy, any words of advice for some soon to be PSU 1L's? (Other than the requisite "don't go to law school" that I seem to hear from every other law student in the world). Anything you know now that you wish you had known when you were in our shoes?

Well, I really can't think of anything.  Well i suppose this -- do not read law over the summer.  Enjoy your summer.  The school will teach you everything you need to know.  Read fun stuff, have fun and enjoy your time.  I will have to take a little bit back, read "The Hidden Sources of Law School Stress" and "Law School Without Fear."  They are both really easy reads.  My main bit of advice is this -- listen to yourself.  If you feel you need more time to read, do it.  If you feel you don't, then don't.  Don't worry about other people, and how they are doing.  Worry about yourself, because your friends can't help you on exams.  If you take 1 hour to do all your work, and you feel comfortable -- great!  If you friends spend 8 hours doing the same work -- great for them!  Listen to yourself.

[dbmuell]

jman- How you feel about Carlisle depends on what you like to do with youself.  For a fairly small town, Carlisle has a pretty nice downtown area, with a few decent restaurants and bars.  If you're into "night life" in the sense of clubs and bar hopping, you won't find much unless you take the 20 minute drive into Harrisburg (which has a suprisingly good scene for that sort of thing).  If you like the outdoors (hiking, biking, fishing, etc.), it's a great place to live, with a lot going in within a very short distance. 

I would say that you will definitely be culture shocked if you're coming to Carlisle from any big city, but not so much that you feel like you're in some backwater town with one traffic light.  There are things to do and, on the bright side, you'll be amazed at how much LESS it costs to live around here.   

[jman333]

Yea, I'm sure i'll be fine. Went to college in a city but grew up in a town my whole life. Did you go to college in the area or you from around there?

[dbmuell]

I went to college in the area and have been living/working in the Central PA area since.  I'm fairly new to living in the immediate Carlisle area but in greater-Harrisburg for about 8 years.  Originally a Jersey kid...

[sblount]

Hey guys,
I just went on the PSU DSL website, and the orientation info is up!  Not that interesting (nothing about lap tops or course schedules or info that is actually nice to know ahead of time).  But still, the schedule is up, just go to the Office for Student Services page.  It looks like there's one day of orientation at University Park, and one in Carlisle.  But, we all go to both, and we take a bus to the other campus.  Seems fine.  I noticed that on August 22 (day before orientation) is the day that we're supposed to buy our books, get our PSU email addresses, etc.  I hope that the email addresses aren't the same as the elion log in info, because it seems like you need the log in to see pretty much everything (lap top requirements, lap top offers for first years, course websites, etc).  Oh well, hopefully they'll send us some of that stuff in the mail.  I am starting to get very excited (and I'm a nanny for the summer so planning for law school seems pretty fun and 'adult' since I spend my days with a three-year-old after having worked in a law firm the past two years).  Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well, and I'm sure I'll see all you Carlisle people in August!

[kilroy55]

Lol...yes, your email address in the elion account.  You email address is everything here.  It gets you into Angel, Elion, Email and the intranet.  You orientation is actually 2.5 days.  The first day, although it doesn't seem like it is, getting your email address, setting up your laptop if you use one and books takes a chunk of the day.  Your first assignments are also posted.  Yes, professors will expect you to read and most will start out with calling on people the first day.  Orientation is pretty boring stuff.  If it is anything like mine, you will have discussions on law school stress, how to read a case (and brief it) and an overview of the court system.  Also, you may be given work to do during orientation -- i.e. spend an hour reading and briefing a case, then go into a class where professors start asking you about it.  It is not as bad as it sounds.  If you need or want any information from me, just PM me.  We are starting finals this week, so if I don't get back to you right away don't freak out on me.  Good luck!

[jman333]

its at orientation that you get your email and log in stuff?