1L's: What do you think of law school?

[ElizaB]

I have been pleasantly suprized. So far it is not nearly as difficult as I thought it was going to be.  I have had to spend more time studying than I did in undergrad, but I don't feel like the work load has been excessive...or even all that bad. And my classmates all seem like normal people...not the super genuises that I thought they were going to be!

What does everyone else think?

[be10dwn]

So far so good.  I've been trying to get to school around 7:15 or so, and I usually try and leave by 6:30-7.  Some days are tougher than others.  It seems to me that it isn't that the material is overly difficult, it's just the vast quantity of it that makes it a challenge.  Most of my classmates seem pretty normal.  More than a few seem to be the stereotypical young frat boy/sorority chick type.

[tstein]

Not too bad, yet. It is not real difficult yet; it is just time consuming. Everyone at my school says that it gets more difficult when we have our large Legal R&W assignments due because you have more to jugle. But right now, the material is interesting, the people are great, and I am having a great time.

[LaneSwerver]

The workload isn't nearly what I expected, either. It's a lot, don't get me wrong, but I think most of the people who make that complaint have never had a real job before. The scary thing for me right now is that I think I understand most of the material. About 85-90%. That makes me think I'm doing something wrong.

[Javert]

I'm with you Eliza. I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. I think the challenge might not be so much the individual material but-- rather-- making it all work together. Or maybe they kick it into high gear and kick our ass later. I dunno.

Everyone at my school says that it gets more difficult when we have our large Legal R&W assignments due because you have more to jugle.

Interesting. At UT, the writing course is only one credit hour; I'm not sure what our big assignment is....

[tacojohn]

I'll add a "me too" to this.  I have a memo due Thursday, but it's an ungraded assignment in a pass/fail class, so I'm not stressing too much about it.  I've heard a number of stories about people who were able to work 30-40 hours a week while full-time (yes, I know that's against the rules), so some people managed to get a very good hold on the work, and do very well.

[A.J.]

Im liking it for the most part.  Except, my Ks prof emailed us a short exam hypo he gave a few years ago.  I sat down and attempted to give a succinct, lawyerly answer and guess what?  My efforts yielded a decent but far from lawyerly answer and I missed one entire issue! 

It made me feel bad but at the same time, like I got a glimpse into what I actually need to be doing.  Im revising in light of his comments this morning.

[Freak]

Wait until 6wks before finals, then you'll understand.

[be10dwn]

I'm with you Eliza. I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. I think the challenge might not be so much the individual material but-- rather-- making it all work together. Or maybe they kick it into high gear and kick our ass later. I dunno.

Everyone at my school says that it gets more difficult when we have our large Legal R&W assignments due because you have more to jugle.

Interesting. At UT, the writing course is only one credit hour; I'm not sure what our big assignment is....

Our legal research and writing is 3 credit hours, and we have to take three semesters of it.  I'm terrible at math, but that seems to be NINE hours of legal research and writing UGH.  Although hopefully it will make me a good writer 

[inthesun]

I just turned in my first memo this morning, and it was cake.  Of course, I know that open memos are much more difficult.  I agree with ElizaB...school seems manageable, and my classmates are pretty normal.  My profs are really laid back, and I got called on today and it wasn't as scary as I thought it was going to be.  I know that it is going to get harder, but thank God for having fall break and a month for Christmas after finals!!!