Shy and Thinking About Law School - INSANE?????

[redemption]

This thread's odder than most.

[«ě»]

I'm guessing the shyness will go away soon enough anyway. Lots of us, myself included, was pretty shy back in high school. Getting past 20 or so you start realizing that there's no reason to be shy, and the people watching you don't really care if your feet are big or you're wearing ugly socks

[juliemccoy]

Being in high school, you have plenty of time. You don't necessarily need to go out for the debate team or the cheerleading squad, but you can cure your shyness over time. Get involved with an activity that interests you: the school newspaper, the Spanish Club, Student Government, Future Educators of America, etc. Get involved and take on a leadership role. As you grow as a leader you will develop skills to lead others, work in a team, and you will also gain confidence to rise above your shyness. Occasionally, do take on an activity that takes you outside your comfort zone. The more involved you get, the more confident you will feel in your authority in these areas-- and your shyness will slowly melt away.

Repeat this method in college-- get involved with some meaningful extracurriculars that you will enjoy and maintain that level of activity throughout school, assuming different roles and responsibilities. These will make you a more well-rounded person: a leader and a team player and it will help banish that shyness as you conquer situations that require you to address groups ranging from large to small, and to give direction to others.

You don't have to be a wild extrovert to be a lawyer or go to law school. Plenty of introverted folks go on to have sucessful careers in law as well as other fields. Good luck.

[Matokah]

You sound exactly like I was in high school, except I couldn't act confident in front of people.  I'd have horrible anxiety attacks the night before a presentation, and I'd stutter through speeches.  I hated people all staring at me.

That said, for me it seemed to get better a little in college.  Not very much, but a little.  What actually got me out of my shell more was taking 2 years off before law school and working at a job which required a LOT of video and phone conferencing.  Once you do it every day of your life for 2 years straight, you lose some of the fear.

I'm still worried about moot court and oral arguments come law school next year, but I think most normal people get a little worried about things like that.

If you're interested in law school, though, it's not all just about standing up in court and proving your case.  Since you're still in high school, you've got plenty of time to explore your interests.  Who knows?  Maybe they'll change before college graduation.  I went from looking at PhD programs to becoming interested in law school.  Either way, enjoy the time you have left before you become an adult.  I miss the smite bit more of free time I had as a teenager.

[sara]

If you want to go to law school, go. About half the people in my class seem to suffer from some sort of stage fright (including myself Most law school courses do not count participation as part of your grade and your peers will be just as nervous and clueless as you are (or raising their hand like a gopher popping its head out of the hole to be whammed by the hammer of the professor). After law school there are many positions you can use a law degree in that do not require being a litigator. And law school is a grueling process, people change, you might turn out less shy or loving the court room

[LuvHurtz]

Ladyluck007 if you really want to be a lawyer go for it. I myself was extremely shy in high school. Based on what you choose as your major in college you will get an opportunity to become more comfortable with public speaking. I am still shy but I can force myself to get up and speak in front of people when I have to. It will come as you mature. Don't give up on anything because of your personality. Plus you still have plenty of time to figure out what you want. Best wishes.

[Ilovecheese]

Most lawyers aren't outgoing. There was a study done showing that almost 80% of lawyers are very ant social. The *&^% you see on TV isn;t law, law is sitting in your office for hours reading and writings tons of papers.

[Sell Out]

You can be extremely introverted and still make a fantastic lawyer.  Not all go to trial and it doesn't require turning in an Oscar winning performance to win a case.  There are some fields of law that don't require any type of trial work at all.  My dad is a tax and business lawyer and has seen the inside of a court room three times in 35 years.  So go for it!  Good luck in undergrad.

[the Caity Cat]

I'm a very shy person. I've tried to overcome it, and I have done so externally. That is, I can fool a classroom into believing that I am totally confidant, eloquent, etc. I've even been asked several times to be the head/speaker for group projects and presentations. So what's the problem? Well, the problem is that although I may be externally okay.. internally I'm a mess, and I punish myself for days prior to the event with horrible anxiety. I'm the person who seeks jobs where I can mostly work on my own and out of the limelight, and you'll definitely never see me doing karaoke at the bar

My question: Should I forget law school?

My quick answer: No, don't forget law school! You might find that you really enjoy being in certain types of limelight. Even if you don't, there are plenty of areas in the law where you don't have to argue in court.

I'm also a quiet person. I'm not all that social, I tend to be shy with new people, and I drown in big groups. However, I feel comfortable in the front of a class/large group, and if I have sort of a "script", talking to people one-on-one is okay. Even shy, not-so-personable people like me can do this!

I've put myself into social situations on purpose so that I can practice talking to other people and not be so nervous. Take a class on public speaking. Or do an ESL teaching practicum; that's what I'm doing now. It helps other people learn English and it helps me not be nervous around new people. There are tons of ways to help yourself out.

Good luck!

[TurboBoy]

I'd like to encourage you to apply to law school, is that's where your heart lies.  I personally do think shyness might be a problem in a career where aggressiveness and assertiveness count for quite a good amount, but you can change in college.  People do change tremendously in college, especially in terms of outgoing-ness.  And even if you end up not changing, well, I'm sure there are law areas where shyness is ok.  Good luck!