Week 1: A Whole New World

The first week of Law School's second semester is in the books.

Some things are the same: Legal Writing, section 2, same egos, same law school.

But some things are very different: Upper classmen.  In our classes.  It feels like they're moving in on our turf.  It also feels like they're going to get all of the A's and leave the 1L's to fight for the B's on down on the curve.

Section 2, split in two, for Criminal law.

Up to this point, we'd had class together.  Every class.  Every day (save for the smaller grouped Legal Writing).  But our section drew the short stick.  We've been lopped in two and applied to the other two sections for Criminal Law.

Criminal law is a great class so far- but 60 people is a bigger class than I've ever been in, anywhere.

I'm biased, but it does seem that our section is excelling, at least in our criminal law class.


Jobs jobs jobs!

We can finally apply and interview for summer interships, externships, and associate positions.  It's a wonderful opportunity.-- a wonderful opportunity that feels far too easy to sweep aside while the other homework piles on.

All of my professors are women this semester.  I've had that happen at Wooster- the English department is mostly women (by maybe one or two, or at least it was), but in law school, where there are 3-4 men for every woman in the student body, it's a refreshing change.

But they are stricter.  You can be absent for not being prepared.  All of our midterms are graded.

On the other hand, we watched a movie for the first two classes in Property- Amistad.  It was a better use of my time than I'd have come up with for myself, had I not been in class.  If you never have, you should watch Amistad.


Grades have been handed out too.  The world is starting to stratify based on performance.  I did alright- not all As, but close enough that I'm able to apply to any job.

I forget a lot though, and I shouldn't, that the majority of the educated world (so, not even taking into account those who don't live where education is possible), the people who have any college degree, though growing, is small.  Those with bachelors degrees smaller.  And those who, from that number, who can get into law school is smaller still.  Taking the curve into account, performing well in class is an accomplishment-  passing a class at all is nothing at which to sneer.

But Law School is a lot of work.  It is a lot of worthwhile work, indeed.  But it is work.  Some things never change.

-Zack

"You know where to find me, when you're on your way out"
-Imogen Heap