Law School Insider: Reflections from the First Semester of Law School

“Taking turns hosting dinner with my friends during finals week.”
Olivia Messerges, University of Wisconsin Law School

“My best memory I would say is the Halloween party WashU Law had because it was an interesting experience to say the least but was a good first semester memory.”
Katherine Kondelis, Washington University School of Law

“In my contracts class, I asked a question about mutual assent and the color blue. My hypo was discussed for 40 minutes in class and caused outrage—in the best way! I felt awesome. I also loved our Fall social; I had so much fun with new friends!”
Ava Vaccaro, Chicago-Kent College of Law

“My greatest challenge during my first semester was confidence in who I am and my abilities. Unlike undergrad, where you get constant feedback and opportunities to submit work and build your grade, law school grades depended almost entirely on our final exam or a final memo, which was incredibly stressful. I can promise from experience, though, that if you consistently put in the time and effort throughout the semester, you will succeed! You have to have faith in your ability to test and check your understanding of the material throughout the semester.”
Allie Johnson, University of Illinois College of Law

“The amount of reading and feeling isolated.”
Olivia Messerges, University of Wisconsin Law School

“Balancing school with having a social life/just having a life outside of law school.”
Katherine Kondelis, Washington University School of Law

“Figuring out a schedule for completing assignments — I found I work best in the morning instead of waiting until after class when I’m more mentally drained and getting assignments done over the weekend helped me recharge after class each day instead of stressing about the next day’s assignment.”
Cassidy Steel, Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University

“I feel like an entirely different person. I would always hear people say that law school teaches you to “think like a lawyer,” honestly, this statement would make me a bit mad! What does that even mean? It is something only going to law school can explain, but I will try my best. You see the world differently. You will go from reading a case and feeling like it is absolute gibberish that people are just making up to seeing the many threads and layers of reasoning that produce an outcome as you read it. You will get better at seeing both sides of most arguments, even topics that are not law-related, and better understand why you believe what you do, or you will at least begin to question them. It forces you to articulate “why?” down to the core premise of each class topic and then the law and morality itself.”
Allie Johnson, University of Illinois College of Law

“Yes, feeling more confident, but scared because I know the amount of work it required.”
Olivia Messerges, University of Wisconsin Law School

“I definitely feel more prepared because I have done my first round of finals, so I know what to expect. I also feel somewhat more relaxed starting second semester because 1L internships are for the most part based on your 1L fall grades, so the stress is somewhat off for 1L internships.”
Katherine Kondelis, Washington University School of Law

“I feel much more confident this semester. From knowing everyone in my class, knowing how to navigate different professors, knowing how to pace myself throughout the semester, knowing the structure of finals, and of course, being more familiar with legal writing so assignments don’t take nearly as long, there is a lot less anxiety that adds to the already intense workload of being a 1L.”
Cassidy Steel, Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University

“I feel more prepared in the sense that I know what to expect. Sometimes success in law school means doing what a specific professor is looking for. Adjusting to the way my professors handled situations differently than others was definitely a challenge.”
Ava Vaccaro, Chicago-Kent College of Law

“On every exam I took, more points than you would think are dedicated to policy questions. On two of my exams (2/3 of my doctrinal courses!), half of our exam grade was policy-based! You need to know the law and apply it to exam questions, but you also need to think about the pros and cons of these laws, the reasoning behind them, and how they interact with the real world. Then, you have to articulate those thoughts and reasonings in a way that makes sense to the professor. There was much discussion about these topics throughout the class that developed not only what is but what ought to be. This type of learning requires a deep understanding of the topic by listening and interacting with the discussions in class, if only in your mind. Those study aid books seem to focus on the black letter law, but focusing on these policy topics, mainly the ones you discuss in class, might be on the final exam. Make sure to start each class knowing if this type of problem will be on the exam, and if so, pay attention!”
Allie Johnson, University of Illinois College of Law

“Some people did not use the whole time to edit their answers.”
Olivia Messerges, University of Wisconsin Law School

“I thought I would prefer multiple choice over essay but I definitely prefer essay exams.”
Katherine Kondelis, Washington University School of Law

“They go by very quickly. You type the entire time and your brain is hard at work trying to answer the questions, so once they’re over it’ll feel like you blinked, and the test was done.”
Cassidy Steel, Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University

“90% of your grade will be the final. Most of my finals had a few multiple choice question, short answers, and a long hypo with a long answer. It was a lot of writing and applying rules to whatever situation you are given.”
Ava Vaccaro, Chicago-Kent College of Law

“I can’t choose; I love all of them. All my professors were incredibly intelligent and accomplished, and I was excited to learn from them each day. Sometimes, it is hard not to get wrapped up in the competitive game of treating class like a means to an end. Enjoying the learning journey is something you shouldn’t take for granted. It is a privilege to go to law school and to learn about such fascinating topics from professionals in the field.”
Allie Johnson, University of Illinois College of Law

“Criminal law because my professor was amazing.”
Olivia Messerges, University of Wisconsin Law School

“My favorite has been Torts because the cases are more interesting (at least factually) and is kind of the type of law I am interested in.”
Katherine Kondelis, Washington University School of Law

“Legal Writing I! As an English major, I wrote plenty in undergrad. However, legal writing is truly another language, and I am excited to master the craft.”
Ava Vaccaro, Chicago-Kent College of Law

“I am proud that I completed the semester and finals in general, but I am most proud that I didn’t sacrifice my mental or physical health to do so. Trust me when I say that I faired exceptionally well, but I slept well, exercised, spent time with my family, and took breaks. Make your own metric for success in law school, and ensure it isn’t just your grades. Success should look like working consistently hard throughout the semester to truly understand the topics while taking time for other areas of your life. You are a human, not a robot!”
Allie Johnson, University of Illinois College of Law

“I am proud of myself for making close friends in law school because I was worried about making friends at WashU, but I am happy that I was less shy and more outgoing because I have made some great friends. Also, having a small circle of people you can trust and study with in law school is so important.”
Katherine Kondelis, Washington University School of Law

“I’m excited that the hard work I put into staying on top of assignments and my understanding of class material paid off in my grades.”
Cassidy Steel, Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University

“I am happy that I made it through the semester and survived. The academics were challenging and rewarding, and I am happy with my performance from first semester.”
Ava Vaccaro, Chicago-Kent College of Law

“Learning! This is the same reason I enjoyed my first semester so much. A wealth of knowledge is on the horizon, and I know I will be one step closer to being the lawyer I dream of being. I get to start again with more confidence in my abilities and knowing what study strategies worked for me. I know what classes are, what exams are like, and what cold-calling is like, and I know I can get through all of that, so now I can focus on enjoying the process instead of being nervous.”
Allie Johnson, University of Illinois College of Law

“My new legal research and writing professor.”
Olivia Messerges, University of Wisconsin Law School

“I am looking forward to securing an internship for my 1L summer because it is interview season and will be until March or so. I am also looking forward to finding more of a balance between school and having a social life because school does consume you in a way, but you need to give yourself a break every now and then or you will burn out.”
Katherine Kondelis, Washington University School of Law

“I’m excited to face this semester with more confidence and experience than last semester. I’m also looking forward to building stronger connections with the friends I’ve made in my class. Law school can be really overwhelming, but it’s still important to find time to invest in your friendships in law school otherwise it can be a very daunting and lonely experience.”
Cassidy Steel, Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University