By: Kelsey Reno, Staff Writer
*This article is different than what I typically write or what is typically written for the Juris blog. However, I believe self-reflection is an important part of life and I thought this article could focus on my personal reflection of my first year of law school. I hope you as the reader can enjoy my stream of thought on how law school has affected and changed my life thus far, maybe even find it helpful.
My first year of law school is drawing to a quick close and I have learned so much this year it is unbelievable. I’m not just talking about the elements of negligence, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, or even how to effectively brief a case. Law school has taught me much about myself. The most important thing I have learned this year is about finding a proper balance in my life. It is no secret that law school comes with a sometimes unbelievable amount of work, and stress. In a few weeks (hopefully) I will have finished all my finals and be headed to my hometown for a summer clerkship. I am not the same person though that came to Duquesne in August.
Although being a law student plays a large role in my life there are many other roles I play, and law school has taught me how to balance these. This has not always been the easiest task, however, after working on it all year, I finally feel like I may have it about right. Along with being a law student I am also a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a friend, an avid reader, an artist, and a lover of music. While it is easy to get caught up in being a law student, the other roles I play are also very important in my life. This year has taught me how to balance these with the work of school. Without a balance between all these life is just not as bright.
While it is easy to lock oneself at your desk with your text books, and supplemental materials, I have found that sometimes it is necessary to take a step back. When I started law school I easily would get out of class, microwave a quick dinner, sit down at my desk and begin my reading and briefing for the next day. I would spend hours at my desk making sure I completely understood what I was reading and making sure to take plenty of notes. I would easily sit at my desk studying until I had to go to bed. The next day I would get up and do it again. Weekends were reserved for a little extra sleep and going over the previous weeks notes to make sure I understood everything. Once the exciting newness of law school wore off this routine quickly grew old, dark and depressing. I then began driving home to Ohio more often to spend time at home leaving all my books in Pittsburgh. This wasn’t good for my studies. Thus I had to study more during the week to make up for my fun weekends away. These grueling weeknights made me want to blow off my weekends even more. It became very evident that I had to find a better balance.
For the spring semester I made a new plan, I would spend at least one hour a day to do something I enjoyed that wasn’t law school related. Some days this is to curl up with my novel, go for a run, cook a really good meal, enjoy a good tv show, or just call my mom for a long conversation about just anything. At first these breaks seemed hard to work in, I was always anxious about getting behind on my reading, or not being prepared enough, but as I continued to force myself into taking these breaks, the studies just seemed easier. The reading wasn’t as daunting and the nights didn’t seem so long. While studying is very important, I think it is just as important in life to take time for oneself and just breathe a little. There have been a few nights that have been entirely eaten by my studies without my hour of me time, but these nights are much more manageable now. Finding this balance has made a real difference in my life and I feel more prepared to take on the rest of law school. I have survived my first year of law school, not as the same person, but as a better person, and I cannot wait to take on the next two years and see how I continue to grow and change as a person.
