The first year of law school is a wholly unique experience. Everything is new: people, textbooks and even the law itself. Law school requires you to develop a method of studying that best aids your learning, and it also requires you to take notes differently than you did in undergrad. New experiences are always exciting, but they can also be a little bit intimidating – my 1L year was no exception.
I had a different feeling this year as a 2L: lots of the same people, same heavy books and the law itself was more familiar to me. The basic confidence that you gain by successfully completing your first year of law school makes the following year a much different experience. Confidence is important in many areas of your life, but it is particularly important in law school. The more nervous your are, the more difficult it is to perform well in Socratic.
This semester I am taking Business Associations, Constitutional Law, Evidence, Juvenile Law and Professional Responsibility. Although I am still enrolled in a couple of required courses, it was nice to be able to develop my own schedule. It is also neat to be able to enroll in elective classes that are of particular interest to me. I am enjoying all of my classes, but Evidence is probably my favorite so far.
Well, until next time…
Chelsea Barnett, 2L and Student Ambassador