The months leading up to your first day of law school can be both exciting and extremely nerve-wracking. If you do not have a plan to stay grounded, you will end up in a wormhole of Reddit threads that ultimately lead you more confused than when you started. Here are five things you should consider doing the summer before law school that will leave you feeling prepared.
1. READ LAW SCHOOL PREP BOOKS (BUT NOT TOO MANY)
As any future lawyer knows, there are a lot of acronyms that law students and attorneys use. There are millions of books out there that can help you not only learn the lingo, but understand how a law school classroom works and debunk the myths that Legally Blonde may have taught you. Try not to go overboard. One or two books should be fine. My personal recommendation is Getting to Maybe: How to Excel on Law School Exams by Richard Michael Fischl and Jeremy Paul.
2. FIND YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM
Law school is going to be intense. There are going to be stressful weeks, there are going to be days without sleep. It is important to find the people in your life who you care about and be clear with them on the journey you are about to embark on. You are going to need a pep talk every now and then during this first year of law school, so it is important to know who you can go to for that talk. Whether it be a sibling, a parent, a friend, or a beloved pet, know your confidants.
3. GET A FEW PROFESSIONAL OUTFITS
For most law schools, no one dresses professionally to go to class. Honestly, by week three, most of the students are showing up to school in sweatpants. However, throughout your first year, your school is likely going to throw a lot of professional networking events where business casual is a must. Again, do not go overboard with this one, but securing one or two professional outfits will take a huge stress off your shoulders once interviews for summer positions start.
4. DO RESEARCH ON YOUR SCHOOL’S ORGANIZATIONS
Almost all law schools have identity groups for a wide variety of people. They have organizations for women in the field, for those who are the first in their families to go to law school, and so much more. These clubs will not only provide great networking opportunities, but will give you the chance to meet like-minded law students in the first few days of school. You by no means have to be involved in organizations in law school, but it will help ease you into your new group of peers.
5. REST
If possible, put your two-weeks in at your job in the beginning of the summer and take the next couple of months off before law school. There likely will not be a lot of time to vacation during the next three years, so take this free time to really be present with your family and friends, to go on that trip you have always wanted to go on. Law school is a marathon, not a race, and every runner needs to balance out training with some relaxation.
Congratulations on achieving this huge milestone by getting into law school! Feel free to reach out if we can help during this new adventure.
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