WLC: Reflections on the First Semester of Law School and Beyond

Hi WLC! 

As we kick off the Spring semester, we want to take some time to reflect on the past semester and the one to come. To that end, we asked all of you to share your thoughts and experiences. Thank you to everyone who participated :) I am pleased to share with you an editorialized summary of our findings! 

The First Semester of Law School 

The first semester of law school goes so fast. It can feel really exhilarating or it can feel extraordinarily overwhelming. And, it’s nearly impossible to prepare for it. Talking with friends, family, or current students can help you get ready, but you really can’t know what law school is like until you’re in it. But I have heard amazing things about outside resources such as How to Be Sort of Happy in Law School and Law School Confidential helped them prepare.

The majority of respondents admitted that their first semester was far from what they thought it would look like when they first stepped foot on campus. Some things, like the coursework or the importance of time management threw people for a loop. On the bright side, a popular response was that people were surprised by how relaxed, balanced, and supportive their classmates are! Students also learned a lot about themselves during their 1L Fall. Many respondents reported that they learned resilience (it is a practiced skill!). Others said it forced them to practice setting boundaries and prioritizing themselves. And finally, it reinforced that imposter syndrome is real and that it is important to focus on running your own race. 

Moving Past the First Semester

If your first semester were a movie, what genre would it be? Well, for those of you who answered somewhere between drama and horror, I have good news! Every 2L and 3L respondent said that the rest of law school was massively different from their first semester. 

Law school also teaches you so so much! Almost every response tied back to the idea that you can do so much more than you think. Law school teaches you to be more organized, to be more resilient, and that you can learn so much more material than you ever thought possible. 

Staying Positive! 

It is important to take care of yourself during law school! Respondents said that they looked to both law school and non-law school friends to deal with academic stress. People also turned to their family and significant others to help destress. And, of course, it always helps to look forward to something on the horizon. There are a million things to look forward to, but here are a few that respondents said they were excited for: Barrister’s Ball, fun electives, hanging out with friends, WLC events, getting a summer job, and Spring Break!