Turns out that you can order a bunch of stuff from various fast food joints that is either not on the menu, or that was previously on the menu. This means that it is completely legit for me to order a "Veggie Whopper" again at Burger King. For those of you who aren't familiar, this is a whopper minus meat, with extra cheese. Don't knock it until you try it. Check out the the list of things you can order at the Consumerist's blog.
I am being pulled in 10 different directions this week. Besides classes, I have two meetings on Friday regarding the school's crappy LRAP and how to improve it. I also have another one on Saturday on contacting the alumni regarding LRAP. On Tuesday and Thursday after class, I have my study group for 2 hours. I have a Lexis training on Wednesday after Legal Writing. I also have to try and work on stuff for my volunteer work for an event that starts in 12 days. Also on friday, I am going to a friend's dance concert.
The worst thing about 1L is trying to get your reading done, while also trying to juggle 20 other things. Sometimes I wonder if I should just not be involved in all of this stuff, and become a hermit. On the other hand, I am making lots of good connections with other students and making some new friends.
"I want to be a leader. I want to be an example." This was the statement made by an impoverished 12 year old South African girl interviewing for Oprah's LeaderShip Academy. If this child who has suffered so much can dream big dreams, I should too. I think that I sell myself short too much. Being an older student sometimes make me feel like I don't fit in. When did I start thinking that way? I have been all over the country. I have met all kinds of people, rich and poor, educated and illiterate. I was able to relate to them all. This should be no exception.
Another girl asked Oprah, "Am I good enough to be at this school?" This indeed is the question I ask myself at least once a month, when I am having a bad day. The answer that Oprah gave the girl, "you know you are" is the same one that I sometimes have a hard time telling myself. I know that I wouldn't be here if I wasn't good enough.
I may not always make the right choices or work as hard as I should, but when I do, I can do anything!
If you are considering law school and reading this, know that this experience can make you doubt yourself. It can also remind you that you are capable of more than you ever dreamed. It will test you, and "making it" is the reward for enduring.
If those girls can endure, so can I.
While stuff about Katrina's aftermath is mostly missing from the mainstream media, people are still blogging about it. There is an interesting post here, about the effect on the legal system.
When I was in New Orleans, there were some students still working to free people who had been in jail for petty offenses since before the storm. In America! That still shocks me!
If you want to get involved and help the Gulf Coast to recover, check out the Student Hurricane Network's website.
All over the prelaw sites, there are people who think that this guy knows something about preparing for law school that the rest of the world doesn't. As far as I am concerned - he's just another low rent scammer trying to breed on the paranoia of future law students. I always want to call the author of posts like this one, and tell them to stop driving themselves nuts. Most law students don't do much to prepare, and I agree with that.
If you read Black's Dictionary before you start law school, you will be in the same place as the rest of your class within a week or two. Unless you are going to school with morons, no amount of preparation is going to help you, outside of sneaking into classes a year before you actually start school and taping the lectures yourself.
Relax pre-law students. You will learn the material - all in good time.
Sometimes, I wonder why some of my classmates came here. They don't seem that interested in the law academically. Those who volunteer or participate in class a lot are called "gunners", making the rest of us afraid of the stigma of being an active participant in class. Many of them only seem to care about the money they can make, and not about doing something good in the world. I feel like I am on an island here.
I am hoping to see another fashion disaster this year. Yes, I know that's terrible, but after Bjork's outfit a year or two ago and the hilarious jokes that resulted, I just love making fun of the fashion faux pas.
I was so full of promise at the beginning of the semester. I was ahead in all my class, outlining early. I had my shit together. Suddenly, a blast of snow knocked it right out of me. I spent this morning watching Band of Brothers DVD's and goofing around on the internet. Now I have 4 hours to get my Property reading done and at least start on Crim Pro. What a slacker! I think I was doing better before I got a job. I work well under giant amounts of stress.
In other news, my volunteer work is really getting crazy. I thought I wouldn't have much to do until summer. Now, the team leader in the other region hasn't done his work and I have to pick up the slack for him. Why do I always say yes when I should just say "hell no?"
My mama always called me "night owl" when I was younger. I do love staying up late, but I had to change my ways this semester because I have the dreaded "early schedule." Everyone who hears this always says "oh, you poor thing." I used to whine about it, but I think I have come to like it at this point. I always have a jump on the day, getting here before 90% of the other students. I don't have to fight for a good spot in the library, and I get out of here hours before the rest of the 1L's.
Maybe going to bed at midnight is worth it.
I got a job offer! At the job fair last weekend, I only had one interview, and missed the time-frame to get an an interview for a second job as an "alternate." After my scheduled interview (which went well, but is in a nearby city), I talked to the people from the organization that had me as an alternate. I basically told them that I would follow them around on their errands if that's what it took to get an interview. They agreed to meet with me, and a normally 20 minute interview was stretched to 45 minutes.
I got an email on Sunday offering me a position from the second interview. Looks like persistence pays off. I went from "out of the running" to offer pretty fast!
Now I have to make a decision. The people that interviewed me "on the fly" almost seemed as if they were trying to talk me out of working there. I was surprised they offered me a summer job, because they kept concentrating on my background in another area of law. Their discussion with me almost makes me not as interested in working there. However, I really don't want to deal with staying with friends in another city 4 days a week for the whole summer. That just gets old after a while.
I am torn between wanting to wait and see the results of my first interview (in the other city) and just accepting my fate to work here in town.
Two days ago, I had no options, now I feel like there are too many!
Is it just me, or should my significant other be able to reheat a pizza without my help? I thought so! I know that I might be a little Type-A and stuff, but expecting that someone should be able to turn on an oven, put the pizza in it, and not start a small fire isn't asking too much!
My mama keeps telling me, "Don't worry honey, you will find a job soon." Sure doesn't seem like it. Since I don't want to work at a firm and am concentrating on public interest positions, AND I have to stay within driving distance of my apartment, I don't have a ton of options. I really don't want to stay with a friend, or pay rent in two places at once. The significant other is really becoming a liability in some ways. Can't sublet the apartment with him living here. Can't afford to pay rent twice. I feel a little trapped.
Then again, having the SO around has saved me from having to take the bus to school a lot. (It's been pretty cold here lately.) He also takes out the garbage, and does all the grocery shopping. However, I sometimes wish I was single like my friends are, with a nice empty house to come home to, and no one to interrupt their studying.
Well, my interview for a job in a nearby city went fairly well yesterday. Sleeping in my sister's guest room wouldn't be terrible for only 4 nights a week. I will survive.
Since I am a relatively poor student, I have turned getting LexisNexis and Westlaw points into my part-time job. My mama is proud of me for doing something that can earn something.
Today, I hit 6,800 Lexis points. That's enough for an Ipod Shuffle. I need 26,150 to get the big 80 Gig Ipod Video. At this rate, I will have enough for that by the first semester of 3L year.
I am thrilled!
I would like to thank my friend V. who suggested that I should take advantage of LexisNexis, and of course, good old mom for the inspiration to achieve this free stuff milestone!
I started this blog, and then haven't even bothered to make a second post. What an idiot! Speaking of idiots, I found out recently that a guy with no personality whatsover in my law school class is #1. Well, good for him.
My mama says that I shouldn't worry about how others are doing, and worry about my own shit instead. She has a point, but she certainly doesn't know "Martin the Gunner." Martin is so stiff that I sometimes wonder if he is a cardboard cutout and not an actual human.
Well, time to do more civil procedure.
