The First-Day Whiplash

First semester came and went in a blur for most students. The general consensus amongst my peers was the overwhelming relief having finally completed our first round of finals. I left Contracts in Classroom G that last day and haven’t dared to even think of it. Winter break was like a gift from the heavens. It consisted of nothing but sleeping and binge Netflixing galore. I might have come out of hibernation once or twice to remind my family and friends I was still breathing. But like all good things, winter break ended way before I was ready to let go. The first day back in law school is the topic of this blog because in itself it was a unique experience.

Bottom line, I forgot to mentally prepare myself for the harsh realities of law school. Reading assignments began to pile up. Students were already frantically discussing which supplements to buy and who has outlines for Property and Constitution Law. I sat down in my first class and was reminded of the dreaded feeling as some professors tend to turn to their roster to choose which unlucky fellow will be cold-called that day. It’s like slow motion watching professors glance at the pages before looking up with that halfway grin that signifies they’ve chosen their victim. The second class was just as intense as our professor spent the whole class period randomly cold-calling half the class. It’s dreadfully intimidating, but you can’t deny it helps build a strong backbone for the real world. No matter how terrifying it is, I’m sure others would agree with me that they are grateful for the exposure to adrenaline rushing situations because that’s what constitutes most lawyers’ daily experiences.

I think the first-day is an important experience for students because it jumpstarts the rest of the semester. It’s a reminder of what is to come in the following weeks as readings become more intense and assignments start to pile up. Law school isn’t for the faint-hearted. So, buckle up, but remember to enjoy the ride ☺