Work Life Balance
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Be a Goal-Digger: Setting and Achieving in 2017
I remember checking my first semester law school grades and thinking, “hmmm, not great.” Surprisingly, I did not have a freak out when my grades were not so fantastic. And although I tried to alter some things second semester, I still didn’t seem to get it. It wasn’t until I completely revamped my studying style that everything finally clicked into place and it was smooth-sailing/dean’s list from then on, thankyouverymuch. But think of all the time I wasted my second semester because I didn’t realign appropriately. Instead, I should have taken the gift of a “fresh start” to make real changes in my study habits. I try to do that…
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What’s a Weekend? Use Your Break Wisely
One of the things that law school stole from me is the ability to take a nap. During law school, I just couldn’t nap from the anxiety of having something “more important” to do. Now, that I’m far out of law school, I barely ever nap and I totally blame law school for that. I hope you come out better than I did. But for a lot of people, it’s break time and that means a lot of napping and other fun things! Most of us are either at break from school or there’s a lull at work (or even better, you’re on paid vacation–holla!). I’m taking time off before the…
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What to Take on Your Next Work Trip
I don’t actually travel a ton for work (thankfully!) so if you travel a ton this list will probably look cute, but I am not in that hardcore travel life so the things I take when I go on a work trip are pretty basic because most of my trips are short one or two night trips. But for those of us that travel occasionally there are a few things I have to take with me to make the trip more comfortable. One. Exercise gear. I’m not about to front and act like I use the hotel gym when I travel because I don’t and I’m not sorry about it.…
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Latina Lawyer Gift Guide 2016
Gift giving is probably one of my favorite things. I just love finding something specific and unique for people in my life. We have done gift guides in the past and while the basic ideas stand (most new law grads would appreciate diploma frames and current law students need gift cards), I wanted to present a guide that was a little more creative, more community-based, and pieces that scream out our identity rather than bending into what’s expected of young professionals. Most of the businesses here are small, Latinx-owned and have beautiful and unique items that many of you will love. Of course, if you like anything listed here make sure you…
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It’s the Final Countdown: Managing Stress and Time During Law School Finals
A reprieve from what’s to come tomorrow— Hey, law students, are you feeling a little stressed right now? I remember how HORRIBLE my 1L fall semester was right around the holidays. I still felt academically in the dark about everything; had no idea how to study; was in a nervous wreck about money; and just felt completely lost. I hope you’re doing better. But it’s tricky because you may think you get it, but you never really know until you’re graded on that god awful curve. It can feel overwhelming right now as you prepare for something that’s unknown to you. And even as a 2L, you know what’s coming…
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Tolerating Racism: The Heavy Burden Placed on Students of Color
A while ago, I had planned to write some posts about things the Latinx community had at stake this election season. Then P-Gate happened and I was like well, that seems unnecessary now. But I think I overlooked the seeds this election season has planted. Mainly it has become seemingly acceptable for certain people to openly proclaim their racist and sexist ideology. Before we had dog whistles and even the Klan had the common sense to keep their identities secret. But now, it’s all out in the open and there are so many that foam at the mouth, encouraging others to spew their hate in an attempt to get “their”…
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Uprooting The Seeds of Domestic Violence
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and it’s an important topic for me because I work daily with survivors of domestic violence. That’s the general reason why this matters to me, but another big reason why advocating for survivors of DV matters to me is because I also experienced & observed inter-family violence in the home as a child by my former step-father. One thing about me is that when I want to understand why something is happening, I like over-do it and research it to death. These life circumstances were no different, and by the time I was in middle school, I would seek out books about DV in…
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Radical Women: This Bridge Called My Back
I have wanted to review This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color forever and figured this review would be a great way to end Latinx History Month with a bang! For those that may not know, TBCMB is a collection of essays, letters, and poems of various women of color and it is edited Cherrie Moraga and Gloria Anzaldua. Composed in the early 80s, the writers are considered Third World Feminists. They are women of color, feminists, fighting against the oppression of poverty, racism, sexism, and xenophobia. It’s a really incredible collection of voices that resonated with me even though the pieces were written before I…
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Battling Isolation and Loneliness as a New College Student
Can I tell you how hyped I was to start college? I was so excited! I had the full “traditional” American experience at a four-year university and absolutely loved it. Yet, I would see some students around me who hated it and I just didn’t get it. What’s not to love? There’s so much freedom and new experiences and friends and parties and learning etc etc. I didn’t get how people could feel lonely or dislike college—and then I went to law school and was like oh. I get it. The loneliness and feelings of detachment that many students of color experience when they start college smacked me in the…
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De-Stressing & Self-Care in the times of Social Media
I consider myself super lucky in that when I started working as a full-time attorney there was a more open philosophy re: vicarious trauma and attorneys. While there’s still an old-school though that nothing we do should impact us emotionally, the truth is that many of us that work in various areas of the law are exposed to ugly human behavior-there’s no question that can impact our own mental health. That’s reality. Then we add the atrocious, urgent, and infuriating state of our country in regards to how people of color are treated and it results in feelings of sadness, anger, anxiety, etc. It’s not a great headspace to be…