Celebrating the Bar Exam

Way back when I was researching and planning my law school applications (so a while ago), I remember reading about post-Bar exam trips. This was pre-recession, and what seemed like truly gilded times. The idea was that you had a job lined up pre-graduation and so after you took the Bar, you wouldn’t start until September, giving yourself a month’s time to do something awesome, like travel to Europe.

As I write this, it seems so laughable to me. These ridiculous standards that were set (and sometimes are still set) by the status quo just seem so out of reach for most of us. But regardless, that was how it seemed so many law grads planned to celebrate post-Bar. In today’s job market, it’s unlikely many can celebrate this way.  Womp womp.

But I am a big proponent of acknowledging achievements and finishing the Bar exam is a HUGE achievement that requires recognition!

What are some affordable and simple ways you can take time to appreciate what you’ve just accomplished?

One. Order a cake. Maybe you’ve already had your graduation party, but there’s no reason why you can’t invite a few people over to celebrate finishing the Bar together or to thank people who supported you throughout the bar exam ordeal. A cake puts emphasis that this is a special occasion and it’s something you remember more than a night out with drinks (though, do that too, obvi).

Two. Buy jewelry (within your budget). We all have our budgets on what we spend on jewelry; my budget for the day I finished the bar was more Forever 21 than anything else. So that’s what I did, I bought a (really gaudy) ring that I never, ever wear because thank God fashion sense improves with age. But I will never get rid of it because every time I see it, I remember how accomplished, happy, and proud I felt when I purchased it.

Three. Plan to travel. We can’t all go to Europe right away, but with a little planning and savings, we can go somewhere to celebrate–even if you do a staycation, there is usually something accessible for most of us. I love leisurely trips to the beach, so after the Bar my husband and I went on the cheapest all-inclusive resort in Cancun we could find on Expedia. It certainly felt like a splurge back then because I still didn’t have a job, but taking a break together to celebrate that 1) the Bar was over, 2) our life would be back to normal, and 3) I was just months away from becoming an attorney was really worthy of a splurge.

Ultimately, I think it’s important for our mental health to pause for a beat and acknowledge that you’ve gone through a big endeavor (mentally, emotionally, physically) and congratulate yourself for your progress and endurance.  You can decide to acknowledge your achievements in anyway you want, but I do hope you recognize just how major and important of a milestone you’ve just hit and take the time to celebrate it–because you deserve it!