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What Does it Mean to Not Walk the Stage?
I’ve been thinking a lot of about what it means for class of 2020 to not have a traditional graduation ceremony. To not get to put on the regalia, walk across the stage, and collect your diploma, as family and friends applaud you. … I don’t think any words of comfort I provide will really comfort, I know that. It sucks. This entire situation is so horrible and upsetting. In addition to losing out on these milestones, suddenly moving to remote-learning has augmented the gap of privilege and wealth between you and your classmates. I know it’s tough for 1Ls and 2Ls as well. I think about what it would…
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Lawtina Book Club: Make Your Home Among Strangers
ok a teensy bit delayed with our bookclub I know, but I think the chaos we’re in gives me a bit of an excuse. #mybad For (last month’s) pick, we selected Make Your Home Among Strangers by Jennine Capo Crucet. It is her first novel (though she recently had a second published). And unfortunately, she made the news because at recent lecture at a college, some students couldn’t handle discussing racism and took to burning her book (!) as protest. I mean, wtf. It was appalling and immediately I wanted to support this author by lifting up her work. Doing so, though, is not difficult because wow wow wow–what a…
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An Ode to Vincent Gambini
An ABA Journal post has been making the rounds about Elle Woods and how it inspired so many women to go to law school. I love Legally Blonde and think it’s a cute movie, but if I’m also a little worried that so much love is being poured on Elle Woods and not enough attention is being given to the true patron saint of low-income/first-gen law students, one Vincent “Vinny” LaGuardia Gambini aka John Callo aka John Gallo. First, if you’ve never seen My Cousin Vinny please use whatever million and one streaming apps you have and watch it right meow! Not only is it great, as I’m about to…
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When It Comes to Your Money, Leave the Guilt Behind
A few weeks ago, AOC had a funny instastory asking people to help her figure out how to use the garbage disposal because she never had one and thought it was a fancy add-on to her new, fancy apartment. She jokingly asked if social mobility means having appliances you never had growing up. And while it was all in good fun, the gist of her story struck a chord for many of us who come up from low income homes. Acclimating to financial stability, dare I say, even wealth, is a mind screw. And while many people struggle in their early careers, there’s a huge difference between those that grew…
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Am I In This Alone? Navigating Feelings of Isolation as a PreLaw Student
One of the emotional barriers we have to overcome when we start the law school application process is the loneliness and feelings of isolation. It’s likely that very few of your friends or family will have gone through this process. When you’re starting a path less traveled, it’s normal to feel like you have no one to turn to for practical advice, or that no one understands the stress you’re experiencing, or generally feel like it’s so unfair that you have to navigate this process all alone. When no one else has succeed in the goal you’re setting off to achieve, it feels daunting. There will be moments that you…
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Your Goals Matter
First, sorry not sorry, but I can’t get off the Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter train–it was just such a good book! But it definitely has kept me thinking–in the novel, the imperfect daughter, Julia, struggles with meeting the standards her family sets and is more focused on creating a life for herself that’s different than what her small neighborhood has to offer–she wants to be a writer, go to college, see the world. Her parents don’t get why she can’t be happy to have a steady job and stay at home with her family. There were so many scenes where I was rooting for Julia and became just as…
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How Much Should You Bare: Law School Essays
Recently, the discussion made the rounds about how students of color feel forced to discuss their trauma to receive admission or financial aid or some other form of access to higher education. Most of us have a general sense that we have to discuss something bad in our history to show why we’re “worthy” of admittance. It seems to be a trend in higher Ed to have to show your grit, which almost always comes from some negative experience. It’s bogus to have to reveal such personal and troubling histories to strangers and if you have to do it frequently (scholarship apps, different applications, etc) it can take a toll…
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Sidebar: It’s Christmas?
In what will surprise no one, this month got away from me. Obvi you could tell because content was sloooooow around here. My bad. In my defense, I was sick for the majority of the month so that really does a number on me. The month however started incredibly well! I saw Marc Anthony in early December and he was great! I only go to see Beyonce, but my husband (who does not speak/understand Spanish) thought he’d enjoyed Marc Anthony so we decided to go. He’s such an amazing performer! So I thought I was ending the year with a bang and then I went to bed with a weird…
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Sidebar: Oh, I live here.
It’s December. Omgah. It’s super cliche to say that this year went by fast, but like hoooow fast. We’re like propelling into nuclear war faster than I imagined. Oh, what am I the only one with the gnawing dread that our demise is upon us because we’re being held hostage by deranged lunatics beholden only to profits? I don’t think it’s just me. So yes, many times a day I have to check myself and push back the fear that is our new reality and pretend everything is ok. I stumbled upon this SNL skit and realized that I want to be the fry guys. Total obliviousness seems nice. OK…
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Find your Focus: Law School Finals
I’ll be honest and tell you that I do not envy law school students this time of year. Ok, I rarely envy law school students lol BUT this time of year is especially harrowing. There are so many deadlines and pressures looming over you. It feels impossible, even though it’s not. For those about to start to pressure-cooker that is law school finals, know that it’ll be ok and you’ll get past it–all you have to do is focus on exams. “No duh,” you say. But here’s the thing, often we are so overwhelmed (or confused) that we fail to study in a productive way. I remember going into my…