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Secure the Bag: Summer Associate Bucket List
For you rising 2L and 3Ls, it’s important to recognize that you’re halfway into your summer internship. If you’re not careful, you’ll do the day-to-day work and end your time at the firm without much to show for it. We’ve discussed before the importance of a mid-summer self-eval and to not forget that internships are summer-long interviews, but on top of all of that it’s vital for you to keep a summer bucket list of professional milestones you want to hit so that you make yourself as strong of a candidate as possible when they are considering who to give offers to/you start looking for new opportunities. But what are…
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Summer Series: Remember Who You Are
Our Summer Series continues! This series highlights different Latina students and law grads as they embark in their summer jobs and/or bar prep all across the country. We hope to provide a variety of work experiences, options for a healthy work-life balance, and general motivation through different guest contributors to help you to take charge of your summer and professional goals! Today, Kas, a recent graduate of DePaul Law School reminds us of the power that law school gives us and how vital it is to remember our the reason we are pursuing this profession–especially when things get difficult. When I was applying for law school, people would say, “good luck girl, I heard…
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Bar Exam: Maintaining Focus
So, all you bar preppers, you’re really in it now. A full week in, I remember feeling like I didn’t know anything and getting scared sh*tless, just knowing that I wouldn’t pass. The entire summer, other than studying, my main thing was keeping my anxiety at bay. And I didn’t always succeed. It was rough. For some, this will be the big barrier you face this summer. The emotional toll studying for the Bar takes on you. There’s a constant barrage of thoughts: what if I don’t pass; how will I earn a living; am I wasting my time; how can I overcome the pain if I fail? It really…
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Is Law School Right for Me?
Going into law school means starting the journey with eyes open. It means coming to terms with debt, finding ways to finance it, and really understanding whether you want to commit three years of your life to this. Three years isn’t a long time, but it’s long enough to do damage to your self-esteem, your bank account, your relationships, and you end up questioning your intelligence, talents, etc etc. It’s a mind-F. So you naturally are asking yourself, is law school for me? Honestly? No. Law school isn’t really for anybody–unless you’re one of those rare birds that really enjoys law school (no judgement, but I kind of am lol).…
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Pre-Law Prep: Mastering the LSAT
Disclaimer: I studied for the LSAT over a decade ago (I’m not that old though I swear! Lol). But back then, information was not as readily available so it was a struggle. What I have noticed that even with more info available to some, it is still a struggle for many of us because we don’t even know where to start. It’s easy to tell someone that they need to study for the LSAT, but how? And with what money? And with what time? And what are you even supposed to study? We’ve discussed the LSAT before, but how to really prep is a little different. First, if you can…
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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…
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Grateful for the Struggle
Around this time, I think it’s important to recognize the struggle one has overcome in order to to be where they are in their life. I know you’re thinking, “bih that’s all you do!” and you’re right lol. I do talk about our struggle a lot. A lot. And I do it because it’s easy to think this career trajectory is easy. It’s not. It’s hard becoming an attorney. For women of color, it’s even more difficult. It shouldn’t be this hard and I don’t condone that the system is this way– like I’m encouraging some weird hazing ritual. It shouldn’t be this way, especially when the reason why it’s…
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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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One, Two Step: Mastering Law School Finals
Hope everyone had a restful break from work/school! I know all the students are starting crunch mode as you prepare for finals. I’m a bit removed from that but believe me, law school finals anxiety is a feeling you never, ever forget. In fact, my first holiday as an attorney was one of my happiest because I was so thrilled to not have to worry about any exams! You’ll get there eventually, but in the meantime you have to master your exams. I hate to say this, but preparing for your finals is a two-pronged process. The most important part of studying for law school finals is not just understanding…
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Summer Series: Pushing Yourself to Create A Career You Want
Our Summer Series continues! This series highlights different Latina students and law grads as they embark in their summer jobs and/or bar prep all across the country. We hope to provide a variety of work experiences, options for a healthy work-life balance, and general motivation through different guest contributors to help you to take charge of your summer and professional goals! Today we hear from Mariana, a rising 3L from Nebraska (midwest represent!) who has taken a non-traditional route this summer and encourages us to seek new ways to use our law degrees: Hello, my name is Mariana and I am currently a rising 3L at the University of Nebraska College of Law.…