In the fall, I had the opportunity to speak on Professor Haigh's podcast "What's Law Got to Do With It?" featuring my mentor, Felicity Radan. I shared my experience of knowing from the outset that I wanted to be a business lawyer, with a heightened interest in tax law. This interest sparked in undergrad through my fourth year Income Taxation course. However, in law school there are a lot of individuals who have no idea what they want to practice upon graduation, and that's totally fine. No one expects you to have it all figured out! I, myself, would like to explore the field of business law in more depth in my upper years. My biggest piece of advice for incoming students trying to navigate law school is to be open to new experiences. There may be a course or experiential learning experience that reshapes what you want to do with the rest of your life, and that's okay. A year ago, I was not in the JD/MBA program. It was not originally in my ten year plan. However, being a student in this program has really helped me grow intellectually through taking courses I was not able to during undergrad. It's been an enriching experience, and I can't wait to see what's in store next in my law school journey. By: Karen Randhawa I hate to be the one to bring up grades during the holiday season, but with January creeping up, I think it would be good to share my experience with grade release. At Osgoode, we receive our grades a few weeks into January and it can be a very anxious time for many. For those hoping to participate in OCIs, there’s a lot riding on these grades, especially for 1Ls. Looking back, I remember thinking that these grades would determine my success in law school and I put a lot of weight on them. In doing so, I set myself up for disappointment. I won’t lie, the 1L grade release was very difficult for me. Retrospectively there are so many things I would have done differently. Here are something to keep in mind when getting your grades back:
It is completely normal to struggle with your mental health during grade release (especially during COVID). If you are willing, feel free to reach out to your school’s counselling services or peer support. There are many resources across campus that can really help out. Believe in yourself and fearlessly learn from your mistakes. By Lucinda Chitapain Perspective and Positivity. It’s easy to get pigeonholed when you’re surrounded by people who were top of their class as well, have work experience, and may seem to have their lives together. But you have to remember that you also have a lot of great and valuable experiences under your belt. You are here for a reason and rightfully belong here. Focus on your academic success and work at your own pace. Don’t feel compelled to do what others are doing. If you have a studying method that works for you, follow it. If you like taking notes in a certain way, follow it. Be confident in yourself and your abilities!
Dream Plan Do → You will realize that work in law school can pile up quickly. It is crucial that you establish some sort of plan and routine that works best for you. Whether it be studying for a final exam or writing up an essay, having a plan helps keep yourself accountable and organized. If you’re not much of a planner, that’s alright. A plan does not necessarily mean an hourly schedule. For some of you, it may mean that you note down key deadlines on your calendar. At the beginning of the semester, it helps to go through each class syllabus and add the deadlines on your calendar. For those of you who like to see a detailed plan, make an hourly schedule and break down each step of a project. It is important to be realistic with your plans. If you know that you will be in class all day, don’t plan on doing a big assignment that day. Do your own thing. Study sessions, firm tours, pub nights, club events - there are so many things going on all the time. You might feel like you aren’t doing everything that everyone is doing which is probably true. Choose what you actually want to do rather than forcing yourself to try to do the humanly impossible. 1L was definitely 1L of a time - it was the hardest school year for me to date, both academically and mentally. Early on in 1L, I started to feel like I was burning out largely due to my 3 hour round trip commute, heavy readings and the mental pressures of being in law school. At one point in October, I realized that things needed to change and they needed to change fast. I’ve wanted to go to law school for years and I was finally here. I needed to find ways that would help me destress and enjoy my law school experience. Here are some of the ways I kept myself (mostly) sane throughout the school year:
Your first-year of law school can be quite stressful. Before you know it, you will be getting ready to write that big final paper or exam and feel overwhelmed. This feeling is completely normal and everyone has gone through these struggles. I can’t say that I’ve mastered the art of stress management but here are some things I found really helped me ease the stress during my first-year at Osgoode.
I found 1L to be less stressful than other points of my life. I’m not exactly sure why this was the case. Few tips on how I was able to enjoy 1L: Joining clubs/ societies. Two main clubs that shaped my 1L experience were Osgoode Women’s Network (OWN) and The Competition Law Society. Both clubs introduced me to like minded peers, current practitioners, and was a way to get involved in the legal world. There is something for everyone, pay attention at the club fair or talk to upper years about your interest to join an association for you! (My shameless plug for the Competition Law Society, I was a 1L executive this past year, and this incoming year I'll be the Vice President) it's the first in law club in the niche field of Competition Law, known as Anti-Trust Law in America. Feel free to reach out to learn more about the club and the field itself.
The first year of law school is a different experience to say the least. For some it's the moment they've waited for their entire lives, for others it is a detour in the journey in life. Depending on who you are, what your stress tolerance is and what your definition of stress it, managing the transition to law school will be different than the person you sit next to in your lectures. We've decided to share our tips on how we got by. |
Legally BrownThree Osgoode Hall Law students sharing their lived experiences and providing *unsolicited* advice. Archives
December 2021
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