Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Law school may give you more than your poor bones could ever take


The number one skill for surviving law school is the ability to prioritize. It doesn't matter what they are teaching, every professor thinks that their class is the most important class in the history of the universe and should be prepared for it as such. This is impossible. If you try to treat each and every class the way professors wish you would, you will end up in the hospital with exhaustion long before you even begin to think about finals.
This isn't to say that you shouldn't put forth your best efforts. Quite the opposite (I can honestly say that I have worked harder in my first year of law school than my previous 23 years combined). You must, however, weigh the importance of your workload. For example, skipping multiple 3 and 4 hour classes to work on a paper for a 2 hour class is probably end up hurting you in the long run.
In summary, try to keep your eye on the big picture, leave time for your life outside of school, and accept the fact that it cannot all be done and that is okay.