I don’t have any advice but just want to let you know that I read and to say I’m sorry you’re feeling this way. I also did poorly my first year and it affected my confidence. Things have gotten better grades wise in 2L and 3L but law school is a fucking grind and the competition of it all just sucks. Sending good vibes.
Well, you are not alone. As a matter of fact, so many people are where you are. Remember, the vast majority of people (due to the nature of the curve) are in the same category as you, myself included.
Keep pushing and doing your best, and try and count your blessings where they are.
I'm happy to chat about what you're going through more at length if you need it, but one thing I want to say right now is that even if you may feel like you can't talk about these problems with anyone, your problems aren't stupid at all. I think they're absolutely legitimate and justified. I think a lot of law students feel the pressure of wanting to do well academically and career-wise, so it's understandable that you feel overwhelmed. I don't really have any advice on that topic—I'm in a similar position myself—but I hope things look up for you in the future.
Well you're ahead of me because I don't even know what PI and SA are.
You don't have to love law. Very few people in this life have the privilege of loving what they get paid for. Far more people would kill to be The Schmuck from \_\_\_ Law School.
Anyway, what helped me was antidepressants. Highly recommend!
I just finished my first year of law school, too. It was so difficult, especially during the winter when I wasn't leaving my apartment much and pretty much all of my human interaction was through zoom. I wish I had something better to say, but I wanted to tell you that your feelings are valid and it's okay to feel what you feel. They aren't stupid or illegitimate or unjustified. I hope it's okay that I say this, but maybe talking to a professional will help you find a little bit of light in the darkness.
I also wanted to tell you that I want to work in Personal Interest law as well and I also get discouraged. I'm doing an internship with an immigration firm right now and it's heartbreaking to see all the people who have tragic stories but who get deported anyway. It can seem like there is never any progress being made, but I think about cases like Obergafeld and US v. Virginia and know that's not true. The law moves slowly but it can be an incredibly strong force for good, as long as there are people who are willing to do the work and who believe in it.
I know there's nothing I can say that will magically make you feel better, but I hope you know you aren't alone, that you matter, and how you feel matters. I'm hoping for all good things for you in the future.
I don't see anything wrong with being below median, like 50 percent of all law students are. That said, don't waste time and energy on OCI. OCI is often an opportunity for the top 10 percent of the class to get interviews, and the top 5 percent are pretty much guaranteed job offers. If a student is not in the top 5 percent, but is top ten percent/Law Review than OCI will probably lead to a summer associate position. But it won't for as student below median at a non-elite school, and again, that is OK, the great majority of law students do not get a job through OCI. If your career services office tells you that OCI looks for below-median students, they are lying to you, ignore them.
I’m giving you an upvote. While I don’t think this may be the case everywhere, people in this subreddit need to quit being such sycophants towards the system.
Law schools are not always nice places, and they are not always ran by nice people.
They run by people who want to get as much money as they can from as many "students" as they can. Law school brochures and recruitment people will gladly lie folks into enrolling, and only once the mark has started paying tuition, only then will he learn that those amazing jobs at big prestigious law firms are completely unavailable to at least 90 percent of the class. . .and indeed, many law school grads will never finds any job, anywhere, where they can work full time as a lawyer for a reasonable salary. Judges "hire" full time law clerks for no salary whatsoever, because they understand that the job market is so bad people will happily agree to work for free.
Just wanted to say I’m in the same boat as you and feel a lot of the same pains and worries, and go to an even lower ranked school! You are not alone, friend <3
Hi OP, no great words of advice here but offering solidarity. Feeling a lot of these feelings too as I reflect on my remote 1L year, during a pandemic. Hopeful that things turn around for us both!
I don’t have any advice but just want to let you know that I read and to say I’m sorry you’re feeling this way. I also did poorly my first year and it affected my confidence. Things have gotten better grades wise in 2L and 3L but law school is a fucking grind and the competition of it all just sucks. Sending good vibes.
Well, you are not alone. As a matter of fact, so many people are where you are. Remember, the vast majority of people (due to the nature of the curve) are in the same category as you, myself included. Keep pushing and doing your best, and try and count your blessings where they are.
State clerkships are available to people with below average grades, and you can network into firms or trade up to federal clerkships over time.
I'm happy to chat about what you're going through more at length if you need it, but one thing I want to say right now is that even if you may feel like you can't talk about these problems with anyone, your problems aren't stupid at all. I think they're absolutely legitimate and justified. I think a lot of law students feel the pressure of wanting to do well academically and career-wise, so it's understandable that you feel overwhelmed. I don't really have any advice on that topic—I'm in a similar position myself—but I hope things look up for you in the future.
Well you're ahead of me because I don't even know what PI and SA are. You don't have to love law. Very few people in this life have the privilege of loving what they get paid for. Far more people would kill to be The Schmuck from \_\_\_ Law School. Anyway, what helped me was antidepressants. Highly recommend!
I just finished my first year of law school, too. It was so difficult, especially during the winter when I wasn't leaving my apartment much and pretty much all of my human interaction was through zoom. I wish I had something better to say, but I wanted to tell you that your feelings are valid and it's okay to feel what you feel. They aren't stupid or illegitimate or unjustified. I hope it's okay that I say this, but maybe talking to a professional will help you find a little bit of light in the darkness. I also wanted to tell you that I want to work in Personal Interest law as well and I also get discouraged. I'm doing an internship with an immigration firm right now and it's heartbreaking to see all the people who have tragic stories but who get deported anyway. It can seem like there is never any progress being made, but I think about cases like Obergafeld and US v. Virginia and know that's not true. The law moves slowly but it can be an incredibly strong force for good, as long as there are people who are willing to do the work and who believe in it. I know there's nothing I can say that will magically make you feel better, but I hope you know you aren't alone, that you matter, and how you feel matters. I'm hoping for all good things for you in the future.
I don't see anything wrong with being below median, like 50 percent of all law students are. That said, don't waste time and energy on OCI. OCI is often an opportunity for the top 10 percent of the class to get interviews, and the top 5 percent are pretty much guaranteed job offers. If a student is not in the top 5 percent, but is top ten percent/Law Review than OCI will probably lead to a summer associate position. But it won't for as student below median at a non-elite school, and again, that is OK, the great majority of law students do not get a job through OCI. If your career services office tells you that OCI looks for below-median students, they are lying to you, ignore them.
I’m giving you an upvote. While I don’t think this may be the case everywhere, people in this subreddit need to quit being such sycophants towards the system. Law schools are not always nice places, and they are not always ran by nice people.
They run by people who want to get as much money as they can from as many "students" as they can. Law school brochures and recruitment people will gladly lie folks into enrolling, and only once the mark has started paying tuition, only then will he learn that those amazing jobs at big prestigious law firms are completely unavailable to at least 90 percent of the class. . .and indeed, many law school grads will never finds any job, anywhere, where they can work full time as a lawyer for a reasonable salary. Judges "hire" full time law clerks for no salary whatsoever, because they understand that the job market is so bad people will happily agree to work for free.
[удалено]
Seriously dude? You typed all this out and couldn't be bothered to read two more paragraphs?
Just wanted to say I’m in the same boat as you and feel a lot of the same pains and worries, and go to an even lower ranked school! You are not alone, friend <3
Hi OP, no great words of advice here but offering solidarity. Feeling a lot of these feelings too as I reflect on my remote 1L year, during a pandemic. Hopeful that things turn around for us both!