And They're Off!

1L classes began today. It's 11:40 and I've finished assignments for two classes, so there's still one to go, which is to say that I should be reading Contracts right now. But as much as I'm feeling overwhelmed, I am making a personal commitment not to get sucked into a vortex of life in which only law school exists (though the pull is already strong!) I want to do well, but doing well in life means hanging onto some balance, and that includes taking time to reflect on my experiences and doing things with non-law people like going to see this play on Friday.

Today was full of intimidating things. In Legal Research & Writing, I was shown a video clip of a former 1L at moot court competition. The instructor showed it to us in hopes that it would provide motivation and excite us about what lies ahead. It just scared the shit out of me. My palms started to sweat as I watched the kid standing alone under the glaring spotlight, an audience of hundreds in the dark behind him as he faced three judges, talking what sounded like a different language, and getting slammed left and right as the judges punched holes in his case and srunched up their faces in disdain as he attempted to answer.

Oh, and by the way, I completely overlooked the syllabus for LRW and therefore showed up for my very first class of the day, indeed, my very first class of law school, without having done the assigned reading. Sweet.

Onto Contract Law. This one was good, the professor was speedy, but went very easy on us and since the class was mostly about the history of law, I was OK.

Then I walked into Criminal Law, it had been by far the most interesting of the readings, but the moment the professor started employing that good old socratic method, all memory of what the case was about promptly exited my brain. Note to self: at the beginning, it doesn't hurt to include more info in your brief.

Despite the jolt to the system that this is sure to be, I'm still excited to be back in school. It just may take a little while as that old brain of mine warms up to this new method of learning and teaching and generally being a student again. Looks like it may be another late night!