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How to navigate the first semester of law school
Once the congratulations and celebrations are out of the way, first-year law students entering the legal profession will need to start planning out the next chapter of their lives to ensure they are on the right track to come out of law school with success.
Naomi Neilson
Those first few months of law school will be both exciting and stressful and there will be no shortages of timetable confusion, networking opportunities and looming deadlines. While tips like “get to campus before classes start” should be an obvious one, it’s worth making a first-year checklist to keep a close eye on.
According to second-year University of Queensland student Anna Merlo, planning out those first few months can be like “diving in the deep end”, especially when it comes to sorting through coursework and required readings.
Ms Merlo said she started by collating an assessment calendar, complete with those readings, assignment quizzes and due dates. She said that while it can be pretty intimidating to see an entire semester of those due dates stacked out (and filling up) the one calendar, she recommended “taking it one week at a time”.
Dedicating the time for designing this calendar and completing each task should also be confined to specific areas. US Professor of Law and American Bar Association contributor Jenna Wimms Hashway said that once the semester begins, “it’s easy to feel that your work is never ‘finished’ because there’s always something more”.
To address the stressors that come with that, Professor Hashway said: “Confining your books, notes and laptop to the ‘study zone’ will help you remember to leave that work behind when you leave the zone. Many law schools have lockers and swinging that shut after an evening in the library can be a satisfying way to shift gears.”
When it comes down to the actual studying, Ms Merlo had a few study tips like keeping up to date with lectures and readings, using flashcards to memorise cases, note down interesting facts that stay with you and making brief summaries.
As most of law school will involve “long, challenging texts”, Professor Hashway advised that first-years get the hang of reading something that is not on a screen (or at least away from social media). This means “building your ability to read with a deeper focus and sustained attention” before being hit with the hard texts.
Network, network, network!
Professor Hashway said that first-years will be embarking on a journey that will take “considerable reserves of time and energy” so while it is important to draw support from an already established, non-law group of friends and family, also consider looking outwards at the people in class or university groups to connect with.
“Your squad is your pit crew, the people who can replenish those reserves. Whether it’s sending food over when your fridge is bare, taking you out for a walk when you’ve spent too much time in the library or just listening as you unload after a long day, a good squad is invaluable,” Professor Hashway said, adding: “Not only will you need their support, but you’ll need their understanding.”
Ms Merlo advised first-years to take the time to get social by joining clubs that interest them, grabbing a coffee after class with some new friends and attending law balls or other university-and-law-school-themed events.
“Uni is not all about studying. It’s about growing as a person and making new memories. Law school makes it easy to find like-minded people and you’ll be surprised with how much you’ll have in common with others,” Ms Merlo said. “Take a deep breath and be open to getting to know people.”
While it all does sound good in theory, in practice maintaining those social groups and friendships may take some hard work. Professor Hashway recommended preparing the “squad” with this by asking for their support and understanding whenever a phone call goes missed or a text message goes unanswered.
Put health and wellbeing above all
“It’s no secret that law school (and legal practice) is uniquely stressful, so be sure to support your own mental health,” Professor Hashway said. “Yoga and meditation can be helpful, but you’re more likely to benefit if you establish a regular practice.”
Ms Merlo mirrored this, stressing that while that first semester can be an adjustment on all fronts, it is important to be “kind and patient with yourself”.
“With time, you’ll settle into a rhythm of study methods and revision, making time to put the assignments away and spend time with friends and taking care of yourself,” she said.
“Find a system that works for you and try not to compare yourself. There will always be stressful times and periods where you doubt yourself, but with a network of people and strategies to help you, law school is rewarding.”
Naomi Neilson
Naomi Neilson is a senior journalist with a focus on court reporting for Lawyers Weekly.
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