In 2010, after years of contemplating law school but being reluctant to leave my job, I found the perfect solution: Temple Law’s Evening program. At the time, it was one of the most exciting and terrifying decisions I have ever made. I had so many questions about how it would work and whether I would be able to find the time I needed to succeed as a law student while working full time.

Now, having graduated the program in 2014, I can tell you it is definitely possible! If you are enrolling in Temple Law’s evening program, here are five things you should know to make your own decision a little more exciting and a little less terrifying.

You Have the Same Professors as Day Students, and They Love Evening Students

In my experience, professors always offered after-work (and often after-class) office hours to accommodate evening students. Take advantage of these early in the semester, even if you don’t have many specific questions. Going to office hours not only gives you an opportunity to make sure you understand the material, but also gives you a chance to form a relationship with your professor. This will make a difference later in your law school career. I landed an incredible summer internship through a professor who still had connections at her previous workplace. When they contacted her to ask if she could recommend a student for the position, she gave them my name not just because I was a good student, but because she knew me and my interests.

You May Not Have a Lot of Time, but Don’t Skimp on Reading

This may be intuitive, and the advice extends to day students as well, but it is even more important for evening students because your schedule is already so packed. It will be harder for you to catch up if you get behind because you have less spare time. I knew that there would be a lot of reading in law school, but I was still completely shocked by the amount assigned for each class. Even if your professors do not cold call, you will get very little from attending class if you aren’t prepared.

As an evening student, plan on squeezing in reading on your lunch break, on the train, between classes, and any other time you get a spare moment. Consider making a schedule for when you will study, when you will outline, etc. (P.S. If you are wondering what outlines are and why they’re such a big deal, make sure you attend ACE in your first semester. ACE stands for Academic Core Enrichment, and it’s both a series of informal meetings and a mentorship program where you can get advice from upper-level students on your classes and professors.)

You’re Busy, but Not Too Busy for a Study Group

Once you get to know your classmates, consider scheduling meet-ups on the weekends or after classes to review your class notes. Study groups are a great way to reach a different level of understanding of the materials. They give you a comfortable forum to ask questions, and most importantly, give you a chance to articulate to someone else what you are learning, which will help you on the exams. Your study group can also be helpful for note sharing if you have to miss a class, which will probably happen at some point if you are coming from work.

You Can Schedule Your Classes to Accommodate Your Schedule

After the first year of required 1L classes, you have a lot of options that can make your schedule as an evening student more manageable. Does your job have odd or flexible hours? Are you trying to get home for your kids’ bed time? Temple offers classes that start at 4pm as well as classes that start at 6pm or later. Evening students are also eligible to take one day-division class per semester.

After your first year, you may want to think about doing an extracurricular activity. While being on law review or a journal is a big time commitment, you receive credit, which means one less class and one less exam. You can also replace a class with a guided research paper, supervised by a faculty member but with no actual class time.

Evening students in particular should also take advantage of summer classes. At Temple, summer courses are all taught in the evening, so you’ll have access to all the summer electives. Taking summer classes will lighten your course load during the regular semesters.

Being an Evening Student Can Actually be a Lot of Fun

Lest I scare you, be assured that being an evening student is actually pretty awesome. Your fellow students come from an incredibly diverse range of backgrounds and are a fascinating bunch. My classmates included a sixth grade teacher, a nurse, a chemist, a contractor, an HR director, a school administrator, and a wide range of other professions. I found that the evening students tend to have a “we’re-all-in-this-together” attitude. These friends will be a great support system when you’re stressed, and will make spending the weekend in the library a little more bearable. And of course, evening classes finish at the perfect time to grab a beverage on campus before heading home.