Institutional inequality is what brought me to law school. Because that has been implemented in large part via housing discrimination, I wanted to move out of the suburbs—where only people considered white have been allowed to live—and into the city.
Before law school, I was addicted to watching movies and television shows based on the legal profession, like Legally Blonde, The Paper Chase, Boston Legal, and Law and Order (ok, I’m still addicted – it’s exciting when I understand the legal jargon). While entertaining, these shows and movies have helped Hollywood perpetuate several stereotypes of law school.
As I looked around, I saw that some of my peers were from vastly different backgrounds. Despite our different backgrounds and resumes, one thing seemed to connect nearly all of us; uneasiness. Although every student in the building possessed a stellar academic background, none of us were exactly sure what to make of one another, our new faculty, or the workload that was soon to be in front of us.
Finding a balance between academics and everyday life as a first-year law student is crucial. Without balancing the two, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the workload and forget to take time for yourself.
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