How to Survive Law School

Law school can be a great learning experience, but it can also be very stressful. When you attend law school, you will sometimes have moments of great success, but you will also have times of anxiety and stress. Work to keep balance in your life as best you can.

Instructions

1. Know that, unfortunately, first-year grades can have a big impact on where you end up after law school. As a result, make sure to work steadily during the first year.

2. Change your perspective. The reality is that you are competing with other very talented students in law school. "A" letter grades are not given out freely, and getting a "B" in a class in law school means you did very well.

3. Have a time management plan and follow it. Decide when you will complete assignments for the week and follow your plan.

4. Create a support network. Find a few people you really like in your section or class. Talk to them if you're stressed out. Also talk to your spouse or family about how you're feeling.

5. Make time for what is important to you while also realizing that during law school, particularly first year, you will have to work steadily. Spend time with family, friends and significant others.

6. Get practical experience, particularly in your second and third years, whether it's through an internship, class, part-time job or clinical program.

7. Remember the old saying, "In law school they scare you to death first year, work you to death second year and then bore you to death third year."

Tips & Warnings

• Some of the most talented and successful attorneys were not in the top 10% of their class. If you excel in a particular skill like litigation or negotiation, your grades, although a factor, will have less of an impact on where you end up in your professional life.

• Seek help when you need it from the Academic Support program, your legal writing professor or any other professor if you're having difficulty in a class.

• If you work well studying with other people, study groups can be a great source of support in law school. Just make sure joining a study group works for you.

• Be sure to eat well, exercise and get regular sleep. Easier said than done but your perspective can be greatly skewed and anxiety can mount when you're not taking care of yourself.

• Persevere in the job search for the summer after your second year. It may take months to find a job even if you did well academically in your first year.

• Do not talk to other students about grades or exams. This will stress you out.