January 2026
Starting my second semester of law school, it has been so valuable to reflect on all my growth. In August, the semester felt so daunting. I had no idea how I was going to be able to complete all the readings and outlining that was expected of me. I remember crying on my first day and thinking, "There is no way I am going to be able to do this. I am not capable of this." It has been so satisfying to see just how wrong I was. Although it was certainly challenging, I am incredibly proud of how I succeeded this semester. It was most important for me to get over the imposter syndrome that I felt in the first week of school. The most insightful advice I got was that imposter syndrome will not help me, so it's important to let it go.
I certainly got into a groove with studying. I found my favorite study spots in the library and learned that I primarily work best studying by myself. I have also learned that I enjoy studying on campus and leaving all my textbooks in my locker, so I make sure that when I am home, I put law school away completely. This has helped me prioritize my family and friendships outside of law school. Another thing I did last semester that was certainly beneficial was going to the movies after a busy or stressful week. There is nothing better than watching someone else's story to be able to forget about contracts for a while. Over time, I was even able to convince my classmates to join me at the movies to decompress. The favorite we saw last semester was Tron Ares.
Moving into this next semester, it is important to me to keep the knowledge I gained and to be able to continue building on it. I have certainly improved in my legal writing abilities, as well as my reading skills. I am both proud and impressed with how long it takes me to read the assignments that would have taken me four hours. However, I am still open to growing and adapting my studying habits as I progress through law school. One thing I have changed for this semester is that I am not taking handwritten notes on my iPad instead of typing my notes. Even though the written notes are less uniform, I am hoping this is better for retention.
I am also keeping an open mind to classes that I originally would have preemptively decided I was not interested in. The reason for this is that at the start of last semester, I had a closed mindset to Civil Procedure and convinced myself I disliked the class; in the end, Civil Procedure was my best grade, and I was proud of the work I had put into the class. I think keeping an open mindset is certainly an intention I have for this semester.
Lastly, I hope that this coming semester I become more involved in Student Organizations. I am currently a member of the Fashion and Arts Law Society and the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP). In fact, next week I will be flying to New York to attend the IRAP summit and connect with other law students and lawyers. I hope that as the semester and law school continue, I find and apply for different organizations where I can connect with people.
March 2026
I cannot believe we are already midway through the semester! It has gone by so fast. I have stayed busy with my classes and am now getting involved in other student organizations on campus. Soon, my classmates and I will also be preparing to begin our summer jobs.
My classes have been good this semester. One thing I learned early on is that even though I have already experienced my first semester of law school, every professor has a different teaching style. Learning how to adapt to those differences has been really beneficial. I have also become more comfortable speaking up for what my classmates and I want from our classes, and I am very grateful to have professors who are receptive to that feedback.
Many of my classmates in my property class felt similar to me. We were unsure what we were supposed to be taking away from each class. Our professor gave us a feedback form, and several of us shared that we were pretty confused. After receiving that feedback, our professor was very receptive and shifted the way he teaches the class to better serve our needs. I am really grateful that Seattle University has professors who genuinely care about helping their students succeed.
Another thing I have really enjoyed this semester is seeing my fellow 1L classmates and I become more involved in co-curriculars and student organizations. Last month, a friend and I competed in the 1L Dispute Resolution Board client counseling and negotiations competition. It was exciting to practice some real lawyering skills and receive feedback about what we did well and where we could improve. My partner and I received particularly positive feedback about how warm we were with clients and how we maintained a positive demeanor.
Other classmates of mine are participating in the Moot Court Board 1L competition this weekend. It has been exciting to watch them prepare and practice how they plan to frame their arguments.
All of these experiences have reinforced something that the Center for Professional Development often reminds us: law school is a professional school, and it serves as a runway for our future careers. As the summer job search is underway, it has been helpful to keep that perspective in mind. The application process has been challenging, especially because, as a young law student, I am not entirely certain which specific area of law I want to practice in yet.
Nevertheless, the Center for Professional Development has been incredibly helpful in navigating the process. Being able to set up mock interviews and ask for advice on responding to emails has eased many of the anxieties that come with the job search. Although I am not yet certain what my summer will look like, I am excited about the possible opportunities ahead.
