Surving Law School (when you’re just not that into it)

In an ideal world, we would all know exactly what we want to do with our lives, and then do it. But unfortunately, the world is not perfect, and even when we identify our goals, there is a possibility that we will not enjoy the outcome as much as we thought we would. Hence professionals who change careers after years and years of suppressing their true feelings. Change is hard. But it is also very necessary, especially if you are unhappy with your current situation.

After college I identified my next goal as law school. I wanted to be a lawyer. But then I got to law school and quickly realized that I was not enjoying myself and would most likely not enjoy the profession of a typical lawyer. However, my desire to not be a quitter trumped my desire to get out of the situation. So I continued with my law school education, and I made the most of it. Having a J.D. is a valuable tool, and I know that it will take me far in life. Law school was a necessary means to an invaluable end.

How did I get through it when I absolutely couldn’t stand it?

Good question. The minute I realized that I did not want to be a “traditional lawyer,” I immediately identified other paths to look into. This first required me to find alternative careers for J.D.s. The first (though most unpopular) place I looked was at my school’s Career Services Office. CSO gets a lot of flack at almost every law school because they have a bad reputation of not really helping students find jobs. This argument has some merit, but any career service office can only help you as much as you help yourself. CSO provided me with several books and resources, but what I found most helpful was their Alumni Mentor Program. This program matched up Carolina Law Alumni with students who were interested in their particular field. The field I ultimately chose to pursue was Community Economic Development so I found a mentor who worked for the City of Durham. I initiated contact and kept in touch with him throughout law school. His advice was priceless.

I also survived law school because I balanced my life very well. I have family in North Carolina, which was always a pleasant distraction. I was also active in a local graduate chapter of my sorority and many other law school organizations. Being a leader or member of an organization has always been a good way for me to funnel my engergy and ideas. I was an officer of the Student Bar Association all three years of law school, a very active member of the Black Law Students Association, a volunteer for the Pro Bono Program, and a member of the Carolina Public Interst Law Organization. I also worked as a research assistant for my favorite professor, who also became a mentor to me.

As far as the curriculum, once we were given the autonomy to choose which classes we enrolled in (and at what time), I made the most of my choices. I selected the classes that interested me, even if they were unlikely to aid in specific career path. I wanted to learn. So I learned about race relations, poverty, housing, real estate, and policy issues that actually interested me. I wrote seminar papers on topics that I wanted to learn more about. However, while I enjoyed the learning aspect, I admit that I found ways to cut corners for those classes that I didn’t enjoy. Let’s just say that when it came to outlines and notes, I didn’t re-invent the wheel.

In my opinion, drowning in law school books is no way to live, and I refused to live that way. I took care of my business at school in order to graduate, but I did not succumb to the competitive pressures to “earn” the highest G.P.A. Remember, I just wanted to survive, but if your goal is to land a job at a top firm and graduate at the top of your class, there are many other resources to assist you. Whatever you do, make the most of it.