This is a post that's near and dear to my heart, because my first semester was rough emotionally. I don't say this to scare you, because it shouldn't. I've talked before about how, for the most part, law school isn't that bad. One way I guess I could describe it is when you have a hard work out for the first time in forever. You don't think you can do it. Your mind keeps trying to give you every reason to quit. People on the outside give you this "poor you" look. It's not fun. But afterwards, you look back on it and realize that it wasn't too terrible and that you can do it all over again the next day. Like that saying It Seems Impossible Until It's Done.
Accept the fear of the unknown
The worst part going in to law school is that all you hear are the horror stories and the "get out while you still can" jokes, and nothing can really help you be prepared. It's stressful at first because you never know if what you're doing is correct or even good enough. TBH, this gets a little better after the first few weeks once you get into the flow of class, but really doesn't go away until after your first finals when you've gone over your test. Then you'll know exactly where you stand in comparison to your classmates, what professors expect, and what you need to do to improve.
I wish there was something more than just "take it day by day" that I could say that would make you feel better, but there's not. BUT, you can take solace in knowing that everyone else in your section class is also brand new to this law school game and equally as clueless.
Remember that you're new to this
So if someone around you uses a legal phrase or mentions a judge and you're just sitting there like Ha ha ha yeah mhmm I know exactly what you mean ha ha ha... that's ok! You're not any behind these people, they're just overachieving. When I got to law school I didn't even really know the difference between a trial court and appellate court, or even what case law is.
This is law school, a place where you're presumed to come in knowing nothing and to learn about the law. Think back to Kindergarten -- if you showed up not fully knowing your ABC's or the names of all the colors then that was totally ok because that's what you were there to learn.
Stop comparing yourself
Without sounding harsh, there's always going to be someone better than you. That's a fact of life. The great thing about law school is when you see someone who you think OMG they are so good at this mess up on something that feels so common sense to you. Sounds bitchy, but really it's just a little validation that you're not the stupidest person in the room (it's a common feeling).
The biggest thing I want to stress (and don't know how to do this without seeming bitchy, so sorry), is that just because someone acts like they have everything together in class does not mean that they are any better than you. This sounds very guidance counselor cheesy, but not everyone learns the same. You could be just as smart as the eager beavers in class, but when you start comparing how they dress/behave/participate, you'll start to think that they're ahead of you and it can wreck your confidence.
Give up on perfectionism
I feel like law school tends to be packed full with Type A perfectionists who have always been the best. I mean you didn't get in to law school by barely scraping by in undergrad. The problem is that law school is basically rigged to where your best is never good enough thanks to the curve. At the beginning this sounds really scary like oooh you're probably going to be a C student and can make you freak out.
First, have solace in the fact that it is statistically as hard to fail as it is to get an A, so at least you shouldn't flunk out. Second, just accept the fact that a B or even a C in law school is nothing to be embarrassed about. Your goal should just be to survive the first semester, and then the second semester to improve your grades a little in each class (so like a C+ to a B-). If you're too focused on being the top of your class then you're going to miss this important step on improving yourself!
Stay focused on your goals
Don't stress yourself out by pressuring yourself, but do set goals and work to achieve them. Don't think of law school as one big competition of you against everyone else, but think of it as you trying to better yourself—similar to when you decide to eat better in order to be healthier, but not because you are trying to be the healthiest person at your school.
Final thoughts
Don't worry about the obvious hard parts because that will just work you into a frenzy. But when they do come, just try to ride out the waves and remember that every other person in your section also feels the same way. Don't doubt yourself!! You got to law school all on your own—with nothing but that pretty little brain of yours! Don't take that away from yourself.
I partnered with Downy to help you put your best foot forward when starting a new job and ensuring that your wardrobe looks and smells its best! Thank you for supporting the brands that support Brazen and Brunette!
GUYS! In about a week I will be starting my first job at a lawyer's office! Real lawyering! You can imagine how nervous I am about my first day and making a great first impression. There are so many things running through my head that it's hard to sleep sometimes. What do I wear? What do I say? What do I eat? And one thing that keeps coming back is that I really really really don't want to smell bad. No one wants to be that smelly girl from grade school, right?
But overall I do feel pretty confident because I got along great with everyone in my interview and a friend-of-friend (law school is a small world y'all!) had this job last year and has nicely been answering my questions. So I wanted to share some tips I've learned that may help you with YOUR new job!
1. Show up early
There's nothing worse than showing up 10 minutes late to your first day. I also start getting ready a full hour earlier than I normally do! I've come to realize that I always wake up excited for starting my new job and end up taking extra time trying to do my hair and makeup just right. Literally the worst thing that can happen is that you've got half a head of curled hair when you look up and realize that you should've left 10 minutes ago.
I know I have a go-to first day of work and interview outfit, and I'm sure you do too! It's better to be overdressed than underdressed, and a suit jacket can do the trick! My suit jacket and blazers are staple pieces for my work wardrobe that get worn almost every day and can start to fade and stretch if I'm not careful about how I treat them. Obviously this can become a problem since I can't afford to be buying a new blazer every few months! I always want to make sure they are looking and smelling their best and to do this, I use Downy Liquid Fabric Conditioner and Fresh Protect Beads together to protect my go-to interview outfit/office staples against odor, plus fading, fit and fuzz— so they stay looking and smelling their best.
3. Show up smelling nice
Remember those guys who wore wayyy too much body spray in junior high and made you gag? Yeah, don't be like that. Instead, a more subtle way to smell fresh without being overpowering is to use Downy Fresh Protect when you wash your work clothes because it's like deodorant for your clothes with 24-hour odor protection. And that's important because you never know how your day will go! One time my interview turned into being hired right there on the spot and I felt totally unprepared and slightly self-conscious meeting my boss between the nervous sweats and the 10-mile hike around the building. I wasn't exactly smelling like a daisy if you know what I mean. That's why I now use Downy Fresh Protect Beads; it's different than detergent (which just gets out stains) because it prevents odors from sticking to your clothes. This way you never have your worry about how your clothes smell! It's just a little thing, but can really make such a huge difference in your confidence level when you're already nervous about making a good first impression.
4. Show up ready to work
It's easy to fall into a trap on your first day where you don't really get anything done because you don't know what to do or how to do it. It can be hard to ask for help because you don't want to be a bother or seem unqualified, but it's always much better to ask someone so you can learn for next time than pretend to be busy and disappoint your boss. They know you're new and expect a learning curve, so show them they made the right choice in hiring you! If you don't get an assignment right off the bat, make yourself useful and ask someone higher up what they're working on and if you can shadow them for an hour to see how things get done in that office.
Have a bag packed with everything you might need today. If you've been sent any pre-employment documents, have those filled out and ready to turn in once you get settled. Along with that, you'll probably also need your Social Security card and a voided check so that you'll be ready to fill out any tax documents and can get direct deposit set up. I bring my planner and a pen everywhere with me—even on the first day—in case I need to jot down a task, deadline, or things to remember later like the names of people you've met or your computer login information. Another good thing to have just in general is a small touch-up bag with basic makeup, medicine, and a hairbrush.
I partnered with Downy to help you put your best foot forward when starting a new job and ensuring that your wardrobe looks and smells its best! Thank you for supporting the brands that support Brazen and Brunette!
GUYS! In about a week I will be starting my first job at a lawyer's office! Real lawyering! You can imagine how nervous I am about my first day and making a great first impression. There are so many things running through my head that it's hard to sleep sometimes. What do I wear? What do I say? What do I eat? And one thing that keeps coming back is that I really really really don't want to smell bad. No one wants to be that smelly girl from grade school, right?
But overall I do feel pretty confident because I got along great with everyone in my interview and a friend-of-friend (law school is a small world y'all!) had this job last year and has nicely been answering my questions. So I wanted to share some tips I've learned that may help you with YOUR new job!
1. Show up early
There's nothing worse than showing up 10 minutes late to your first day. I also start getting ready a full hour earlier than I normally do! I've come to realize that I always wake up excited for starting my new job and end up taking extra time trying to do my hair and makeup just right. Literally the worst thing that can happen is that you've got half a head of curled hair when you look up and realize that you should've left 10 minutes ago.
I know I have a go-to first day of work and interview outfit, and I'm sure you do too! It's better to be overdressed than underdressed, and a suit jacket can do the trick! My suit jacket and blazers are staple pieces for my work wardrobe that get worn almost every day and can start to fade and stretch if I'm not careful about how I treat them. Obviously this can become a problem since I can't afford to be buying a new blazer every few months! I always want to make sure they are looking and smelling their best and to do this, I use Downy Liquid Fabric Conditioner and Fresh Protect Beads together to protect my go-to interview outfit/office staples against odor, plus fading, fit and fuzz— so they stay looking and smelling their best.
3. Show up smelling nice
Remember those guys who wore wayyy too much body spray in junior high and made you gag? Yeah, don't be like that. Instead, a more subtle way to smell fresh without being overpowering is to use Downy Fresh Protect when you wash your work clothes because it's like deodorant for your clothes with 24-hour odor protection. And that's important because you never know how your day will go! One time my interview turned into being hired right there on the spot and I felt totally unprepared and slightly self-conscious meeting my boss between the nervous sweats and the 10-mile hike around the building. I wasn't exactly smelling like a daisy if you know what I mean. That's why I now use Downy Fresh Protect Beads; it's different than detergent (which just gets out stains) because it prevents odors from sticking to your clothes. This way you never have your worry about how your clothes smell! It's just a little thing, but can really make such a huge difference in your confidence level when you're already nervous about making a good first impression.
4. Show up ready to work
It's easy to fall into a trap on your first day where you don't really get anything done because you don't know what to do or how to do it. It can be hard to ask for help because you don't want to be a bother or seem unqualified, but it's always much better to ask someone so you can learn for next time than pretend to be busy and disappoint your boss. They know you're new and expect a learning curve, so show them they made the right choice in hiring you! If you don't get an assignment right off the bat, make yourself useful and ask someone higher up what they're working on and if you can shadow them for an hour to see how things get done in that office.
Have a bag packed with everything you might need today. If you've been sent any pre-employment documents, have those filled out and ready to turn in once you get settled. Along with that, you'll probably also need your Social Security card and a voided check so that you'll be ready to fill out any tax documents and can get direct deposit set up. I bring my planner and a pen everywhere with me—even on the first day—in case I need to jot down a task, deadline, or things to remember later like the names of people you've met or your computer login information. Another good thing to have just in general is a small touch-up bag with basic makeup, medicine, and a hairbrush.
Original article and pictures take www.brazenandbrunette.com site
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