I served on an alumni panel yesterday for my JD alma mater's 1L Orientation. Looking around the auditorium, I could not help but think back to the day, five years ago, when I began my own law school odyssey.
There will likely be dozens of these same panels at the couple hundred or so law school orientations occurring over the next couple of weeks. If you are starting your 1L year, a couple of words of advice about Orientation:
1. People Are (& Are Not) What They Appear to Be... Case-in-point #1: There was an uber annoying woman during my 1L year that showed up on the first day in a chauffeured car, and tried to make friends by taking a group of people out to an expensive restaurant at the lunch break. She also pre-screened the 1L directory, and specifically sought out those of us that went to ivy-league schools to be in her study group (I pretended not to hear her when she approached me...). Anywho, turns out that not only was this woman psycho, but a pathological liar to boot (plus, she was not all that smart). She said that she was transferring to another school for her 2L year, however, good authority in the Dean's Office later told us otherwise. Case-in-point #2: A woman showed up to Orientation in a cheesy-Spencer-Gifts-t-shirt (e.g., "Mrs. Timberlake"), and I immediately thought, "Oh, God..." Turns out, five years later, she is one of my best friends from law school, and one of the brightest attorneys I know...
2. First Impressions Matter. It's not just about being professional at the activities that take place at the law school itself, but it's how you conduct yourself at the bar at night that can haunt you. Let's put it this way: I did not go out during Orientation, but I knew by 12pm the next day all about the woman in my section that had already hooked up with two other men from the other section... in the same night. Know this: Your reputation on day one is golden, but if you blemish it just once, your classmates will remember it for YEARS. Even if you are the Clarence Darrow of your class, people will remember you for your escapades, not your mind.
3. Hit the Books, But Not Too Hard. Get your first assignments done a couple days in advance, and go over them the night before. This will allow the readings to sink in for a day or so. Plus, you are likely to be a bit nervous the night before, and that is never good for retention. Don't show up the first day with the entire casebook tabbed; it's a marathon, hon', not a flashy sprint.
4. Faculty May Not Be What They Seem, Either... Just don't get high expectations. Not to be cynical, but that incredibly sweet professor that appears all perfect and inspiring and motherly may let you down in the end. Instead, seek out the professor that is kind but tough, the one who demands that you earn his/her respect but then, once you do, will bend over backwards to mentor you.
The kids in yesterday's audience seemed to think I was giving them some good advice, so I might add more as the year goes by...
