Surviving my First Semester of Law School as a Dual JD Student
The first semester of law school, for the most part is an adjustment period. Between trying to figure out how to navigate law school and being away from friends and family, it can get quite overwhelming at times. As a 1L Dual JD student at Windsor Law, navigating my first semester was definitely challenging. Being in a dual program means double the workload. I had to learn how to manage my time and organize myself to make sure I was on top of my readings and assignments. Although I have not mastered being a law student, now that I’ve completed my first semester, here are a few takeaways I’d like to share based on my experience:
- Do your readings!!
Reading in law school is inevitable, and there are a lot of them. During orientation you are told that readings should be completed before class. While this may seem like an easy and manageable task in the earlier weeks, as the semester progresses and assignments, tests and quizzes start piling up, it becomes increasingly challenging. Is it necessary to complete all the readings? The answer is… it depends. For some classes, I chose to skip the readings as I found that being present during lectures helped me understand the material better than the readings. However, for the most part, I tried to complete my readings before class. Although sometimes I would prioritize my assignments and tests/quizzes over my readings, I made sure to revisit the ones I missed.
My point is, don’t beat yourself up if you don’t complete all your readings. Try your best to complete whatever you can before class but, if you can’t, finish it later! Don’t leave them all to the end of the semester. The key is to find a balance that aligns with your learning style and workload. Do what is manageable and effective for you.
2. Take time away from Law School
Taking time away from schoolwork is crucial in law school. While it is important to stay on top of your readings and other school-related commitments, it is equally important to maintain a healthy balance between law school and your personal life. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and stressed with everything going on. Taking a break from readings and assignments every now and then will help with productivity in the long run and prevent you from burning out. Make sure you allocate time for activities that you enjoy. Find a hobby that helps you destress and recharge such as working out, reading for pleasure, painting, hanging out with friends, etc.
This is especially important during exam season. Exam period in law school is stressful, especially for 1Ls. Having a study break is healthy and prevents you from burning out.
3. Start your CANs early!
Don’t make the mistake of leaving your CANs to the last minute. As I mentioned earlier, there are a lot of assigned readings and they can be quite dense. Starting your CANs early comes with many benefits. Firstly, starting early, allows you to feel less overwhelmed because you will learn which topic you don’t understand or are not confident about. It is much better to get clarification early in the semester than waiting until you are a few weeks away from exams. Secondly, it becomes much easier to remember materials from the course because you’re covering a few lectures at a time as opposed to cramming an entire course all at once. Lastly, starting early is much more efficient especially when exams roll around. It gives you more time to review your notes and focus on practice questions to prepare for the exams.
There isn’t a set rule on when to start your CANs, but the earlier the better. Some people like to start as early as a few weeks into the semester, others prefer to wait until reading week. Choose what works for you, but don’t leave it for the end of the semester when you’re only a few weeks away from exams.
4. Find a study method that works best for you!
One thing I learned this semester, everyone has different study methods. What may be effective for others might not be the best approach for you, and vice versa. While study groups in law school are highly beneficial, don’t feel pressured into feeling the need to study in a group setting if that particular method is not effective for you. Personally, I’m more effective when studying independently. Having my own notes and making sure I understand the concepts on my own is a crucial step in my study routine before studying with my peers, otherwise I get overwhelmed. My friends on the other hand are different.
Whether you prefer to study individually or in a group setting, find what works best for you and stick to it.
5. Don’t be too hard on yourself!
Despite everything, don’t be too hard on yourself. Remember that it is only your first semester of law school. You’re still figuring out how to navigate the ropes and adjusting. Some of you may be getting back into the student lifestyle after taking a few gap years, others moved away from home for the first time. Whatever the circumstance may be, everyone has a lot on their plates. Don’t beat yourself up for not completing your readings or for taking time off from law school over the weekend. Everyone is in the same boat, and is doing this for the first time.
Overall, the first semester is a learning curve. You’ll have the opportunity to learn what the professors are expecting. Aside from school, as you progress through the semester, you’ll adjust your routine many times and figure out what’s working and what’s not. This will be helpful for your next semesters because you’ll know what to expect and how to approach things better.
Remember to be yourself, work hard but also remember to have fun!
