Tackling Boredom in Unprecedented Times
Unprecedented. A word I really had never used in my vocabulary before March of 2020. Yet, now after hearing it over and over for the past 6 months, I can truly say that life has been unprecedented. COVID-19 has brought such hardship on the majority of the world that no one would have ever expected to encounter in our lifetimes. Now, six months into this global pandemic we all find ourselves attempting to adjust to “the new normal” (another added phrase to the vocabulary). Some are beginning to return to school and many have already returned to work, but in most cases, we are doing so untraditionally. It is no exception in the Dual JD program at the University of Windsor and Detroit Mercy Law.
As I enter my 2L year, I will be doing so from my home almost 400 kilometers from both campuses, where all my classrooms double as my bedroom. This unique experience is not ideal for any student as we miss out on the campus experience and ability to bond with classmates, but the mission of containing and eradicating the COVID-19 virus is worth these sacrifices.
As life slowly begins to ramp back up and the school year begins once again, I’ve taken some time to think about some of the issues that we all faced throughout the quarantine and on-going pandemic. The first issue and most important has been to retain or regain health to avoid contracting COVID-19. While I would love to talk about that issue, it is not within my realm of knowledge as an incoming 2L law student. Yet, what I can reflect on is something that is commonly taken for granted and desired by many…boredom.
Everyone I have spoken too during this pandemic has said the same thing at least once: “I’m bored”. It doesn’t matter if you’re a student, employed full time, or own a business, there was at least a period where you found yourself bored during these past sixmonths. Even me, a guy who always finds something to do in my spare time, felt that same “I’m bored” feeling multiple times throughout the past six months. No social events, no restaurants, no work, and most importantly no sports. And even though I took three summer courses, I still found myself bored.
I recently reflected on how I tackled that boredom and how others were doing so. Some played video games, many watched Netflix, and even more developed a close relationship with the snack cupboard. I wanted to avoid these disruptive habits and try to be as productive as possible with my time. So I took on the role of “Ryan the Renovator” in my family home. I painted rooms, built a gazebo, and cleaned out the garage from top to bottom to build a small home gym. I was quite proud of myself and felt achieved and productive, yet it was only recently that I was moved by the way a certain professional athlete dealt with his boredom during the quarantine.
As an avid sports fan, I did unproductively find myself spending a lot of time on my social media accounts which consist mainly of accounts providing the latest news on professional athletes and sports around the world. It was through my unproductive time on Instagram that led me to write this article about an athlete I have extreme respect for.
Garrett Temple, an NBA (National Basketball League) veteran currently playing for the Brooklyn Nets spent his time away from basketball the past few months doing one of the most grueling tasks required to apply for law school in Canada and the US. This task is otherwise known as the LSAT. If you’ve read my previous article about the LSAT, you should have a strong understanding of what that is all about. As a pro athlete in one of the most respected leagues in the world, I did not think a player like Garrett Temple would spend his spare time studying for a test that he certainly does not need to feel fulfilled in his life achievements or to put food on the table.
Temple told the YES Network that he has always thought about going to law school when his NBA career comes to an end, so he thought why not take the downtime presented by COVID-19 to put in some work. I was completely surprised by this news of what Temple was doing during the quarantine and am extremely intrigued by his passion and desire to learn and better himself through the legal process.
Further along in his interview with the YES Network, Temple said that he was encouraged to begin his LSAT studies after watching the movie “Just Mercy” (which I also watched during the quarantine and HIGHLY recommend!). Temple further pointed out how valuable a law degree is and the power that lawyers possess due to legal education. Temple ended the interview stating that the knowledge possessed by lawyers is incomparable and is what intrigues him most about the degree, even if he doesn’t practice law.
Temple’s perspective and respect for lawyers was extremely refreshing for me. I have always admired and respected professional athletes, especially NBA players and to see that an NBA player felt those same emotions for those seeking to enter the legal profession was extremely satisfying and reassuring. My goal when I entered law school was to gain access to a career that would be fulfilling and allow me to make a difference in the area I choose to practice in. Yet, after reading and watching the interview with Garrett Temple, I can also say that I have been able to reflect on the thought process and way of thinking that law school provides. An analytical mind is beneficial in any aspect of life and it is because of Mr. Temple that I can now appreciate another aspect of the law school process.
My overall message with this article is that the time we have been given during this pandemic should not be taken for granted. If you are a law student, graduate, or hopeful law student in the future, I would be doing a disservice if I did not share my belief to always invest in yourself. Whether that be through a simple task like cleaning your bedroom or something as large as tackling the LSAT. Take advantage of the spare time you have and always work on bettering yourself. Not only will creating a better self-allow you to succeed in academics and professionally but also as a human and all activities and situations we find ourselves in as humans on a daily basis. Stay safe, Stay healthy, and keep growing.
Thank you for reading,
Ryan
GO RAPTORS!
