My life is over (if I had one)

[parrythis]

Originally Posted by purpzeyFCLI

This is orientation. Things can only get heavier. I am very much scared. But I am sure, my life is over.

I hate to be one to throw cold water on anyone's decisions, but in a recent thread, you indicated that you abhor ambiguity. If that is true, I wonder if you should be asking yourself why you chose a career in which two professionals each attempt to prove diametrically opposed interpretations of the same written word in a court of law. There are aspects of a law career that do not require this, but even they are loaded with interpretation and ambiguity.

Whenever I talk to a lawyer about any subject, they use phrases like, "that should be ok", or "it is likely you won't have a problem", or "this judge may not see the merit of that argument". Lawyers - as a profession - seem to do a better job of being vague and non-commital than anyone else I know.

Like I said, I don't want to throw cold water if this is your life's dream, but make sure it is going to be a good fit for you.

[Mauler]

Originally Posted by RITFencing

Was it in my home state?

Nope.

[purpzeyFCLI]

Originally Posted by parrythis

I hate to be one to throw cold water on anyone's decisions, but in a recent thread, you indicated that you abhor ambiguity. If that is true, I wonder if you should be asking yourself why you chose a career in which two professionals each attempt to prove diametrically opposed interpretations of the same written word in a court of law.

Thank you for your concern.

To be clear about that, the ambiguity I was referring to (if I am thinking of the correct post) is the ambiguity of not knowing about the future.

At the time I believe I was eithering waiting to hear from a girl, or it was the day before my first day of school and that drives me crazy.

I need to go into a situation feeling comfortable with it.

Or in the case of the girl, I'd have been happy to know SHE DIDN'T want to go out with me, but, I wanted to know SOMETHING!

My point is, in my day to day life, ambiguity is something I don't deal well with..And it's not even ambiguity so much as "not knowing what's going to happen next" all that being said. . .If I didn't say this before I'll say it now, it has been my life's ambition to be a lawyer since I was quite young. I know what it entails, and I am TENACIOUS to get at it.

But, thanks for be so considerate -- in all seriousness.

[scrapinpeg]

Originally Posted by parrythis

Lawyers - as a profession - seem to do a better job of being vague and non-commital than anyone else I know.

Now, now... that's not always true.

[Dannon]

I'm in the same boat as you. Just started my 1L year, classes started on Wednesday. Just take a deep breath, focus, and get ready to focus on your work. The days of 2/3 of a class flunking out of law school are over now. They took you into the class because they figured you could do the work.

Everyone says that you won't have time for anything else, but I think that's an exaggeration. I'm planning to hit up the fencing club here at least once a week so i can focus on my studies better.

Just focus on your work 1L year and you'll do better than a lot of other people who don't realize they're not in undergrad anymore. At least, that'll work at most law schools, I think.

[Angelic]

Originally Posted by purpzeyFCLI

Although I had a very small semblance of one to begin with. Orientation for law school started officially on Sunday. Today was the second day and we had an assignment.

Read and brief a case which was distributed. Now, understand, I have no idea how to brief a case. However, we were given two different papers on how to do it so, I guess we were supposed to figure it out. The process of figuring this out took about an hour.

Then I had to brief the case. Briefing the case requires not just reading it like a novel, but first, perusing it for the holding (the decision), the rule (the law or rule that decided the case), the issue (self-explanatory), the plantiff, the defendant and also any precedent (old cases used to apply the rule).

Then, you have to read and understand the holding and the rule.

Then you write the brief describing all of this. This process takes about an hour and change depending on the length of the case and it seems they can only get more complicated from here.

For Wednesday, I must read and brief 3 cases. This is orientation. Things can only get heavier. I am very much scared. But I am sure, my life is over.

I was told today "Tell everyone you know you'll be gone for a year."

My life (as poor as it is) is now over.

May I just say that you might be consumed right now, and terrified by the phrase you wrote at the end of your note? I am not a lawyer and I may not be able to understand why you are in this way, but (something most people do) I believe you have put yourself in a position by the anxiety of how you will make it and ... will you make it?
Try not to think that this is difficult, try to think how you will manage the situation and all that involves in it. Like, how am I going to make a brief of the case? How am I going to do it right? And last but not least how I will manage my time???
Do not think of how you will not succeed, think how will you make it happen and try, give your best, if you loose after that … you are a “winner”.
You will know then why you did not made it and you will have a great lesson.
In a few years you will be thinking about your feelings and reactions (which you have write now) and you will laugh. We make a situation more difficult that it is by thinking all the above i described.

Come on try what we did at school !!!
Read the case once with attention so as to get a general idea.
As you read it write down things and keep notes of key points that changed this case, which will help you later on.
Then write down a narrative of the case based on just the facts and the outcome of the case.
Then write briefly about what the law says and if the outcome is “different” from what the law says find the key points that made the difference, in this part you will be analyzing “briefly” your point of view, if that was asked of you (you have not clarified that matter).

Close your ears, do not be scared (fear only keeps us tight down, it is our chain in every aspect of life, it is the enemy).
Oh remember that everyone makes mistakes.
Everyone does not manage something in the beginning with remarkable outcome.

P.S.: I am not trying to "teach" you something, I am just trying to help.

[purpzeyFCLI]

Well, thanks for all that. not sure I caught all of it, but I got the general substance.

Update: Week 1 complete. 12 more to go. Bring it on.

[LUDICROUS]

My english teacher, possibly the most boring person to hear talk about english, said he dropped out of law because he found torts far too boring ...

[purpzeyFCLI]

Interesting, so far torts is fairly neat...Actually all of my classes are fairly cool except for Legal Analysis and Research which is dry and boring, but necessary.

[counter riposte]

At least you won't have to worry about rent.

When I went to college in San Diego, my typical day was:

1. Go to Class.
2. Go to Library.
3. Go to Lunch.
4. Go to Library.
5. Go to Fence.
6. Go to Library.
7. Go to Class.
8. Go to Library.
9. Go to Gym and Shower.
10. Go to Library.
11. Repeat.

[purpzeyFCLI]

Not that college isn't serious business b/c for a lot of people it is serious and very time consuming, but this an endeavor of a whole 'nother level.