Finals

The quarter system works well for me. Although it feels like the school term is ending just as I'm getting into the full-swing of things, Chicago is gentle to us 1Ls: we only have two final exams this quarter - Elements of the Law and Civil Procedure.

Elements of the Law is an absolute wonder. I'm taking this class with Prof. David Strauss. He's a gentle intellectual giant teaching us to think big and deep. So what does this exactly mean? Well, it's sort of a Chicago tradition, an intellectual boot-camp. Prof. Strauss would ask a student, for example, to argue against protecting sexual harassment...argue AGAINST protecting sexual harassment (this is actually more difficult than you think). He may even ask a student to make the best argument for keeping segregation intact. =) Eventually, we are asked to take the opposing side and break down the argument we just built up. I love this class. Too bad it's only one quarter long.

Civ Pro....ugh...I guess I'm just not a Civ Pro kind of guy. Ask me how much I like it after 3 weeks. I have yet to grasp this subject adequately to go in and take the final exam.

ALIVE and well~

I'm back. It's been nearly three months.

Law school is AMAZING. I think I've heard one too many negative criticism.

Law school, contrary to popular opinion, is actually, and surprisingly FUN!

I'd like to think I speak from the general law students' perspective.

I may be wrong, but books like "1L" and movies like "Paper Chase" have done this generation of law students a great service. In response to such draconian portrayals, law schools have become extremely friendly and humane.

This isn't to demean the intellectual demands and heavy work-loads required of a 1L in law school. Law school is definitely challenging. But it's school, so that's expected.

What was unexpected is the extremely close and family like environment. I haven't met a single person I hate in law school. Everyone is not only accomplished, but moreover, down to earth.

We poke fun at one-another and call each other "gunner." We go out to eat every weekend. Thursday night Bar Reviews are always well attended. People are smiling (none of those fake smiles). And honest to God, people really do enjoy studying and talking about the law. I suppose it's because the maturity and work-life-balance level is high.

And we're not just about work work and balance~ The University of Virginia Law School has banned us (at least for this year) from their annual soft-ball game - they banned us for missing games (sleeping), drinking too much and badgering Harvard.

The professors are quite amazing. They are all (100% of them) super-smart, friendly, and they show up in our textbooks. It's surreal.

Anyhow, law school is AWESOME. I highly recommend it. =)