Tips from an Experienced Attorney on the First Year of Law School

The first year of law school is widely considered the most difficult. Aside from having to learn your way around the school, you are also faced with some of the most difficult and diverse classes you will have to take in your law school career. And you will have to learn to "think like a lawyer." Here are some tips on how to survive your first year of law school.

One. Read the case law. Being prepared for class is more important during your first year of law school than it is during any other time in your academic career. Law professors are notorious for calling out students they are sure didn't read the case law assigned in the previous class. And you don't want to be the student left standing and stuttering in the middle of your eighty-student class because you skipped the reading. Budget your time during the week so that the reading doesn't overwhelm you, because yes, there is a lot of it. Case notes and summaries can also be of great help if you find yourself short on time.

Two. Take copious notes. This will help you create an outline for each class at the end of the semester, and you will heavily rely on these outlines to pass your final exams. If you miss a class, be sure to borrow someone else's notes to fill in the blanks. Taking notes will also help you to remember things. Even if you never took notes during college, now during your first year of law school would be a really good time to start.

Three. Make friends. In order to survive your first year of law school you need to network with other students. This will really come in handy at the end of the semester when everyone is scrambling to find the best outlines and samples of previous exams. You do not want to be the only student out of the loop. And you will need to borrow these friends' notes when you do finally miss a class.

Four. Take time to have some fun. I watched a lot of my fellow students burn out during our first year of law school. In order to survive your first year, you need to know when to take a break. Don't bury yourself in the books every single weekend, and don't shut out your friends and family. Budget your time; you will need to do that for the rest of your legal career, so why not start now and make a habit of it.