JD Law Students Blog

I did it!! I took every single final exam and I’m still here!!! Legal Writing II, Civ Pro, Con Law, Crim and Property stole days, weeks and months from my person and in one warm afternoon, it is restored! The exams are finished and I am left to try to piece together what used to be my social life in the downtime between JD year and MSEL Summer.

My apartment has seen better days. I have warn every article of clothing in my wardrobe and eaten every fruit, vegetable and miscellaneous food item in my cabinets, cupboards and frigidaire. I feel dangerous. I’ve got a roll of quarters for my laundry, a train ticket to my city and nothing but free time in between Someone could get hurt, although it is highly unlikely. Three weeks of free time feel like a lifetime. Three weeks to tool around, eat, build some equity at the sleep bank and visit with people I barely had time to speak to this year.

My first year at Vermont Law School went by rather quickly! I ‘ve had the pleasure of meeting some really great people. I’ve chit-chatted for too long when I should have been studying. Studied for too long when I should have been sleeping and became a regular at some of SoRo’s finer establishments. I beat the Eerie Doctrine down and made it all the way through res judicata, with some semblance of understanding of how, when, and where it applies. In short, I lived. One down and two more to go. . . I think I can, I think I can.

If this week had a color, it would be yellow. . . the color of confidence. Now is the time for reflection, before the grades come out and the numbers roll in. It’s a time when the days seem long because there are no to-do lists, full of assignments and the deadlines are all passed. It turns out that there are quite a few scenic routes to take in this town, if you have the time for them. Paines Beach (not a Beach but close enough) has often my refuge and tomorrow I can spend the whole day there, doing little or nothing. I can’t wait. . . heck why should I ? I think I’ll go now.

End of Blog–ttyl

was by me - Brenda T.  For some reason it wasn’t showing up!  Thanks!

One week until I am no longer a 1L!  How exciting.  I finished my first exam yesterday in Civil Procedure.  It was a hard exam!  One down, 3 to go (2 in class and 1 take home).  Sometimes I wonder why I did this to myself.  I didn’t HAVE to go to law school, so why I am putting myself through all of this stress?  My interest in a legal career aside, it is the challenge and the struggle that makes it all worth while.  When I finished that Civ Pro exam yesterday I felt absolutely elated.  It was as if I just climbedMt.
Everest in a sense since it was a challenge and just by walking in and taking the exam and giving it my best effort possible was an accomplishment.  Fear of failure and stress go along with being a law student.  It is what you do with that fear – channeling it into a positive challenge that makes it a valuable life lesson.  Law school is not the only way in which to do this.  Human beings challenge themselves in many ways.  For example, last year, I learned how to ride a motorcycle.  I had always wanted to, I was scared, but I got up on that horse (so to speak) and did it!  I then passed my motorcycle license test despite being very nervous, I knew I had taken the class and practiced and that if I did my best it would all be ok.  In fact, to quote my husband, even if it isn’t ok, it’s ok.  We learn more from our “failures” or as I like to call them mishaps.  They aren’t really failures unless you walk away and quit and don’t try.  In a way, this is not really a pep talk to all of you, it is a way I am trying to motivate myself to keep going this week.  I am working on the take home exam in criminal law, which I am finding challenging and fun!  (I am such a nerd!).  It is exciting to see it all come together – everything I learned this semester in one big pile on my desk just waiting for me to organize it and index it into my brain.

I made up silly songs last semester, however this semester I am not feeling so inclined.  Sorry.  Instead, I have some verses to share:

Crim Law, Civ pro and property,

All have a similar philosophy

There are many rules to follow

And Lots of terms to swallow

But in the end it will be all the sweeter

Con Law is my sweet enemy

With rules that make no sense to me

I cannot reconcile

The cases in the file

It is an enigma of self expression, due process and equal protection

And now that my first year has come to a close

I realize the ways and choices of my prose

I am told to think like a lawyer

And I still can’t stop thinking about Pennoyer!

Have a great summer!

I will try to post about my internship this summer.  I will be working with one of theVermont
State’s attorneys (aka prosecutor or DA).  I am still trying to find my way and haven’t decided the area of law to specialize in, but VLS is great in that it offers the entire spectrum, which through the clouds of its excellent environmental program is probably nice to know for those who are undecided yet want to attend an excellent school with strong programs all around.