“Don’t join an easy crowd; you won’t grow. Go where the expectations and the demands to perform are high.”
“Social learning” is more than just a theory, or the use of digital platforms and social networks to bring together communities; rather it is the deliberate listening, engaging, forming relationships, sharing insight, building a network; all practiced in an eco-system of diverse engagements. Add on the bonus of a humongous investment in yourself, and in those around you, and you essentially understand the prototype of the environment in a law school where you have to frequently engage in legal research and analysis.
Staying put in a law school is to become a creature of particular habit, treading on the balance between Bluebook citations/ legal researchand writing and careful, very often, planned socializing.
More often than not, where you live, how you spend all of your time, your sleep schedule, eating habits, hobbies, relationships and friendships are completely circumferenced by figuring out how to write a case briefs, finishing readingsand writing papers, all of which is something you get used to. Having limited time with your previous groups of friends, family, significant others and trying to get them to understand what you are going through and why your stress is through the roof;that takes a lot of adaptation. Also, law school throws you into a population of highly driven, competitive people and makes you spend several hours, almost half a decade with them. You either make friends or make enemies real fast; it’s almost like making alliances in the Hunger Games, and either way, relationships with peers is just another thing to navigate during your three or five years at law school.
Moreover, Law school puts all friendships through some ups and downs, but it also makes the whole experience easier and it is pretty simple to maintain lasting, healthy relationships amidst the trials of legal research and analysis, and legal writing and analysis. It just takes a little bit of work but, God knows us law studentsdo know how to do work. Join clubs/societies/committees, or run for a position in a club, consistently make connections with other students, who’re driven by intellectual curiosity and integrity, or simply always turn to your seniors for guidance- the ultimate advice for this is to be friendly to everyone, if possible. There is always going to be someone you don’t like/ don’t get along well with, so try to just quietly avoid making a big deal about it. And never, ever make a huge spectacle of yourself.
