M: Money – I didn’t want to talk about money, but avoiding the topic seemed worse. There is a lot of money talk that goes on in law school. Mostly, it’s used in the context of “when I’m making 300,000 dollars per year…” or when the most overused phrase, “billable hours” is being discussed. For me, money has never been the driving force behind my decision to become a lawyer. At this time, my position is that anything above zero works!
N: Nicknames – there is a fellow in our class that gives everyone a nickname; it’s kind of like a great honour to be bestowed with one. I was trying to drop hints about how much I’d adored Stevie Nicks as a young girl, and that her “real name” is Stephanie. He didn’t take the bait. Instead, I made one comment about a case we’d just read as being “juicy,” and guess what? You got it; Juicy was declared my new nickname. Thankfully, it hasn’t stuck.
O: Open – law school requires a new way of looking at the world, and a new way of looking at yourself. If you can’t be open to criticism or other ways of thinking, law school will destroy you. The one thing I have learned is how to listen to other people and consider their ideas without instantly dismissing them. It has been difficult at times, but it is an excellent lesson. I have also become less of an interrupter; I used to get overly excited in a conversation and would often cut the person off because I couldn’t contain my point.
P: Perpetuities – this is what we are taking in Property Law right now, and man, they are complicated and not particularly sexy. Still, my study gals and I try to make them as exciting as possible…but it’s a real challenge. We may be forced to write a rap or something in order to remember the tests. Don’t worry, I won’t share it with you.
Q: Questions – there are so many, and guess what? There are no right answers. Normally, this would thrill me beyond reason, but in this environment, it’s mostly frustrating. All of us are looking to know what the answer is and file it for the exam. But no, the answer is the process, and your conclusion is often irrelevant.
R: Rest – there is little to be found. I dream of cases, I dream of exams and I dream of fellow law students constantly. On the one hand, this is great; on the other, it’s disconcerting. Everything I do is around law school now, and sometimes I can’t believe this has happened and other times, it seems the most natural outcome. I have an obsessive personality, so an outlet like this is perfect. Still, I worry that I am being formed into something unrecognizable.
S: Sighs – oh, there are so many each day in class. Some are out of frustration, others out of relief. It just depends on the day.
T: Time – oh, there is never enough in the day, and it moves at a pace that amazes me. Winter has never gone faster and each week is recalled in a stupefied blur. Life has never been so structured, yet felt so greatly out of my control.
U: Urbania – the fictional world that we visit often in Tort law. It’s my favourite place because precedent doesn’t exist and jurisdictions are limitless. In other words, creative freedom abound! I also use it when trying to illustrate to my kids that there are limits. I say, “This isn’t Urbania; there are rules you need to follow.” They are usually confused by this reference.
V: Violins – I listen to classical music when I study. It calms me down, big time. I often wish that we could listen to our iPods during exams so I could replicate my study ritual; I think it would reduce my anxiety problem significantly.
W: Why – this is a question asked in my head too often. And there is usually no good reason.
X: Xylophone – isn’t this what everyone uses for an x word?
Y: Yoga – this has saved my mental health. I do it each morning before heading to school, and a day without it is a nasty one. While I don’t see any great improvements in my practice, it is my ritual to see Rodney Yee each morning and offer him a sincere “Namaste.”
Z: Zits – yes, I am getting them again. Thanks, stress!
