Update from the Front

It has recently come to my attention that some of the people who visit my site actually want to read of my daily trials and tribulations here at NDLS. With this in mind, and since I'd like to keep what little readership I have happy, it's time to take a look at the recent goings-on. I'll try to keep things to general discussion of law school life and not bore you with the minutiae and details from the cases I'm reading.

A general sense of routine has developed at the law school. For the 1Ls, the novelty has more or less worn off, and people tend to congregate and vent their frustrations with various aspects of law school. A popular topic for such discussions is (shocker!) legal writing. The reading continues to keep us busy. My Torts and Crim classes have been doing a good job sticking to the syllabus, but in Contracts we're behind the projected pace. The one plus to that is it makes it easier to stay a bit ahead. The anxiety of being called on in class has subsided, now that we've seen the Socratic method in practice for a few weeks. This isn't to say that there's no longer a small sense of relief when you're not called on, however. The weekly "scavenger hunts" (the assignments make you traipse about the law library looking up various cases and other tidbits) for Legal Research continue. And in Legal Writing we've handed in the first memo assignment (ungraded) only to receive the new packet for memo #2 (graded). I'm also still doing the witness thing for the Depositions class which eats up some of my time but is very interesting.

This week has been a little crazy with several of my profs canceling our regularly scheduled classes and holding make-up sessions at a different time. This has turned out to be a bit of a bonus; I was done with class today at 12:30, and don't have class tomorrow until 1pm. Not that this is "free time" though - there's still plenty of reading and legal writing to be done.

There are a few cliques within our class, but they're not as well defined as I'd originally expected. And there seem to be plenty of "loners" like me who don't really belong to any particular group (though maybe that makes us a group?). The assigned seating in some of the classes has made getting to know people a bit easier, but I'm still not great with names. I still feel bad when someone greets me by name in the hallways and all I can respond with is "Hi!" But since it all happens in passing, there aren't any awkward silences.

The well of free food (provided by the plethora of student organizations) has started to dry up. For the past few weeks I never had to worry about lunch - there was always some group holding a meeting with free pizza. Now I'm having to make and bring lunch with me.

Speaking of student organizations, this past weekend I participated in a fundraiser. Several of the groups man a concession stand in the hours leading up to each home football game. Usually two groups work together and split the profits from selling overpriced burgers and brats to students and visiting alumni. The Irish Law Society needed a few extra people to help close up shop, since many of the volunteers had tickets for the game and wouldn't be able to stick around. I pitched in and helped them clean up.

Aside from endless reading and memo writing, I'm skating on Wednesday nights and I usually try to do something non-law on Saturdays. I should probably try to be more social too, and maybe learn some more names. There are a few events coming up that I might attend to these ends. I'll post about them as they happen.

That should pretty much bring things up to speed. I'll try to update more often with details of life here, since it seems to be of interest. As always, all comments, well-wishing, questions, suggestions, and shameless jokes at my expense are welcome.