Today’s Affirmation: I belong.
Song: Cranes in the Sky x Solange
“I totally understand exactly what I am doing,” said no 1L ever. The first year of law school lives in infamy as it thrusts students into an educational and social environment unlike any they have ever experienced. I remember being a 1L a whole 365 days ago. I was beginning my career at my dream school. Though I engaged in a few pipeline programs, I still felt lost.
Embarking on your law school journey can feel especially lonely and overwhelming for first-generation students (like me). Some classmates have law firm partners as parents or come from wealthy backgrounds with access to knowledge and resources. It may seem like everyone is cued up on some insider information, but I am here to tell you that everyone, despite their backgrounds, is just as confused and anxious as you are.
Most importantly, as you navigate your 1L journey, constantly remind yourself that you deserve to attend your respective law school. You were admitted because the school believes in your ability to thrive, make great intellectual contributions, and have an indelible impact in the future. Know that to be true.
My name is Eriele M. Tellis and I am a 2L at Yale Law School. I started law school virtually and it was the most challenging year of my life. Along the way, with the help of classmates and trusted mentors, I developed a bank of knowledge that helped me to succeed. Though 1L year was tough, I was able to make it out with great grades and a summer associate position at an amazing firm.
Now as a 2L, I am sharing the tips I have gathered as a PracticePro Law School Mastery tutor where I guide very talented students through their 1L year. I want to share that knowledge with you too. In this article, I am going to provide five critical tips on how to succeed academically during your first year of law school.
Create a Study Strategy
Law school is very different from undergrad and I cannot emphasize this enough. Sometimes your study strategies from undergrad will not work for law school. For example, in undergrad, I always read in advance for my classes. Sometimes, I read two weeks ahead in the syllabus. This was principally fueled by my academic anxiety.
I tried using this technique my first week of law school and discovered that it was not humanly possible to read extreme amounts of dense, long, and seemingly non-English text efficiently enough to keep the same strategy.
Though it may seem like you are overloaded with cases (because you are) and you do not have time for something so arbitrary, crafting an effective study strategy will save you so much pain and angst down the line. So, I urge you to allow yourself the time to sit down and determine a study strategy and flow that best fits your personal needs.
Stay On Top of Your Work
During the first year of law school, it often feels like you are drowning in work without sufficient time to get through the material. You may feel this way because you are taking all blackletter courses (Constitutional Law, Contracts, Torts, and Civil Procedure, to name a few).
These courses often have heavy reading loads with cases doused in archaic language that take an insufferable time to read. In my 1L year, while I attempted to do all of my reading, I was not always successful.
However, I was able to employ a couple of tips and tricks to cover enough content to understand the concepts we were learning. Trust me, it is much better to get through 4/6 cases than 0/6.
It is very critical to not fall behind because it will be incredibly difficult to catch up. While consistency is important, if you feel you need a mental health day, take it.
Work Smarter Not Harder
Often, first-generation, high-achieving students believe that success requires working endlessly. Yes, you need to work hard, but using resources that ease the journey still counts as working hard.
Helpful tools include Quimbee, OYEZ, and outlines from previous students.
Quimbee simplifies case concepts and helps focus your reading. Old outlines can often be found through upperclassmen or school outline banks.
Review Regularly
Reviewing class material is immensely important. It is more valuable to understand readings you have already completed than to simply move forward.
Weekly or bi-weekly reviews help solidify understanding. Condensing notes and revisiting lecture slides can greatly improve exam preparation.
This practice also helps identify concepts requiring clarification.
Test Yourself Regularly
Law school exams emphasize application over memorization. Self-testing through practice exams or teaching concepts improves comprehension.
Practice exams help familiarize you with exam structure. However, reviewing model answers too early can be discouraging.
Ultimately, the goal is consistent engagement and reinforcement.
I hope these tips are helpful as you navigate 1L. Strategies vary by individual learning styles. Academic performance does not define your worth or potential.
Remember, you belong, you deserve, and no matter what, you will be fine!
I want to take this opportunity to thank all my mentors, professors, and the SEO and PracticePro families. Special shoutout to Professor Hemanth Gundavaram for his invaluable guidance.