Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Turning Over a New Leaf

I've adopted a new approach to law school. One that I should have adopted from the start. My approach, which has been discussed to death in law-related forums and on numerous blawgs: treat it like a job and not like school. I added that last part because I have been treating law school like school, which it so is not unless by school you mean a place where you are either regularly flogged to death or bored to death.

Today, I had the unpleasant task of meeting with one of my professors to explain why I missed my midterm and to request a make up exam. Since I am a master bull-shitter, my request was granted but I have never missed an exam in my entire academic career. I may have opted not to turn in or take an exam but I have never subconsciously missed an exam and it really bothers me that this happened. It means I'm slipping. I've stopped caring about my academic future and this simply will not do.

This "new leaf" thing should be pretty easy since all my friends have lapped me (again). I no longer know the people in my classes so I don't have to worry about whose making weekend plans with whom or whether I will be invited to the bar on Thursday nights. No worries about choosing whether to spend time with my classmates or my family (like that's even a choice). It's. Just. Work. I come to work. I do my job. I go home to my family and, at some point, I earn the right to put Esquire after my name.

From here on out, I will focus on the positives of law school: the interesting subject material, the (somewhat) interesting people, and the golden paycheck at the end of the rainbow.

I can do this. A wise friend once told me: just put one foot in front of the other. Just keep going and don't think about it. Madhubby thinks my focus should shift from non-profit law to Personal Injury Law. His theory? You don't want to practice any kind of law so you might as well practice a kind of law in which you can make buttloads of money. Thanks, Madhubby, for keeping it real.


1 comment:

Jonathon Morgan said...

It always drives me nuts when "big things" slip. I'll forget an important meeting -- totally flake on a phone call (or whatever). It just happens when people get busy.

Don't beat yourself up over it.