1L: Month One

So, I’m on week five of law school. So far so good. I’ve survived being cold called a few times, I’ve dug through hundreds of pages of cases and statutes and rules, and I love every minute of it. Weird, right?

Things I love about school: free lunches, speakers, tons of activities and groups, new friends, library time, yoga, fitness classes and how nice everyone is. Almost every lunch period I’ve had somewhere to go listen to someone talk about an area of the law or something pertaining to school in general. Usually these talks include food of some sort, which is an added bonus! I’ve gotten to listen to a couple visiting speakers, the most interesting to me so far being the visitors from West Africa. I loved learning about how the law works in that part of the world and how they are trying to develop something like the EU in Africa. I have also noticed how there is never ending activities, so I’m never at a loss for what to do weeknights or weekends. Whether it be a football game, trivia night, or the upcoming barrister’s ball- I love the endless activities that I can choose to attend. I also love our library. Up to this point I’ve never used a library really and I enjoy using a few hours at the end of each school day to try to wrap up a bulk of my work there in that serene setting surrounded by my peers all doing similar work. Also, I love how genuine this school is, everyone really does care about how you are doing and if you are enjoying school. I’ve also had the benefit of taking advantage of the fitness classes and brand new facilities on east campus for much needed late-afternoon study breaks.

I’ve found a great rhythm already and I’m starting to get in the groove of everything, I’m awaiting the return of my first practice test and we’ve just been assigned our first graded legal writing assignment. So time to start working even harder.

This post is mainly for me to organize my thoughts, but I figured I might add some notes for people perhaps considering law school.

What to expect:

• you are going to work harder in law school then you ever have in undergrad
• the professors are there to help you, don’t be afraid to approach them with questions or ask questions in class
• being cold called sucks, but no one will judge you if you don’t give a brilliant answer
• make a schedule for reading and life in general, it really helps, trust me
• don’t waste time sitting doing silly things unless you are purposefully unwinding
• make sure you take breaks from school, burnout is a real thing
• exercise, law school requires lots of sitting, but staying healthy is key to getting everything done, so be sure to get in a workout- I paid for a workout class membership to encourage me to workout at a scheduled time each day, so far it is working pretty well!
• set goals and make sure you reach them
• try out a study group, talking things out helps you understand
• ask silly questions (simple questions) if you have them
• start outlining when you start to have an idea what is going on, keep outlining once you start
• read the case once before you attack it with the highlighters
• color coding highlighters helps me pick out the different parts of cases and helps when cold called in class (ex. green = facts of the case)
• be a human, take a day off once in a while when you can to help relieve stress and come back more prepared to start work again

Overall, so far I love school. I’ve found the reading long but interesting, so I think I’m in the right place. Keep looking here for more updates as I have time to write them, this blog is serving as an unwinding tool for me- but feel free to comment if you have any questions about law school, or any tips for me as a 1L if you’ve finished or are further along in law school than I am!

1L over and out.

Be a Traveler not a Tourist: Part 1

go somewhere

So many people go on trips every year (sometimes more) and really don’t get anything out of it. Although I know that everyone has different ways of wanting to go on vacation, I hope that this post can give people an idea of how they can travel, let’s just say “better” than before. Not forcing anyone to do anything they don’t want to do, just wanting people to think about what happens in places where tourism is such a big part of that place. So many people go somewhere typical (which is fine) and just check off the things one should see in that location. Example, I’m going to Rome so I’ll see the Vatican, the Colosseum, and the Spanish Steps. Then I’ll go have some pasta and some gelato and perhaps some wine. Check, Rome is done, I’ve seen enough- maybe some day I’ll come back when I have more time. FALSE. Try something different, go outside your comfort zone.

I’ve been on a lot of cruises (which by the way are very cool and a great way to get a taste of so many different places in a very short time) and it is really hard not to just be a tourist on these trips. You are drug around in a group of individuals clad in walking shoes, D-SLRs around everyone’s neck, and of course the lovely walkie talkie contraptions or “whispers” as some guides call them also draped around one’s neck. You look foolish, but you get to see a lot this way. The problem is the only thing you are doing is SEEING a lot, you aren’t diving into the culture head first. The first time I went overseas I just spent a lot of time looking at the sights and I didn’t really get a lot out of the trip other than I saw a lot of cool things, basically all I was doing was following the tour group and seeing what was in front of me. I wanted my next trip to be something I got a lot out of both educationally and emotionally, but I’m different like that, I use travel as a way to express myself and learn more about myself. That isn’t how everyone likes to do things, but I’ve found I really come back from trips feeling overall better about myself if I really immerse myself into the locations I visit.

go somewhere and don’t just follow the leader

Let’s make this silly situation better! Let’s say you ARE on one of these tours and you aren’t off on your own (which I find is always the best way to see anywhere if you have more time and aren’t on a time constraint- if you are on something like a cruise I do think the shore excursions are the best way to get the most bang for your buck ), there are plenty of ways you can still discover what your destination is all about. Most trips give you some free time to eat or shop, take advantage of that! Find a map, wander down some side streets, get kinda lost and then figure out your way back to where you came from- it really gives you a sense of accomplishment to be able to find your way around somewhere completely foreign to you. It also makes you figure out what makes that place tick. Do the places to eat/drink get cheaper as you walk down side streets and get further away from tourist traps and closer to where people actually live? Usually it does. These are also AMAZING places to eat because it is where the locals eat, so usually a more reasonable price and you get the chance to talk to people who aren’t used to having THOUSANDS of tourists encroaching on their space every single day. From personal experience this is when I’ve really learned the most about cultures elsewhere is just by doing this little trick, going off the beaten path. Sometimes you don’t even have to go that far to find places with menus only in the local language (MOST of the time you can get by with English, but I find that it is polite to try to communicate in the local language first before going to English). Remembering you are a visitor to someone else’s home, be polite and be willing to try new things and talk to new people. You never know who will be willing to talk to you or what you will encounter. That is truly the beauty of traveling.

The times that I’ve strayed off the beaten path have been fantastic. I’ve found great hidden places to eat, lovely shops, and amazing people. I’ve wandered around places in Italy, France, Spain, Scotland, England, Ireland, Belgium, Holland, Greece, Monaco, Alaska, Canada, New York, Turkey, Malta, and so many more places. Each destination has something to teach you, my goal each time I travel is to discover what exactly I’m learning from that place. Holland taught me that I CAN find my way around a city I’ve only been in for literally minutes, Greece taught me to see the beauty in simplicity, Scotland taught me to appreciate the beauty of the world around me and England taught me that I can be so much more than I ever thought I could. Traveling really has helped me find direction and meaning to my life and traveling alone has helped even more.

go somewhere ready to try to “fit in”

Do research before you visit another country, learn how to say hello and thank you at the very least. I know so many people that complain about people who visit America or even move to America not being able to speak any English, give other countries the experience you want to have with foreigners, or at least try! Learning languages can be fun and a great family activity to do before embarking on a cruise or going on a trip if you are going somewhere as a family. Duolingo is a great little app that gets you started with the basics  Look into customs such as dress and body language. For examples there are cultures where one finger pointing not something you should do. Always be aware of things like that. Walk with a purpose, don’t feel bad about stopping to take photos, but be respectful of the people around you. Don’t stop in the middle of a busy sidewalk, go off out of the way so the people who live there can continue to go about their daily business.  Always carry currency of the country you are in, don’t expect places to “just take” the dollar because you think they should. (I’ve seen this happen in a few different countries, the end result was never a friendly exchange…).

This blog has mainly covered the basics of how to turn what would have been a straightforward tourist experience into something where you become a traveler and really start to learn about other cultures and places in a more personal and in depth way. Remembering everyone has their preferred way of traveling and I’m not looking to boss people around into changing how they vacation, this is purely food for thought and a reflection on how I like to travel.

Look for more in this series of posts, I hope it helps others prepare for travel abroad (and even in their own country). I’m aiming to help others grow through travel the way I have, it really is a way of life and once that travel bug bites you there really is no better way to learn more about yourself or relax.

Fly away to college: a note on transitions

going to college is scary

This time of year thousands of kids are spreading their wings and flying away from their nest and to their respective universities and colleges of choice. Some people will have no problem with the transition (or at least say that they have no problem)- but the reality is that almost everyone is freaking out too. And with a good reason, going off to college is scary at first. Your parent(s) leave you in a tiny dorm room with a tiny bed and another kid your age that you don’t really know (in most cases). It’s crazy stuff right there. Totally cool to be nervous about a new beginning, new friends, harder classes and unprecedented freedom. (Okay maybe you probably shouldn’t be nervous about the freedom part).

People are often very stressed, so first impressions of people might not be the best. So give people second chances, stress does crazy things to the best of us. Lots of people are off on their own for the first time ever, be kind. The people you meet first don’t have to be your best friends, sometimes you just need people to help you get started. Don’t be afraid to keep meeting new people, I met some of my best friends in college my junior and senior years.

everyone has second thoughts

Did I pick the right school? Will I find friends? Will school be impossible? Will this school be the best place for me to grow and figure out what I want to do with my life?

Remember, this doesn’t have to be where you stay at school. Lots of people transfer, there is nothing wrong with that. Remember that you can always go back home and that there are plenty of people who are nervous about the same things you are. Also keep in mind that there are tons of people at your school that will help you through this transition, you probably have an adviser and that is a great place to start if you have any concerns or questions.

Moving away is stressful, you leave everything in your comfort zone, but I’ve found the only way to grow is by leaving that beloved comfort zone and following your dreams.

set goals, go to class, define yourself

College is a great time to have a great time, but don’t let your social life rule your first year of school. Yes, go out and have fun, be smart and safe – or don’t, but find something to get involved in. Something where you meet new people with similar interests and goals that will help you evolve into someone who is ready to enter the real world in four years. Go greek if you’d like, join a club or two, play sports (competitively or just for fun), join student government, something…anything! Trust me, getting involved helps the school year go quickly and if your busy you probably won’t be homesick- but once you start figuring out how awesome college can be, you’ll dread coming home for breaks.

Set goals for yourself, whether it be grades or benchmarks to help you achieve your dreams, never stop having a plan. Set up a four year plan for what classes you want to take- this helps you ensure that you will be graduating on time and not incurring any unnecessary student loans. Know that your plans can change and the classes can be changed, this is not permanent, just something to use as a starting guide.

Go to class. End of story, you pay hundreds and in most cases thousands of dollars for each class- so make sure you go. Lots of professors have attendance policies now, but even if they don’t be responsible and make yourself go, it will help you in the long run, even if they are just re-discussing the book you’ve already read, you paid for it so you might as well be there. It’s like buying a fridge full of groceries that you throw away without eating any of it if you just don’t go to class. Food for thought.

Learn about yourself. This is the time to discover who you are, you are finally away from your parents (ideally) and able to make decisions for yourself. You pick what you eat, when you eat, where you go, when you sleep and study, and who you are with at almost all times. Take a step back and think about where you want to be in let’s say 10 years. Figure out what’s important to you and what interests you. Then feed those interests and stay true to what is important.

College is the best four years of your life. Savor each moment and enjoy the ride. It’s okay to be unsure about everything, it’s completely normal. You don’t have to declare a major freshman year, you don’t have to be president of your organization, you just have to spread your wings and fly out of your comfort zone. You will never reach your dreams if you don’t try.

School’s out Forever.

 

Summer is drawing to a close and everyone is going back to school, except me. For the present I am done with school and it is the strangest feeling I have ever had. Although the job hunting process is way more stressful than classes ever were it still seems so weird that I never have to go back and sit in a classroom EVER again if I don’t want to. My family and I just returned from dropping my sister off for her first semester at Kansas State University and while I sat staring out the window at endless fields of corn and beans on the drive home I realized that up to this point my entire life has revolved around classes. Now that I don’t have this commitment to spending hours of my life studying and learning I feel like I’m doing something wrong, like I’ve woken up in a bad dream and I forgot to register for classes or something. This isn’t a dream though and I am officially a grown up now, which is something that school definitely did NOT prepare me for. So as I do when I come to any obstacle in my life I make a list about it, here is my list about the stages you go through after graduating and realizing it is time to grow up and make a name for yourself.

Stage 1: Excitement: Graduation day has come and gone, you haven’t gotten into graduate school and still have one last summer to get it together before the ‘real world’ reality check hits you in the face. Nothing can stand in your way, days are filled with lunches with old friends and lazy afternoons. You don’t have a care in the world, everything is awesome and you feel like you have this huge burden lifted off of you because you may NEVER have to study for another final EVER again! You begin to fill out job applications to your dream jobs where a corner office is already included and the office is painted with rainbows and unicorns, can’t wait to get your foot in the door  and get started with this awesome life ahead of you.

Stage 2: Crap, I can’t find a job: That post-graduation glow has faded and the cold hard world has come into focus. You’ve filled out HUNDREDS of job applications for jobs you don’t really even want to do and only one has even contacted you back for an interview. Panic begins to set in when you realize that you may have to settle for an office job that might not be all you’ve ever dreamed of. You spend hours filling out job application after job application and scouring the internet and the newspaper for job listings that you might be almost qualified for. You discover that so many employers want you to have years of experience that you are years away from having.  Days are spent at part time temporary jobs and nights are spent endlessly applying for jobs and stressing about how you are never going to find a company you’ll fit into.

Stage 3: Regrets: What if I had just done one more year of undergrad and gotten that second major? What if I had joined more organizations in college? Should I have gone greek? What if I had gone to a different university? What if I had taken a gap year? (maybe I should take a gap year now?) What if I had worked more in college? What if I had taken that part time job instead of this one? So many questions left unanswered and so many opportunities you feel like you passed up. Unfortunately there’s no going back and there’s really no use living in the past, only way to keep going is to keep moving forward and focusing on the positives.

Stage 4: Everything is gonna be alright: You get it together and start making a plan. Life will go on and everything WILL be okay. Keep your head up and keep applying to jobs, eventually one will come around that is a good fit for both you and the company hiring you. All the puzzle pieces will fall into place but it will take time and will not happen over night. Don’t live in the past, always look to the future and never forget your dreams. Most importantly don’t forget to be open to change, this is a transition period in your life and change is bound to happen- embrace it.

On Graduating…

As I sit here in my partially packed dorm room, my roommate having already mostly moved out, it begins to hit me. I’m graduating this weekend from college. It seems like just yesterday I was tossing my hat up for my high school graduation and now I’m preparing to graduate from university. Crazy how time flies. Graduating would be much more exciting if I knew what my future held for me- but what would be the fun in knowing what I’m doing with my life… It’ll all work out, but now seems like a good time to reflect on the past four years.

It all started when I moved into Swanson Hall freshman year. I was introduced to my roommate and my suite-mates (one of which would become my roommate for the next three years). I remember going to my very first class as a college student, being scared to be on my own, being scared that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with college classes. Soon all those fears passed (after a few pep talks from some of my oldest friends) and I began to grow. I learned some fun skills in my photojournalism classes from award winning photographer Fr. Don Doll, I learned how to use the adobe creative suite, I learned everything there is to know about Greek Art, I learned new things from my core classes, and I struggled through my Philosophy classes. Through all of this I came to grow as a student and as a person. However I must say that most of the growing and emerging into adulthood didn’t happen until I studied abroad. It was then that I truly learned how to be independent and discovered who I truly am.

My college years just flew right by and I feel like I could have used this time in better ways, but at the end of the day this is how I spent the past four years and there’s nothing I can do to change it and I can’t complain about who I am and where I’m at right now so I must have done something right. I tend to think about what could have been when it comes to the last four years; things I could have majored in, groups I could have joined, places I could have been. But the last four years have been a big stepping stone for me and I think I’ve come out of my college career ready to move on to the next step. I also have had the realization that maybe just maybe undergraduate life isn’t supposed to prepare you for a job, but it is to prepare you for real life. I’ve learned more life skills during college (more while abroad than stateside) and I feel like even though I don’t know what I’m doing I might at least know how to get there once an opportunity arises.

Overall the benefits of my college career outweigh the regrets. If I had done things differently I wouldn’t have my amazing barn family and I wouldn’t have gone to London, two things I wouldn’t change for the world. I will be proud to walk across that stage and accept my diploma in front of my classmates and family. Thank you to everyone who helped me on this four year journey through college. I can’t thank my family and friends enough for helping me to follow my dreams. Also- shout out to my horse and barn family who kept me sane through it all (mini-shout out to Ross Nye Stables in London whose ponies kept me sane during my time abroad). Happy graduation class of 2014, don’t focus on the ‘what ifs’ but on what we accomplished in college because it kinda is a big deal. We did it!

The Creative Process: Concept Sketch Final Project

 

For my final project in my concept sketch development class we were assigned to design a logo for a company that was to be a brew bistro that was located in an old garage. We had to include all aspects of the business in our logo design. This is my thought process and sketches that went into my final design.

My thought bubbles that helped me figure out what direction I wanted to take the logo exactly. This helped me narrow down ideas and get rid of foolish choices that wouldn’t make sense. What follows is some of my favorite logos that I sketched. I also found that after going through the correct problem solving steps when I sat down at the computer to put it all together it came together in no time! I wish I would have had this class from the beginning so I could have used this method my entire four years of undergrad.

 

This is the final product that I came up with. I like that it connects all the dots that need to be connected and I find it to be clean and creative. The chef hat represents the bistro part of the business, the key on the end of the “s” represents the fact that the business was “started” in a garage, and the wheat represents the growing brewery that the company is hoping to have. Overall, I am very pleased with how the creative process went and I am proud of my end product.