How I finished my first year of law school with a first - Starting law school advice (pt 1)
Sooooā¦Iāve been spending the past few days replying to people on all platforms asking for advice on starting Law at university so I thought Iād give my experience and methods on how I finished my first year of university with a First (which like the top grade for people who donāt understand the system). Itās a long post but Iām going to include FAQs and my top tips.Ā (Ps: Iām in my second year of university now)
1) I didnāt study law at A-level, am I at a disadvantage?Ā
Fun Fact, I actually went to Medical school for a week before deciding it was too much for me, meaning my A-levels were centred around science and medicine. This meant I started Law school having no experience inĀ āessay basedā subjects such as Law. I had to completely adapt and adjust my way of learning and from experience was at no disadvantage to my peers who had studied law. If anything, I noticed my teachers preferred it when students have no law knowledge, so they can start Uni level content without needing to dwell on the difference between A-level and Degree level content (obviously, at A-level law wouldnāt be in as much detail as it would be at a Degree level).Ā
So no, you wouldnāt be at a disadvantage, and no matter what you studied before starting uni, you just need to be able to transfer the skills you picked up during your pre-uni studies to your degree. Plus, many people wouldnāt have studied law at A-level, at least, I havenāt met many anyway.
2) What is the difference between a lecture and a seminar?
This one is pretty easy to explain. A lecture is when there are hundreds of people in a big lecture theatre having the teacher explaining the content and teaching the syllabus. Iām not sure at other unis but at mine, you donāt really get to ask many questions during lectures because theyāre not long but this may vary from one university to the other. So generally, a lecture is where you learn the information from a professor. A seminar is much smaller, more like a normal classroom where you will be applying your knowledge; this will be where you are likely to be trying exam questions and problem questions and this is where you get to ask all your questions.Ā
3) Will I have any time to socialise?Ā
YESSSSS!!! The legal profession is a veeeeeery social one; you will be attending things like law fairs and events where you will be meeting lawyers, judges and other important people (known as Networking events) where you need to be able to charm them and make them know your name. If youāre looking at becoming a lawyer of any kind, you need connections especially for after graduation, and this means loooooots of networking events, lots of parties and dinners and lots of socialising. Your studies, if managed well, will not hinder you from having a social life with your friends, and you need that aspect to help you with the professional side of things (awesome right?!). Fun Fact: I managed to get work experience from having won over a Barrister at a Networking event; and if they ask for your Linked In at any fairs, you make sure they get your username! That social networking site is a Godsend when you need to learn about someone or want to gather everything about yourself.
I will be making a whole post about how I personally take notes, but briefly, it is all trial and error until you find what works for you. Some chapters will be a lot more content heavy, others can be summarised in bullet points; itās all a matter of figuring it out as you go.Ā
As for whether you type or hand write your notes thatās totally up to you, I do both so I have the information multiple times: First I type full notes (which I sell, meaning if you need motivation, just remember you can make money off your notes thatās enough to motivate me sooooā¦). Next, I type summaries, then I hand-write the chapter summarised further (which is my favourite part because I can make those pretty notes that you see on here). I do like to also make flashcards, but I tend to do that closer to assessments or between chapters (so Iāll finish Chapter 1 and start Chapter 2, midway, Iāll review my knowledge on Chapter 1 and make pretty flashcards.Ā
All of this sounds really long, but I promise, as long as you work efficiently, itās actually manageable plus I do everything as I go along - I will also be making a post on this in more detail soon too :D.Ā
5) Aside from studies, what else should I do during law school?
Well, the only thing I want to put emphasis on here, is that whilst law school is supposed to be enjoyable, and you are supposed to have some fun, it is important to work hard so that you can find a job after you graduateā¦
The legal profession is suuuuuuper competitive, itās not enough to just get a first anymore, you do need to have a CV that stands out from all the rest. My top tips:
Get work experience - apply to things like Pro-Bono, help at the Citizenās Advice Bureau, shadow lawyers, attend court hearings, etc. Experience is absolutely crucial in the field!Ā
If you speak another language, GET A QUALIFICATION IN IT! - I know 7 languages, and as such, I have done 3 A-levels in 3 languages and the rest, I did an equivalent qualification through my uni. This is important as you have something of substance to show to employers when you come to apply for a job and mention this skill. It really makes you stand out, even if itās a single language and itās SUPER helpful if like me, you want to work internationally. If you donāt know another language, move onto the next bullet point:
If you donāt speak another language, you can learn one OR Pick your strongest skill and capitalise on it! - this means, if youāre good at a sport, join a team and show dedication, these things count when impressing employers, theyāll see you as a team player with discipline and that ALWAYS looks super appealing. Itās super useful if you are able to show why your skill should be appreciated in the career (for example: if your experience/skill is to be an awesome cashier, you can say youāve dealt with embarrassing situations like a rejected card, which gave you the skill of knowing how to handle these scenarios SO, when you have a customer, and they have something they are ashamed of or uncomfortable to discuss, you know what to do. See? easy peasy.)
So, thatās enough FAQs, now onto my top tips:
PREPARE FOR YOUR LECTURES AND SEMINARS - do NOT be the student that canāt contribute, you will not get enough out of those lessons.Ā
If thereās consolidation work, DO IT! - it really helps you understand where youāre confused and what you need to work on.Ā
Donāt study for longer than 30 mins at a time with 5-15 minute breaks - Law requires a lot of reading, which means a lot of eye strain, crouching and very little movement.
Do yoga - as the above bullet point highlights, you need to stretch your limbs, back and neck, otherwise youāll be in a lot of pain. Also, stretch your wrists, youāll save yourself a lot of pain.
Exercise - maintaining a healthy lifestyle means youāll have energy and power to keep going. Even just 15 minutes of active time a day really helps relieve some stress.Ā
Remember that nobody is perfect, you canāt maintain a constant perfect studious attitude and should never put that sort of pressure on yourself. Balance is everything. (iāll also be discussing my experience with mental health in my first year at law school and how I dealt with depression and anxiety).Ā
Drink water - I know, itās a cliche, but itās actually important because youāll be reading so much, you increase the likelihood of a headache if youāre dehydrated, so keep hydrated kids!Ā
Never, ever feel bad for sharing your successes - if youāre proud of something youāve achieved share it! just stay humble, and donātĀ rub it in peopleās faces.
have a diary and carry a notebook with you at all times - track meetings, notes and to do lists to make sure youāre on top of everything.Ā
Wake up earlier - I wake up at 5am and get some work done, but if you wake up earlier, you have more time to wake up slowly, and not stress yourself from the morning. Take time to do your makeup or hair, take time to meditate or exercise or read, or even do work, but start your day slowly and not rushing around getting things done.Ā
and finally, please please PLEASE remember to actually make time for yourself, make night time routine where you take time to do a skincare routine or wind-down time or simply lounge around and watch Netflix. If you know you have the time to do this, youāre less likely to procrastinate!
Enjoy law school guys, itās actually an amazing experience with pretty cool people!Ā
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