Treat law school like a 9-to-5 job. I will be living off-campus this year, in Arlington. The sheer weight of law books is a great incentive to try to finish my reading on campus, as opposed to lugging the texts home on the Metro each night. (I'll have a locker at school.) Also, this summer reminded me how nice it is to not have homework at night, after a full day's work. I think I can achieve that balance in law school, if I show up to school at the same time each day, and work in the library when I don't have class.
Continue to explore D.C. During 1L year, I think that I did a great job of seeing all of the main attractions in Washington, such as museums, monuments, and government buildings. This year, I'd like to go off the beaten path a little more, continuing my 2009 New Year's resolution to "Get to know D.C. like a native." There are also some major places that I have yet to visit. Some new places on my to-do list: the Newseum, the Holocaust Memorial Museum, Mt. Vernon, the National Postal Museum, the Corcoran Gallery, and the National Zoo.
Be social. I have a feeling that this year will be more difficult than 1L year with regards to socializing with other students. Possible reasons: living off-campus as opposed to in the dorm, taking a variety of classes with different students instead of all my classes in one section with the same 120 students, and the increased workload of 2L year. So, this year, it will be important to stay in touch with the friends I've made, as well as to get to know my classmates in my new classes. I also hope to reach out to 1Ls through the Catholic Student Association (the new name for Catholic Forum). And, of course, I will continue to keep in touch with friends and family from home.
Pursue the Lord. To be honest, this wasn't the most spiritual summer for me. I mean, I was going to church each week, and feel like I'm on good terms with God, but I wasn't actively engaged in progressing my relationship with Him, and my prayer life is a bit weak at the moment. I am praying that the Lord ignites my heart with a renewed fervor to pursue Him with devotion, and to spur on others to do the same.
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In other news, I got on to a law journal!* As you may recall, I spent half of May toiling away at my application for Georgetown Law's Write On competition. Well, the hard work paid off, because I am now officially a staff member of the Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law and Policy. It is funny how life works. I have spent a lot of time studying international issues because I am interested in a legal career in international human rights, and yet I continue to find myself pulled toward domestic poverty issues. First, an internship with a non-profit law firm working on homelessness, and now membership with a poverty law journal. Granted, the Journal does occasionally publish articles about international poverty law, but the focus is primarily upon domestic issues. I do wonder where this will take me. The Journal's Editor-in-Chief quoted Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at the beginning of the letter to interested 1Ls:
True compassion is more than flinging coins to a beggar . . . It comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring.I have to agree. If this summer taught me anything, it is that the causes of homelessness are varied and complex. By learning what those causes are, and figuring out how to prevent homelessness rather than merely providing services to those who are already homeless, we will be able to provide more stability--and, for a smaller cost. I am excited to think that working on this journal may help to identify some opportunities for restructuring in the legal realm.
*For the non-law school kids who read this blog: a law journal (a.k.a., law review) is a scholarly journal published by law students. The articles are written primarily by law professors (and some judges and professionals), and notes or comments written by law students are also sometimes published. The big idea is that law journal articles influence the development of the law. The main roles of a 2L on a journal (from what I've heard) are citation checking and bluebooking, while 3Ls take on editor positions. Law journals membership is useful because it provides research and writing experience, which makes you a more qualified candidate when applying for jobs.
