Welcome to law school! This is a biweekly series with tips and tricks for success in law school. Although it’s billed toward new law students, I hope that every member of the law school community can find something helpful here.
Take a moment. Breathe. Look around. You made it.
In the whirlwind of outlines, cold calls, case briefs, and coffee-fueled study sessions, it’s easy to forget just how far you’ve come since your very first day of law school. But let’s pause for a second and give credit where it’s due: You’re doing something hard, and you’re doing it well.
Remember that first day? You may have walked into orientation wide-eyed, not quite knowing what “consideration” meant in contract law or why people kept saying “it depends.” Maybe you were nervous, maybe excited, maybe both. And now? You throw around terms like “mens rea” and “estoppel” like it’s no big deal. That’s growth. That’s progress.
Law school demands a lot. It asks you to think differently, write differently, be different. It challenges your confidence and your endurance. But here you are, showing up, learning, evolving. You’ve wrestled with tough concepts, pushed through imposter syndrome, and probably surprised yourself more than once.
Sure, there are days it felt overwhelming. Maybe even days you wondered if you were cut out for this. (Spoiler alert: You are.) The truth is, every 2L and 3L you see has stood right where you are. And they’ve made it through, just like you will.
So don’t wait for the “perfect” grade or the final exam to celebrate. Reflect now. Be proud now. Law school isn’t just about the destination. It’s about who you’re becoming along the way: a sharper thinker, a better writer, a stronger advocate.
And trust me, that first year? It’s a beast. But you’re taming it, one class, one case, one moment at a time.
You’ve come so far. Be proud of that.
It’s the final push of your 1L year. Keep going. You’ve got this.
(Dayna Smith)
