We have four weeks of classes left in our semester. Midterm exams, quizzes, paper draft deadlines, presentations, group projects, and many other law school assignments have clustered in the last several weeks with more of the same to come. Grades on that myriad of items are now emerging – for many law students, not as high as they had hoped.
The level of stress and anxiety among the students has risen along with these events and deadlines. Many students are worried about how much they still need to do before the end of classes and start of exams. A number of students are focused on self-negatives: "I should have outlined sooner." "I didn't work hard enough over Spring Break." "I didn't complete enough practice questions." "I didn't study enough for the midterm." Some students are focused on other-negatives: "The prof didn't allow enough time for that quiz." "The midterm wasn't fair." "The multiple-choice questions were too picky." "The prof took off too many points for citation errors." In either version, the negativity abounds.
It is easy for stressed students to become totally self-focused and intense during this point in the semester. People irritate one another, become curt in conversations, and behave rudely perhaps without realizing it. Tempers flare. Hurt feelings increase. Anxiety and stress escalate. Before long, the environment becomes toxic.
Each student has the capacity to de-escalate the tension around the law school. Each individual can nurture a calmer law school environment through words and deeds. To do so, it requires focusing on community instead of self. It requires focusing on the positive instead of moaning. It requires kindness instead of conflict.
Small acts of kindness not only make the recipient feel better, but also make the actor feel better. Here are easy ways for an individual to impact the law school environment through random acts of kindness:
- Make eye contact and smile at others. Your smile may be the only one a person sees today.
- Say "please" and "thank you" more often than you might normally remember. You will acknowledge others' help, and notice your blessings more.
- Hold open the door, offer to carry a box, or help pick up dropped books for someone. Etiquette is never out of fashion.
- Compliment another student on the good answer given in class today. Everyone can use a boost after dealing with the Socratic Method.
- Offer a copy of your class notes to a fellow student just back to class after an illness. Or suggest you meet with them to go over missed material.
- Take time to say an encouraging word to a classmate who is obviously working hard, but struggling. Better yet, offer to chat about the current class topic.
- Tell your study group members that you appreciate them and why they are important to your law school success.
- Share your personal study aid copy with a fellow student who cannot afford one. It's not very hard to agree a sharing schedule.
- Refuse to participate in or pass on gossip about a fellow student. Gossip hurts.
- Buy a soda or a bag of chips for the person behind you in line at the law school canteen – whether or not you know them.
- Unexpectedly offer to share your law school pizza delivery with a fellow law student without dinner. Free food is always appreciated.
- Bake cookies on the weekend, and share your goodies with those who are studying nearby – even if you do not know them.
- Write a thank-you note (not an email or text) to a classmate who did something nice for you recently or who needs encouragement.
There are many other ways to show kindness. Most of them will cost you nothing – except your heartfelt gesture and a bit of time. (Amy Jarmon)
