By: Achiebald Faller Capila
Law school in itself is a stressful undertaking. While nobody told you that law school is going to be easy, nobody also cautioned you that law school will be this hard. It is without a doubt that chapter in our lives that will not only define us but may also break us.
Each and every day in law school is a different challenge. From the voluminous reading assignments to the never-ending recitations and exams—law school not only tests the brilliance of a law student but also his or her ability to stay strong in dealing with the same as well.
Indeed, law school is a place wherein only a few survive. People who endure the pain a little longer are usually the ones rewarded and the ones who eventually become lawyers in the future. These people are the reasons why the profession of law continues to be sought after by many aspiring members of the community.
However, as mentioned, law school is never easy, to begin with. It is a melting pot of stress. Law school is an experience that every law student wishes to surpass any time soon. It is because law school does not only require sacrifice relating to time. It also requires sacrifices pertaining to the physical, mental, emotional, and social ability of those engaged in the study of law.
And because every day is a burden, we experience several circumstances of stress every time we spend time studying. It is seemingly an impossible task to go through the pains of law school without breaking down along the way. However, while we cannot completely eliminate or remove stressing factors, we can hope to minimize the same by doing or engaging in some activities.
In line with our advocacy to help law students be productive in their pursuit of becoming lawyers, Barrista Solutions came up with some tips on how law students manage their lives in facing the stress that is law school during this time of a pandemic. In this time of a world health crisis, law school has indeed become more stressful than ever. Because of problems in logistics and the new modality of learning, the stress that we encounter could in fact be at a higher rate than usual.
1. Always have an ample amount of time for sleeping and resting
The most important tip in order to avoid stress is to be able to sleep and rest accordingly. It is a no-brainer that the brain and body function better if and when you have in you a complete set of rest.
Sleeping only for a few hours could lead to a bad performance in analyzing certain topics a law student tries to understand the morning after. Accordingly, oversleeping does not help as well. Just remember that when you sleep, the same is only for a certain but reasonable amount of time. Don’t forget to set your alarm clocks as well so as to monitor your hours of rest.
2.Reduce your time on social media
There was a time when social media was a platform practically for two purposes—for entertainment and for information. However, because the world has changed so abruptly, social media applications have become so rampant that almost every service online offers a very wide spectrum of contents.
However, not everything is pleasant on social media. While there are contents that specifically target information of the public, there are now contents that are used for the sole purpose of misinformation. Accordingly, there are some aspects of these social media apps that have become toxic in their own right. In order to avoid additional stress, you must only limit your time engaging in social media platforms.
3. Watch a movie or start a series
It’s okay to spare two hours or less a day or whenever free solely for the purpose of watching a movie or starting a series. There are several streaming devices available in today’s time that give law students an ample amount of choices for their viewing.
Watching movies or certain series make you feel relaxed from time to time. You need these kinds of breaks more than you can imagine. Your brain needs some creative input as well. It is stressed about the legal jargon you put in there every day.
4. Communicate with your loved ones
You should never be too busy with respect to your loved ones. Your family serves as the moral compass in your journey to becoming a lawyer. Don’t forget that you could talk to them about what’s bothering you or what’s stressing you out. By telling them the things that bother you the most, you will eventually have an outlet and feel a little better after opening up.
Even though they may not fully understand your plight, they can nonetheless fully understand that you need them in order to stay strong. Never underestimate the love of your family.
5. Don’t forget to catch up with your friends and classmates
Are you missing out on hanging with your friends before and after class? Do you miss the stories they tell when you are not talking about your respective academics? Do you feel like a part of you is missing because you are gravely missing the human interaction with your friends?
The pandemic has not allowed you to personally see friends. However, it must not bar you from catching up with your friends and classmates. Make sure to send them random messages or hits of affection. Remind them that you are always there for them. Share a story where you and your friends will surely laugh about. Catching up with them is indeed a necessity.
6. Go treat yourself to a meal
Have you ever deprived yourself of good food because you feel like you don’t deserve it? Do you feel like constraining yourself to some normal food amidst performing well in exams and recitations?
Stop overthinking and always remember about your well-being. You deserve to eat good food. Whether it be a passing grade in a recitation or a simple victory you consider in law school, never forget to celebrate the little things and go get yourself a meal
7. Check some items you wish to be delivered
Shoppee or Lazada? Because of the current pandemic, the rise of platforms offering several products has been at an all-time high. Accordingly, these businesses have reopened while following safety protocols. They are now dominating the online world and they are just getting started. Don’t forget to pamper yourself and order something that you would never regret.
8. Never forget to attend to your hobbies
One thing is for sure—the current health crisis has shown a lot of people what they could do best. A lot of skills were honed. A lot of talent was shown. Most importantly, a lot of hobbies were created.
Never forget to attend to your hobbies. These hobbies serve as the creative output of your technical self. Whether it be cooking, baking, reading, or writing, never forget that in your system and expound these hobbies from time to time.
9. Spend some time reading or listening to some inspirational materials
Believe it or not, these materials will help a lot of law students who are so tired of reading and memorizing codal provisions, annotations from distinguished authors, and decided cases by the Supreme Court. If you will be able to lend time in reading inspirational books or listening/watching inspirational podcasts, you will eventually pick a tip or two on how to handle law school life.
10. Take the study of law one day at a time
We have always said that the study of law is not a sprint. It is a marathon. Speed alone does not solve it. People need to understand that the study of law takes time and effort to surpass. And for your part, remember to take it one day at a time. If you focus too much on your past, you will not be able to see the future. If you focus too much on your future, you will be blind to what happens next.
These are only among the tips we could give to aspiring lawyers. May we all be reminded that this list is never exclusive and not necessarily for everyone. It may be applicable for some, but not that applicable to all. Nonetheless, may we all remind you that Barrista Solutions is and will always be here to support the needs of law students. If you have a topic in mind, don’t forget to message us whenever you are available. Good luck future lawyers!
For more tips, view more articles on Law School 101.
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