May 14, 2021

Dean's Fellow Digest Issue #30 - Rewarding Yourself After Your First Year of Law School

Issue: 2021-5-14

Dean's Fellows consistently strive to support students in realizing their full academic potential, leading ultimately to success on the bar exam and in the workplace. To support all Southwestern students in this goal, the Dean's Fellows created this Digest as a way to check-in at critical times throughout the semester with helpful tips, strategies, and encouragement. 

IN THIS ISSUE:

• Rewarding Yourself After Your First Year of Law School

I first want to congratulate all first-year students who are done with their final exams. Your first year of law school is a very difficult and challenging time and you should be proud of what you were able to accomplish this year. You managed to grasp law school during a pandemic and grow as a student each week. As you all have heard by now, law school is a marathon, but at the same time, it is important to reward yourself for your efforts!

We are entering a profession that is often stressful and time-consuming. It is easy to get lost in your work and forget to take care of yourself. The best advice I received during law school is to practice self-care now because you cannot effectively assist your clients if you are not taking care of yourself first. It is helpful to reset your mind and body over the summer to prepare yourself to enter the next academic year with as much energy, passion, and commitment as you had entering this academic year. 

I know many of you will have jobs and/or take classes over the summer, but it is so important to dedicate some time to hobbies or passion projects that you love. Whether that’s after work or on the weekends, find something you enjoy doing and consistently incorporate that into your schedule. By putting self-care into your weekly schedule, you will be a better employee and student. I hope that most of us tried something new during the pandemic and found something to enjoy that we never had the time to do before.

For me personally, I love sports, Disneyland, and being outside. I always make sure to do one of those things at least once a week. Whether it’s catching a baseball or hockey game, going to Disneyland with my Mom, or simply walking around the Silverlake Reservoir, I always feel like a better version of myself afterwards. I have always made sure that I prioritize doing things that make me happy if I can feel myself losing focus on my assignments or feeling burnt out. Whenever I take a break and do something I enjoy, I always feel re-energized and ready to get back to the grind. 

You have worked so tremendously hard this year. Take time before you start work/classes this summer to discover or renew a passion or hobby. By practicing self-care now, it will effectively take you through your law school career, bar preparation, and being the best attorney to your clients. 

*About the Author:

 BRITTANY BUTLER

Brittany is a Traditional Day 3L student. During the Summer of 2020, Brittany was a full-time extern at the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office. In her 1L summer, she worked for the Loyola Law School Project for the Innocent. She graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. She is continuing her work with the Public Defender’s Office in the Fall semester.

Brittany is always excited to help other students achieve their best. In her free time, Brittany enjoys watching sports, hiking, and cooking. 

Southwestern Law School Dean's Fellows | Scheduling and Booking Website

Dean’s Fellows are upper-division students with strong academic skills who go through a rigorous application and training process. They are an integral part of the Academic Success and Bar Preparation Department. They are carefully selected based on their academic excellence and ability to teach other students best-practice study methods that will help them become acclimated to the study of law. Dean’s Fellows meet with students as academic mentors.

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