January 27, 2021 will always hold a special place in my heart. It marks my last first day of school ever! (Well, that’s the plan at least.)

We again find ourselves in hybrid mode, where larger classes are online and most smaller classes are in-person, with social distancing measures in place. We also are starting much later because of the school’s decision to cancel spring break. Needless to say, we have another unconventional semester ahead.

But as we kick off this semester, I wanted to reflect on some of the small things that I took for granted in pre-pandemic times that I hope return to BC Law as soon as possible:

• Chatting with friends in the library. Don’t get me wrong, 1L year was definitely stressful. But it was also one of my favorites. It’s when I made so many of my closest friends, and I owe a lot of that to the BC Law library. Because our schedule did not allow us to go home between classes, most of my section would go to the library. On Fridays especially, nobody was in the mood to get ahead on readings between Torts and Law Practice. So, library social hour is what it became.
• BC Softball. Although I can’t say that I ever won MVP or ran the bases for that matter, I loved being able to spend Saturdays at softball with my classmates. One thing that I’ve loved about BC is how many opportunities there are to mingle with your classmates outside of the classroom, and softball is a BC Law staple. Speaking of which…
• Ski Trip in Killington. I’ve never organized a ski trip before, but I imagine it must be pretty difficult, especially when trying to figure out accommodations and lift tickets for hundreds of people. But Sports Committee never fails to come through. To the 1Ls and 2Ls who missed it last year: go on ski trip even if you don’t ski! This will forever be one of my favorite memories at BC, and I’m so sad it can’t take place this year.   
• Free food and highlighters all over campus. Food and highlighters are two things that really got me through law school. Normally, there are so many interesting on-campus events that also lead to free food opportunities. And thanks to LexisNexis, you can always find a new highlighter in whatever color you may need.
• Walking up the parking lot hill. Keeping up with an exercise routine has always been a struggle for me, and homework is a great excuse to skip an afternoon workout. My roommate and I have a knack for being late to school, which often meant we had to park in the farthest, down-hill parking lot. As annoying as it might have been, that trek ensured I was awake for class and had at least a few minutes of exercise for the day.
• Campus tours. I love being a student ambassador and welcoming perspective students to campus. Unfortunately, we have not been able to give in-person tours for quite some time. I miss being able to tell people why I chose BC, take them around campus, and tell them about my favorite parts of law school. But the good thing is that modifications have been made to ensure perspective students still get a glimpse of BC through virtual alternatives.

Needless to say, I really do miss the pre-pandemic version of BC. It’s hard not having all the in-person interactions and experiences, many of which I took for granted. And BC and its students have really done a lot to make these times the best (and safest) they can be. But I am hopeful that all these things (and more) will return in the near future.

Until then, let’s make the most of this semester. Welcome back, BC Law!