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BC Law was a very different place when I started as a 1L. While I felt very lucky to have some degree of in-person classes, it was impossible to not feel isolated and overwhelmed in the height of Covid. I was excited to start law school and begin this chapter of my life, but I also genuinely had no idea how I would fare trying to make friends and navigate this new environment.

I figured the best place to start would be to try and make friends over GroupMe. I distinctly remember feeling overwhelmed as I sat in my Zoom Civil Procedure class, and decided to post in my section GroupMe to ask if anyone wanted to form a study group. Looking back, I’m honestly not sure what I thought would come out of my shout into the void. Much to my surprise, nearly the entire section replied that they too felt overwhelmed and were also in search of the same community. In many ways, this moment was the first time I truly felt like I could find the support system and network I so craved at BC Law.

Fast forward to the present day, many of those same people who responded to my initial GroupMe message are some of my closest friends and strongest support system. To me, this is what has consistently made BC Law such a special place to call home. The support and camaraderie students feel for one another makes me excited to come to school and take part in this community, and it’s what motivated me to initially run for LSA as a 1L, and now serve the community as President. 

I always joke that when I see an issue, I struggle to sit back and hope it fixes itself; I need to do something. While the problems BC Law faces have significantly changed since my 1L year when students just wanted to find ways to connect with one another, it is these challenges that excite me about this upcoming year.

It’s been incredible to see how much BC Law has worked to improve its efforts surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion in just the past year and a half. From instituting the 1L Critical Perspectives course, a truly student led effort, to recruiting the most diverse 1L class BC Law has ever seen, we’ve made amazing progress. But this really is just the beginning. I look forward to working with the Faculty DEI Working Group, DEI Director Braithwaite, LAHANAS, and the LSA DEI Committee to ensure that we don’t get complacent, but rather continue to build on our progress.

Next, I’ve seen my fellow classmates cope with their mental health as they struggle to search for jobs, finish their memo for LP, or just make it through the week. We have all felt the overwhelming burden of law school at some point, and I hope that throughout this next year, we will be able to provide more tangible mental health support for law students.

Ultimately, my main goal as LSA President is to ensure that all student voices are heard and appreciated. I want all students to know that when they have concerns, their LSA is here to listen and support them. Whether it’s something small, like getting free coffee during finals week, or something bigger, like supporting the integration of more diverse perspectives in all courses, I want students to know that LSA is here to advocate for them and create a stronger BC Law.

While I’m excited to begin this work, none of it will be possible without the support and buy-in of the student body. Whether you’ve been involved in LSA in the past or not, if you have questions, complaints, ideas, or just want to chat, please know that my door is always open, and we’d love to have you involved in LSA. Apply for a committee, drop us a note in our suggestion box, or stop by LSA Office Hours and make sure your voice is heard.

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Talia Weseley is a second-year student at BC Law, and the incoming LSA President. Contact her at weseley@bc.edu.