As soon as I heard rumors about states issuing stay-at-home orders, I jumped in my car and headed home to the DC area. On March 30, Governor Northam of Virginia issued an order mandating that people only leave their homes for food, medical care, and exercise until June 10.
The thought of spending over two more months in quarantine made me realize that I need to create a list of things to do while stuck at home. So, I’m sharing my ideas with you, Impact readers:
As our entire academic reality has shifted onto Zoom, fundraisers have begun to raise money on behalf of the Zoom School of Law which many thousands of law students now joke is where we all go to school.
And yet in some ways the world keeps turning, and that provides minor solace to those who crave a scheduled life. We press on, talking about final exams, registering for fall classes, and daydreaming about future plans.
In that scheduled rhythm, we find ourselves in LSA elections. ‘Tis the time of year where our peers campaign for our vote to lead us through the twists and turns of the next year of law school. It involves campaign promises, town hall style forums, and this year, a very stable internet connection.
Our current LSA president Tyler Hendricks had these wise words to share with us on why we should continue to care about this election cycle:
If you’ve been following the Impact Blog over the past few days, by now you have learned that classes have moved completely online and that BC Law has switched to a pass/fail grading system. Professors and students used last week to adjust to our new “normal,” but here is what I have learned so far.
Today, I am hosting a guest blog post by Robert Lydon, a first-year student at BC Law.
I cannot describe the relief I felt when I received the Dean’s email about the grading policy change. Relief because I would not have to choose between my family, my health, and my academic career. Relief because I now have the flexibility to be there for those who need me.
I am just one of the students the administration probably had in mind when they rendered this decision. As of last week, I’ve learned that my brother, father, and brother-in-law are now unemployed after construction was shut down in Boston. They are all concerned about how they are going to pay their bills. My mother is a disabled two-time cancer survivor, and I cannot express how dangerous this illness could be for her. Despite this, she continues to help care for my grandmother, who is recovering from a recent hip fracture and is also extremely vulnerable. I live at home with my parents and am worried about their health, economic well-being, and housing security. I am far from the only one in our community affected, nor am I the most adversely affected by this global upheaval.
The coronavirus has impacted life around the globe, and it’s now hit Boston College where we live: the University has moved to online learning for all classes and students are required to leave campus (unless you file for an exemption due to travel restrictions, serious personal reasons, or university obligations). Here’s the official BC announcement.
We’re not alone in this: as most of our readers already know, universities are shutting their doors around the country for weeks, or in some cases (as with BC) for the rest of the semester. It’s the right thing to do to try to limit the spread of the virus and keep people safe, but we’re going to miss our daily BC Law routines, professors, and friends!
That said, the Impact blog isn’t shutting down. So keep checking back for more posts from us on all sorts of subjects, including our recent spring break service trip experiences. We’re all still here (at least on a virtual basis), and ready to bring more content your way. Stay safe everyone!
In a recent article by the National Jurist titled “Hate Law School? You’re Not Alone,” a law school graduate delved into tips to avoid the abhorrence many feel for their programs. Citing the grading system, the unequal level of opportunity, and law students themselves, the author argued that few people actually like law school. She offered up some tips to help students who are feeling discouraged, even recommending that if all else fails and if they really hate it that much, students should drop out and save their money.
Reading this article, I couldn’t help but think of another solution—come to BC Law instead.
Happy Valentine’s Day! Beyond the brightly colored candies and vivid decor hung in honor of the holiday, Valentine’s Day is all about showing your love for the people and things that mean the most to you.
We decided to ask around about what students and faculty love most about BC Law. I’ve shared their responses below, and we’ll keep adding to this during the day. BC Law students, faculty and staff: share your own photos on social media with the hashtag #loveBCLaw!
I love BC Law because of the friends I’ve met and the memories we’ve made—both inside and outside the classroom. -Courtney Ruggeri ’21
I love BC Law Magazine. Stories about our wonderful students, faculty, alumni and community—what’s not to love? -Vicki Sanders
I love to see LLM students from all over the world, becoming friends thanks to BC Law! -Susan Simone Kang Pictured: Fangzheng Li and Jiaying Chen, China, Cristina Ullrich, Germany, Milena Cuadra, Costa Rica, Ankita Rath, India and Nadia Bouquet, France.
My favorite thing about BC Law is studying on the fourth floor of the library. It is very sunny and gets me through the long hours of assigned reading. -Ross Budryk ’22
What I love most about BC Law is how pretty campus is in the winter. Coming from Miami, I still get excited when I see the snow! -Stephen Millan ’22
BC has a special place in my heart since I am a Double Eagle. Spending so many years here has given me a heightened appreciation for the Law School and the community. -Jessica Loiacono ’22
I love my Criminal Law class this semester. It is entertaining and suits my interests well. -Charles Enberg ’22
I love Legal Grounds coffee shop. Stopping by for a soda, coffee, or snack is the perfect midday pick-me-up. -Maxwell Black ’22
This is a little odd, but one of the things I love most about BC Law is the lockers in the basement. After class everyone heads to the lockers to switch out their books and we all chat about class and life. -Devon Sanders ’22
Weirdly enough, my favorite thing about BC Law is the East Wing. Last semester our section had all of our classes there, so now it just feels like home! – Rekha Korlipara ’22
I love the architecture of campus. BC Law is truly the Hogwarts of law schools! – Athanasia Kouskoulas ‘22
The friendships I have made is are what I love most about BC Law. —Becky Powell ’22
My favorite thing about BC Law is that professors are always friendly and welcoming – my favorite is seeing Professor Bloom roam around on the 4th floor of the library, stopping by our tables to say hi! -Selin Altintas ’22
Law Admissions Team after releasing 300 decisions #loveBCLaw #IamBCLaw #guesswholovesyoumore #watchout2023
I love that BC Law has given me the opportunity to live abroad and make even more new friends in my 3L year. The Dublin Semester in Practice has allowed me to immerse myself in a new culture while doing a deep dive into Irish immigration law. I could not think of a better way to finish the best three years! -Audrey McQuade (Pictured in the photo (in Dublin!) from left to right: Audrey McQuade, 2020 Nicole Chelkowski, 2021 Madeleine Gearan, 2020)
I love that the students enjoyed Harvest Desserts, aka Pie Day! – Theresa Kachmar
I’m sure I’m not alone in loving Dorothy Commons in our Career Services Office! -Heather Hayes
What I love about BC Law: one of my favorite people in the world, Pat Parlon! -Dean Rougeau
Not everyone has the same journey to law school. In this week’s blog post, hear from LLM student Veronica Mulino about her family’s journey to Boston, and the various hurdles they faced after making the decision to come to the US for school.
My journey in Boston College began in Fall 2018. I was in Boston visiting for the holidays with my family. The last day of our trip, we decided to visit the BC Campus to gather some information on the LLM program for me and my husband.
We arrived at the Law School without any notice or a scheduled appointment, but we were welcomed with open arms by the Office of International Programs. We did a tour of the Law School and then discussed the program details and application. After a day of visiting, BC Law felt just like home. But I knew the process of applying to the program and actually attending was going to present difficulties for us, and at the time it seemed almost impossible. And yet, without knowing what the future was going to hold, my husband and I sent in our applications and were admitted. We were excited, but also worried: making the decision to move to another country together with a one-year old daughter seemed like a major challenge, with many obstacles to overcome.
“Wow, this is it,” I thought to myself as I stepped into the Law School for the first time since winter break. “My last semester as a student.” It’s true: I’m nearing the end of peaceful early morning library sessions, cold call induced anxiety, nights out with ambitious peers, and possibly the end of my time in Boston.
I’m looking forward to a new chapter of personal growth as a “real” adult, but before I move on I want to make the most of my remaining moments at BC Law. With this in mind, I put together a bucket list for my race to the finish line.
BC Law: Impact 