My Thank You Letter to BC Law: Looking Back On The Past Three Years

It was about three years ago now that I was making my decision as to where to attend law school. It was a tough decision for me, as I am sure it is for most people. Even though I knew which school was the best fit for me, I was stressed out about turning down bigger scholarships elsewhere. Every time I went to send in my deposit, I started to second guess my decision.

It is a very personal decision to choose where you’ll spend the next few years of your life. Looking back now, I feel so grateful that I chose Boston College, and I feel lucky to have a mother like mine, who encouraged me to go with my gut in choosing BC. Last week I finished up my academic career here, and I am already starting to feel nostalgic for the community of friends and mentors I have found at Boston College Law School. Here, more than anywhere else, I have found a school where professors keep in touch with their former students, where administrators go out of their way to share opportunities with students, and where the group of classmates you find end up feeling like family after three years of going through life’s ups and downs together.

The first, and most important group, that deserves thanks is the BC Law student body. I made my first, and closest friends in Section 3, but as the years progressed I have gotten to know an amazingly diverse, passionate, friendly group of my classmates. These people have studied with me during exams, passed along their carefully formatted outlines, and accompanied me on all sorts of misadventures over the past three years. Especially when I compare my experience to those of my friends at other schools, I feel so fortunate to have found such a stellar group of people to spend the past three years with. On a broader scale, our student government, the Public Interest Law Foundation, and the myriad affinity groups here at BC have truly excelled at making Boston College a welcoming, fun, and engaging place to be a student.

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Things I Wish I Knew, Vol. 7: End senior year on a high note

Dear College Seniors,

Congratulations! The finish line is in sight, you’ve picked up your cap and gown, you’ve probably scheduled or already taken your graduation photos, and all that’s left between you and summer is a bunch of finals. Now, If you’re anything like me, the second you got into BC, the greatest law school on Earth, you were pretty much done with undergrad. At least mentally.

I mean, think about it. As you stand right now, many of you have been going to school non-stop for the past 17 years (and probably even a couple summers here or there, too). You’re tired, and rightly so. You’ve done what you need to do, and likely, your GPA for graduation has already been calculated. What is it going to hurt if you just skate through finals and do the bare minimum?

Well, as it turns out, potentially a lot.

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If You’re Reading This You Should Commit to Boston College Law School

Editor’s Note: Nirav Bhatt is the incoming President of the Boston College Law Students Association. Much like his predecessor, Nirav embodies the very best qualities that BC Law students have to offer. As his classmate, LSA colleague, and intramural basketball teammate, I can personally attest to the ways he pushes those around him to better both themselves and the BC community as a whole. In keeping with the Drake theme of this post’s title, he is and has been Steph Curry with the shot in all conceivable situations. Without further ado or musical references, I am very pleased to present… 

If You’re Reading This You Should Commit to Boston College Law School

by Nirav Bhatt, President, Boston College Law Students Association 2015-16

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A Letter to the Class of 2018 from the President of BC’s LSA

Editor’s Note: One of my very favorite parts of attending BC Law is the constant interaction with classmates who push you to be better. They motivate you to set goals that would have seemed unthinkable on the first day of 1L year, and inspire you to exceed even those heightened aspirations. Although she would never admit it herself, Lainey Sullivan is the living, breathing embodiment of this type of BC student. I reached out to Lainey and asked if she had the time to write a brief welcome letter to next year’s incoming students, and what she sent back blew me away. Per usual. Without further ado, I am very pleased to present…

Why I Will Miss BC Law and Why You Shouldn’t Miss the Chance to Be an Eagle

By Lainey Sullivan, President, Boston College Law Students Association

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Things I Wish I Knew, Vol. 6: The Car (or No Car) Chronicles (Part 2)

Happy April, everyone! This is a continuation of last week’s post (check it out here!) on the question I get most frequently from students about what it’s like having (or not having) a car in Boston.

While I do have a car, I find that (whenever possible) it’s much more convenient to take public transportation. So much like last week, I’ll tell you what my experience has been in not using a car to get around.

PROS OF NOT HAVING A CAR

– You will never have to dig out your car or worry about parkingEnough said. 

Me and my ladies getting ready for Law Prom right before we took an Uber there.

Me and my ladies getting ready for Law Prom right before we took an Uber there.

– Going out is much easierLaw school is about having fun too, and not having a car or having to drive means you don’t have to worry about getting home safely from things like Law Prom.

– You’ll develop a knowledge of the MBTA that your friends will both fear and loveIt’s amazing to me how many students with cars don’t know how to get around without them. You will be their guide and guru, showing them the wonders of a whole new world.

– No car means no gas moneyOr car payments. Or insurance payments. Which means more money in your pocket to spend on things you actually enjoy.

– You learn to budget your time betterI have friends who live in Back Bay who get more done on their commute than I get done all day. Plus, because they don’t have a car, they’re always conscious of getting places on time. They know how to make their time count because they know that the ride home will either be a long one, or a generous offer from a friend.

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BC Law Life: The Public Interest Law Foundation Auction (or, How to Get Paid for Doing Public Interest Work)

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BC students and faculty bid on items at the annual Public Interest Law Foundation Auction on March 27, 2015.

As someone who knew they wanted to do public interest work, one of my biggest concerns coming into law school was how I was going to fund my summers. Public interest summer internships almost never pay, and particularly if you’re looking to work outside of Boston, the prospect of having no income and potentially paying two rents can be really daunting.

Thankfully, for students at BC Law, there’s an on-campus solution: getting funding from the Public Interest Law Foundation (or PILF). Continue reading

Things I Wish I Knew, Vol. 5: The Car (or No Car) Chronicles (Part 1)

Happy Monday and welcome to this week’s edition of TIWIK! This is the first part of my two part post on the question I get asked most often by prospective students: “Should I bring my car?”

Real talk: driving in Boston is less than ideal. But the thing no one told me was that having a car in Boston is a zero-sum game. Everyone wins and loses on this point, whether you have a car or not. Either way, you will survive, and I can promise you that you will find a way to be both happy and grouchy about it.

My mom and I on our road trip to Boston with my entire life in the backseat

My mom and me on our road trip to Boston with my entire life in the backseat

I brought my car because I drove to Boston from Florida with all my worldly possessions stuffed in the trunk. But for all the prospective students out there who have a choice to make come this fall, here’s my experience:

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