When I arrived at BC, I thought I had a clear idea of what my first year would demand: a ton of reading, writing and studying. What I didn’t expect was how much 1L would reshape not just how I think, but how I understand uncertainty, failure, and growth.
Continue readingfirst year
How 2L Year Mirrored My 5k Training
I learned a lot running the BC Law 5k last spring. I learned a lot during my 1L year. What I did not expect was how my 2L year and my ongoing 5k training would mirror each other. Last year, I simply celebrated finishing the 5k. Everyone tells you “you just need to finish 1L.” 2L is a new task. Not just finish, but improve and develop.
Continue readingA Q&A With BC Law Admissions
Today’s post is a collaborative effort between me and Kamil Brown, the Director of Admissions and Financial Aid. With Admitted Students Day behind us and another cycle slowly winding down, I sat down with Kamil to discuss some questions regarding Admissions, especially with how competitive this cycle has been. I also reflected on my own experiences during my cycle during 2023-24.
Continue readingCindoughrella and the 1L Survival Strategy
At the beginning of this semester, right around the time reading assignments started multiplying and summer job interviews were happening almost every day, I made a somewhat questionable decision.
I decided to start a sourdough starter.
Continue readingFrom Duels to Gorillas: Weirdest Laws of Massachusetts
As a state with one of the longest and most storied histories in our country, Massachusetts is no stranger to quirky and arcane laws. These laws may derive from Puritan norms of the 17th century or may come from more recent irrational worries. While I found myself extremely disappointed that some of these are more urban legends than past or present reality, I will be running through a few of my favorites regardless of their origin.
Continue readingWhen 1L Fall Finals Don’t Go As Planned
There’s a version of your first 1L finals season that exists in your head: You wake up early. You review your attack outlines one last time. You calmly sip coffee. You walk into the exam room steady, composed, and frighteningly well-prepared. And then there’s real life.
Continue readingWhy You Should Take Classes Outside of Your Comfort Zone
“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” — Maya Angelou
Gaining control of your class schedule is one of the most exciting aspects of leaving 1L behind and moving forward in your law school journey. Aside from the anxiety it induces as everyone gathers around tables in the yellow room or library to sign up for classes at the exact time that the registration window opens, the chance to pick all your courses is one of the most fun parts of law school. But not enough people take full advantage of this freedom. I understand the temptation to use your future career path as a guide for course selection. Yet more students should utilize their time in school to explore various areas of the law. Studying at Boston College Law School means we have access to some of the sharpest and most thoughtful legal minds across a wide variety of subjects. Take advantage of that bounty of intellectual acumen while you can. Doing so will make us all better lawyers and students, and, more importantly, more well-rounded people, regardless of our future professional track.
Continue readingFive Key Tips for the Transition From 1L 1st to 2nd Semester
Happy (belated) new year everyone! While it may be cold and stagnant outside, there is a lot of change going on at the school right now. I remember my second semester of first year and it was a messy start. I have some tips for the first few weeks back from winter break.
Continue readingA Tale of Two Newtons: Life as a Freshman and Law Student
Before I ever stepped foot onto the grounds of Boston College, I learned that I would be living on the Newton campus my freshman year.
I did not think much of it at first, but as I descended the hill to Duchesne Hall for the first time, I prepared myself for an entire year of living in the lowest place on campus, both figuratively and literally. Although I had some challenges adjusting to my new living situation, I came to love Newton campus and defend it against anybody willing to talk poorly about it. I met some of my best friends in Duchesne and on the Newton bus, and I would not trade those experiences for anything. Only on Newton campus will you see people being hurled down a hill of snow and ice in a trash can and call it “sledding.” Only on Newton campus will freshmen buy BC Law sweatshirts to try to study in the Law Library.
Continue readingFour Tips for Navigating Grade Disappointment
Once again I am directly addressing the 1L class, and also airing out my dirty laundry. Everything I write below—like all my Impact posts—is what I wish someone could have told me before coming to school. As always, all opinions and experiences are my own, as I can only speak to what I endured during my 1L year.
“Endure” will be the theme here. It’s a strong word I typically find only in my romantasy books. Merriam-Webster tells us it means “to remain firm under suffering or misfortune without yielding.” Very dramatic. But to say a student endures his or her 1L year does not fail to satisfy Merriam-Webster’s definition. Some of you may feel like you’re hanging by a thread, trying to go through the motions of law school one day at a time. You are enduring.
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BC Law: Impact 