mental health

Three Tips for Taking Care of Yourself (in Law School and in Life)

/ Zoe Arvanitis-Dalpe / Leave a comment

I’ve written a lot about making sure to take care of yourself. But some may not know how to do that, or may forget in the moments when it’s needed most.

When it feels like everything is on the line and your head and heart are pounding, it is easy to forget what a glass of water, a warm drink, a walk, or a hug from a friend can do. And even if none of those things fixes it, they may give you just enough relief to breathe, think clearly, and formulate a game plan.

So, without further ado, here are my go-tos for when life feels like a merry-go-round going full throttle (and also on fire).

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The Redline Realization: Finding My Footing in Big Law

/ Zoe Arvanitis-Dalpe / Leave a comment

I was asked to write about my summer at a law firm—specifically for incoming 1Ls who may have anxieties, questions, or simply have no idea what “Big Law” actually is.

I was in that last category.

Unfortunately, user experience may vary, so take mine with a grain of salt. I am enthusiastic, curious, and, at times, awkward. Your cool, calm, and collected nature may produce entirely different results for different people.

So, we’ll start there.

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So You’re an Incoming 1L? Here’s What to Expect, Month by Month

/ Zoe Arvanitis-Dalpe / Leave a comment

Hi, future 1Ls.

I hope you’re well, considering you’re only about a month away from starting law school.

Some of you are excited beyond measure, trying to consume every Reddit recommendation you can find. Some of you are stressed and already drafting warning notes to your loved ones about the person you’re about to become over the next three years.

Consider this my own warning note—one intended to level out both camps.

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Three Tips to Make Time for Yourself During School 

/ Alexandra Staller / Leave a comment

Now that the school year is over, I feel less guilty sharing all the things I do to entertain myself during the fall and spring semesters. Law school takes over our lives in ways we may not even recognize or feel, so giving yourself a break doing something you enjoy is so important. I hope one of my ideas will speak to you. Disclaimer: I would not recommend doing this in 1L unless you have amazing time management skills. 

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How to Become a Genius!

/ Staniel Brutis / Leave a comment

With the last set of exams of my law school career approaching, I recall overhearing a conversation by two students stating that they wish they were geniuses. I completely agree. It would be nice to have a mind that reads a fact pattern once and spots every issue instantly while simultaneously drafting a well written IRAC (preferably IRAHNC) argument. Who wouldn’t want to join the Order of Coif without breaking a sweat? If this thought has creeped into your mind while you are outlining at 2 AM, don’t worry. I’ve done the research into becoming a genius and put it into practice for both of us. The answer lies in a three-step process that requires isolation, introspection, and creation. 

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Boston’s Best Running Routes

/ Ian Hurley / Leave a comment

When it comes to running cities, Boston is one of the best you’ll find in the United States.  Most people know it for the Boston Marathon, which attracts thousands of celebrated marathoners from around the world every April, but what makes the city a regular runner’s dream is the fact that it has so many varied and lengthy running routes for everyone to enjoy, from the weekend warriors to the elite-level athletes. Over the past 18 months, I have tried to explore as many of these routes as the weather and my body’s limitations would allow. Having gained all that experience, I want to share my five favorites for any BC Law student—or anyone else who stumbles upon this post—to use as a guide for their own running adventures.

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Feeling Unproductive? Try Catching a Breath of Fresh Air!

/ Staniel Brutis / Leave a comment

During my 1L spring semester, an email advertising Academic Success Program Director Nina Farber’s Productivity Labs caught my attention. Thinking to myself, “who wouldn’t want to be more productive,” I filled out the sheet and awaited the results. Thankfully, I was accepted, and over the course of the next few weeks, I met once a week with Nina, alongside several other students, learning strategies catered towards studying, meditating, and test taking. One lesson of the program that has remained in my arsenal of tactics against unproductivity is breathing, particularly breathwork. 

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The Opportunity Cost of Early BigLaw Recruiting

/ Dave Sainte-Luce / Leave a comment

It’s your first semester of law school at BC Law. It’s been just a few weeks since orientation, and you’re trying to get your footing. Torts makes sense, because slapping someone is obviously a battery. Contracts feels manageable too; you think about your apartment lease, or your brother’s offer to buy you McDonald’s, to think through offer and acceptance. Law Practice is a bit frustrating because you’re expected to learn the Bluebook on the fly. And Civ Pro? You have no idea what’s going on there—but that’s a problem for later.

Meanwhile, you’re figuring out how to be a law student. Do you take notes like you did in undergrad, buy color-coded notebooks to handwrite in class, or type a near-transcript of everything your professor says? When do you start outlining—and what even is an outline? Will you sound stupid if you go to office hours to ask about Twombly? And then there’s the club fair. Should you apply to that 1L Representative position for the Law Student Association? Or for the Business Law Society? Both would look great on your resume. But not too many commitments so soon—you still need time to read your cases, pour hours into over-detailed briefs, and prepare for class. Maybe one club application and casual involvement in the others will be enough for now.

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