Our first public outing
Contrary to popular belief, it's possible to keep (most of) your successes and failures private in law school. All you have to do is keep your mouth shut, because once you open it, no matter how much in confidence, it will get into the stream of gossip 95% of the time.
The time you can’t keep it private is when it is posted in the lobby of the school. A list of those who made it to the second round of moot court was publicly displayed and it led to an array of awkward behavior. Those who made it had to temper their responses as much as those who didn’t. For example, jumping up and down in joy, or dropping to your knees and kissing the floor would not be taken very well, nor would banging your head against the fedex box with tears and snot oozing down your face. I heard some, “I can’t believe X, Y and Z made it,” as well as the reverse, “I can’t believe X, Y and Z didn’t make it.” There were some “ugh, it’s because my brief grade was low since my teacher is an idiot,” as well as “the only reason I made it is because I got a good grade on my brief.” And while some may have tried to avoid the conversation altogether, it was impossible, since others were at the ready with their congratulations, or regrets.
It’s really the first time we’ve had to deal with knowing everyone's buisness in black and white. If I come out of this first year with anything useful, it'll be a tough skin. Or a raging inferiority complex that'll drive me to work harder.
The time you can’t keep it private is when it is posted in the lobby of the school. A list of those who made it to the second round of moot court was publicly displayed and it led to an array of awkward behavior. Those who made it had to temper their responses as much as those who didn’t. For example, jumping up and down in joy, or dropping to your knees and kissing the floor would not be taken very well, nor would banging your head against the fedex box with tears and snot oozing down your face. I heard some, “I can’t believe X, Y and Z made it,” as well as the reverse, “I can’t believe X, Y and Z didn’t make it.” There were some “ugh, it’s because my brief grade was low since my teacher is an idiot,” as well as “the only reason I made it is because I got a good grade on my brief.” And while some may have tried to avoid the conversation altogether, it was impossible, since others were at the ready with their congratulations, or regrets.
It’s really the first time we’ve had to deal with knowing everyone's buisness in black and white. If I come out of this first year with anything useful, it'll be a tough skin. Or a raging inferiority complex that'll drive me to work harder.
posted by Lucy, Lady Duff-Gordon at 11:35 AM
1 Comments:
Unsolicited advice from a BLS 2L - You should get ready for a very intense season of very public filtering. It's quick and brutal - like the selection process of an "open casting" session of American Idol.
First there are 1st rounds of Moot Court; then 2nd rounds; then the writing competition with the attendant invitations to join the journals; after finals this year, there's your class rankings (which are anonymous but everyone gets a sense of where everyone else is, plus or minus 10%); who has gotten a CALI Award (the #1 student in each academic class, i.e., torts, property, legal writing, etc...); then, the size of summber employment compensation package. . .
By next August, you'll also be talking about who has transfered to to NYU and who has dropped out to become a social worker.
So, here's the unsolicited advice -the RAP usually only involves 5% of your property grade, Moot Court people don't have time to drink at bars (they keep a bottle of gin in the towel closet), and Journal people have bad skin & frizzy hair. And, when you graduate & get a job, everyone will see what kind of car you drive and where your business suits come from, so it's best to develop that thick skin early.
BTW, I just surfed by your blawg by chance and am absolutely amazed. A collaborative by a bunch of 1Ls on Joralemon Street. . . Awesome.
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