The Social Struggle
Juli Bongiorno
Issue date: 10/20/09 Section: Features
How do people maintain a social life in law school? Now that I've been a law student for two months, I'd prefer to call it a social struggle. There is just no life.
In undergrad I consistently spent the wee hours of the morning romping around with my friends. Walking home at 3 a.m. in 5 degree weather had me convinced I was a champ.
Anticipating the rigors of law school, I knew my days of romping would be over, but I had no clue what the real reason would be. I had always envisioned law students plodding through endless mounds of work. This has come to fruition. But my big misstep was assuming that on the nights I had free time I would be like an animal ready to be let out of her cage.
Currently I resemble one of those zoo animals that lays in the shade, belly up. There is not an ounce of me thats wants to do anything but lay there. Maybe I'd roll over for a snack. If someone cooked it for me.
The pure exhaustion hit me fast. Needless to say by day three I had a new best friend: caffeine. I've since learned that sometimes even three cups can't keep me alert. Caffeine can really only get you so far. It may keep you awake, but it certainly does not make you want to go do something that expels more energy. And when you spend your days at a desk, just about anything expels more energy than studying.
At the time I thought I would get used to it, so I wasn't worried when the first month passed and I had seen my pre- law school friends once. I figured I'd settle in and get back to my usual energizer bunny lifestyle. Perhaps I should have made the connection. If I have an endless amount of work, why wouldn't I be tired?
These days my social life consists of gchat while watching the food network. I'm so tired I never even cook the recipes that I tab online. Every weekend I promise myself I will go out and do something. It never seems to happen.
This weekend's goal was the crime and punishment museum. I didn't even make it to the Harris Teeter four blocks from my apartment. My big adventure of the month was going home to Vermont. While I did make it out with some friends, I was begging them to go home at 1 a.m. I had to take a nap the next day. What have I become?
In undergrad I consistently spent the wee hours of the morning romping around with my friends. Walking home at 3 a.m. in 5 degree weather had me convinced I was a champ.
Anticipating the rigors of law school, I knew my days of romping would be over, but I had no clue what the real reason would be. I had always envisioned law students plodding through endless mounds of work. This has come to fruition. But my big misstep was assuming that on the nights I had free time I would be like an animal ready to be let out of her cage.
Currently I resemble one of those zoo animals that lays in the shade, belly up. There is not an ounce of me thats wants to do anything but lay there. Maybe I'd roll over for a snack. If someone cooked it for me.
The pure exhaustion hit me fast. Needless to say by day three I had a new best friend: caffeine. I've since learned that sometimes even three cups can't keep me alert. Caffeine can really only get you so far. It may keep you awake, but it certainly does not make you want to go do something that expels more energy. And when you spend your days at a desk, just about anything expels more energy than studying.
At the time I thought I would get used to it, so I wasn't worried when the first month passed and I had seen my pre- law school friends once. I figured I'd settle in and get back to my usual energizer bunny lifestyle. Perhaps I should have made the connection. If I have an endless amount of work, why wouldn't I be tired?
These days my social life consists of gchat while watching the food network. I'm so tired I never even cook the recipes that I tab online. Every weekend I promise myself I will go out and do something. It never seems to happen.
This weekend's goal was the crime and punishment museum. I didn't even make it to the Harris Teeter four blocks from my apartment. My big adventure of the month was going home to Vermont. While I did make it out with some friends, I was begging them to go home at 1 a.m. I had to take a nap the next day. What have I become?
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