"What I Wish I Knew In Law School": Q & A with 3Ls Seth Oxborrow and Jessica Tyler
As you conclude your three years here, what do you wish you would have known before starting law school?
Seth Oxborrow
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“I never knew how much law school would change me. Before law school, you hear about how people think differently when they finish law school; they're more focused or more critical. Law school gives you much more than that though. Law school changes the way you approach problems in your life, the way to interact with other people, and the way you relax. It's all a change for the better too. I just never knew that the version of myself leaving law school would be better and so different than the one that attended classes that very first day.”
Jessica Tyler |
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"I wish I would have known how willing the faculty and staff are to help their students succeed, whether it is in class, in externships, or in finding a job after law school. Do not be afraid of them. Get to know them. Knock on their doors and ask for help. They can be a great resource."
How did you make the most of your law school experience?
Seth Oxborrow
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“I believe in a balance. Professors, students and administrators talk about that a lot, but applying it can be really hard, especially when you're ambitious. I decided early on what it was that I valued from my law school experience and chose to participate in only those activities that would resonate with those values. Based on this perspective, I decided to only participate in a few co-curricular activities and a few extra-curricular activities. By narrowing my involvement, I was able to get more out of my schooling, my social life, and my law school participation. Thankfully, because of this balancing of priorities, I was able to navigate the often stressful, over-active, and incredibly fun experience that is law school.”
Jessica Tyler
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"I think I made the most of my law school experience by not letting law school take over my life. During the school year, I still read and studied and went to class. I participated in clubs. I worked as a law clerk 10 hours a week. I was an editor and then the Editor-in-Chief of a law journal. But I also made sure I had other things to do outside of law school. I spent time with my husband and we had our first child. We traveled around the U.S. and France. We bought and remodeled a house. I served as the Young Women's president of my ward. All of those things helped me keep a great perspective and remember that outside of law school, I am still loved and valued. It can be easy to lose yourself in the competition and stress of law school. But I can honestly say I enjoyed my law school experience, and that is because I had things outside of law school to keep me grounded."
What advice do you have for incoming law students?
“In my time mentoring 1L's, I've come to believe that the idea of balance
Seth Oxborrow
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is one of the best they can espouse. Balance teaches them to consider what needs they have and use their time wisely to fulfill those needs, whether those needs require them to spend more time at school or more time with family. Also, I counsel those 1L's I mentor that law school is about learning and growing as a person, not about getting the best grades. If 1L's would come into school knowing that they can find actualization within themselves, instead of in the praise of others, they will be better prepared for the competitive nature of law school and they will be happier.”
Jessica Tyler
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"The best advice I received before beginning law school was to treat it like a job. Get to school early, study and go to class, and then go home around 5 or 6. My advice to incoming 1L's is to not study on Sundays. It is important to have one day out of the week to not think about school, but to focus on your family, renew your spirit, and simply relax and refresh. It will keep you from getting burned out, and remind you about what is most important in life. I am happy to say that I have made it my entire law school career without once studying on Sunday. And I believe it made a huge difference in my life."
Posted:April 18, 2012
