Start getting ready for your transition to law school right now. Exercising, eating nutritiously, and getting enough sleep are some of the very basics of surviving law school during your first year. I remember when I was a 1L, it was nothing for me to be up at 6:00 am, go to class at 9, study from 10-11, go to another class from 11-12, read while scarfing down a sandwich from 12-2, go to another class from 2-3, read in the library from 4-6, cruise home picking up fast food on the way, and finish up my studying for the day at 10:00 pm. The day flew by and before I could blink, it was gone. Law school is the root of my love for DVR.
It is not uncommon for a law student to put in a 12-hour day of non-stop, diligent studying. “Law school is taxing both on your mind and body.” Just remember that if you don’t take care of your body, there can be serious health and scholastic implications.
For example, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a theory on personality often applied in educational settings that explores the essential human needs in order of importance (and essentially the capitalization of learning capacity). The higher needs in this hierarchy only come into play if the lower needs are met. If the lower needs are deficient then a person will re-prioritize and focus attention on the unfulfilled needs. For the most part, physiological needs are obvious – they are literally the basic requirements for human survival. If these needs are not being met (with the exception of clothing and sex), the human body simply cannot continue to function. According to Maslow, to be a fully functioning person you must exist at the self-actualization level, and by meeting your needs at each level you are buiding the foundation to optimization of your mind, body, and soul. Ok ok ok, that’s enough of the psycho babble for one day, let’s talk about things you can do to get ready for your shift into law school.
- If you like to go for walks, don’t give them up when school starts. Keep a walking log to make sure that you keep up your routine. Trust me, when you get stressed sometimes you’ll just need to walk it off.
- Not only is stress extremely high in law school, but so is the occurrence of depression. Be mindful of the different ways to avoid depression during your first year.
- Gym memberships can be awfully expensive. If you’re low on cash, check out the exercise DVDs available for women and for men in the HR wellness collection. You can check these out for up to 30 days!
- Don’t go without health insurance. CharlotteLaw offers health insurance to all current students, for more information click here.
- Try to eat healthy. It’s hard, but well worth the effort. Here are some tips on eating healthy on a budget.
-Liz McCurry-
