What I Learned At Cooley Law School
During my 1L I learned far more about myself than I ever learned about law, and I am as surprised as I am pleased by this result. It turned out to be the tonic I needed for my troubled soul, and brought me to a point of exceptionally satisfying clarity.The delta between what I was expecting to accomplish vs. what I actually accomplished is akin to staring into a chasm between Heaven and Hell; the two points of my expectations are as opposite as opposite can get. Law school is Hell’s embassy in Heaven, or perhaps it’s Heaven’s embassy in Hell – I guess it’s all just a matter of perspective and how one relates to it.
It’s been written in books and blogs ad nauseam that law school is a unique experience that is unlike any other graduate or undergraduate level of education. Your friends, enemies and family members simply won’t understand what you are going through – to them it’s just “college” even though they’ve heard it’s a little harder, or different than undergrad. It seems one almost has to grasp Taoism given that law school is more akin to “the thing that can’t be named, and the name that can’t be known” before fully appreciating what this place, or experience, does to ones mind.
Grass is now greener than green, food tastes better even when it’s supposed to be bland, simple breathing is downright enjoyable, dogs are more intelligent than I ever realized, and I have a renewed interest in life while at the same time have managed to garner an even deeper cynicism about the legal profession in general. I suspect this is as it should be.
I hated law school. And I loved law school. And I hold both of these notions within me and I know they will never, ever, take leave of me. This experience, if you choose to go through it and come off the same rebel-block of clay that yours truly was cut from, you will never regret going while all along wishing you had done something else.
posted by majqa @ 2:10 PM
6 Comments:
I think I'm going to save this post & refer 1L's to it during their first semester!
Good luck on finals. I passed the MPRE so now that's one less exam I have to worry about.
Are you leaving law school?
No, but I am probably leaving *this* law school and going to a law school in California in January 2006. I am doing film school inbetween to stay in loan deferment and because it's 20 minutes from my house - and I can afford it.
The travel between Calizonia and Michigan, the hardship on my family as well as on my person, isn't worth staying at Cooley. Oddly enough, when I applied to Cooley I lived in a bordering state. By the time school started, we moved to the Southwest so my wife could take a decent job (economy in upper midwest is absolute crap). Ironic.
So - short answer is NO, but I am taking the scenic route to my JD.
Thanks grannylaw! You're the best. I'll look you up when I get back to Calizona.
I wish you all the best. I couldnt imagine traveling such a distance for school, with a family. Have a great summer, enjoy your wife and kids!
lawbrat
I am curious to know... Did you leave Cooley Law School because of the school itself or because of the other factors i.e. commuting, etc.?
Also, having experienced Cooley (overall environment,teaching styles, students, course load, etc.) would you have choosen to go there instead of waiting for another opportunity?
Thanks in advance.
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