I recently had my last day of class in Advanced Litigation, taught by Professor Meredith Schnug. At the end of class, Professor Schnug asked us to talk about one piece of advice we had for ourselves and others that we learned throughout our time at law school. In answering Professor Schnug’s question, I realized that, amidst everything I learned, three things in particular stuck out to me from each year of my time at KU Law. 

1L Year: Remember your North Star

1L year is a time that is full of change and transition. It involves moving to a new place, meeting lots of new people and substantially changing how you live your life. This change can be difficult to handle and process. On top of all these changes, you are learning a lot of new subjects. Some of them I loved, like constitutional law and criminal law, and other subjects were not for me, like property law or contract law.

The best way to get through the tough times during 1L year (and enjoy the good times) is to remember why you came to law school. I’ve heard people talking about their reason for coming to law school as their “North Star,” a guiding principle that they can look up to whenever they need a reminder of why they are doing such a challenging task. Reminding yourself of why you came to law school helps keep you grounded in positivity. To paraphrase Nietzsche, anyone who has a “why” can bear almost any “how.” 

2L Year: Do the work

“Do the work” might sound like an obvious maxim. Of course, you have to do the work required of you in class and in life to succeed. But the phrase “do the work” that I learned in my 2L year goes beyond that simple principle.

“Do the work” is one of the mottos of Professor Adam Sokoloff. I took his trial advocacy class in my 2L year, where I learned exactly what “do the work” means. It means being diligent and thorough. Doing the work required for law school and beyond isn’t just doing the minimum; it involves doing everything that needs to be done. It also is about preparation. To succeed in a trial, or in law school, you need to prepare fully. If you haven’t done so, there is a high likelihood of a bad outcome for you or your client. Lastly, “do the work” also encompasses the mental state required in law school and as an attorney. You need to be willing to “do the work” necessary to succeed. 

While it is just three simple words, “do the work” encapsulates the zenith of my learning during my 2L year. It is a reminder to do the best job you can, so that you can enjoy the fruits of your work. 

3L Year: Enjoy it!

Law School goes by so fast. It feels like yesterday I was just starting out as a 1L, and now I will be graduating at the end of the academic year.

There are so many things that happen during 3L that can seem so pressing or important that they take you out of simply enjoying being in law school. For me, that was worrying about getting a job after I graduated. But I should not have worried. The Career Services Office is amazing. Stacey Blakeman, Brett Sitts and Adam Moore are all incredible and helped me and my peers get post-graduate employment. And as the last few weeks of law school come to a close, I find myself not thinking of the time I spent worrying about getting a job but of all the amazing experiences I had during law school.

While there is a plethora of moving parts during 3L year, it is also the last chance to truly enjoy the good things about being a law student — so take advantage of it and enjoy the last year of law school!

Law school is a difficult yet amazing time. It’s full of learning, challenges and personal growth. I learned far more than these three things, but they are some of the most important and impactful lessons from law school that I will carry with me into the future.

– Alex Nelson is a 3L KU Law Student Ambassador from Stillwater, Minnesota