When I entered KU Law, I got involved because I wanted an opportunity to showcase my talents and values. I immediately obtained information on all the clubs and activities offered on campus and joined a few that interested me. Did this increase my workload? Sure, but the knowledge I’ve gained and camaraderie among my peers has been rewarding.
Law school is not just a GPA, it’s an experience. Grades are crucial to what future employers look for, but they are not the only thing they look for. If this was the case, there would be no need for interviews. Getting involved in clubs and activities conveys to an employer that you are a team player, that you are able to be cohesive in a unit and successful at the same time. Clubs and activities give you the opportunity to apply your knowledge outside of the classroom. The skill of knowledge application is a critical piece of learning and what future employers are really looking for. Even more important, clubs and activities provide a needed break from scholastic strain. During orientation, so many speakers spoke of the need to find the proper balance for success. I interpret that as a warning against all work and no play. Activities teach the value of work-life balance.
Law school is a competitive beast. It takes a lot of hard work and discipline, but it can also be the greatest experience of your life. Let the clubs and activities become your creative outlet. When I get bogged down in a mountain of memo research and discovery projects, I relieve the stress by pursuing my passions. I pursue my passion for community service by helping coordinate the Black Law Students Association’s food drive, or my passion for litigation by helping defend parking violations in traffic court. Whatever your passion is, pursue it. Be the real you. Be the best you. Let your best qualities show through more than a four-hour final. Find a club that you are passionate about, and get to work.
— Kriston Guillot is a first-year law student from Shawnee, Kansas, and a KU Law Student Ambassador.