First-year law students Cody Wood, left, and Ethan Brown
When I started law school, I thought that I had things pretty well figured out. I mean, I had survived for more than four years on my own in undergrad, and that had worked out for me.
Not so, my friends, not so.
Things are different here. Classes are (basically) in a whole new language. I’m surrounded by incredibly brilliant people (I think we can all agree that this is not the norm for undergrad campuses). Even my shopping trips in law school are quite different from how they were in undergrad. Back in the day, I’d saunter in to Walmart (around 1 a.m., of course), grab a cart, and begin my long, aimless meander through the store. I never had a specific, pre-determined list. I might have one or two things in mind, but for the most part my inner-dialogue while shopping went something like this:
Did I need shampoo or body wash? Eh, I’ll just get a combo and call it good.
Aw, heck yeah, pizza rolls are on sale! I can fit 17 bags in the freezer, right?
I should buy some fruit or vegetables or something. How do you tell if an avocado is ripe? I guess I’ll just try a few.
I think you get the idea. By the end of the trip, I probably couldn’t even tell you why I had half the stuff in my cart, let alone what I had originally come to the store for. Probably for the better, my law school shopping trips have come a long way. They are direct and pointed missions. I move through the aisles like a cat on the hunt (maybe more like a dog … a big dog. I’ve never been very graceful, and I tend to bump into things a lot).
To save you the trouble of learning as I had to, I’ve compiled the essential shopping list of a first-year KU Law student. You, too, can have efficient shopping trips during which you don’t forget any of the essentials. I would recommend adapting as needed to fit your circumstances, but I feel that this should cover a wide range:
New coffee maker
That one-cup-at-a-time Keurig just isn’t going to cut it anymore. Sorry. I recommend going for capacity here, rather than features. Really, something industrial might be best.
New shoes
Oh, you’ll have the best of intentions. You’ll tell yourself that you’ll wake up early enough every morning to get one of the coveted parking spots close to the building, but it won’t last long. When you eventually give in to making the trek up the hill from the far lot, you’re going to want something comfortable.
Ingredients for that fancy recipe you’ve been wanting to try
It’s your turn to host the “family dinner” that your small section has every weekend. These people really have become your support system/life lines/best friends, and you’d like to impress them. You’re thinking something that has asparagus in it. That’s always popular.
Dinner rolls and whichever wine is on sale
Because, let’s face it, there’s a very real chance that the aforementioned recipe won’t work out. It’s great that you’re trying new things, but it’s still good to be prepared.
Flu shot
Just give in. Your mom has been bugging you about this one for a couple of weeks now, and she has a point. Being sick is the last thing you want on your plate when trying to study for finals. Besides, you really need that 20-cent-per-gallon gas discount that they’re giving to anyone who gets the shot.
Ear plugs
For some reason, you decided it would be a great idea to live with your best friend, a music major. You have no complaints about his personal hygiene, which is great, but his practicing isn’t always conducive to your studying. I’d skip the little disposable foam earplugs and go for something sturdier. Maybe something that guarantees maximum sound blockage. He’s not just any music major, you know … he’s an opera major.
Potted plant
Spruce up that study carrel! Make it yours! The touch of life provided by something as simple as a plant will make your hours in the library much more comfortable. And, if it turns out that maybe you aren’t completely ready to be responsible for another living thing, you won’t feel as bad as you would if you’d gotten a goldfish.
Cookies
On second thought, skip the cookies. You go to KU Law now. That means you live in a town where you can have cookies delivered right to you, day or night. (Yes, it’s a very real thing. I wouldn’t lie to you about cookies.)
KU gear
Whether you’re an out-of-stater like me or you grew up in Kansas, you’re a Jayhawk now! Rejoice! As a KU Law student, you are part of a great community in a great town, and that is something that you’ll want to show off!
OK, so maybe this list is a little too specific. All joking aside, law school will be a very different experience, no matter your circumstances. There will be challenges, and your life WILL change. The important thing is to adapt and go with it. Hang in there and have faith, my friends. If I can do it, anyone can. Just ask my (very much still living) carrel plant.
— Ethan Brown is a first-year law student from Dallas and a KU Law Student Ambassador.