1L Housing Question Forum

[Fiero85]

0L here, currently living and going to UG in the same city as I will be attending law school in Fall 2014.

I am trying to decide where to live for 1L. I currently live about 15-20 mins away from the law school in an awesome apartment with 4 of my closest college friends. They will still be around next year because I am graduating UG early and they will all be seniors next year. This place really is cool (hard to describe, but it previously served as an alumni club/ball room, so it's an incredible space with a great view) and is relatively cheap (my share is in the 650/month range).

Am I crazy to think I'll be fine living there during 1L? I know this is a personal inventory type of question, but I'd love to hear from law students who may have went through a similar situation.

My other options are to move closer to the law school and live in a smaller apartment with one other friend who will be graduating UG this coming December (then working) or to move back to my parents' house.

The pros of option #2 would be that I would live closer to the law school campus, and be marginally less distracted. Cons: more expensive for the space, and I've really struggled to find one I like yet. Also, I've moved 3 times in the last year so I'd like to avoid that again if possible.

My parents' house would obviously be the least distracting and cheapest, but also boring and the farthest away (30-40 mins). I would like to live near campus first year if only to make more law school friends and spend less time on the road daily. I plan on moving back home for 2L and/or 3L years if necessary to save money (if I fall on my face with my grades or just feel like saving for a house/wedding). Option #3 isn't very compelling to me for 1L, but I figured I'd put it on there for the sake of thoroughness. Vote that way if you feel really strongly about it.

My current roommates are great guys, who will respect my 1L schedule (for real, not just saying that lol). Two of them are athletes with busy schedules, one has pre-med probz and is studying all the time, the other one works 20+ hrs during the semester and travels for work occasionally. My point is that they won't be dragging me down or peer pressuring me 95% or more of the time. Just thought I'd cover that. I have gotten straight A's while living here so far (UG is easy though, I know ) so I think I'll be just fine. But let me know what you think, and I'll definitely reconsider if this sounds like a bad idea to the TLS crowd.

Edit: The location is St. Louis if that helps any locals advise me better. Option #1 is in midtown by SLU, Option #2 would be close to WUSTL, and Option #3 is in South County.

Also I apologize if this is the wrong forum, but I think this falls under "ask a law student" right?

Thanks for reading and feedback!

[sublime]

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[Fiero85]

You also have a serious gf, right? How much do you like to party/want to go to bar reviews and happy hours?

Correct, I have a serious gf at a local UG. She marginally prefers me getting a smaller place closer to her school (West County STL), but doesn't feel strongly about it.

All things being equal, I very much want to attend Bar Reviews/Happy Hrs. I like to party during appropriate parts of the semester

[BigZuck]

Full disclosure- I'm married and lame so YMMV. But I think it's good to keep a healthy distance from law school. If staying with your current bros will help you maintain a life outside of law school (and by that I mean keep you away from the drama and the stress) then just stick with that. You can still go to bar review when you feel like it.

[Fiero85]

Full disclosure- I'm married and lame so YMMV. But I think it's good to keep a healthy distance from law school. If staying with your current bros will help you maintain a life outside of law school (and by that I mean keep you away from the drama and the stress) then just stick with that. You can still go to bar review when you feel like it.

Yeah that's what I'm thinking too. Thank you.

[DoveBodyWash]

I think you'd be okay staying at your current apt.

But here's my two cents:

Yes it's definitely important to maintain some semblance of a life outside of law school for your own sanity. But if i had to pick between having "too much" law school versus "not enough" law school in my life, i'd pick the former as a 1L.

It doesn't sound like you'd get too caught up in the drama since you presumably won't be going around banging classmates after bar reviews and such. But I want to stress how important it is to maintain focus as a 1L. Having roommates who are also taking 1L classes with you (maybe with the same profs) can be really helpful. You always have someone you can talk to about the law or exams or about classes. You can keep each other accountable. And most importantly, I noticed that the students with strong former ties to St. Louis generally don't have an incentive to develop relationships with their new peers (especially with 2Ls and 3Ls). Having a network within school is important...it's a support structure from which you can gain resources and coaching etc...

Your avatar is Marshall so I"m just assuming you watch HIMYM. Do not be Marshall Eriksen. Basically Eriksen's life was basically 99% non-law-related-shit and 1% law school. You barely see him studying with classmates or doing anything school-related. That can't be you. Law school shouldn't be an afterthought. It's not just about the classroom. Having a strong network of friends and coaches is just as essential to doing well. I opened my commercial outline for contracts less than 5 times. I asked my coaches and classmates for contracts help more than 50 times.

Ultimately having your own life outside of law school is fine and is probably healthy. But make sure it doesn't prohibit or prevent you from investing and interacting with your classmates. It will probably feel like you're neglecting your UG friends at some point. Don't stop. 1L (especially the first semester) is too important to stress yourself about balancing your time between law school and your other life. Go all in.

[sublime]

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[DoveBodyWash]

lol yeah i mean i wouldn't say to completely abandon your friends or anything. I just wanted to stress that there are benefits to be enjoyed from being more immersed in law school.

Whatever you decide, just make sure to make school the priority.

[Fiero85]

Haha that imagery hit home, Cuse.

I think I'll have to make extra efforts to maintain law school friendships to compensate for living in my same UG environment, if I do go that route. It seems like having a study group and goin to the law school events would do the trick? Any other ideas?

Like I said I'm leaning towards staying, but take making the most of law school academically and professionally very seriously, so I'm glad you chimed in.

[Fiero85]

Ultimately having your own life outside of law school is fine and is probably healthy. But make sure it doesn't prohibit or prevent you from investing and interacting with your classmates. It will probably feel like you're neglecting your UG friends at some point. Don't stop. 1L (especially the first semester) is too important to stress yourself about balancing your time between law school and your other life. Go all in.

I think this is the best part and really helpful to me specifically. Thank you.

[hephaestus]

Full disclosure- I'm married and lame so YMMV. But I think it's good to keep a healthy distance from law school. If staying with your current bros will help you maintain a life outside of law school (and by that I mean keep you away from the drama and the stress) then just stick with that. You can still go to bar review when you feel like it.

I totally agree with this. Spending time with people outside the law school was very helpful during 1L.

[Birdnals]

So I was basically in exactly your place when I started my first year (options of living with UG friends by SLU (tower grove), living by law school, or living with parents in South County) so here are my 2 cents.

The best option, IMO, is living in your current place. It is close enough to the law school that commute won't be a problem and living with non-law kids is seriously the best. I get along great with my classmates, but during finals time and such it is awesome to have a place away from all the stress and to talk about things that aren't in any way related to law school.

When you go out, you and all the law school friends will talk about law school shit. When you are at school, you are talking about law school shit. When you are eating, if it is with law school kids they will talk about law school shit. It is just exhausting. I personally do as much of my work as physically possible at the school and when I go home I don't even think about law school stuff. It is really nice to have that separation.

Your place is probably nicer and cheaper than any place you will have in the CWE. You will make enough friends in the CWE to pregame and such there and while it is slightly more of a pain in the ass to get out to pre-games and such considering almost every 1L lives in CWE/U-City, it's not a big deal. I almost always drove out to pregames and either drove home if I took it easy that night or got a cab home and had my roommates bring me to my car the next day if I went hard. It's really not that hard, and when you have the occasional night in Soulard/Wash Ave your classmates will appreciate having a place like yours to start the night out at.

All this said, know that if you don't live in CWE, you are going to miss out on some things and you are going to spend some money on cabs later in the semester. Also know that it really is important getting to know your 1L class and there are many times you are going to have to choose between hanging out with HS/UG friends and hanging out with law school friends and 75% of the time you should be choosing law school friends because they are going to be the ones not only giving you advice and help on school but also the people who are going to be sending business your way later on in your career.

Living in CWE closer to law school isn't a bad option, I just personally chose to live with UG friends in tower grove and I wouldn't change anything with my choice. Don't live at home. That is stupid. If you are that worried about loans get a part time job 2L/3L year to supplement your income (don't get a job 1L year).

[Fiero85]

Thanks Birdnals, it was good to hear from someone in an incredibly similar situation before me. Very cool.

I think I can manage the cons you mentioned, and I am glad to hear there were pros that you found enjoyable and that it worked well for you overall.

[arklaw13]

I'm married and boring as well, so take this with that in mind. I live 20-30 minutes from LS depending on traffic and I love it. Better apartment for around what I'd pay to live within walking distance. When I'm not in or between classes, I go home, but that's just because I study better at home (I think it's the opposite for most people). Around finals I strongly suggest studying somewhere other than the law school because the air is pretty thick with anxiety and it can get to you.

Downside of living so far is that it usually isn't worth it to go to a lot of the evening events.

[bandenjamin]

I'm married and boring as well, so take this with that in mind. I live 20-30 minutes from LS depending on traffic and I love it. Better apartment for around what I'd pay to live within walking distance. When I'm not in or between classes, I go home, but that's just because I study better at home (I think it's the opposite for most people). Around finals I strongly suggest studying somewhere other than the law school because the air is pretty thick with anxiety and it can get to you.

Downside of living so far is that it usually isn't worth it to go to a lot of the evening events.

Also married and boring. I'll confirm everything here is spot on. If you've got a later class hanging around for an evening event is OK, but if you've got a class at 8, then your last one ends at 4 you're not going to sit around for two more hours to go to an evening event and not get home till 10 or 11 (I live about 40 minutes away).