What did you guys do in your time off? Forum

[swtlilsoni]

I had about a year and a half off and I didn't do anything too exciting. I finished school fall 2010 (did an extra semester).

Spring 2011 I did law school apps, and then decided I didn't want to go that fall, started applying to a bunch of jobs. In my free time I didn't do much (all my friends moved) so I spent most of my time chilling at home, watching tv, movies, reading, and hanging out with my bf, and dealing with stupid relationship drama.

Summer 2011 I went out of the country to visit relatives.

Fall 2011 I studied my ass of for the LSAT (December test)

Jan + Feb 2012 was law school stuff (apps, extra essays, etc).

and since Feb I've just been doing the same bs, staying home, chilling, tv, going online, going out to party like twice a month, and hanging out with the bf and dealing with relationship drama.

This summer I'm probably gonna go abroad again.


So overall it was a pretty uneventful time off.....
Is this normal? Because I feel kind of like I wasted two years of my life.

[togepi]

If you get asked by a potential employer just talk about the traveling and seeing the world. You did take a long break but if you turn it into a positive (maybe not the movies) but saying that you took time off the read books and see the world, I'm sure it could make for some decent talking points.

it might come off as lazy though if you didn't do any work. maybe lie and say you worked at a relatives mom and pop shop for a bit and learned how to cook

I'm teaching English abroad right now and catching up TV, movies, and books has been the most fantastic year ever. I'm going to apply this upcoming cycle

[ilovesf]

I didn't do that much. I traveled/volunteered abroad for a lot of it.

[Nova]

I graduated in the Summer of 2010. Struggled finding meaningful work. Held jobs that didnt require a degree until I took a job managing a store for a little over a year. I took the LSAT in December 2011. I Recently left my managment job and now Im taking it easy till 1L. I didnt really accomplish anything either, other than support my own existance.

If you are not in too much debt, I think it's fine you didn't do anything extrordinary.

[Chucky21]

I graduated a semester early, now I'm working as an LSAT instructor. I need the money haha. I don't think it's a bad thing if you don't do anything great. Maybe you could volunteer at meals on wheels of habitat for humanity and then can say you did that in an interview should they ask about your free time. Or you could just say you did... prob best not to mention the movies and tv watching.

[Psib337]

I graduated last spring and I've been doing marketing at a law firm since late July. Otherwise I'm not really doing much of anything. I finally have time to read for fun again which is nice, I've gotten into yoga, I started college as a performance major so I practice a lot now but I'm not doing anything amazing. Sometimes I feel like I should be doing something interesting like working for a senator or starting a business or something more than going to work and coming home. I keep trying to figure out what kind of volunteer work I could do but I can't ever seem to find something that works. A lot of places want I've looked at want you during work hours, one place wanted a letter of recommendation, some places couldn't promise me there'd be anything to do for like 6 months etc.

[princeR]

You should be volunteering and using this free time to help people. I understand it's hard to find some volunteer positions, but you can definitely find something meaningful. Or, don't do anything, its up to you!

Just beeeeeeee yourself!

[hichvichwoh]

You should be volunteering and using this free time to help people. I understand it's hard to find some volunteer positions, but you can definitely find something meaningful. Or, don't do anything, its up to you!

Just beeeeeeee yourself!

Heh, I am being myself, and that is someone who hates volunteering

[princeR]

You should be volunteering and using this free time to help people. I understand it's hard to find some volunteer positions, but you can definitely find something meaningful. Or, don't do anything, its up to you!

Just beeeeeeee yourself!

Heh, I am being myself, and that is someone who hates volunteering

You suck.

[shifty_eyed]

I had about a year and a half off and I didn't do anything too exciting. I finished school fall 2010 (did an extra semester).

Spring 2011 I did law school apps, and then decided I didn't want to go that fall, started applying to a bunch of jobs. In my free time I didn't do much (all my friends moved) so I spent most of my time chilling at home, watching tv, movies, reading, and hanging out with my bf, and dealing with stupid relationship drama.

Summer 2011 I went out of the country to visit relatives.

Fall 2011 I studied my ass of for the LSAT (December test)

Jan + Feb 2012 was law school stuff (apps, extra essays, etc).

and since Feb I've just been doing the same bs, staying home, chilling, tv, going online, going out to party like twice a month, and hanging out with the bf and dealing with relationship drama.

This summer I'm probably gonna go abroad again.


So overall it was a pretty uneventful time off.....
Is this normal? Because I feel kind of like I wasted two years of my life.

I think it's somewhat unusual because most people can't afford to do that. However, I think if you spin it the right way, it shouldn't hurt you in interviews.

[princeR]

I had about a year and a half off and I didn't do anything too exciting. I finished school fall 2010 (did an extra semester).

Spring 2011 I did law school apps, and then decided I didn't want to go that fall, started applying to a bunch of jobs. In my free time I didn't do much (all my friends moved) so I spent most of my time chilling at home, watching tv, movies, reading, and hanging out with my bf, and dealing with stupid relationship drama.

Summer 2011 I went out of the country to visit relatives.

Fall 2011 I studied my ass of for the LSAT (December test)

Jan + Feb 2012 was law school stuff (apps, extra essays, etc).

and since Feb I've just been doing the same bs, staying home, chilling, tv, going online, going out to party like twice a month, and hanging out with the bf and dealing with relationship drama.

This summer I'm probably gonna go abroad again.


So overall it was a pretty uneventful time off.....
Is this normal? Because I feel kind of like I wasted two years of my life.

I think it's somewhat unusual because most people can't afford to do that. However, I think if you spin it the right way, it shouldn't hurt you in interviews.

lol, didn't even work at all... You know you have done absolutely nothing when you actually have to write out that part of your day was "relationship drama". Probably had so much drama because she wasn't doing anything... feel bad for the guy.

[swtlilsoni]

It's kind of funny how you all are talking about how this would look on job apps. My post had nothing to do with job apps lol. It's more of a personal regret. I just feel like I had two years of free time in which I could have done anything, and I didn't take advantage of it like I could have. Everything doesn't have to be about job apps. I mean if I had learnt a new hobby, traveled more, even just partied every day, I would probably feel more accomplished because at least I actually did something fun and enjoyed myself in a way I will never get to later in life. I just feel bad that I didn't live it up more.

I hope you guys understand what I mean.

[swtlilsoni]

I had about a year and a half off and I didn't do anything too exciting. I finished school fall 2010 (did an extra semester).

Spring 2011 I did law school apps, and then decided I didn't want to go that fall, started applying to a bunch of jobs. In my free time I didn't do much (all my friends moved) so I spent most of my time chilling at home, watching tv, movies, reading, and hanging out with my bf, and dealing with stupid relationship drama.

Summer 2011 I went out of the country to visit relatives.

Fall 2011 I studied my ass of for the LSAT (December test)

Jan + Feb 2012 was law school stuff (apps, extra essays, etc).

and since Feb I've just been doing the same bs, staying home, chilling, tv, going online, going out to party like twice a month, and hanging out with the bf and dealing with relationship drama.

This summer I'm probably gonna go abroad again.


So overall it was a pretty uneventful time off.....
Is this normal? Because I feel kind of like I wasted two years of my life.

I think it's somewhat unusual because most people can't afford to do that. However, I think if you spin it the right way, it shouldn't hurt you in interviews.

lol, didn't even work at all... You know you have done absolutely nothing when you actually have to write out that part of your day was "relationship drama". Probably had so much drama because she wasn't doing anything... feel bad for the guy.

that's not very funny

[JDizzle2015]

It's kind of funny how you all are talking about how this would look on job apps. My post had nothing to do with job apps lol. It's more of a personal regret. I just feel like I had two years of free time in which I could have done anything, and I didn't take advantage of it like I could have. Everything doesn't have to be about job apps. I mean if I had learnt a new hobby, traveled more, even just partied every day, I would probably feel more accomplished because at least I actually did something fun and enjoyed myself in a way I will never get to later in life. I just feel bad that I didn't live it up more.

I hope you guys understand what I mean.

Yea, don't know why everyone thought this was job search related... TLS can be very focused (a nice way of putting it). You should have probably moved out of your parents' house. That's the motivation I needed to get a job between UG and law school.

As someone who has a similar list of "accomplishments" + a job during my time between UG and law school, I don't think you've missed out that much. The jobs we get post-UG are pretty meaningless for the most part so I wouldn't put too much of a sense of fulfillment in the alternative to your situation. As for partying every day: I don't know about you but I need +/- 3 days to recover now--I'm only in my early/mid 20s and I can already tell that my body needs much more time to recover than it did when I was in college. I think going out of the country once or twice a year is plenty for someone our age (assuming you're my age) who doesn't have a ton of disposable income.

Most of my fulfillment comes with becoming much closer friends with a couple of the people I used to spend time with in UG who stayed in the area and making new friends at work/going out after work. That, and the excitement of going to law school in two months so I can finally feel like I'm taking steps towards a career I can be excited about.

[Kring345]

To be honest, that sounds kinda nice. You'll be working your ass off for the next 40 years of your life. Who cares if you wasted 2 years of your life just relaxing. Savor it, because it's gone forever!

[crossarmant]

I worked in the field as a paralegal for a while so I was prepared for law school coming in. I also didn't have any family money so I couldn't loaf around or travel abroad. Just a fair amount of work and a lot of drinking... makes me wonder why I left that lifestyle.