Take some time off
Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 5:50 pm
Hey everyone. I doubt too many people will recognize me but I was definitely an LSAT gunner and studied like mad from late 2013 to mid 2014. I thought for sure law was for me and that killing the LSAT, getting into a T14 with a huge scholly, and making good money with a good career was my pathway to happiness. I took the LSAT, got a great score to be paired with my great GPA, and thought I was on my way.
Yet because TLS helped me so immensely during my studies of the LSAT, I feel obligated to say what happened next since I haven't posted regularly in about a year.
I took some time off - due to the advice of TLS largely - and taught high school for a year. Then, I initiated another year off - this time due to a former lawyer who worked with me at school - and began working for a local, mid-sized firm. I was all set to go to law school for the 2016-2017 year. However, as I have been in my current job for about 4 months, I have 100% realized that this life is not for me: working in an office, having clients call you at all hours of the day, the stress, the anxiety, and the general culture. I don't hate my job. In fact, I quite like it as I realize that all jobs have some elements of stress/etc. and I can appreciate that. However, I just am not fulfilled when I come home after a 9-hour day. I have had that fulfillment for most of my life and all of a sudden it is gone.
Now I am not saying that working in the field is terrible (I'm not even a lawyer so I don't think I can really give that advice). What I am saying is that all you KJDs should take time off to get work experience because I did NOT believe that I would turn out to be one who ended up not liking law. In fact, as I write this, I am kind of in shock that I really feel this way. But more importantly, I cannot imagine how my life would be if I realized this AFTER I went to school for 3 years and put myself in a mountain of debt. I would be miserable.
I am sorry if this is completely useless and this gets deleted. I just really wanted to give SOMETHING back to TLS because this community is so great. I thank you for all the support you have given me, TLS. Now I am going to go back into teaching. I wish you all luck! Do what you can to be happy!
Yet because TLS helped me so immensely during my studies of the LSAT, I feel obligated to say what happened next since I haven't posted regularly in about a year.
I took some time off - due to the advice of TLS largely - and taught high school for a year. Then, I initiated another year off - this time due to a former lawyer who worked with me at school - and began working for a local, mid-sized firm. I was all set to go to law school for the 2016-2017 year. However, as I have been in my current job for about 4 months, I have 100% realized that this life is not for me: working in an office, having clients call you at all hours of the day, the stress, the anxiety, and the general culture. I don't hate my job. In fact, I quite like it as I realize that all jobs have some elements of stress/etc. and I can appreciate that. However, I just am not fulfilled when I come home after a 9-hour day. I have had that fulfillment for most of my life and all of a sudden it is gone.
Now I am not saying that working in the field is terrible (I'm not even a lawyer so I don't think I can really give that advice). What I am saying is that all you KJDs should take time off to get work experience because I did NOT believe that I would turn out to be one who ended up not liking law. In fact, as I write this, I am kind of in shock that I really feel this way. But more importantly, I cannot imagine how my life would be if I realized this AFTER I went to school for 3 years and put myself in a mountain of debt. I would be miserable.
I am sorry if this is completely useless and this gets deleted. I just really wanted to give SOMETHING back to TLS because this community is so great. I thank you for all the support you have given me, TLS. Now I am going to go back into teaching. I wish you all luck! Do what you can to be happy!