got my offer and I felt literally no joy or relief at all Forum

[Anonymous User]

posting here because I don't know where else to post/want anon

This isn't a 'humblebrag' or a brag of any kind (most people on TLS do well)

I just expected to feel something when I got an offer. That's part of why we do this entire law school thing, right? To get a job? It isn't even that I'm super disappointed with the firm. I just feel no real safety or security in what was handed to me.

What do people do to feel fulfilled? To feel like they've done something in life? I also don't mean this post to be super bleak. Just bleak enough to put in words the fact that I feel pretty shitty on what should be a happy day and I don't know why.

[yomisterd]

posting here because I don't know where else to post/want anon

This isn't a 'humblebrag' or a brag of any kind (most people on TLS do well)

I just expected to feel something when I got an offer. That's part of why we do this entire law school thing, right? To get a job? It isn't even that I'm super disappointed with the firm. I just feel no real safety or security in what was handed to me.

What do people do to feel fulfilled? To feel like they've done something in my life? I also don't mean this post to be super bleak. Just bleak enough to put in words the fact that I feel pretty shitty on what should be a happy day and I don't know why.

Try putting your worth in something other than employment outcomes?

Or go get fucking hammered.

[Neal Patrick Harris]

It's probably because most people expect to get an offer. It seems our time to celebrate was after OCI. Now the firm we accepted with is just further "secured."

You wouldn't cheer each year you became an older associate, would you? There's probably a greater attrition rate than no-offer rate at most firms...

[Anonymous User]

It's probably because most people expect to get an offer. It seems our time to celebrate was after OCI. Now the firm we accepted with is just further "secured."

You wouldn't cheer each year you became an older associate, would you? There's probably a greater attrition rate than no-offer rate at most firms...

this makes sense and makes me feel a little better actually

thank you

[Briney Spring Gun]

Going through OCI right now so take it with a grain of salt:

For anyone who has wanted to work for a firm and grinded through the OCI process, we spend so much time thinking about how bad we want it, that by the time we get an offer, the emotional response probably doesn't quite add up to how we built it up in our heads. You have so much time to think of how fucking awesome it will be that it could never live up to what you imagined . . . until you're 20 beers deep on top of a table tonight. Then it will live up to how you imagined.

Congrats. You did it. Enjoy it you sick bastard

[Man from Nantucket]

-

[BearState]

Think about people who get no-offered and thus have their financial lives largely ruined and appreciate you have a few years to actually practice law and make $100k+?

[lonerider]

You got an offer based on grades you earned over a year ago in classes that have nothing to do with your work. On top of that, you were incompetent over the 10 weeks of summer doing tasks that a paralegal could do.

Work in the job long enough, develop a set of skills, and one day someone will come into your office because they're stuck on a problem and they'd like to hear your opinion, because you know your shit. That's when you should feel good. That's not just law, that goes for anything in life.

[Anonymous User]

You got an offer based on grades you earned over a year ago in classes that have nothing to do with your work. On top of that, you were incompetent over the 10 weeks of summer doing tasks that a paralegal could do.

Work in the job long enough, develop a set of skills, and one day someone will come into your office because they're stuck on a problem and they'd like to hear your opinion, because you know your shit. That's when you should feel good. That's not just law, that goes for anything in life.

OP here

I also like this post. Thank you.

[Briney Spring Gun]

You got an offer based on grades you earned over a year ago in classes that have nothing to do with your work. On top of that, you were incompetent over the 10 weeks of summer doing tasks that a paralegal could do.

Work in the job long enough, develop a set of skills, and one day someone will come into your office because they're stuck on a problem and they'd like to hear your opinion, because you know your shit. That's when you should feel good. That's not just law, that goes for anything in life.

This. The shit out of this.

[mephistopheles]

um, no.

if you don't feel good about it, good luck ever enjoying the profession. you should have at least felt a moment of bliss

plus, nothing to do 3l which is fanfuckingtastic

[Neal Patrick Harris]

um, no.

if you don't feel good about it, good luck ever enjoying the profession. you should have at least felt a moment of bliss

plus, nothing to do 3l which is fanfuckingtastic

shut up

[mephistopheles]

um, no.

if you don't feel good about it, good luck ever enjoying the profession. you should have at least felt a moment of bliss

plus, nothing to do 3l which is fanfuckingtastic

shut up

no, you shut up

[Mal Reynolds]

posting here because I don't know where else to post/want anon

This isn't a 'humblebrag' or a brag of any kind (most people on TLS do well)

I just expected to feel something when I got an offer. That's part of why we do this entire law school thing, right? To get a job? It isn't even that I'm super disappointed with the firm. I just feel no real safety or security in what was handed to me.

What do people do to feel fulfilled? To feel like they've done something in my life? I also don't mean this post to be super bleak. Just bleak enough to put in words the fact that I feel pretty shitty on what should be a happy day and I don't know why.

Try putting your worth in something other than employment outcomes?

Or go get fucking hammered.

Try posting somewhere else as a 0L.

Or try posting somewhere else as a 0L.

[BullShitWithBravado]

Clearly you didn't spend enough time worrying about what your life would be like if you did not get an offer. Count your blessings that you're in a position to lament the fact that you're not entirely excited about getting an offer. Think of your friends and classmates who would give an arm and a leg to be in your position.

Also go get hammered. Cheers.

[Anonymous User]

OP here

I didn't mean to piss people off or to make it seem like I wouldn't have been crushed if I hadn't got an offer.

I think one of the posters above put it well. Getting an offer is so far removed from what you did during the summer that it feels hollow. It's just a perfunctory rubber-stamping of process that started much earlier.

I'm feeling a lot better about things today. I think I just needed to think things over and consider whether biglaw was something I really wanted. It's easy to fall into a biglaw position— so easy that it doesn't feel like you've done anything. That's OK, though, I guess. I don't see biglaw as a stepping stone or think that things will magically better. I'm just hoping that it is the best of the various options I have at this point.

Also, not sure why someone should feel "bliss" for receiving a biglaw offer. Maybe your firm is magical, Mr. Mistoffelees, but I don't expect much in biglaw's early years to be blissful.

[mephistopheles]

Also, not sure why someone should feel "bliss" for receiving a biglaw offer. Maybe your firm is magical, Mr. Mistoffelees, but I don't expect much in biglaw's early years to be blissful.

the law firm of Milton, Chadwick & Waters offers a lot, i'll tell you that.

but really, why are you pursuing this path if you're not excited to (a) get the offer, and (b) actually get to work? like, what's the point then?

[Anonymous User]

but really, why are you pursuing this path if you're not excited to (a) get the offer, and (b) actually get to work? like, what's the point then?

Are you k-jd? (not trying to be super judgmental, but actually curious)

Work sucks. Some forms of work suck less, but I'm pretty convinced that all forms of work suck. I'm not going to feel blissful because I've gotten a position that I expect to suck less than others. It's still work.

Work can be fun at times. Summer Associates are given fun things to work on. But, that isn't what I expect my first years of biglaw to be like. I don't understand the position where someone is just SO FUCKING EAGER to hunt down signatures, redraft reps and warranties, or draft VERY CONTENTIOUS motions to transfer venue.

There looks like there's cool stuff down the line. The stuff that young associates do seems bearable and better than other options for JD. Just don't get why people would be super happy about it.

[mephistopheles]

no, and i worked full time through most of my undergrad.

why did you get a jd? what did you think you'd be doing? if all that you have is "there may be cool shit down the line", man good luck

[Anonymous User]

no, and i worked full time through most of my undergrad.

why did you get a jd? what did you think you'd be doing? if all that you have is "there may be cool shit down the line", man good luck

I got a JD to be a lawyer. I think lawyers get to do some really cool shit once they know what they're doing. First and second year associates don't seem to do that cool of shit.

Your posting strikes me as painfully naïve.

Maybe if reframe it: this summer, how many "blissful" first and second year associates did you meet? I don't mean satisfied or content. I mean exceedingly happy.

What did you do full-time through undergrad? I'm sorry, I'm just kind of incredulous here.

[jd20132013]

i agree with mephistopheles simply bc he isnt hiding behind anon

[mephistopheles]

actually, worked at law firms. class was not a priority.

and if you reread, i said a moment of bliss and not years of bliss.

but, to take on your question anyways, i met people willing to put in 3000+ hours in a year and still approach it with eagerness and appreciation for the opportunities they have. i also met people who really enjoyed their practice areas and made serious efforts to get the assignments they were interested in while also reading for professional development on the side.

[mephistopheles]

Your posting strikes me as painfully naïve.

your posting strikes me as painfully entitled and on a path towards failure.

[SDviaVA]

Ha, lighten up man! Why don't you think of all the things you are going to buy with your salary? Fill the void with material possessions like every other American.

[mephistopheles]

so much great anon in this thread, lots of potentially outing info