increased drinking in biglaw
Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2021 1:18 pm
did you guys find your alcohol use went up going from law school to biglaw? stress could be one of many reasons for an increase, and there's certainly a stereotype
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Same boat. I drank a ton in undergrad and law school and now cannot physically drink that much without having death hangovers for days after.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:01 pmI said less, but I also drank an excessive amount in college and slightly less in law school, so I don’t think it is physically possible for me to drink more now.
yeah im kinda pleasantly surprised at the low percentage of "more". maybe biglaw isn't as bad as people make it out to be on average - certainly some negatives are overblownAnonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:19 pmWeird because I’ve actually come across more health freaks at my firm than people looking to socialize a lot (with alcohol).
Of course that doesn’t mean said health freaks aren’t throwing back a few every day and there is clearly a substance abuse problem in big law, but has been interesting to see there are healthy big law attorneys out there, and quite a lot!
Yeah I’m curious about overall trends by generation too. I drink less now and am generally concerned more with living healthy. I wonder if younger people now are just more conscious of that. I still drink socially, but it’s pretty light and casual. Occasional relaxation beer every now and then while watching a show or reading.Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:19 pmWeird because I’ve actually come across more health freaks at my firm than people looking to socialize a lot (with alcohol).
Of course that doesn’t mean said health freaks aren’t throwing back a few every day and there is clearly a substance abuse problem in big law, but has been interesting to see there are healthy big law attorneys out there, and quite a lot!
Or maybe people are working too many hours to spend much time drinking.jotarokujo wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:22 pmyeah im kinda pleasantly surprised at the low percentage of "more". maybe biglaw isn't as bad as people make it out to be on average - certainly some negatives are overblownAnonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:19 pmWeird because I’ve actually come across more health freaks at my firm than people looking to socialize a lot (with alcohol).
Of course that doesn’t mean said health freaks aren’t throwing back a few every day and there is clearly a substance abuse problem in big law, but has been interesting to see there are healthy big law attorneys out there, and quite a lot!
could be some of that but on balance it probably reflects positively on biglaw that not many people said "more" given how much drinking is pushed in your face in biglawnixy wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:36 pmOr maybe people are working too many hours to spend much time drinking.jotarokujo wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:22 pmyeah im kinda pleasantly surprised at the low percentage of "more". maybe biglaw isn't as bad as people make it out to be on average - certainly some negatives are overblownAnonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:19 pmWeird because I’ve actually come across more health freaks at my firm than people looking to socialize a lot (with alcohol).
Of course that doesn’t mean said health freaks aren’t throwing back a few every day and there is clearly a substance abuse problem in big law, but has been interesting to see there are healthy big law attorneys out there, and quite a lot!
wtf please say moreAnonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:59 pmDon't even know how ppl can function if they drink excessively in biglaw.
I'd be curious re OP's question in re hard drugs. Was shocked by how many ppl at my former v10, pre-covid, would do this socially.
What do you mean by drinking being pushed in your face in biglaw? Unless you’re talking about SA social events, I think that’s exaggerated, or at the very least, very firm (and probably practice group) dependent.jotarokujo wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:39 pmcould be some of that but on balance it probably reflects positively on biglaw that not many people said "more" given how much drinking is pushed in your face in biglawnixy wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:36 pmOr maybe people are working too many hours to spend much time drinking.jotarokujo wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:22 pmyeah im kinda pleasantly surprised at the low percentage of "more". maybe biglaw isn't as bad as people make it out to be on average - certainly some negatives are overblownAnonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:19 pmWeird because I’ve actually come across more health freaks at my firm than people looking to socialize a lot (with alcohol).
Of course that doesn’t mean said health freaks aren’t throwing back a few every day and there is clearly a substance abuse problem in big law, but has been interesting to see there are healthy big law attorneys out there, and quite a lot!
also, drinking in law school wasn't so much a function of free time for the most part, it was a function of stress
at the very least it means alcohol abuse caused by big law is not ridiculously common. i don't think that the people saying "less" WISH they could drink more for the most partnixy wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 3:12 pmWhat do you mean by drinking being pushed in your face in biglaw? Unless you’re talking about SA social events, I think that’s exaggerated, or at the very least, very firm (and probably practice group) dependent.jotarokujo wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:39 pmcould be some of that but on balance it probably reflects positively on biglaw that not many people said "more" given how much drinking is pushed in your face in biglawnixy wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:36 pmOr maybe people are working too many hours to spend much time drinking.jotarokujo wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:22 pmyeah im kinda pleasantly surprised at the low percentage of "more". maybe biglaw isn't as bad as people make it out to be on average - certainly some negatives are overblownAnonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:19 pmWeird because I’ve actually come across more health freaks at my firm than people looking to socialize a lot (with alcohol).
Of course that doesn’t mean said health freaks aren’t throwing back a few every day and there is clearly a substance abuse problem in big law, but has been interesting to see there are healthy big law attorneys out there, and quite a lot!
also, drinking in law school wasn't so much a function of free time for the most part, it was a function of stress
And law school definitely has more free time and less stress than biglaw (than most law jobs, in fact). Maybe with the exception of PT students also working full time.
(Also, I think people just generally drink less as they get older.)
But really I’m just not sure that “no, I don’t drink more in biglaw than I did before” means the negatives of biglaw are overblown. I think there are a bunch of dots to connect between those two statements.
Not surprised. Honestly drugs are superior to alcohol in many ways (no calories, no hangover, cheaper).Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 3:03 pmwtf please say moreAnonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:59 pmDon't even know how ppl can function if they drink excessively in biglaw.
I'd be curious re OP's question in re hard drugs. Was shocked by how many ppl at my former v10, pre-covid, would do this socially.
it's surprising to me. in my time at the firm i have never heard of anyone in my office admit to doing hard drugs let alone do them in a situation where it could be discovered by others. i don't even think ive ever heard of anyone admitting to smoking weed and it's legal in my state. not that people aren't doing both or either, just definitely not "socially"Anonymous User wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 1:19 amNot surprised. Honestly drugs are superior to alcohol in many ways (no calories, no hangover, cheaper).Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 3:03 pmwtf please say moreAnonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:59 pmDon't even know how ppl can function if they drink excessively in biglaw.
I'd be curious re OP's question in re hard drugs. Was shocked by how many ppl at my former v10, pre-covid, would do this socially.
That's a good point, though recently more younger (and mid-level) associates at my V5 are openly talking about smoking weed. I guess I mean "socially" as in socially in your personal life, not with co-workers.whats an updog wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 2:23 amit's surprising to me. in my time at the firm i have never heard of anyone in my office admit to doing hard drugs let alone do them in a situation where it could be discovered by others. i don't even think ive ever heard of anyone admitting to smoking weed and it's legal in my state. not that people aren't doing both or either, just definitely not "socially"Anonymous User wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 1:19 amNot surprised. Honestly drugs are superior to alcohol in many ways (no calories, no hangover, cheaper).Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 3:03 pmwtf please say moreAnonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:59 pmDon't even know how ppl can function if they drink excessively in biglaw.
I'd be curious re OP's question in re hard drugs. Was shocked by how many ppl at my former v10, pre-covid, would do this socially.
true after like 31-32 it starts to get hard to heavily drinkAnonymous User wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 2:57 pmI do a little more casual drinking to unwind, but if I drank like I did in law school and undergrad I would die lol. Age + biglaw stress = no more going hard.
Am first quoted anon. I guess it is because you are not *cool* enoughwhats an updog wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 2:23 amit's surprising to me. in my time at the firm i have never heard of anyone in my office admit to doing hard drugs let alone do them in a situation where it could be discovered by others. i don't even think ive ever heard of anyone admitting to smoking weed and it's legal in my state. not that people aren't doing both or either, just definitely not "socially"Anonymous User wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 1:19 amNot surprised. Honestly drugs are superior to alcohol in many ways (no calories, no hangover, cheaper).Anonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 3:03 pmwtf please say moreAnonymous User wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:59 pmDon't even know how ppl can function if they drink excessively in biglaw.
I'd be curious re OP's question in re hard drugs. Was shocked by how many ppl at my former v10, pre-covid, would do this socially.