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I love being a 2L. No stress about classes, tons of free time (because I'm not on a journal and I'm thrilled about it), etc. But outside my small group of 5-6 friends, the social life at law school really grates on my nerves. There are tons of smart, nice people here, but they pretty much only socialize drunk. You're not "sociable" unless you're at a shitty sports bar or disgusting nightclub downtown, drinking your face off and generally being raucous and fratty.

Does anyone else hate the drinking culture? I love my classmates as people and I do want to get to know some of them better, but they pretty much all bond over alcohol and their idea of fun is constantly getting shit-faced. I enjoy a beer now and then, but I just don't really see the fun in drinking at all. It's so hard to connect with people who you know would be good friends if you could just pry the beer can out of their hands.

I have a full life outside of law school these days and it's probably because I don't bother to read for class anymore or study at all. I literally come to law school to hang out with friends and shop online during class. But I find it very, very difficult to build friendships with other 2Ls and 3Ls. Part of it is the inherently cliquey nature of law school - after 1L, people just aren't as interested in making new friends. And part of it is my total lack of interest in way they party. The married people are easier to make friends with, but I feel like I'm losing out on a valuable network (and possibly good friendships) by not being able to relate to the other twenty-something students. Anyone else have this problem?

Peg wrote:I feel like I'm losing out on a valuable network

You sound like fun.

you realize you can go socialize with those people w/o getting drunk right?

If you are a K-JD law student and haven't worked a long term full time job, then you have not experienced what is the continuous loop that is working. One day you may wish you had taken advantage of all of this free time to get plastered.

The last 3 weeks of moving in + orientation have basically destroyed my liver

I hate drinking.

My advice? Suck it up and go out to bars with them. I don't drink (much), and I hate bars. I really honest-to-god hate the shitty things. They're loud, full of children and horny retards, and everyone pretending they're having a good time.

I f*cking HATE them.

That said, I have met some of my best contacts and friends from law school at bars. They honestly love them, and I respect them for it. My advice is to branch out, get over your dislike, and just consider it a part of your job. Say 'I will go to two or three bars with these guys a month.' And then actually do it.

Does it suck? Yes. Is it important? Yes. Is it more important than a personal distaste for it? Hell yes.

My suggestion is that you find something that you do want to do and invite your friends to do it, establish a routine (Wednesday Bowling, Friday Game Night, Sunday Matinee movies), then invite others to do it too (extend your friend circle- invite people you think might be interested). Your best option is to pick something where people CAN drink but thats not the only purpose. You go to a bar, of course people get drunk, you go bowling, people can drink but they will also be playing a game, talking, having fun. If the drinking aspect really upsets you, do something where drinking is less likely.

Drinking's such a drag.

Get some B/M/G school friends - that's still networking. Who wants to have a bunch of unemployed JDs in their circle?

*hiccup*

bk187 wrote:

Peg wrote:I feel like I'm losing out on a valuable network

You sound like fun.

This. I highly recommend you not go work at a law firm.

I don't drink too much and don't like bars because of the $$$ and noise level. I suggest going out once in awhile in order to socialize, but nobody at my LS expects you to get plastered. Nobody cares if you drink one or ten drinks. Just have a beer or two, mingle a little, and leave whenever you want to. Also, there probably are non-drinking options available, but you're going to have to look for them. I pretty much have a craft beer or two about two nights a week, and go out to a bar about once every second or third week. I haven't really had any problems socializing. Where do you go btw?

justonemoregame wrote:Get some B/M/G school friends - that's still networking. Who wants to have a bunch of unemployed JDs in their circle?

*hiccup*

lol! I have been looking at doing just that.

Lawyers are alcoholics.

Scotusnerd wrote:My advice? Suck it up and go out to bars with them. I don't drink (much), and I hate bars. I really honest-to-god hate the shitty things. They're loud, full of children and horny retards, and everyone pretending they're having a good time.

I f*cking HATE them.

That said, I have met some of my best contacts and friends from law school at bars. They honestly love them, and I respect them for it. My advice is to branch out, get over your dislike, and just consider it a part of your job. Say 'I will go to two or three bars with these guys a month.' And then actually do it.

Does it suck? Yes. Is it important? Yes. Is it more important than a personal distaste for it? Hell yes.

This is pretty much what I've come to realize. I do socialize (a lot) without drinking, and I have a number of close friends who are 2Ls and 3Ls, but the only way to make contacts with law students whom you don't usually ever hang out with only happens at events like bar review, or if you're taking a small class together. It doesn't happen at more intimate events like house parties or any other invite-only type of event, because the people who come to those are people you are already friends with anyway.

eek.. i dont really drink either. i dont dislike bars though. i guess i can go and have a diet coke.

You could start some type of social club that sponsors activities that don't involve drinking... Whitewater rafting trips, hiking/park adventures, pro bono events with legal aid (great for networking), sports teams with the city or university intermural league. When the drinking starts after the event ends, you could always bounce.

I miss alcoholism.

This thread has made me thirsty. Is 15 min of cite checking enough to warrant some rye ole fashioneds?




OP: Do w/e makes you happy. Going to a bar to "network" on a professional level with other law students does not work. If you hate drinking, DO NOT GO.

Drinking is a sin.

There is one more course of action here, Peg, and that is to Become Legend. Show up at the bar after the group is already there, do a shot immediately, and tell everyone you don't like hanging out with pussies, and they should do the same. Later, go the bar and buy a round of vodka shots but tell the server to give you water. Slam your H2O as soon as it is set on the table and reinforce the notion that everyone else is a pussy, and that you are disappointed they don't understand how to party. After they finish their shots, tell them you are proud of them. Rinse, repeat, have a couple beers in between. It will take some acting, but the beauty is you will never have to give a repeat performance. If they ask where you were one weekend, you can just say you were taking care of "this, that, and the other," and they will completely understand.

justonemoregame wrote:There is one more course of action here, Peg, and that is to Become Legend. Show up at the bar after the group is already there, do a shot immediately, and tell everyone you don't like hanging out with pussies, and they should do the same. Later, go the bar and buy a round of vodka shots but tell the server to give you water. Slam your H2O as soon as it is set on the table and reinforce the notion that everyone else is a pussy, and that you are disappointed they don't understand how to party. After they finish their shots, tell them you are proud of them. Rinse, repeat, have a couple beers in between. It will take some acting, but the beauty is you will never have to give a repeat performance. If they ask where you were one weekend, you can just say you were taking care of "this, that, and the other," and they will completely understand.

LOL love this.

Ohiobumpkin wrote:I don't drink too much and don't like bars because of the $$$ and noise level. I suggest going out once in awhile in order to socialize, but nobody at my LS expects you to get plastered. Nobody cares if you drink one or ten drinks. Just have a beer or two, mingle a little, and leave whenever you want to. Also, there probably are non-drinking options available, but you're going to have to look for them. I pretty much have a craft beer or two about two nights a week, and go out to a bar about once every second or third week. I haven't really had any problems socializing. Where do you go btw?

Pre-drinking saves money. The more you know.

IAFG wrote:I miss alcoholism.

She never really left, and despite her two-timing ways, she'll take you back without judging.

Peg wrote:I love being a 2L. No stress about classes, tons of free time (because I'm not on a journal and I'm thrilled about it), etc. But outside my small group of 5-6 friends, the social life at law school really grates on my nerves. There are tons of smart, nice people here, but they pretty much only socialize drunk. You're not "sociable" unless you're at a shitty sports bar or disgusting nightclub downtown, drinking your face off and generally being raucous and fratty.

Does anyone else hate the drinking culture? I love my classmates as people and I do want to get to know some of them better, but they pretty much all bond over alcohol and their idea of fun is constantly getting shit-faced. I enjoy a beer now and then, but I just don't really see the fun in drinking at all. It's so hard to connect with people who you know would be good friends if you could just pry the beer can out of their hands.

I have a full life outside of law school these days and it's probably because I don't bother to read for class anymore or study at all. I literally come to law school to hang out with friends and shop online during class. But I find it very, very difficult to build friendships with other 2Ls and 3Ls. Part of it is the inherently cliquey nature of law school - after 1L, people just aren't as interested in making new friends. And part of it is my total lack of interest in way they party. The married people are easier to make friends with, but I feel like I'm losing out on a valuable network (and possibly good friendships) by not being able to relate to the other twenty-something students. Anyone else have this problem?

Counterpoint - the Friends episode "The One With Russ," where Monica is dating Fun Bobby who is a blast to be around, but then he quits drinking and is boring as hell. I think we can all learn something from that.