Working a non-legal job during 1L Forum

[panharmonix]

I am an incoming 1L at a T14. For the past year before law school, I've been working a non-legal job that I would be able to continue into law school. I've been full-time but my company is giving me the option to work part-time, like 20 hours a week. With my scholarship, I'm taking on about 40K of debt a year so I could definitely use the extra moolla each month (compensation from this job would cover rent every month).

I've got roughly three paths sketched out in my brain of how I can go about making ends meet during 1L. A, I work this job; B, I work a (hopefully) more legally relevant work study job, or C, I don't work at all in order to free up studying time since 1L is such a crucial year. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!

[UnicornHunter]

I am an incoming 1L at a T14. For the past year before law school, I've been working a non-legal job that I would be able to continue into law school. I've been full-time but my company is giving me the option to work part-time, like 20 hours a week. With my scholarship, I'm taking on about 40K of debt a year so I could definitely use the extra moolla each month (compensation from this job would cover rent every month).

I've got roughly three paths sketched out in my brain of how I can go about making ends meet during 1L. A, I work this job; B, I work a (hopefully) more legally relevant work study job, or C, I don't work at all in order to free up studying time since 1L is such a crucial year. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!

Don't do the job unless it will be valuable somehow in securing future employment. 1 year of rent is nothing in the big scheme of things, 1L grades are everything.

[CanadianWolf]

Grades first. Exercise second. Grades third.

Job to cover rent is not among the top three, in my opinion.

[thesealocust]

Grades first. Exercise second. Grades third.

Job to cover rent is not among the top three, in my opinion.

Completely agree.

It's not that 1L requires you to work eighteen hours per day for four months straight, or even that it would be beneficial to do that if you could - by the back half of the semester you'll be under tremendous pressure and feel like there's a limitless amount of work to be done. Don't make it worse for yourself by piling on other obligations.

[panharmonix]

Duly noted. Thanks for all the feedback!

[twenty]

I did this, and it ended up working out really well for me. I think the success of this plan would largely be dictated by your 1L class schedule, your commute, and the intensity of your job.

[dontdoitkid]

Grades first. Exercise second. Grades third.

Job to cover rent is not among the top three, in my opinion.

Posting (the first part of) this above my desk for this year. Thanks for the mantra.

[SFSpartan]

Don't do this. I worked 10 hours a week during 1L and wouldn't do again if I could. As TSL points out, it's not that you're working all the time, but the stress/needing free time add up. When work fills that up, you have no outlet, and have to cut back on things that will reduce stress (and probably improve grades)

[gyra15]

Your school might not even allow it. I know my school doesn't allow us to work at all first semester (unless you get special permission).