I walked from Newark-Broad Street to school everyday. Newark-Penn is about the same distance (10 minute walk).. It is totally feasible. And cheaper! Parking is expensive. I paid $33/month for my NJ Transit pass. Plus it is good exercise. It does SUCK in the rain and snow. I recommend a good pair of waterproof shoes, an umbrella designed for high winds, and a large study backpack. Those little suitcases with the rollers are good too, except in the slush and snow. Also, I have walked to both train stations late at night. I never got mugged or bothered. Sometimes a homeless person will ask you for money. But they aren't pushy. Newark does have a homeless problem. But they are nice homeless.get it to x wrote:Does anyone walk from Newark-Penn to school everyday? Trying to get a handle on whether or not this is feasible or if most people get on the Light Rail. I'll probably be coming in from Hoboken/Jersey City.
I chose the early track for my 1L year as well. Personally I'd rather be at school early than stay late. It's true that you can still end up spending all day there and leave with the late track. But that's up to you. The early track is good because you can schedule interviews in late afternoon so you won't have to miss classes. It's all a matter of preference.badpixie wrote:I'm leaning toward the early track, even though I'm not a morning person. I'll be commuting, and I'd prefer to park in the deck that's behind the law school, which fills up by 9am. I'd also like to have the option to get back on the road before evening rush hour on some days, because the Parkway can be a beast.
In Spring you will get to take your first elective. Some choices are Administrative Law, Fact Investigation, Housing Law & Policy, "Race, Class, and Metropolitan Equity", Human and Animal Rights, and Environmental Law. There are lots of courses available for your first elective. Some courses have limited seating and students are chosen by lottery. You can pick a course you are interested in, or pick a course that fits into your schedule. You can also pick a course that is taught by a professor that you like. I chose to take a course I was interested in. The professor sucked, but I got an A. Your first year elective course is your only first year course that it NOT on a B-curve. Every other class will be curved.TUhustler wrote:Rutgers_1L or anyone that knows, can you tell us what some of the options are or maybe were for your class atleast for the elective in the Spring? Thanks.
--My opinion on Books
Although you are supposed to get your reading list before class starts, it might not happen. Some professors are just lazy about publishing their book list. I remember my Torts professor published the list on a Friday, and class started Monday. The school does publish a 'master' book list, but there are inevitably typos. I used BarristerBooks.com. They are reasonbly priced, have everything in stock and can ship overnight. ALSO, if for some reason you don't have the book before class starts, you can go to the library and just ask if they have the casebook. Lastly, you can always ask a fellow law student to borrow their book for an hour. My very first day, some stranger asked to borrow one of my casebooks. My thoughts were "NOOOOOO my precious casebook will be soiled by the hands of another!!!" But I just handed it over and said, "give it back when class starts." He gave it back. No worries. Students are actually really nice that way.
--My opinion on Summer Internships/jobs
First, the Career Services Center is not permitted to discuss anything with you until November. And they really stick to that rule. So don't even bother talking to them until they come to you first. Your first couple of months you want to focus on schoolwork and not worry about internships anyway.
Then in November you'll have several meetings with Career Services. Some people think they are helpful, some do not. I recommend going to ALL meetings that they schedule, including resume workshops. Even if you don't get a ton of help from them, they do give some valuable insight into finding a job.
Basically you'll be focusing on your resume, cover letter and interview skills. It's not rocket science. Buy a nice suit, get a haircut, spit out the chewing gum. There's an online databank of job postings which you will be given access to. You can also send unsolicited letters out to judges and firms. There are also job fairs and 'networking opportunities'. Basically its like a kitchen sink of job-seeking. Some people will start sending out resumes in December, some will wait until April. But the more time and energy you put into finding a job, the more likely your chance of success.
My story: I was lazy. Sent out my resume later than most. Went on two interviews. Got an offer in May. I accepted the offer and now I'm working in a County Prosecutor's Office for 10 weeks, with pay. Most internships don't pay. Mine does.
Also, you can ask a professor if they need a research assistant for the summer. I know two people who did this and got summer research position with a prof. No interview, no resume, no fuss, no muss.
Oh and I know people who didn't do anything their 1L summer except travel. So don't feel bad about that, although it doesn't look too good on a resume.
Feel free to private message me or post to this forum. I just went through what you are about to go through. It's not as bad as people make it out to be.
