Amy, 3L

Maybe this is the result of twelve consecutive months of full-time classes, but I feel generally unmotivated right now. Even sitting down to write a blog entry is like pulling teeth. I think this happens to everyone now and then, but it's annoying. I think of things that need to be done, add them to my to-do list, then find something really interesting on the Food Network, and the night is gone. (Provided I'm not running to my part-time job.) I wish I could just accept this and revel in my (hopefully brief) slacker status because I'm not in classes, but I can't. An unfortunate side effect of law school, I guess. That and feeling naked if you're not carrying around a casebook that weighs more than a small child.

In other news, football season has arrived! And I might get to see more than two Vikings games on TV here this year! Now all I need to do is find my Adrian Petersen jersey and some potato lefse, and it'll be almost like watching it at home.

I wonder how many people reading this will actually be curious enough to Google "lefse"?

Posted by Amy at 6:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I went to a couple of beginning-of-the-year events with law school friends this week, and I noticed that some people looked at me strangely when I introduced myself. You know, that "don't I know you from somewhere?" look. Turns out lots of people have been reading the blogs! I wasn't on NUSL's campus last year, so this is the first time I'm running into people who are reading my entries. It's a little scary, to be honest. Glad to know people are enjoying our random ramblings.

Walking into my co-op the day after the Obama health care speech made me realize that I'm not the only health care geek out there. My co-workers talked about cheering at the TV too! Some of them had people over and served food and drinks. It's comforting to know that eventually I could earn a paycheck doing what I'm doing now (for free).

Posted by Amy at 9:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'll admit that there are days when I wonder if I made the right decision, if this is really the path for me. Today is not one of those days. After a day working on a health care policy initiative at the Attorney General's Office, I'm sitting on my couch watching the President give a speech on health care reform and working on finishing my Master's thesis in public health. It's exciting to have found a niche that I'm passionate about. Granted, I came to NUSL knowing what I wanted that niche to be, but I'm realizing that I'm getting an educational experience tailored not only to my interests, but to the current state of the country. This is in large part due to simply being in Massachusetts, where health care policy tends to be a little more progressive.

On another note, it's been great to be on a co-op in a working environment that values the MPH classes I've taken. I'm being asked to develop opinions and suggestions, which is scary, but it's really helping me make connections between the two degrees.

Not all days leave me feeling this optimistic, but you've got to savor them when they do. So that's what I'm doing (with the help of some frozen yogurt and a joint session of Congress).

Posted by Amy at 8:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What a difference a vacation makes! I'm feeling much more human now. Co-op has started and I'm having a great time going to work every day and not having to come home to a bunch of reading and research. I'm loving my co-op at the Attorney General's Office, especially because I'm using some of my MPH knowledge (finally!). It's nice to be out in the "real world" working on things that have an effect on more than just my evals.

I've also rediscovered this thing called "reading for fun." I vaguely remember it, and it's quite enjoyable. Not that law school ever really stops. I'm going to take the MPRE (one of the numerous standardized test hurdles) in November and get that out of the way while I'm not in classes. We'll see how that works out...

Posted by Amy at 8:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)