Amy, 3L

We're registering for winter classes already? Not cool. I wanted to pretend like I'll never have to go back to class again for another week or two. Oh, well. The good news is that unlike the problems I mentioned in my previous entry, registering for classes is actually really smooth with the new online registration system. I registered for Federal Courts and a trial practice course, among others. It'll be nice to just go to law school again; no MPH classes, no thesis, just straight up law school.

I've spent all evening baking pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for a potluck lunch at co-op tomorrow. Should be a good time, provided I can get these bits of pumpkin I just discovered out of my hair by then.

Posted by Amy at 11:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Anyone who has read any of my blog postings knows that I'm a big fan of the JD/MPH program in many respects, but there is one thing about it that I really dislike. While it's one program, it's administratively two separate schools. Getting a law school and a medical school to work as one has been, well, a challenge. (Insert your own "doctors and lawyers not getting along" joke here.) Getting the different departments within NUSL to recognize the unique aspects of the JD/MPH program has been nearly impossible. I've had to clarify which co-op rotation I'm on three times now with the Co-op Office and Career Services is sending me frightening emails about not having a job yet because they still think I'm graduating in May. Don't worry, Career Services. When the time comes, I'm sure I'll be freaking out enough for the both of us.

I'm still a fan of the program, but I'm saying that you have to be proactive about making sure all of your paperwork and dates are correct between the two schools. Oh, and the federal government. Nothing worse than them trying to collect from you when you still have a year of grad school left.

Ugh. A year of grad school left? Really?

Posted by Amy at 8:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you buy yourself a new ipod touch to celebrate finishing your Master's thesis, do not become so absorbed with it that you miss your train stop. Just a thought.

I'm still enjoying co-op. I feel human for the first time in a long time. Co-op gives you perspective that you can't get anywhere else. Just the other day, I was thinking, "I could actually see myself doing this type of work long-term." Now I just hope that someone could see themselves paying me to do this type of work long-term.

On a totally unrelated note, it's colder in Boston tonight than at home in Minneapolis. There's something a little wrong with that. No, actually, there's something a lot wrong with that.

Posted by Amy at 8:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I turned in my thesis paper! For the first time in 13 months, I have no homework, no reading, nothing when I get home!!! (Except for the MPRE. grrr.) It's amazing to go to work, make a little progress on my interesting projects, then leave it all there and not have to think about it until I go back the next day. I'm rediscovering these things called "friends" that I haven't seen in a while and becoming one with my maxed-out DVR.

Co-op is going well. I'm the only full-time intern, so I'm really treated as a regular employee. I have my own assignments, and work on some projects with attorneys or other interns. My main project is getting ready to leave the research and planning stage and enter the "so what are we going to about it?" phase. I'm actually enjoying health policy work than I thought I would. Not to say that there aren't days where I miss working in a courtroom and seeing actual clients and cases every day as in my last co-op, but this is a great experience thus far. I am getting to help with a little fact investigation on the litigation side of the office, which is a nice change of pace every once in a while. Tomorrow we're attending a legislative hearing, which should be interesting. Field trips are always fun, except for the "wearing a suit" part. But it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.

Posted by Amy at 11:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)