From about mid-October on, something changes at law schools around the country. It's something in the air. Something that breeds comparison and the constant curiosity about how you line up with the rest of your classmates. There is something useful that comes with this though. Because with it comes a healthy dose of competition, that fire that pushes you to stay up later than you used to and set the alarm for a god-forsaken hour that no other human being would dare whisper. This, and a strong cup of coffee, keeps students going until the last exam comes to a close, blue books are turned in, and what used to be sharp No. 2 pencils are whittled down to a nub.

Then, somewhere between January and February, a much more sinister type of comparison creeps in, and comes to a climax once students receive the email, "Transcripts are in."

Everything in law school is driven by rank, and transcripts merely embody this. Your standing, your chance at a good summer job, even extracurricular activities. And it's hard for students, or at least it was hard for me my first year, not to get caught up in the game of comparison. The reality is that yes, while we're in law school, we will constantly be compared to those around us. However, it is important to understand that comparison for what it is and not let it steal your joy.

First of all, it is important to remember that everyone is different. Law school attracts a very diverse group of people, from all walks of life, with different culminations of life experience. We all bring different strengths with us and that is what will make up good at what we train to do. This translates into both how you study and how you "line up."

I remember my first semester, everyone had an opinion on how to succeed in law school. If I made notecards, used different highlighters, or had a study group on the first day of class, I was sure to succeed. But that's not how everyone works. It wasn't until I stopped comparing myself, and trying to mold my study habits after everyone else that I really started to succeed. Now, the best thing I can tell a prospective law student or 1L, is to do what works for them. You know yourself better than anyone else, you know what drives you, what you need to be prepared and how you study. Stick to your guns. Don't be worried if other people are doing something completely different. Don't compare yourself.

I also remember comparing myself after a semester I wasn't completely happy with. It was an awful feeling, I felt sick to my stomach looking at my transcript. At that point, my dropped rank simply seemed to echo a fear that compared to everyone, I might not line up where I thought. But everyone has a bad semester, a rough class, or a rank that wasn't quite where they wanted it. But not matter where you line up, its important to remember that not only can you bounce back, but that you can't lose sight of all that you've learned and all that you bring to the table.

Law school ranks are an indicator, but not the whole picture. Never forget that. No matter what your rank, don't let comparison steal your joy or take away from the fact that as long as you compete with yourself to do the best you can, you will come out on top.

After law school, there are no ranks. You are either a lawyer people trust to take care of their problems, or you're not. So instead of focusing on ranks, and being concerned about where your classmates line up, focus on you. Start those healthy habits in law school instead of breeding unhealthy thoughts of comparison. Healthy competition is good, but comparison can be bad. It can steal your joy if you let it in a pressure cooker like law school. So while transcripts are coming out at schools around the country, I would urge you, no matter what your rank, don't let comparison seep in and steal your joy. Remember why you came to law school, remember why you love it despite the late nights, and remember what you're good at. Remember your joy.

As anyone in law school knows, and anyone who is thinking about law school will find out, fall of your 2L year feels like a tornado. A cyclone of class, interviews, applications, and job hunting. We are merely two days away from fall break and I already feel like I have a full semester behind me.

In the midst of this storm, you are preparing for interviews, updating your resume and combing your writing samples for mistakes. You get to know your resume like the back of your hand, and are ready to answer any question that might come your way. Let's just put it this way...you definitely want to be candid, but you don't want to be surprised in an interview.

This is why it was odd that while I was going through the interview process this fall, I suddenly found myself going off script.

I was sitting in an interview one Friday afternoon when I was asked about my previous summer experience. Softball right. OK. I told them about my writing, about going to court with the attorneys, and the special projects I was a part of. But then, I was asked, "What was the most important thing you learned from that experience."

Before I could think about it, I said, "How to see people." Immediately, in my head, I panicked. What was I saying?! How to see people, come on. That's not a concrete answer. They are probably wondering what's wrong with me. Not surprisingly, I was asked to explain.

I explained that one of the greatest things I took from my previous experience was how to set aside what you know, and your expereinces, and place yourself in their shoes, see their life, where they are coming from, and meet them where they are. I dealt with people who had completely different life stories and life outlooks than I did. I learned how to look beyond my life experiences and look to theirs. I had gotten so used to the life I knew, the people I knew, the places I went, and the way I thought, and without knowing it, I was putting blinders on.

This past summer I took the blinders off.

Then, shortly after the interview, I see this article in the New York Times, The Fraying of a Nation's Decency.

"The prevailing American story line right now is seething anger at politicians: that they’re corrupt, or heartless, or socialist, or dumb. But the Amazon story, and many other recent developments, suggest that the problem is significantly deeper," reporter Anand Giridharadas writes.

Giridharadas questions if in the midst of the pursuit of our dreams, we are somewhere along the line losing our sense of decency, and common purpose. He fears we are dealing in cheap stereotypes, instead of valuing the individuals right beside us.

And after my experience this summer I think he is right. With personalized newsfeeds, blogs, twitter feeds, and a million specialized news outlets where we can watch the news 24-7 we are truly in danger of building blinders without even knowing it. Instead of having our views and ideas challenged, they are reinforced. And instead of looking beyond ourselves, our friends and our lives, the walls around us keep growing taller and taller.

Giridharadas goes on to write, "What is creeping into the culture is simple dehumanization, a failure to imagine the lives others lead. Fellow citizens become caricatures. People retreat into their own safe realms. And decency, that great American virtue, falls away."

How does this fit with law and being a good friend, a good sister, a good student or a attorney? We take off the blinders. We look around, and we listen. It is one of the first things to fall to the wayside when things get hectic. But what better way to support and feel strongly in what we believe in than talking with those who think differently. What better way to learn than to to step outside of our comfort zone. And what better way to serve people, whether they are friends or clients, than truly setting aside what we know, and our life experiences to truly see other people for who they are.

Learning the law is only half of what I need to be a good lawyer. To truly advocate for someone, I need to learn to listen, and to see people, exactly where they are.

Don't be a stranger.

Photo from We Heart It

Photo from the Columbus Dispatch

His smile was contagious, his strength inspiring, and his story unforgettable.

It was a Tuesday afternoon and I was swamped. Things were already in full swing after Spring Break the previous week. I had my practice oral argument that morning and with those jitters out of the way, I was looking forward to having the whole afternoon to work on homework since my Crim Law was cancelled.

I quickly ran to the library to print some cases off before heading home, and out of habit checked my email. Sitting in my inbox was an email from my Crim Law professor, who also serves as the Director of the Ohio Innocence Project, saying that although class was cancelled, there would be a speaker, and if we attended the presentation, we would receive extra credit.

I'll tell you this...in law school, you never turn down extra credit.

Annoyed, I gathered my things and rushed down to where the presentation was going to be, with each step mentally rearranging another part of my night to fit all I had to do in my newly changed schedule.

Students were ushered into the room and as it quickly filled up, I found myself sliding into the front row. Like I said, law students never turn down extra credit in law school.

However, what started off as something I begrudgingly went to, quickly turned into something I will never forget.

Our speaker that day was Robert McClendon, a man of immovable strength, faith and conviction, who spent nearly two decades of his life in prison for a crime he didn't commit.

With the help of UC's Ohio Innocence Project the Columbus Dispatch, and DNA testing, in 2008 Robert McClendon was exonerated from prison. For the first time, the public knew what McClendon had known all along. He was innocent.

Every time he came before the parole board, instead of admitting to a crime he did not commit (which would mean he'd have the possibility to go home), he held to what he knew was true. While he was talking I couldn't help but wonder if I would have the strength to be that steadfast in my conviction.

I was captivated by his story and all those behind him who supported him and fought for his freedom. Those people, McClendon said, were the real heroes. It was in that moment that all the silly things I had been so consumed by this semester were suddenly put in perspective. This wasn't just busy work, empty readings, late nights and trying to tackle the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure for no reason. In that moment it hit me, as obvious as it sounds, that it all matters.

What you do matters. Whether you are a law student, a lawyer, in undergrad, or in another profession all together. What you do is important.

I have been so caught up in all the busyness this semester that I somehow lost sight of why we do all this work. Education no matter what type, but in my case a legal education, is a privilege. And with that privilege comes great responsibility. Because a group of reporters took wrongful convictions and flaws in the Ohio justice system seriously McClendon's case was given a second chance. Because a group of both former and present law students took that responsibility seriously, a free man is no longer in prison. And because McClendon is not going to let 18 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit jade him, and takes his freedom and the justice system seriously, he is helping to blaze the trail for innocence reform and procedures here in Ohio with Senate Bill 77.

What started out as being a way to get extra credit turned into so much more. It was a chance to step outside myself and all the craziness, and remember why I decided to go to law school, to put in the work and to learn all these crazy new terms. It put everything in perspective.

McClendon's story was absolutely incredible and his attitude, awe-inspiring. To read more about Robert McClendon and life after prison check out Mike Wagner's story, Uneasy Freedom.

So now it's your turn. Why do you do what you do?

A little bit about OIP: "Harnessing the energy and intellect of law students as its driving force, the Ohio Innocence Project seeks to identify inmates in Ohio prisons who are actually innocent of the crimes they were convicted of committing. Innocence is often determined by DNA testing, but can include other types of new evidence such as new witnesses, new expert testimony, or evidence of police misconduct. Once an inmate's innocence has been established through investigation, the OIP sends the case back to court and litigates in the hope of obtaining the inmate's freedom. Innocence Projects across the country have freed more than 250 wrongfully convicted inmates to date. The Ohio Innocence Project to date has helped 10 individuals obtain their long-sought freedom."

Welcome to Nashville y'all!

I'm sitting on a porch warmed by the sunlight, looking out at the skyline of Nashville as I write this and I cannot believe it is Spring Break. Well, the 80 degree weather and sun on my skin doesn't make the fact that it's Spring Break hard to believe, maybe it's more that I can't believe I am already over 3/4 of the way through my 1L year.

If first semester is when you get used to the reading, the cold calls in class, and the fact that a lot of times your free time is not your own but belongs to the red bound casebooks you've been schlepping around, then second semester is when you learn you can do a lot more than you thought you could.

Second semester is fast, furious, and front-loaded. Just when you feel like you can't possible do anything more, you do. You learn that somehow you can get it all done. You learn that as competitive as law school is, you're all in the same boat, and the encouragement or laughter of a friend might be that little something extra you needed to push though. You realize you can do more than you ever thought you could and there is something so satisfying in that.

And in the spirit of this second semester, Spring Break is turning out to be just as busy. Even though this is turning out to be a working Spring Break, full of outlines, class projects, oral argument preparation and applying for summer aid, I can't stop thinking about what our mentors told us at the beginning of this crazy journey...

As part of UC's Academic Success Program, 1L's meet with a group of advisors from the 2L class to talk about not just how to succeed in academics but how to adjust to law school and start good habits that will stay with you your whole career. One thing that has stayed with me is that you cannot lose yourself or who you are in this craziness. I feel like I've realized that more this semester than last.

In a profession where burnout sometimes seems to be a question of when instead of if, it's so important to always make time for yourself, friends and what you love. I have definitely dropped the ball on that.

The second part of this semester I'm going to squeeze time in to go run, to hang out with friends, write, and cook. Like I've mentioned before, your first year of law school is a huge learning curve. Everyone expects that. What people don't expect is how much you learn about yourself, how you work, how you play, how you succeed and how you thrive. Not just in class but in life. That might be the best lesson you can learn before entering the legal career. It's all about balance.

So while the first part of this semester was fast and furious (and I don't see that changing anytime soon), the second half is going to be about balance. Starting today.

After a full day of getting things in order and outlines filled out a bit more, I'm going to celebrate Spring Break Nashville style. It's time to relax and recharge. Time for a run, wine on the porch, and dinner and a movie with friends.

Work hard, play hard right. Everything in balance.

Photo from Rumours East Website

In my former life as a children's book publicist, the crazy time of year was the summer. The sweet spot in publishing is your Fall release list. Those were your heavy hitters, your big authors, biggest titles and the ones you bet the barn on. Which meant in marketing, that 6 months out, your job as a publicist was to book the media to convince people that when the book came out, that is what you wanted to buy for Christmas for all your friends and family. So while everybody else was soaking up the sun and sipping on Sangria, you were writing press releases, making media lists and looking at comps. It was only after the Christmas rush, normally around February, when we got to catch our breath.

The opposite is true in law school. I should have known after last February, as a law school hopeful, was filled with sending in last minute applications, filling out FAFSA and looking at housing. February, no matter where you are in the law school process seems to just be jam packed with things to do. All I have to say is thank goodness February is the shortest month of the year.

Naive 1.5L that I am, thought that after one semester under my belt, I would come back to have a better handle on the work. I had better time management, was getting faster at the reading and learning what I needed to pick out. All of this to me, equated into having more time this semester. This is all true, however what I didn't know was that this semester would come at me like a bat out of hell. (I lived in Tennessee, we say things like that. We also will "mash" a button on occasion).

We have already turned in our first brief and are in the clutches of the internship rush. I have sent my resume off the firms that send polite notes that say, "Miss Johnston, we have received your resume materials but regret to inform you that we have had all of our summer associate spots filled for months. However, please resend your materials to us in early August when we will start reviewing materials for Summer 2012."

What?!

And I thought I was a planner!

A couple of our professors warned us from the beginning their classes were front loaded. If you put the work in at the beginning, it will be well worth it at the end of the semester. So I'm just going to go ahead and call this Front Loaded February. The good news is, despite all the craziness between briefs, homework, internships and class, if you put the work in now, it will pay off later. And even though I'm new at this whole law thing, I'm going to go ahead and say that is probably true no matter where you are in your legal profession or education. If you buckle down and do the work now, you'll reap the benefits later.

So February, for the last 5 days of fun, and even March when you decide to join in on the madness, I'm ready.

Photo from We Heart It.

It is only my second semester of my 1L year and already I feel like I have learned so much. This accelerated learning happened the very first day of law school and in the very first class, but not in the way you might expect.

Now of course you learn about the law but there were some unexpected lessons that first day as well. First, the oddest thing happens, your own name becomes the most terrifying combination of words that could come out of someone's mouth. The good news is you get over that. You get to know your professors, what they are asking and even at points really look forward to it. However, the first time it happens...well, you'll never forget it.

What you don't realize in that harrowing moment is that the second lesson has already begun. You see, after being called on, a law student quickly learns to never give more information than is asked for. It's when you try to spout off all the information and legal conclusions you think you've come to in your novice brilliance that things will start getting hairy.

(And just because I like you, I'll give you lesson 3: say "I don't know" if you truly don't. Promise, it will always turn out better that way).

Ok, but back to the second one...a law student learns to answer the question that is asked and stick to the point. If the professor wants more information, they will ask.

So, since this is the very first time we are talking, I'm going to keep it sweet and to the point just like the first day.

My name is Jacklyn Johnston, I am a 1L here at UC Law and I couldn't be happier.

Yes, law school is everything they say. It is crazy, and it's hard and there will be nights when you wonder what the heck you have gotten yourself into, but if it is what you want to do...go for it! My path to law school was different than most but I am so glad I decided to pursue and go after what I really wanted.

There is so much more to talk about but what you need to know now is that one of the reasons I am so excited to be a part of the UC Law blog is because from the time I was thinking about law school, so many people were there to share their stories and give their advice. Now that I'm in law school, those same people are there to encourage me, make me laugh and help me along the way and I want to pay it forward.

My hope is that this will be a forum where if you're thinking about law school you can ask questions. If you're in law school you will be able to laugh at all the stories and experiences we share. And more than that, my hope is that this will be a community and a place to share ideas no matter what you do or where you are in your legal career, a student, a professor, professional or someone who is just curious about what this is all about.

And on that note, I'm going to go finish preparing for Civil Procedure tomorrow so I won't have to relive that fear of my name being called.