So now you're here. You've entered law school, and every day you seem to have to remind yourself how much money and how many career options you are going to obtain once you graduate. Basically, you talk yourself out of dropping out every day — as you should, because giving up is not the solution to anything.
What if the stress is too much to handle? Bingeing on food, drinking way too much alcohol, and taking up smoking are never solutions to problems, but it might be tempting to fall back on these habits when the stress gets overwhelming. I know people who had never smoked before but upon entering law school decided lighting up a cigarette would be a great way to handle the adversity that comes with studying for 10 hours straight.
As Justin Spizman, author of The Insider's Guide to Your First Year of Law School: A Student-to-Student Handbook from a Law School Survivor, says, you need to "maintain a healthy life; so don't sacrifice your health for law school." Below are some suggestions to help you avoid visiting bad-habit land and losing valuable time you can better use for studying or socializing.
- Get some sleep. Yes, admit it: you've done the caffeine bit until 4 a.m. from time to time. If you don't sleep, you're not going to process everything you've learned. Hit the books hard, but get the rest you deserve in peace.
- Don't have an epiphany. Or at least don't go overboard with one that is going to cause you some chaos. Some experts have said that if, for example, you're a smoker, you shouldn't try to quit during your first year. Doing so will add to the stress you already have. Live your life as normally as possible, with little drastic change.
- Don't isolate yourself, making it easier for you to pick up a bad habit to comfort yourself. Rely on your peers and friends for support, because they want to support you in your venture, not discourage you. Focus your mind on your studies, but give some of your heart to the people closest to you.
- Think of the positive, not the negative. Meditate on good thoughts if you have to. We all know that if you think positively, good things will happen, right? Okay, maybe not all the time, but it's better than being negative. Think of the big bucks you'll be making once you graduate! That's a much happier thought than all the bad stuff that can come into your mind.
- Remember the repercussions of taking up a bad habit. Once law school is done, you'll want to enjoy your time being successful, not dealing with A.A. meetings. Don't get addicted to something you've spent years avoiding.
