Cliff Notes: What I did this year

my year in brief:

1. Entered the Minority Student Program (MSP) and entertained the question “how are you a minority” 132 times (was wearing a pedometer and each time I was asked walked a mile so as to keep track)

2. Started law school. Was called on in property class in the first week. Turned out to be the only time I was called on in property class, but because I didn’t know that, came prepared every day.

3. Took Property, Torts, Criminal, and Contract law classes (capitalized because I fear them)

4. Read and read and read and read

5. Visited Portuguese section of Newark (Ironbound) for Miles’ birthday.

6. Joined the student bar association (SBA).

7. Drank and drank and drank, and then when I was good and drunk, went back to my dorm room and read.

8. Lost my winter coat.

9. Complained that the cold air in the dorm room was too cold and could not be turned off.

10. Placed a t-shirt over the cold air vent in order to not get sick.

11. Got sick.

12. Went to class sick, leaving only once in five days of class to throw up outside.

13. Got everyone else sick. Complained about how people should not come to class when they are sick.

14. Vowed to fix the clocks in the law school, which were all set to incorrect times.

15. Started eating non-meat alternatives and insisting I was not a vegetarian.

16. Had my first legal, research, and writing (LRW) assignment. Realized that writing and “legal” writing were not very synonymous. Did poorly, but not graded. When given the opportunity to rewrite it, did poorly again. Had an inkling that this could be trouble.

17. Acquainted myself with the NJ Path system (light rail) and the NJ transit (trains).

18. Got my second LRW assignment. Did less poorly. Didn’t tell anyone it was my birthday so as not to interrupt their writing.

19. Got a 75 dollar ticket for not having a 65 cent subway ticket. The same day, took a train to see Elissa. Missed the first train because it stopped, its doors opened, and I just stood there (?waiting for someone to ask me if I would like to board?) …

20. Elected as a backup secretary to the SBA.

21. Read and read and read …

22. Third LRW assignment. Done good.

23. Got sick again. Thought I had MRSA because my friend kept mentioning MRSA. Turns out it was a pimple.

24. While at the doctor, learned that I had lost 20 lbs. The up side to losing all my muscle mass is that me and my orange horse friend Pokey can walk into any book.

25. Then crammed for exams. Outlined a few reading supplements.

26. Stayed in the theater district and watched the Macy’s parade from our window. Traveled to the village to buy Elissa a proper chess set. Had Thanksgiving dinner in Long Island with Elissa’s friends.

Kermit (Background), Me, and Elissa

27. Drank caffeine. Tabbed my textbooks. Took exams. Thought they were easy (spoiler: taken properly, they weren’t supposed to feel easy).

28. Rode with friends (Jorge and Susie!) to Boston to see Elisa. Found normalcy in Boston.

Jorge, Jane, Elissa, Some handsome dude from newsies

Elissa, Darcy, Jorge, Jordan

29. Stayed in Lake Placid with Elissa’s fam. Was not eaten by a crocodile. BEAT MARSHALL AT CHESS 😉 Went sledding. Ice skated for the first time. ELISSA AND I BEAT MARSHALL AND MARTY AT SPADES. Celebrated the new year in Boston.

Fam

Crushing defeat!

30. Bought a great suit (first one ever) at a tremendous price.

31. Left normalcy for Law School kicking and screaming.

32. Got into the lotteried Alternative Dispute Resolution class. Took Civil Procedure and Constitutional law classes.

33. Took a picture of Newark at night.

34. Won a MSP internship.

35. Visited the village for Melissa’s birthday.

36. Went to Boston to make up Valentine’s day.

37. Helped incarcerated kids with writing at the detention center.

38. Passed a resolution to fix the aforementioned clocks.

39. Turned in trial brief. Did less well than before.

40. Got caught up with Lost.

41. Read, read, read, read. Realized I have done so much reading that it changed my eyes and I can no longer read in contacts.

42. Lost another, lighter coat, but found it again with the help of a school wide email.

43. Went on interviews in the cold with a suit, but no overcoat.

44. Went to New York University to see Animal Legal Defense Fund presentation.

45. Went to great Boston restaurant and Monster mini-golf for Elissa’s birthday

Mike, Amy, and Elissa coveting their winnings

46. Turned in appellate brief.

47. Helped put on law school prom.

Me and Mary, my 3L mentor

48. Attended MSP banquet.

Me, Shera, Suzanne, and Romain

49. Elected SBA parliamentarian (Pretty easy as I ran unopposed).

50. Lost my voice to laryngitis. This coincided with oral arguments.

51. Interviewed and was accepted at Prudential working in Compliance and Business Ethics.

52. Elected as MSP Academic Affairs co-chair.

53. Went to Boston (via car ride with Jorge and Dave, in which Dave commented that there was nothing more beautiful than the Merrit Parkway covered with a light dusting of snow) for spring break/study no break.

54. Took civ pro exam.

55. Went to Boston to study for Con Law, but did less of that and more of watching John Adams (HBO) or sitting in the library lusting after my many books.

56. Took con law exam.

57. Breathed deeply.

58. Today.