Half Way There

[I am writing this blog now instead of after my final because I plan on taking a nice break from using my laptop after spending way too much time with it in the past few weeks]

Barring a snow storm in the next few hours, I will be half way done with law school at 4:30pm today.

For some people, that thought is scary: either because they think there is a lot of law school still left (we will call those people "the glass is half-empty people"), or because they think that one and a half years is too soon for us to be "real lawyers" in the "real world."

I tend to fall into that latter category. It is both scary and exciting to think how much people will rely on your knowledge and judgment. In one and a half years, I can no longer tell friends and family seeking legal advice that I am but a mere a law student.

Some fears of responsibility aside, I am overall elated to be half way done, get a nice long break, and finish up that last half.

A Weather Wish

Dear Weather,

Even though I occasionally complain about the DC weather, I try not to ask for much. However, I am pleading you for this one favor: please do not bring a bad storm tomorrow.

This morning the National Weather Service issued a warning for a Winter Storm Watch, and this evening the registrar warned us that there may be delays opening the school tomorrow or the school may even close down.

Although most of us usually welcome a snow day, there cannot be a snow day tomorrow. Please let those of us with examinations tomorrow (90% of the 2L class and a sprinkling of 3Ls) take our tests. The registrar has informed us that if our test is canceled tomorrow, we will have to make them up on Monday.

It has already been difficult enough for us to watch the majority of the school finish before us; the thought of delaying our test until Monday is unbearable. None of us can study anymore and we just want to go home. If not for me, please do this for people like my roommate who have plane flights on Monday.

Desperately yours,

Kristina

Library Living

I have never truly been a library studier until this semester, when gaps in my schedules made cracking open the books in the library a necessity. Because of that, my apartment has been my refuge and I mentally have a difficult time working at home.

So I have spent almost every single day of finals period at the library. The situation actually is not that bad since I have a lot of friends there to keep me company, and I found a spot with natural sunlight. However, I am definitely showing symptoms of needing a long winter break away from that place.

Signs that you have been spending too much time in the library:

• You get there early enough to claim the coveted black executive chairs, and you leave late enough that no one is really there to steal it after you are gone.
  
• You see the security guard who checks IDs more than your family, significant other, friends, and even roommate combined.
  
• When you walk around the library, you know exactly who you are going to see in each spot, and in turn, people will know where to find you.
  
• You have a little theme song in your head when some library workers walk by...ok, it is really only when John Smith walks by, because John Smith would have a theme song.
  
• You talk about your favorite printer, which is named by the tech guys, like its a friend or a pet (I heart Yoda).
• You have considered napping on the long couch downstairs, tucked around the corner, by the bathroom.
• You see library employees come into work and leave.
  
• You now start your morning routine at the library instead of at home- get coffee, read the news, eat yogurt, walk around for a little bit before settling down. I am just waiting to see someone come in a bathrobe and slippers.
  
• You wonder what you are going to do during winter break when you have freedom.

Teacher's Pet

After my final today, the school had a school-wide "Twilight Breakfast," where many of our favorite professors served us breakfast for dinner. Most of the professors who were there were the student-favorites, the good professors who go above and beyond both in the classroom and outside (hence the volunteering to serve us wearing silly aprons and chefs hats).

I realized that this semester has generally been an enjoyable semester because I liked the subject material of the classes I chose. However, another significant factor was the teachers that I had. I would say that 4 out of 5 professors were amazing, people who loved teaching and made going to class everyday interesting and entertaining (yes, even tax). The 5th was nice but was too overextended to be effective.

My friends and I talk a lot about the characteristics that we like and dislike about the professors we have had (organization and cares about students are tied for first for me). And that's how I pick professors now. Law school goes by too quickly, and costs too much, to have bad professors. My seemingly obvious words of wisdom for my 1L and aspiring law student friends.

Low Energy

Last year right before finals, my AC adapter had a loose wire, which required me to wiggle the cord around extensively to get power. This year, my new AC adapter on my new laptop has decided to die on me again. Though a new one is coming in the mail on Thursday, I am hoping it will come back to life soon. Why do computer failures always happen around finals time?

Speaking of technology questions, a 44 year old UCLA alum from Uruguay friended me on facebook. Though I was quite sure that I did not know the woman, I sent her a facebook message asking if we had met before. She responded by saying that we do not know each other.

You would think she would have added a reason of why she requested to be my friend on facebook or how she found me. My profile is private, so the only thing that people who are not my friends can see is my picture, which at the time was a picture of law books.

[Addendum: Another person, a political nemesis who I have denied twice as a friend on facebook, tried to add me again. Why? Alex does not think I reject people, but I do, multiple times.]

On a last technology note, I have an update on "xtremlyaddictlng," better known in my blog as the internet creeper. However, I will wait until I have more energy, both physically and laptoply, to share the full story.

Church and State

As I reviewed the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses for my First Amendment Final, I naturally thought of Mitt Romney's speech last week about religion and politics.

I did not think the speech was all that remarkable, and I nearly laughed out loud when one person (probably a campaign staffer trolling news stories) commented on the Washignton Post and said that this speech would be later read in political science books. To steal a line from Lloyd Bentson, Mitt Romney is no Jack Kennedy (transcript of Kennedy's speech on religion).

Then again I really should not have been expected to be blown away by the speech since I am 1) completely biased against Mitt Romney already, 2) not his target audience, and 3) fall more in line with Kennedy's emphasis on separation of church and state view than Romney's religion is essential for freedom view.

I guess if Mitt Romney's candidacy has any redeeming factor, it is bringing this issue front and center. As a church-going Democrat, I love watching the the Republican side of the race and how they deal with religion this time around. We will see if faith and stances of faith based issues (abortion, gay marriage, and all those other things that hurt Giuliani) are really the lynchpin.

In the end though, Mitt Romney rest easy knowing that I do not care that he is Mormon. I would not vote for him because of his views on Guantanamo (we should double it, it is a sign of American resolve), his disingenuous reasons for changing positions on issues like abortion, his stance on Iraq, and almost every other issue. Oh, and because I cannot, as a registered Democrat.

Crafty Christmas

Last night my friend David had a holiday party which required that each guest brought an ornament. Not seeing any suitable ornaments in the stores around my apartment, I decided to make something after I finished my tax final.

What started off as making cutout of UCLA's basketball coach of Ben Howland (David is a huge UCLA athletics fan) turned out to be a collage of UCLA.

At first my collage was taped together because I did not have a gluestick. I thought it looked too homemade so I ended up photocopying the collage onto some leftover resume paper. For the other side of the ornament, I found a great picture of John Wooden, UCLA's most legendary basketball coach. I liked the black and white vintage look on ivory paper.

Though not an elaborate project, I was happy that I was able to whip something up in a few hours with a printer, tape, resume paper, and CD for structural support. It reminded me of the crafts I would make with stuff around the house while in elementary school, which probably made this even more fun.

I wish I had taken a picture of the ornament that Alex made out of a Disney Princess yo-yo and tops. Requiring everyone to bring an ornament definitely brings out everyone's inner-Martha Stewart.

And of course a cute picture from the festivities.