Graduation Weekend, BBL

I think I am technically a law school graduate because I officially have enough units, but the next time I will be back, I will have a diploma to prove it.

Off to play tour guide to the family.

Finishing Strong

*disclaimer, this will be the first and last time I will gloat about my grades. I am graduating from law school, let me have my moment*

My best academic semester at UCLA was my last semester because I was determined to get a 4.0 after barely missing it several times. Likewise, I fought senioritis in my last semester of law school by aiming to get a 4.0 so I could raise my gpa to from cum laude to magna cum laude level. Nerdy yes, but I need some motivation to get me through my last semester.

Well, I got my grades a few days ago. I had received a B+ in my Business Assocations class. Any other semester, I would have been satsified, not thrilled, but satisfied because I would tell myself that it was not an area of law I was interested in. But with less classes this semester, I actually had time to focus on the class and learned that I actually do enjoy corporate law. I partcipated in class, I went to office hours (for the first time ever!), I was so prepared. So I was disappointed with my grade. But when I went to pick up my test today, I realized that my professor forgot to grade one of my answers. Fortunately he was in his office, realized his mistake, and changed my grade to an A. What a great feeling.

Honestly, I do not know that getting a 4.0 this semester will even bump me up to the next honors level, but I do not care (ok, maybe just a little). I am more excited that I was able to push myself and be just as diligent of a student, if not more, leaving law school as I was coming in. That I did not let law school kill my "academic spirit." To have grades that reflect that, is of course, icing on the cake. I am hoping to continue the momentum through the bar exam.

Thanks Teachers

Now that I am officially done with two decades of schooling, I have been a little nostalgic. As excited as I am to start working, I am going to miss school because I am one of those nerds who actually liked school. A large part of that had to do with the teachers and professors I had. I was thinking yesterday about how some teachers were pivotal to where I am today, and I decided to send them thank you emails.

I sent one to my AP US History/Government teacher who pushed me like no other teacher in high school. He did not just expect us to pass the AP tests, he expected 5's, and conducted class accordingly. Daily quizzes, running our scantrons through the grading machine in front of the class, expecting us to back up all test questions with sources. And what other high school teacher uses the Socratic method? It was probably some of the best preparation for law school. He gave me the pocket constitution I still have in my bag today, and once told me that I would make a great Solicitor General.

Another thank you went out to my eight grade honors English teacher. Honestly before, I never really realized that I was a good writer. There was a time when I was on the math team and wanted to be a doctor or psychologist. However, her assignments made me realize that my strengths lay elsewhere. And while I am far from the smartest kid in my classes still, I now have confidence in my writing, which has taken me far in law school.

I have had so many other great teachers, but those were the ones who had the greatest impact. If I ever need motivation as to why I want to do law related to education, I will just remember them.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pantsuits

For the second year in a row, I was fortunate enough to attend the Women Bar Association's Annual Awards Dinner. While the dinner was more low-key this year because Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (and you know how much I love Ruth) was not there this year and the economic climate sobered the mood and the number of sponsored tables, I had just as much fun this year.

This year's Woman Lawyer of the Year was Solicitor General Elena Kagan. You can just call her General. She has the kind of resume that every law student and lawyer aspires to have. Princeton, Oxford, Harvard Law. Supreme Court Law Clerk, Professor, White House Counsel to Bill Clinton. First female Dean of Harvard Law School and Solicitor General of the United States. And potentially the next Supreme Court Justice.

What I liked most about her though is how "down to earth" she seems. I know that term is cliche, but that is the only way I can describe it. Her self-depricating humor, how she does not try to mask her New York accent, how she got students free coffee and a skating rink at Harvard, and how she polled the audience of whether she should wear the Solicitor General's uniform. (Who knew that the SG had a uniform consisting of a morning coat with tails and pinstripe pants. I had no idea!)

The keynote speaker was also very inspiring. Meanne Verveer was Chief of Staff to then First Lady Hillary Clinton and is currently Obama's ambassador for global women's issues (kudos, btw, to the Obama administration for creating this position). The way she spoke about the hardships women must endure around the world, women that she has met, and projects that her office is working on was equally heart-wrenching as it was hopeful.

Then there was the judge I met at the VIP reception (my boss snuck me in). She was one of the earliest members of the Peace Corp in the 60s and went to India. She fell in love with a man from India and fought the "Peace Corps" bureaucracy to let her marry him, and fought them again when they wanted her to stop working when she was pregnant. She argued that being pregnant was not a disease and was able to continue her work. You could tell she has just as much fight in her as compassion, which to me makes a great lawyer or judge.

I could go on and on about other remarkable women that I met, but I will leave it there. Everytime I go to these Women Bar Association events, I feel the "girl power." I think now that I will actually have some free time next year, I want to do some kind of volunteer work. Whether it be a women's organization or just public service in general, we were reminded tonight that it is needed now more than ever. As economic times are tough, domestic violence goes up and people, particularly women, are afraid to speak out about injustices in their work place for fear of losing their jobs.

Kennedy Center

As part of graduation week festivities, I got to go to the Kennedy Center to see Ragtime. (picture courtesy of DCist, who had a glowing review) Even though the school subsidized the event and we only had to pay $5, I would have paid more because it was a great show.

Sometimes I forget how easy it is for me to see these kind of performances at the Kennedy Center, which is just a few blocks away from Alex's apartment. Everything I have seen there has been great, and Laura Bush was even at one of the shows we saw. I feel so "grown-up" and fancy whenever I go, like when Sam and Mallori went to the opera at the same place (yes, another West Wing reference).

With another year in DC, free of law school, I am starting to make a list of things I want to take advantage of while I am in the District. One of them is seeing more performing arts, especially because there are so many free ones in DC.

Open Minds

Every morning since classes ended, I have started off my day by watching West Wing while running at the gym. Before, during the Bush Administration, the West Wing used to be my political escapism--what I wish the Presidency was. And while the Obama Presidency has far to go, even I can admit that, I feel like it is closing the gap between my idealism and reality.

It is not even just about liberal versus conservative. It is how the President speaks, frames issues, governs, and represents the country. A great example came today, with Obama's speech at Notre Dame's commencement. (read the text or watch it here) It is the type of speech that fictional President Bartlet would give at his alma mater. Confronting controversial subjects like abortion without being confrontational. The analogies, the connections, the imagery of fisherman. It is something that fictional Sam Seaborne would write. So good.