How Old Am I Again?

I gotta say: today was a good day.

Although I could barely bring myself to crawl out of bed, I managed to get to school a whopping 25 minutes early (even after parking!), put my books in my locker (yes, I said locker) and take a seat before the professor did. On top of that, classes were decent, my homework load was as light as it probably will ever be, and I had a sweet little shopping trip by myself. It was pretty fab.

I've heard it mentioned before, but right here, on the record, it has to be said: law school is a lot like Junior High School. Here's why:

• Lockers Oh yes, that's right. For the low price of $5 per semester, law students at the University of Memphis can have their very own locker for storage of books, binders, lunchboxes, and other legal items. Combination lock included. You may think you're too cool to have a locker, but spend a day carrying around at least 5 casebooks and a law dictionary and you'll think twice. I've contemplated buying a locker shelf, magnetic mirror, and Jonas Brothers paraphernalia, but alas, my books and TigerBeat teen magazine will just have to keep each other company in the dark recesses of the locker bay.
• Lunchboxes The last time I carried a legitimate lunchbox was in Junior High (Middle School, we Karns folk called it). High school I either bought my lunch or brown bagged it, and college lunch was anything I could microwave in Greve or bum when I babysat. Now, if you don't want to starve from 9-5 or pay $7 a pop for a meal every day, you best be packin'...lunch, that is. I have a delightful lavendar Arctic Zone that I carry daily. I pack my sandwich and fruit snacks and juice box with my cute purple ice pack and it sustains me. We even have a cute little student lounge with tables and microwaves. No lunchroom monitor though.
  
• Assigned Seats You thought that when you went to professional school you would have freedom surpassing that of any undergraduate classroom, but instead, you find yourself checking the seating chart as you enter the room to make sure you're counted present and sitting in the right spot. Never mind these professors know every Restatement (Second) of Torts or the majority of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure; matching 71 names with 71 faces is impossible, hence, the assigned seats.
  
• Gossip The law school as a whole has approximately 450 students, and there are fewer than 150 first year law students. We are divided into 2 sections of 70 something students per section, so it's fairly simple to know who's who and whatnot. My friend Kari is in the opposite section from me, but we can still discuss who's dating whom and who freaked out in Torts and laugh about the guy who is ambiguously gay/cross-eyed with relative ease.
  
• Insecurity I can only speak for myself on this one, but for the first time in 3-4 years, I'm trying on multiple outfits before I hit the door at 8 am, I stress over my hair like none-other, and I have to psych myself up to talk to anyone who looks relatively cool...which is pretty much everyone. This has been the most humbling part of school so far. Although UT was a huge campus, I was rarely intimidated. After working as an Orientation Leader for Incoming Freshmen in 2007, I couldn't go many places without being called Patti Mayonnaise (my character in a skit) or hearing "hey, weren't you my OL..." and I was 2nd in command in my sorority for a whole year, so I just got used to being the big fish in that proverbial pond. Sure, there were tons of people who were involved with waaay more things that I ever was, but I was in a place where I was comfortable, and that's been a huge shock for me. Yeah, I've made friends, but I always wonder if I've been invited somewhere as a last resort or something ridiculous like that. I went shopping for "cooler" clothes this weekend so I wouldn't feel like such a doofus walking into class. Everybody's so good looking and put together for the most part, and I've definitely been knocked off that high-horse I was on for awhile. I seriously became one of the most superficial people I'd ever met! Nothin' like a little humility to put you back where you belong.

On that serious note, it's time for me to stop. I have much more to say on the subject of law school and insecurities, but it would take hours and volumes. Not to mention I'd have nothing to ever blog about again.

Until next time, friends.