M.S.E.L. Students Blog

Literally. And it’s physically painful. Let it snow again!

Everyone is now studying very diligently for finals. I was really really good this semester about keeping up with my reading every week, so I don’t have that much to go over before finals. I have a take home final for Energy which I pick up tomorrow, Firestone’s Environmental Law final on Monday, and my Extinctions paper due next Thursday. That’s wonderfully spaced out : D

I’m really excited about next semester! I’m doing an “independent research project” with Sarah about research and development in energy for Professor Dworkin, with the opportunity to get published! That was one of my goals, so I’m glad that is working out!

I went to an Academic Success program this morning on preparing for finals and found it extremely lacking. I asked the woman in charge if them if next semester she could prepare programs for MSELs because she only discussed things that would apply to 1Ls. However, I guess it won’t really matter next semester because the only class we’ll all have in common is the second half of Legal Writing and Research. I’ll be taking Administrative Law next semester too. Other than that, I’m still trying to figure out my schedule.

On a personal note, I’ve had kind of a rough week. Sorry if I’m in a bad mood!

VLS is usually filled with the chatting of students throughout the day in the halls, Chase Center, and around town.  Since last Friday, the chatter has deceased within the halls, Chase Center and the town.  All you hear is silence.  Everyone has their laptop open typing away, reading last cases out of their books, and concentrating on keeping their mind clear so they can excel on their exam. 

On another note, I didn’t attend the last day of class party because I went to Boston, MA for a meeting with my work-study position.  The four students on the Carbon Reduction Task Force went to meet with the NAELS President and with the Clean Air, Cool Planet Representative to discuss VLS’ efforts with their carbon footprint and carbon reduction programs.  The meeting was great, and I absolutely LOVED BOSTON!!!  I have never been to a city quite like it.  It had this charm that pulled me into it, and I am hoping that at some point I will have the opportunity to intern at a law office here, so that I can experience the city more.  One thing I didn’t like was the traffic, but I did like the fact that there was a metro system. So this meeting pushed me even harder to work towards getting an internship in Boston.

The reason why I want an internship is that I am hoping that I will be accepted into the JD program here at VLS so that I can continue my involvement with the school and broaden my horizons by being in such an ideal location- close to nature and major cities without being in them.  I am in the process right now of applying, and will be working on it over winter break.  Keep your fingers crossed because I will be!  I don’t want to leave this amazing place, the professors, the curriculum, or the staff and students that make this place special to me. 

Wish me luck on finals and the 12 hour trip to Detroit, MI…I have never experienced either of these, so it is getting a little stressful thinking about them becoming a reality.

Classes are now over.  In an attempt to change it up a bit, I am at Dartmouth studying in one of the libraries.  Apparently Dartmouth is not applying their endowment to heating the libraries and I am freezing cold (but productive and awake!)…tomorrow I will bring a blanket.

I guess the first thing to talk about is the snow storm we got Sunday night and Monday.  I have heard we got anywhere from 10 to 16 inches.  VLS canceled classes on Monday.  Having a snow day was awesome.  I didn’t get as much school work done as I would have liked to, but going outside and messing around was great.  It took a good half hour to get my car unburied on Tuesday morning.  Lucky the roads were completely clear by Tuesday.

The title of my post is a Simpson’s quote from Ralph.  I found it relevant and humorous to what does one want to do with his/her life?  The main part of this post is about going on to the JD program.  I’m sure there a few prospective students reading this that will find themselves in the same situation I was.  I first applied to the JD program here at VLS but I was wait-listed.  VLS then contacted me about the MSEL program.  I looked it over and decided it would be worthwhile. 

Additionally what really helped make up my mind was the notion that if I did well in the MSEL program there was a good chance for acceptance into the JD program.  Also they don’t require you to retake the LSAT and they waive the application fee and essays.  It is largely dependent on your first semester performance, which can put some pressure on you, but the notion is, if you were good enough to get in here, you will likely perform well.

I’m really glad I ended up going the MSEL route.  Right now I’m trying to decide if I want to continue on into the JD program or not.  I think if I would have started out in the JD program I might have decide it wasn’t for me and wasted lots of money and time.  I’m back and forth constantly on whether I would like to continue on or not.

If not, I think I would like to work with an environmental consulting firm.  My background is heavy in science and I did similar work with IEPA and I would like to see what the private sector is like.  VLS really pushes the value of internships to its students.  Currently I am working with career services to find an internship with an environmental consulting firm, that way I can see if it’s sometime I would like to get into or not.  I will probably apply to the JD program to give me more time to decide whether or not to do it.  There are benefits to being a lawyer but the MSEL degree definitely gives one more options and more variety. 

I have a hard time deciding what to do because I really don’t know what I want to do with my life, very cliché but very true for most people.  I have a hard time accepting the fact I will loose my ability to do what I want basically when I want.  What I mean is right now, I don’t have to wait to the weekend for something fun to do.  In most ways I do, I have class and work that needs to be accomplished for class but overall freedom is still at hand.

I realize many people switch jobs and whole careers through the course of their lives; I’m having a difficult time even deciding on where to start.  I’ve still got some time before I make the decision and I hope some answers will come to me before it’s too late.  MSEL and stop or continue on to the JD?  That’s the questions with pros and cons on both.  Give it a few months and there will probably be a post about what I decided to do any why.

This obviously did not work for me last night.  I tried to go to bed at midnight, but couldn’t fall asleep until around 4:30 am.  Needless to say, my plan to wake up earlier and do work for environmental law did not pan out.  What I am realizing more and more about law school is that to really get the full experience you need to be outgoing with the professors.  Talking to them, getting to know them, and more importantly, having them know you is really  helpful.  My department at Emory was about 60 kids, and there were no grad students, so we were treated with the same courtesy usually saved for grad students.  Weekly, we had a waffle brunch (Waffle Thursdays) prepared by Dr. Hickcox, and after our seminar class, we were taken out to dinner on the department’s bill.  Those experiences instilled the need to get to know my professors on a personal and professional basis.  It is only by doing this that you will get other opportunities, like the opportunity to write a paper to eventually be published, and to get a research position with a professor. 

Yesterday I wore a sweater, two jackets, and two shirts to combat the cold.  Today I downgraded to a light sweater and a puffy jacket and I feel just fine.  I have to say that buying my Uggs was the best investment that I could have made because my feet still stay warm : )  However, as everyone likes to remind me…it will get much much colder than this : (  I can’t even begin to imagine.

Snow days are awesome!!  I didn’t think that VLS would cancel for a mere 2 feet of snow, but it was a nice surprise.  A few friends of mine and myself went sledding which made me so happy becuase I felt like a 10 year old again and could forget about school for an hour or so before I went home and pretended to study for finals (aka watched movies).  It was not fun, however, shoveling my drive way.  Anyways, I hope everyone had an awesome time with the snow and let’s hope for more!

So this weekend I went up to burlington with a friend and we stayed with some UVM students.  It was a lot of fun until I felt really old when I was asking them where they went to school and they replied “Here, UVM.”  Then I was thinking of course, you’re still in undergrad and we’re the creepy older people that are coming back to party with you.  Haha.  Anyways, it was a lot of fun…definately a big change from SoRo, but it was nice to come back knowing we were in for a huge snow storm! 

Ok…I haven’t been keeping up with this too well, and for the silliest reason: I kept forgetting my username and password.  Whoops! I’ll try to update more now that classes are ending, finals are starting…I’m sure hilarity will ensue.

We got our first big snow!! And by big I mean HUGE.  I haven’t seen real snow in over a decade so imagine my shock when classes are canceled today and there’s about 8 inches of snow on the ground.  I opened my door and then took a nice little tumble down my front steps which had started to resemble a small mountain.  This was the first one of many such tumbles down the front steps.

Classes are drawing to a close.  The memos for Legal Writing were due last week, so that’s one class down.  I have a paper and a presentation due for Environmental Ethics tomorrow, so that’ll be another class down.  That leaves my Energy take home final, the open materials Environmental Law final, and my paper for Extinctions.  More than the finals themselves, I’m worried that the pressure I put on myself will do me in.  I’ve already inadvertently started getting on my “finals sleep schedule”.  This entails staying up until 3 or so studying or finishing random things around the house, but sleeping in to a luxurious 11 am.  This schedule works really well for me, but I don’t particularly recommend it to anyone else.  I really like staying up late though : )

As for classes…I can’t believe they are almost over! Where did the time go?  How are we in the last week of class?

And on a random note…I think I’m going to reduce my coffee intake and switch back to tea.  I’m enjoying a nice warm cup of vanilla black tea right now and it’s the perfect anecdote to the cold weather outside : )

And a special super duper thanks to Pete for shoveling my front steps after I took yet another tumble down those front stairs!