There's No Competition in Law School: No Such Thing as Free Lunch

Here’s an insider’s tip on law school. The financial aid office gives you a budget at the beginning of the semester allowing about $10 a day for food. That’s not a lot of money unless you can survive on 8 double cheeseburgers and 2 medium fries a day. Here’s what the financial aid office doesn’t tell you: if you play your cards right you can have free lunch every day at school and then take half of your $10 daily budget and spend it on other things. Nice things. Like electricity and rent. Or necessities not included in the budget. Like alcohol. (Although on $5 a day we’re probably talking rubbing alcohol, or worse 40s of malt liquor).

On almost any given day there are seminars, speakers and meetings which all provide lunch. As long as you don't mind being part of the society of women lawyers on Monday, part of Outlaw! on Tuesday, a Republican on Wednesday, attending a career services seminar on Thursday and a Democrat on Friday then you can have free lunch every day.

The catch?

You better have a high tolerance for pizza and bullshit. I used to love pizza. (Even more exciting when it’s Pizza Hut one day and Dominos’ the next.) Never loved the bullshit meetings. However, after eating pizza on average of three times a week at school, I find that I’d rather be eating bullshit then pizza. But poor law students can't be picky, now can they? I should just be happy that all of my tuition money is being so well spent!

We Came. We Were Snarky. We Disbanned.

The short story: we blogged pretty voraciously while in law school until halfway through our 3L year when law school drama interceded. We abruptly shut down, fearing exposure that would impact our full-time employment options.

Sometimes, there is, unfortunately, no humor in law school or the legal profession.

That was years ago. Since then, we're all gainfully employed. Of the LawBitches, one is a partner and two others are associates in small firms, two are solo practitioners, one works for the government, one is an in-house counsel, one work in non-traditional job in corporate America, and two are also adjunct professors at a law school.

The point is: we all survived. But if you ask us if we're happy? Or if we'd do it over again? Well, you'd get differing responses.

The bottom line: Before you decide to go to law school, be aware -- be very aware -- of what you are getting yourself into.

5 comments:

josh said...: well i'm no woman, but i'll get in touch with my feminine side for some free pizza! can i run for women's caucus president??; 4/21/2006 10:58 AM
Battlerocker said...: So it's true. Law school is the same everywhere. Cheers to lunch meeting pizza!; 4/21/2006 5:53 PM
That Guy said...: I've tried to get one or two of the clubs to consider ordering something other than pizza, but for some reason order subsandwiches would just be too insane.; 4/21/2006 6:44 PM
Calculating Bitch said...: Seeing as how there are at least one or two meetings every day of the week some of the groups have tried a taco bar, subs, and salads from some of the places close to campus, but apparently these end up being messy, a lot of work and people still aren't happy.

So I guess I better stop complaining about pizza and just be happy that I don't have to pay for lunch.

Dicta - there are a few guys on the women's law email distribution list, but I've never seen them at a meeting. Although if you transfer here, you have my full support for president of the women's law society.; 4/21/2006 7:18 PM
josh said...: woohoo!

dicta in '07!; 4/21/2006 8:04 PM