5 Encouraging Quotes for Law Students
Physical suffering, mental anguish, fright, serious anxiety, besmirched reputation, wounded feelings, moral shock, social humiliation, and similar injury — these are examples of moral damages provided in Article 2217 of the New Civil Code. These are also the rollercoaster of emotions law students will most likely experience throughout the law school journey. Not every day looks the same; some are uneventful and some can even be fun. But ask any lawyer or law student, and they will tell you, being disappointed and embarrassed is a normal part of law school.
As such, we law students need all the encouragement we can get. I am no expert in this. I just finished my first year in law school. I know that I still have much to learn and experience; I still have a long way to go. However, I passed all my subjects so far, with some good grades, while juggling my tasks as a mom and an entrepreneur; sharing my experience may help those on the same journey.
Here are some quotes that help keep me going whenever I feel lazy, burned out, or discouraged.
1. It’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. — George Ellis
I prepared well for the first round of recitation for a difficult subject in the first semester. I read, made my outline, asked my classmates questions, and tried to memorize. When that day came, the period ended without my name being called.
I was frustrated because I felt that my effort was wasted. Our teacher must have read my mind because she told us not to feel sorry when we prepared but were not called. She said if we didn’t use what we read for the recitation, maybe we might need them for the quiz or exam. She’s right. In law school and life, no lesson learned is ever wasted. Even if I won’t use them for recitations, quizzes, or exams, they might come in handy in other situations.
After all, I’d rather deal with the frustration of preparing and not being called than the embarrassment of being called without having prepared.
2. The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war. — Norman Schwarzkopf
The crucial period in determining how we perform in law school is not while we are in the classroom, it is what we do before we enter the room. Entering the room without reading anything is going to a battle without a weapon — it’s suicide.
I don’t need to elaborate on this. Read, read, read — there’s no way around it.
3. Comparison is the thief of joy. — Theodore Roosevelt
We have different capacities, privileges, and resources. Let us focus on our own journey. We can make excuses and feel sorry for the things we don’t have or we can make ways and take advantage of what we have. The goal is to be better than yesterday, not better than others.
4. You may delay, but time will not. — Benjamin Franklin
Procrastination is one of the biggest culprits of poor performance. We fool ourselves into thinking we still have plenty of time and then cram at the last minute. I am not the most disciplined person, so I try to set my environment so I can use my time as effectively as possible. I have reading materials in our room, in our store, on my computer, and mobile devices.
I also uninstall and unsubscribe from Netflix during the semester and reward myself by binge-watching during breaks. I watch law or medicine-related shows so entertainment still has educational value. I remove the Facebook app on my phone during exams. I don’t fight temptation, I remove it. This is not foolproof, of course, I slip into the procrastination slide now and then, but I get out of it as soon as I can.
5. Hope is the companion of power, and mother of success; for who so hopes strongly has within him the gift of miracles. — Samuel Smiles
No matter how poorly we mess up in a recitation, quiz, or exam, there is still hope to do better next time. We entered law school because of our hopes and dreams. We will get through it by holding on to the same and matching it with action; leaving the rest to the Almighty God.
Are you a lawyer or a law student? I would love to hear from you. What is your favorite quote that helped you through law school? Kindly share them in the comment section.
