The greatest part about the new school year starting is buying new school supplies. Something about new highlighters and pens gets me extremely excited and motivated for the upcoming semester. Before my first semester began, I was freaking out because I had no idea what type of supplies I would need. After all, law school is nothing like undergrad. The obvious supplies were pens, pencils, highlighters, paper, etc., but no one tells you about the bookstand that saves your neck while reading cases or about the extra computer monitor or screen that makes legal research less of a headache. I have compiled a list of all my favorite school supplies, including those that I found the most useful.

1. Pens – My personal favorite is a Pilot G2 pen, but whatever yours is, get A LOT of them. I have never gone through more pens than I did my 1L year. I handwrite all of my notes, so I knew that I would go through pens quickly, but I started the semester with 24 Pilot G2’s and had to restock before the Spring semester. Having different colored pens is also super helpful when you are revising and editing your briefs or when making notes on your outlines. 
2. Highlighters – Again, no one tells you how many of these you will go through. Your highlighters will become your best friend was briefing cases. As you read and brief a case, highlight each part of your brief in the case in a different color. It makes finding information so much easier when you are cold called. 
3. A Bookstand – This is one of those that you don’t realize how amazing it is until you don’t have it. Being able to have your textbook sitting up on your bookstand is super helpful and efficient during class as you work through the material, and it is great for reading cases because you don’t have to have your head and neck bent to read. 
4. A Planner – Whether it is digital or physical, I personally believe a planner is a must. The workload in law school is a lot and can be too much to remember without writing it down. Even if you use sticky notes or just plain paper, having a place to write down the assignments for class will help you so much. Having a planner is also great for when you start an internship or if you have a job because it keeps your schedule in order and prevents you from overbooking yourself or spreading yourself too thin. 
5. An iPad or 2^nd Monitor – This one is not a necessity, but it sure does help. As a 1L Zoom student, my second monitor allowed me to have extra notes or my outline up while having zoom on my other screen. It was also amazing to have when writing briefs because I could have my legal research on one monitor and my brief on the other. Again, this is not a necessity, but makes life a whole lot easier. 

Some other important things are a USB drive to save all your work, a nice, sturdy backpack, and a nice suit for oral arguments or interviews.

Obviously, these are all up to personal preferences. One may prefer pencils over pens or gel highlighters over liquid ones. You may want to handwrite all your notes, or you may want to type them all onto your computer. Whatever you do, make sure that you have A LOT of whatever it is and that you’re prepared. 

Law school is nothing like I expected it to be; it is so much more. I came to Widener straight from undergrad, without taking any pre-law or law related courses. I thought law school would give me lists of statutes and codes to memorize. Instead, I’ve received an experience that has re-shaped my critical thinking and writing skills. By far the biggest surprise is how much fun I’m having in law school so far. I was told about the stress, the opportunities, and the heavy reading that I could expect as a law student. But no one ever told me that I was going to have so much fun. This could be because I’ve always been an academic at heart, or it could be because Widener Commonwealth is a truly unique and lovely place to study law.  

I was lucky enough to receive a real, physical tour of Widener before COVID shut everything down. From the moment I stepped on campus, I knew that Widener was special. It is small enough that professors and administrators know your name, but large enough to provide countless opportunities for experiential learning. Widener and I “clicked”, and I wake up every morning grateful to be a student here. If you are a prospective Widener student, I highly encourage you to reach out, schedule a tour, and get in touch with a student ambassador.  

I’d also like to pass on something I learned this year: the power of checklists. At the beginning of each semester, I find myself frustrated that I cannot see the whole “picture” at once. In law school, you work through each element of a crime, tort, or contract before coming to the big picture. This was such a dramatic shift for me from undergrad, where I felt like I had everything presented to me at once. Instead of trying to see the finish line, I had to force myself to slow down and enjoy the scenery along the way. As each element or concept comes along, put it into a list. This will help keep information organized and make outlining easier. When you finally do have the big picture towards the end of each semester, your list will become an invaluable study tool for final exams. Instead of having to piece together a semester’s worth of scattered information, you will have a beautiful checklist to aid you while writing. While you study and do practice exams, you can simply move down the checklist and let it guide your writing.  

No matter what class you’re writing a checklist for, don’t forget to keep in mind your own personal big picture.  Everyone has a reason for coming to law school. It’s important to keep your end goal in mind, but don’t forget to enjoy the scenery along the way.  

Finals are officially over and that means another semester of law school is officially finished! Many people plan on focusing on getting jobs, internships, summer classes, etc. However, I believe it is VERY important to find a way to de-stress during this time in between semesters as well. Law school will test your mentality every single day, whether it is the one class you find yourself struggling in, an internship or clerkship that takes away time from studying for classes, or any other time consuming activity that takes away the little time in the day you have to focus on reading cases and writing briefs. But when do you have time to focus on yourself? I love to find time right before a new semester to give myself a physical, emotional, and mental cleansing, and this is personally how I do it, by making lists and following through with them!

My first new habit is to update my planner and check my email every single day, if not multiple times a day. Staying on top of emails was a problem for me this semester because I took a gap year after graduating from my undergraduate, so checking emails was not very important. Even during undergraduate, it was not the end of the world if you missed an email. Law school on the other hand, if you miss an email, you may have missed an assignment, a deadline, an interview, etc. Missing an email and not updating your planner could have you miss out on many important opportunities and in law school taking every opportunity you can get to gain experience and make connections is very important. Keeping up with all of the clubs you join during 1L is tough between fundraisers, general meetings, community service, it may be just as time consuming as class itself.

My next new habit is sticking to a study schedule. Each semester, after the first two weeks, I sat down and made a study schedule based on how much time I spent on preparing for class, starting an outline, and writing case briefs. After I get a sense of how much time I spend, I make a study schedule so I’m not stuck procrastinating on homework and having to skim through a reading causing me to be be unprepared for class. I found a study schedule on Pinterest and have stuck to it ever since (the following schedule below). Other than sticking to the schedule, I plan on keeping a running list of questions for office hours with professors or teaching assistants.

Monday: Complete Tuesday class reading.

Tuesday: Complete Wednesday class reading.

Wednesday: Complete Thursday class reading.

Thursday: Complete Friday class reading.

Friday: Fill in outlines.

Saturday: Relax! (ME DAY!)

Sunday: Complete Monday class reading.

My worst habit I have learned to work with was procrastination. I have learned to make mini deadlines for big projects, so that I no longer procrastinate. As long as I meet every mini-deadline, my project/paper will be done days before the deadline. I not only work on procrastinating on school work, but also on life itself. The thing I procrastinate on the most is laundry. Instead of letting it pile up, I do laundry every Saturday. The way I fixed this bad habit, was by making one big to do list and breaking it down into little tasks. Every Sunday I update my planner and work on the mini tasks throughout the week. Therefore, if I have any downtime, I am able to work on future tasks for the week!

Lastly, and I find the most important is keeping a habit of keeping in touch with all of the relationships I have made. When I first started law school, I stopped talking to family and friends as much, and even though my boyfriend and I live together, I feel like I was basically glued to a computer screen (Thanks to the University of Zoom). I was always too tired to grab lunch or go out for a drink after a long week of class, and a few relationships were damaged and one was even damaged beyond the ability of repair. However, this brought me to realize that I am now an adult and this is not just college anymore. This is law school, a professional graduate school, and it was time to grow up, build relationships, and maintain the one’s worth keeping. I actually have set up to have a “going out” night every other week during the school year to go on a date night or to go out with friends. I also like to set up two days a week to reach out to immediate family to update them with school and life. Sometimes it is tough to maintain relationships when you are so focused on school work and being the best student you can. However, your friends and family are your backbone and your support system and will understand when times get tough and you need your space. However, don’t shut them in the closet and leave them in the dark. Update them, even if it is a simple text!

I believe that law school is tough mentally and emotionally. But, if you take the steps to stay organized and create healthy and productive habits, every semester can be exactly how you want it to be!

Happy Summer All! Relax, Take a Deep Breath, and Sleep In!

It’s that time of the semester. The time where many law students shut themselves off in their apartments or the library to study, and because we’re online this year, actually take the final exams. Many students have just finished wrapping up their last exam while others still have another one or two to go. Whether you’re done with finals until next semester or you’re still studying for that last exam at the end of the week, here are some things to keep in mind when preparing for finals.

Firstly, everyone is nervous about the exams; it’s not just you. Take a deep breath and remember that you can handle it. You made it to law school for a reason, but you may need to tweak those old college study habits. Not all students have the same study routine, and that’s expected; here are some tips that I have found helpful.

1. Make a schedule. I personally function better when I have a plan of what I need to get done. A week before exams started I wrote myself a detailed schedule of when to study for what exam. Once it’s down on paper (or on a screen) you can see that you do have more than enough time to study for your exams and you actually do have time to get out of your house.
2. Exercise. It may be exam time but resist the urge to close yourself off in your house and not do anything but study. Let’s face it you’re not studying for 12 hours straight; after a certain amount of time your brain stops absorbing the information and you’re just sitting there staring at your computer screen. It’s totally okay to take 30-60 min to get up go for a walk or to the gym, and get some endorphins flowing. Clear your head for a bit and then get back to studying.
3. Color coordinate your notes/outline. This has been extremely helpful for me, if it’s not something that works for you that’s totally fine! It’s important for everyone to find a way to organize their notes that most conducive to how they study, find what format works for you!

Remember everyone finals are not the end of the world. They’re a necessity to the law school experience and every student goes through them. Just remember to study and try your hardest! And when it’s time for that test I wish you the best of luck!

Law school is very hard and time-consuming. I’m sure that is something you have heard many times before. However, whether you spend 5 hours or 20 hours per week with your head buried in a case book, and taking notes, it is important that you have the ability to take time away from school. One thing I learned very early on is to make free time for yourself. Law school is very taxing and it is important to keep yourself mentally in check. You need to be able to separate the life you have have at school and your home life.

In order to get yourself out of the mindset of law school, schedule something to do that does not involve studying. Whether you enjoy hanging out with friends, watching netflix, going to new restaurants, or exercising, do something that does not involve picking up a casebook and briefing cases. That stuff is important when you are focusing and putting in time to learn, but when you are trying to relax it should be the last thing on your mind. I always take time away to rewatch Sherlock on netflix and exercise to keep myself mentally stable.

This may seem fairly obviously but get enough sleep. Seriously, this is important. It may seem like you need to stay up all night studying Contracts, but if you aren’t getting enough sleep you will be sluggish during class. If all you can think about during class is how sweet that afternoon nap is going to be, you may need to reevaluate how much sleep you are getting. It is important to feel rested so you can focus when you are at school.

I cannot stress enough how helpful it has been to me to separate home life and law school. I enjoy law school and all my classes, but I also enjoy taking time away from it. So make sure you plan some time to keep yourself mentally in check. You’ll thank yourself for it the minute you do.

August 3, 2018, I had a huge decision to make. The owner of the dance studio I taught at was retiring and looking to close down shop. Not only would I be left without a job, but kids would lose their second homes, and my dance career would officially come to an end. At that moment, I was left with a choice. Take the studio into my own hands and continue the legacy of YDE or let the studio close and keep only the memories. The reason I say all of this is because I didn’t think it was possible. I didn’t think I could sustain a dance studio with the future I had planned for myself. That future was law school. The many attorneys I turned to for advice said there would be no time for extracurriculars, “law school was going to be hard enough without distractions, let alone a whole dance studio to take care of.” Well, I am here to say it is possible. It is possible to be in law school full-time with a part-time job. Are there days where I wish I wouldn’t have taken on a dance studio while furthering my education? Of course. But in the end, it is worth it.

The responsibility of working while in law school is no easy task, but having a part-time job has taught me some extremly important lessons. The first is that time management is essential. The readings we are assigned can pile up if you don’t stay on top of it, so keeping a schedule and sticking to it is critical. The second thing is communication. Being open and honest with my professors and the faculty about my other commitments has been a massive part of staying successful during this first year. The last thing I learned is how to prioritize. Sometimes I can’t get everything done. I add too many things to my schedule and am overly ambitious. Once I take a realistic look at the list and start prioritizing what needs to be done immediately and what can wait a few days, I instantly feel better. With dedication, hard work, and perseverance, what once seemed impossible has become my daily routine. I thought that having a part-time job during my first year of law school was going to be the most challenging thing I have ever done. While there are days that feel like years, I can honestly say it is one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Law School is a whirlwind. One minute you are laughing with one of your classmates about your epic fail during your first cold call of the semester, and the next, you’re studying for finals. To say it goes by fast is not an exaggeration. I blinked, and I was here, studying for finals that will be over in 10 days. This semester has been like no other: zoom classes, remote testing, online study groups, and a whole bunch of facetime calls. But I wouldn’t change it for a thing. Widener Commonwealth has done everything it could to set its students up for success this year, and I have nothing but great things to say about my first year. To anyone who is considering law school but still wants to work, I encourage you to take the leap and do it. While it may seem impossible at first, it is not. With the supportive environment Widener has created for its students, you can be successful inside and outside the classroom. This first year in law school has been immensely more enjoyable than I could have ever imagined, and I have Widener to thank for that.

When Widener University decided to move classes online for the fall semester of 2021, I was beyond stressed. I couldn’t image beginning my first year in law school over Zoom. I feared it would be hard to pay attention, I wouldn’t keep myself accountable, and, as a kinaesthetic learner, I wouldn’t learn as well as I would in a classroom. Additionally, I was supposed to move to Harrisburg from Denver three days after the news was delivered. Luckily, my lease hadn’t started in Harrisburg yet so I decided to stay here in Colorado. With that decision made, I started to stress that being so far removed from campus and other students would make me feel like an outsider, exactly what I did not want my law school career to look like.

When classes began, I was relieved for a variety of reasons. I quickly realized everyone else was in the same boat; they feared online classes, too. Many people stressed about not having a thorough, authentic first year experience, learning remotely, Zoom fatigue, not connecting with fellow class mates, and not having professors be as accessible as they would in person. Everyone was worried about everything.

Turns out, there was no reason to be worried. I cannot speak highly enough of Widener University’s professors, advisors, and selected student body. As a first year student who has still never visited Harrisburg, let alone met my professors or stepped into a classroom, I feel part of the student body. My professors have routinely gone out of their way to check on the class as a whole, to ask me personally how I am doing with remote learning, and to encourage me to just sit and chat with them, even if it isn’t about school. My advisors continuously reach out to touch base and offer time for questions or to offer themselves as outlets for stress and other concerns. The student body is encouraging, supportive, and welcoming. There is such a strong sense of community Widener facilitates which has transcended all the way across five states to me, here, in Denver. I contribute a successful first year to Widener and its excellence in managing classes and relationships for all students, in state and out of state.

I say these words in pursuit of relieving future students’ stress of their first year of law school, regardless of what that may look like. Widener has a unique community which offers individual support to each of its students and that selects a student body with similar, supportive attitudes. The works is hard and draining, don’t get me wrong. But with a supportive environment, it has made the ride significantly more enjoyable than I ever could have imaged.

Hello, my name is Kaitlyn Smearcheck and I am a 1L at Widener Commonwealth. Even though I am almost done with my first year of law courses, I have never met one of my professors in person, sat within a law school classroom, or even been inside Widener Commonwealth’s law building. My law school experience is most definitely unprecedented; however, I am thankful for all the opportunities and challenges Widener Commonwealth Law has provided me with.

When the news broke out that Widener was going online for the year, I was crushed. After speaking with a few lawyers I worked with and older law students, I was told, “Don’t start law school this fall. You’ll be missing out on the REAL 1L experience.” Many of the people that I spoke with suggested that I hold off on going to law school until the pandemic would be “over.” But like many of you reading this, I was ready to start law school after watching my first episode of Law and Order: SVU. Despite everyone’s advice, I knew I was ready for law school whether I would experience my education in person or over Zoom. 

For this fall, Widener Commonwealth Law will resume holding its courses in person. But unless anything changes, I wanted to let all of you know what are some of the best practices when taking law courses online. 

 Invest in two screens.

Prior to this school year, I have owned the same Macbook Air since I was a freshman in college back in 2015. My computer has proved to be very liable; however, one screen was not enough. Law school is unlike any college course you may have taken where you may have had the chance to just sit back and watch your professor lecture. In law school, you need to have read your assigned materials, brief the materials prior to class, and be ready to answer any question that may be thrown at you, all the while taking effective notes of the day’s lecture. For me, I join a zoom class on my iPad, have my case briefs pulled up in a document on my computer, and I take notes in my notebook. For me, this method has proved successful. Many of my classmates use different styles of learning. It took me a long time last semester to realize that I needed to change what I was doing. But once you find something that works for you, stick with it!

After your first class, make an OUTLINE!

Outlining is one of the most important skills for a 1L. I recommend you start those as early as you can. More often than not, students will go the whole semester without outlining prior to finals. And then right before finals, the chase is on to construct and finish those outlines, while studying the material. Make your outlines right after the first class of each of your courses. And after every class, add the most important material from that day’s lecture to the outline right after you are done with class. By doing it that way, you will get the chance to review the material right after your class concludes and you won’t be stressing out before finals. 

Another suggestion is to have two outlines for each course. One BIG outline and one SKINNY outline. Your big outline will be used to hold all of your class’s notes and hypotheticals. Your skinny outline will be used to hold the most important concepts, terms, and definitions of your big outline. The whole idea of the skinny outline is for you to be able to compartmentalize all the material from your big outline. Always add to your big outline right after each class. And for your skinny outline, update it after like two to four weeks.

After you speak in class, be sure to check you turned your zoom mic OFF!

Last fall, I fell victim to this zoom curse. The story is pretty funny; however, it could have all been prevented if I would have shut my mic off. Be very proactive when it comes to zoom etiquette. Even when you are on zoom, behave exactly like you would if you were in a classroom filled with fifty students and your professor.

When having class, be sure that your pet is PREOCCUPIED.

During the first week of law school, an abandoned puppy showed up at my doorstep. After discovering that he had no owner, I took him in. Even though he is the cutest and sweetest little pup ever, he loves to squeak his toys at me or nibble at my elbows while I am in class, especially when I am answering a cold call or participating in a discussion. My best advice is to pick up all the noisy toys before class time as well as ensuring your dog has a busy bone.

Get out of your comfort zone!

While taking zoom courses online, it is very easy to not interact with other students in your class. Most of the time, you get onto class, your professor will lecture, and then you will leave the zoom room. I recommend breaking that habit as early as you can. Because of Widener, I have met the most intelligent, hardworking, and considerate people I know. Even though I have never met most of my friends in person, I have still gotten to know a lot about them by reaching out to them outside of class. I highly recommend that if no one reaches out to you first, then you should most definitely reach out to others. You will find your best friends that way and I know the person that you will reach out to will be very grateful that you did. 

Sign up for events, clubs, and leadership roles!

In the beginning of each semester, every club/organization holds an interest meeting. Go to as many interest meetings as you can and discover what clubs really interest you or any clubs that you believe will enhance your legal education. Your law courses will prepare you how to study the law, but joining clubs and organizations will help you get practice ready. And they are awesome resume builders and opportunities to show your potential employers that you are willing to go the extra mile beyond your courses. For me, I joined Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity and I participated as an attorney and a witness for its mock trial team. For the competition, I was on a team of four people and we versed other law school teams. For one round, one person and I got to compete as attorneys and the other two people competed as our witnesses. For the next round, we switched roles. But we all competed with the same case and were judged by actual practicing attorneys and judges that gave us constructive criticism on our performances. Coming from someone that has never been a part of a mock trial team, it was a lot of work, but the experience was very rewarding. I learned how to deliver an opening statement, cross-examine a witness, how to enter evidence and submit it to a jury, and how to make objections. You will not learn any of those things during your first year of law school, so it is really cool to be ahead of the game and feel like you’re an actual attorney. 

Reach out to your professors!

The professors at Widener Commonwealth Law truly have your best interests at heart and will always make time for you. When your professors host office hours, you should definitely just pop in and say hello or ask them about their legal journey. Or even just staying online at the end of a zoom lecture. Utilize that chance as an opportunity for a professor to get to know you more. By making the effort to see and talk with them, it will truly benefit you in the end and you learn about practical things that law books just can’t teach you. 

As of now, many federal and state trials, hearings, conferences, or arguments are being held over Zoom. After the pandemic is “over,” Zoom will be here to stay and many of you may have to use it for your legal practices one day. The legal world is constantly evolving and we all have to keep up with it.  

With that being said, I am so glad that I decided to start law school during a pandemic. Your “1L law school experience” is truly what you make it. Don’t worry about whether you got to experience something or not. If anything I learned about law school, it is that you have to run your OWN race. Don’t mind what anyone else is doing or how they are performing. Focus on you and how you can get yourself across that finish line. If you need help along the way, seek it out. And there is always someone at Widener Commonwealth Law that will help you out. 

As I began applying to law schools, I was continually reminded by peers, attorneys, and others that law school was hard. Unfortunately, you don’t have the opportunity to grasp the true nature and difficulty of law school until you are drowning in reading assignments your first semester. When I reached this particular point, I asked myself, “Why didn’t anyone tell me how to manage the stress, intensity and overwhelming nature of this education? If they knew it was coming, as they warned, why didn’t they offer any advice or guidance?”

Honestly, I still don’t have an answer to those questions. Maybe those individuals felt as if I would figure it out on my own. Luckily for me, I did. For anyone reading this, I intend to provide the highlights of the tips and tricks I have gathered throughout my years at Widener. These tips helped me make the “bear” that is law school a little more manageable.

Remember to always take time for yourself and your well-being. For me, that meant going to the gym once a day and heading home on weekends to spend time with my family. Maintaining your mental and physical health is as important as completing your school work. You will not be able to adequately perform or provide level headed advice for your future clients if you don’t take care of yourself first.

When you stop being productive, PUT THE BOOK DOWN. You will reach a point where you find yourself re-reading the same sentence over and over without being able to grasp an understanding. This is a sign that you need a break. When you return, that paragraph or concept that seemed incomprehensible will no longer pose the same problem. Sometimes all you need is to step away from the assignment to get a clearer picture.

As hard as this may be, DO NOT compare yourself to others. Everyone learns differently. It is very easy to compare yourself to other students, but that is a waste of precious time and energy. Focus on yourself.

Don’t forget your “why?” When you are feeling defeated by the weight and pressures of law school, remember why you chose this path and the future goals and aspirations you have been working toward thus far. The satisfaction is worth it. When you put in the time and the work, you WILL succeed.

Yes, law school is hard, but it is not impossible. Remember these tips and create new ones as you begin your own journey. I wish you all the best of luck. Cheers!

Practical experience is essential to bridge the gap from law student to practicing attorney. Participating in a law clinic provides students with the tools to bridge that gap.

Central Pennsylvania Law Clinics is a civil law clinic affiliated with Widener Commonwealth. The clinic provides legal assistance to elderly and indigent clients regarding various civil matters though certified student interns. Students who have completed three semesters of law school may enroll in the law clinic as Certified Legal Interns. Certified Legal Interns are permitted to represent clients in state and federal courts while under the supervision of licensed attorneys. Students are involved in all stages of the representation, from conducting the client interviews to appearing in court. 

Before beginning at the clinic, I previously interned with a Federal Magistrate Judge and a personal injury firm. I planned to intern with a clinic for a semester, as a way to further differentiate my practical experience. However, I valued my time at the clinic so much, I returned for a second semester as Lead Certified Intern and a third semester as a volunteer. 

While at the clinic, I have worked on numerous cases involving various areas of law. Some of which include: contract disputes; guardianships; custody; estate planning; bankruptcy; landlord tenant; divorce; and unemployment compensation. Although COVID-19 has generally hindered our ability to develop professional relationships and interpersonal skills, the clinic has remained opened and allowed for a point of access to these intangibles.^[1]

The clinic has been rewarding far beyond my professional growth. My time with the clinic has allowed me to use my education to give back to the local community. 

I am thankful for my time with Central Pennsylvania Law Clinics and the great relationships I have built with clients and staff. My one piece of advice is that if you have the opportunity to participate in a pro-bono clinic take advantage of that opportunity, give back and develop your skills! Your community, career, and future self will thank you. 

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^[1] While abiding by social distancing guidelines and restrictions provided by the CDC.