And Like a Phoenix The 3L Rises, What A Ride . . .

Hello there! Well . . . that didn’t go exactly according to plan. But then again, life just doesn’t work out that way.

Please, allow me to reintroduce myself, my name is Lupita! I am, just one of the next generation of lawyers here to shake things up. Or I am otherwise known as the Millennial Law Student. Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I am Mexican-American, a mother, a wife, a business owner, and community helper. I am working toward being the good I seek. For example, a brillant law student and I worked together to address a need. We helped bridge the gap in communication to make sure the lcoal hispanic community can have access tto COVID aid, of which they are entitled.

In honor of making it to the last year of law school, I have decided to share my 3L journey. This is such a transitional time for me. I want to share what I wish I knew when I was an aspiring law student during the application process, an eager 1L just trying to learn the ropes, and now thinking of what comes next. My survival tips and tricks. How to remember to follow your passion, and everything else I want to share about mananging the trenches as I fight through my final year as a law student.

Some would say I am a successful law student. This summer I am working as an intern at the local Public Defender’s Office. This year I will be serving in various positions. I am Student Justice on the Honor Council, Moot Court Board Member, Vice-President of the Hispanic Law Student Association, National Student Leader on the Hispanic National Bar Association’s Law Studend Division Board, and serve on the board of other studnet organizations including American Constitutional Society, Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and International Law Society.

Others might not. I failed a class in first semester Torts I during the first year, on the brink of exclusion, resulting after being hit by a perfect storm of life (including a global pandemic). I had to work even harder to prove to myself that I can do this. Even though I might of tripped running out of the gates, I can now report that not only am I triving at law school I am excelling.

The trenches are not for the weak, its a battlefield out there, survival is the game. It takes commitment, dedication, and hard work to be successful. But, its not all doom and gloom. The secret is that anyone can do it! Sometimes its the simple things that get us through the day like planning a self-care treat during the day, or setting sepcific times where you plan on updating your daily calendar and schedule managment. Just know that in my experience, its the passionate ones who are the most successful.

Follow me to take a ride into my world and my journey from aspiring attorney to licensed attorney. Lets shake things up, shall we. Join me by hitting subscribe above! Stay tuned for a Youtube video soon, click here to follow and subscribe!

Selfie taken Summer before beginning the Fall Semester, July 2021

Top Tools to Ensure a Successful Transition to Virtural Law School

  1. Be hyper organized

Buy a Planner

In the virtual setting accountability no longer exists or is not easily acquried by simply “showing up,” therfore, you must create it. Break up assignments into chunks or phases, set due dates with a cushion time to ensure you have time in case life does not work out as planned. A rule of thumb is to plan out your week and revise your plans every few days. Keep your daily to do list down to your top three tasks that must be completed.

2. Create your personal sanctuary

Buy a yoga or workout mat

Working from home and adjusting to virtual schooling takes alot of work, but you can be sucessful. Working in some form of exercise is essential for optimal performance. Exercise plays into proper mental and physical health. Our bodies were not designed to be dormant and our minds need the chemicals produced while exercising. The brain is a muscle that also demands proper care.

3. Prepare to be on camera

Buy a webcam cover

Privacy is important, however technology is tricky. There are times where you might not want your classmates or collegues looking at you. I recommending purchasing thin webcam covers that can fit on both laptop and phone.

5. And if you have money to splurge…

Buy a pair of Apple AirPods Pro

Keeping in mind the fact that the Apple AirPod Pro will cost you a bit over $250.00. The benefits it provides makes the price well worth the investment. Full disclosure: Toward the end of 1L year, I won an Airpod Pro giveaway raffel! I was suprised to find that Apple did actually improve on the original airpod model in ways I did not think possible. Not only did Apple improve the button on the ear, they also added sophasiticated noise cancellation technology. I was shocked when I activated the feature because I could no longer hear the hum of the refridgerator. With so many distractions at home, my Airpod Pro headphones are indespinsable for sanity and focus by blocking out background noises, which was especially useful during exams.

Buy a second screen

I purchased a dual-screen monitor and I have never looked back. A second screen is essential to increasing efficiency in a virtual format, especially if you take typed notes. If you have money to invest, when used properly a second screen can help increase overall productivity. Now, I can watch my lecture and take typed notes with ease.

Thanks for reading! Make sure to follow for more, and stay tuned for more tips and tricks for surviving virtual education.

Welcome to my blog, The Millennial Law Student!

I created this blog because I want to share my experience, information, and lessons while on my journey to making my dreams reality in this new era of life in America.

Hi, I am the Millennial Law Student, and welcome to my blog! I just completed my first year of law school, during a global pandemic, and now I am officially a 2L or second-year law student, and part of the Lawyers coming soon in the class of 2022.

I am part of the younger side of Millennials who are often less heard of—my experiences and perspective as a developing professional are especially important to share, now more than ever given these historic times we are living.

I represent part of the diverse perspective of the law student population. I am a 27-year-old wife, a mother of a ten-year-old girl, a business owner, a Mexican-American woman, and a law student building my second career all before the age of 30. (More on that later).

Even though I am just one voice, I am part of an entire generation of fighters coming to help fix our world, in our own individual way. I can honestly report that many law student are working to be part of the solution by working to the larger goal of creating a better world for my daughter, my family, humanity, and the generation coming behind us.

What a time to be a Law Student…Stay tuned for more, and dont forget to subscribe. Let’s ride this rollercoaster together!

Life After LSAT: Top Recommendations before Law School

Congratulations, you did it! You tamed the LSAT and received that acceptance letter, now what? At this point, most are wondering what comes next in order to prepare for law school. Most are either applying to law schools or are already accepted into one. Here, I will give you my top recommendations to prepare for the madness to come.

I got my first taste at law school life after being accepted into a program called TIP or the Tennessee Institute for Pre-Law . The program is an immersive, six-week law school boot camp for admission to law school based on performance. The experience was amazing, and a valuable sneak peek into law school life. If your law school offers any similar type of program, I strongly recommend applying for it.

The best way to prepare for law school is to do more of what you love. Make sure to wrap-up pending affairs and prepare to fall off the face of the earth for a while. Free up your schedule because to be successful in law school, you must be 100% invested.

1L of A Ride by Professor Andrew J. McClurg

I recommend the following books that helped me get a real idea of what’s to come. I read all the law school essentials: Law School Confidential, One L, Law School Admission Game. Sortly after getting notice of my acceptance into the TIP program I started reading 1L of a Ride. I can honestly tell you that none of the other books measured up to 1L of a Ride.

This book is an essential read for anyone preparing for law school. After experiencing the TIP program, I realized how accurate the book really is. Everything in this book provides helpful insight into what is to come, beginning at pre-law planning to note-taking, exam tips, and much more. Remember, BRIEF EVERY CASE!

Juris Types

In 1L of a Ride, Professor McClurg recommends taking a test called the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test. This test measures personality preferences. Professor McClurg then recommends reading a book called Juris Types to learn more about learning the law through Self-Understanding. This book is my bible, I immediately realized the value of personalized study tips and advice based on personality preferences.

The book gives excellent insight into the self and points out habits that harm my study and provides tips and strategies to correct unhelpful behaviors. I read this book before my TIP experience, and I found myself referring to it every step of the way. This book is my secret weapon for surviving 1L and beyond. I strongly recommend this book to any and every law student; magic happens when you stop and reflect on learning about yourself.

The best way to brace yourself for the law school wave, is to prepare both physically and mentally. It is essential to invest time in examining study habits to figure out what practices are self-sabotaging and which ones help you succeed. I found myself returning to LSAT habits like being intentional with time, creating study blocks to stay focused, and meditation.

Prepare yourself physically now. Law school will force you to spend hours and hours reading, which means being in one position for several hours at a time. Now is the best time to start examining your daily habits. Are you drinking enough water? Are you getting regular exercise? Are you getting enough sleep? Spend time making plans to keep your mind and body healthy and balanced.

For example, on my journey of self-discovery, I started cultivating new habits that help me win the day. I started my law school days with a morning routine that includes drinking lots of water, walking a mile, and making sure to eat my brain food (two scrambled eggs with ham).

Being intentional about what you do with your time is an essential skill for success in any field. In Law self-care is a mandatory part of life and necessary in order to find the fuel for the demands of law school. Forming habits that serve your purpose is essential to ensure a smooth transition into the legal world.

Thanks for reading, as always feel free to comment any questions or requests for deeper dives into anything discussed here. Don’t forget to subscribe for more!

So, you want to go to law school? My Top Tips for LSAT Prep

I took the LSAT twice, I had no idea where to begin so I bought the Kaplan LSAT Unlocked 2018-2019 study book, this book is a great resource to learn the basic principals and the book organization is very helpful. I began studying in May of 2018 and took the June 2018 Exam. I At the beginning I would binge study 3-4 hours, eventually I realized that I was exhausting my brain, so I started breaking down my study into 1 hour to 1 hour-and-a-half chunks of focus.

Kaplan LSAT Unlocked

After learning the general principals and basics, I used free LSAT resources provided by LSAC and started taking and studying practice exams and answers. LSAC also offers additional free resources like a link to the Khan Academy website that has free and amazing resources like videos, practice tests, and answer explanations. The website also offers real time progress tracker and a calendar that reminds you when its time to study. To check out this free website, click here. I used this website a lot and the visual guidance and practice is extremely helpful.

After taking my first LSAT, I wanted to take another try at it to try to get the highest score possible. I continued to study non-stop and felt stuck because I did not see significant improvement on my practice exams. Two weeks before test day I stumbled upon a book called the LSAT Bible. This book was exactly what I needed, the information in this book acted like the missing thread I needed to stitch up all the concepts and principals I have learned thus far. This book saved my life the only down side was the fact that I found this book two weeks before my second attempt at the LSAT.

My LSAT life saver

Finally test day came and went, two weeks later I found out my score improved! I was so excited about my find I started offering the book to classmates. I wish someone would have told me about these resources, but now I can pay it forward and help another aspiring lawyer reach their goal of passing the LSAT and getting accepted to law school. If you want a copy of the LSAT Bible just send me an email or click here to buy your copy.

Good luck and of course feel free to reach out with any questions or any advice on any subject, including test prep, morning routines, and tips for exam day. Remember to subscribe for more. Thanks!

Chapter 1: Starting Law School

Today I start a new chapter of my life. I have been training myself for this moment since I was a 12-year-old girl dreaming about the future. I will finally be in a position to plant seeds that will help people and make a true difference. I hope to create massive change and the only way to do that is to BE the change I am seeking. Clearly there are issues in the legal field and this is where I will make my mark.

Follow your passion. If we allow ourselves to follow our interests and passions we open the door to happiness and avoid the death trap of living an unfulfilling life. First we have to care for the self and do what you love. Learn about what your interested in, travel, and grow within yourself daily. Don’t live your life based on what people around you are saying and doing, do what your heart wants you to do.

If you have not found your passion yet then keep looking, as Bill Gates once said, “If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on.”

Only by following our own goals and interests can we find a way to serve our fellow human beings.

Who do you want to be in this world? What do you want to be remembered for? Our time on earth is limited, do more of what you love and follow your dreams! Follow me as I navigate through my law school journey!

Stoicism: The Radical Idea of Sympatheia

In ancient times the Roman Emperor and Stoic Philosopher Marcus Aurelius gifted the world with his wisdom. One of the philosopher’s most radical idea’s of all stoicism is called Sympatheia. This idea is extremely relevant and useful in today’s world. Humanity can benefit from the study of Stoicism because it gives us basic principals and lessons of life that if reflected upon can help fix this world. Even our founding father George Washington studied and practiced stoicism.

According to The Daily Stoic, “Sympatheia is the idea that all things are mutually woven together and therefore, have an affinity for each other. When you start to respect your fellow humans and see that each one has intrinsic value and purpose on this planet, it helps you understand those very things about yourself. We are all one…and yet we are each also singular and special.”

Today many people fail to fully consider the value of the life of another human being as equal to our own. If we would help instead of hurt one another the world would be stronger more collaborative place. Although this trend is starting to grow we still need to continue to learn to see each other as a brother or sister than just another distant stranger.

Why reinvent the wheel, we need to use ancient knowledge to build ourselves and build humanity. Why start from scratch, we need to look to the past to learn about where we have been to clearly see where we need to go as a human’s on earth.

Inner Healing for a Better Self and a Better World

Nearly 1 in 5 people in America, about 18% of the population is estimated to be suffering from mental health issues, but that number is extremely small because in reality just about everyone around me has suffered from some kind of mental problem like depression, PTSD, anxiety, or chronic stress. These strong emotions produce a chemical reaction, that over time, can cause more serious mental problems if the issue is allowed to fester.

According to Harvard Medical, the chemical response also known as the human “flight-or-fight” response, chemically changes our body by quickening the heart rate, making us feel out of breath, can cause our muscles to tense, and even makes our bodies sweat. On the inside, the combination of the chemical response and our own worries and anxieties physically harms our bodies. This response was useful in ancient times but in modern times this reaction does not produce the best outcomes.

Our bad habits are habitual and our brain produces memorized behaviors. These behaviors can help us or hurt us, anyone remember the movie Click? Because our brain is a muscle we can rewire the brain to work differently. See the mind-blowing amazing book by Joe Dispenza, Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself, we each have the power to train our brain to be the future self we want to be. We all want to grow and become something different but sometimes we fail to realize that we have create the future self by cultivating habits that help further our personal goals and work on our inner selves.

If our mind is chronically in a stressful state of mind our thoughts feed one negative thought produced by fear, anxiety, or doubt which will lead us to another negative thought which then leads to more doubt which leads to anxiety which can ultimately paralyze us from reaching our full potential. When we stop to breath and reflect on our minds we can disrupt the cycle and work to improve ourselves. We all have this constant storm brewing in our head, full of our problems, our fears, and our insecurities. The only way to break this cycle is to intentionally disrupt these habitual thinking habits that are not serving you.

The mind is in desperate need of a break, CNN published an article discussing the trend of companies who are giving their employees a mental health break for self-care and ultimately contributes to workplace productivity.

Practicing meditation can provide the brain with the space necessary to reflect, grow, and change. A chemical reaction also occurs when we calm the mind and body which counters the natural fight-or-flight response. Calm has easy to follow 10-minute daily mediation and a course on the introduction to meditation and other useful practices for anyone interested.

41619177 – young woman in yoga pose sitting near watefall rear view

Meditation changed my life. In 2016, I was a parent, part-time student, full time law office manager, and wife. I was overwhelmed, stressed and anxious. My phone was ringing all the time, I would break down in tears every other day. My boss at the time verbally harassed me at all hours and would always belittled me, I was on the edge. After years of this I decided that enough was enough I was tired and could not go on like this.

I always heard about the benefits of meditation but I took it seriously after listening to a podcast by Tim Ferriss on Meditation, Mindset, and Mastery, you can listen to the episode here. Tim Ferriss and his frequent discussion of meditation gave me the proper background to build and then utilize the art of meditation.

Energy is real and as Tony Robins says, “where focus goes, energy flows.” Our thoughts cause us to relive stressful situations over and over again until we take calculated steps to change. In modern society our daily stress about our personal problems are best addressed with a centered mindset not a fight-or-flight response. If we constantly live in this fight-or-flight mode we are basically killing ourselves.

Meditation is a good place to start when working on your inner self, by investing time in ourselves we exercise the mind and can produce the power to heal ourselves. You can intentionally build the person you want to be in this world.

In the mind we all have a constant storm brewing 24/7. Meditation helps us observe the mind, we can use meditation as a tool to calm our inner storms we are currently living in. Only after you have tamed the storm in your mind, can you still the waters of the mind to see what is truly important in life. Do not assume this is easy, it took me about one month to feel the benefits of meditation and a full year of practice to truly see truly amazing effects of daily or semi-daily meditation. Check out the app called Calm for daily meditation.

Keep in mind that meditation is not an easy fix, changing daily habits takes time to master, but if it only takes up 10 minutes of your day then why not invest in yourself and try mediation. Some days it will feel impossible, some days it will feel easy. Just like making the decision to live a healthier lifestyle meditation can give you the clarity you need to truly examine yourself and live life your way.

We must remove the stigma around discussing mental health because everyone has suffered in some way either directly or indirectly at some point of our lives. We can all benefit from becoming more emotionally intelligent, practice gratitude, and learn more about our brain. If your unhappy with the world then be the change you want to see and pay it forward.

“Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” -Buddha

Why do States Continue to Attack Our Constitutional Rights?

What does the Statue of Liberty Stand for?

The infamous State of Georgia has once again moved to violate the 14th Amendment constitutional right’s of women everywhere. Of course Alabama is not alone, more than a dozen other states have also passed similar laws restricting access to legal abortion. We are watching this trend expand as our government leans more and more towards conservative values.

According to Websters Dictionary, “conservatism” is the philosophy based on tradition and social stability, stressing established institutions, and preferring gradual development to abrupt change. Its politics are to preserve what is established. I do not believe we are seeing these values today, there is no gradual development towards change, we are only seeing resistance to change and the desire to return to the ‘good ole’ days’.

My only question is which time period are we trying to conserve exactly? Obviously not our current laws. Are we working to conserve the laws of the 1800’s, the 1900’s, or the 1960’s, or maybe the 1980’s? How far back are we trying to return to, the Jim Crow era? Or are we trying to restore segregation?

The conservative philosophy is obsolete for a advancing modern society because change is inevitable. Ever since the civil war all we have seen from this group of conservatives is a blind resistance to change which has poisoned our country with doubt and hate today and in the past. Change is coming whether any one likes it or not.

This is not the first time we have seen states openly defy our constitution. Defiant states continue to pass legislation to allow the State to prohibit our enforcement of our constitutional rights. We all have the constitutional right to make decisions about our own bodies. The Unites States Supreme Court has already decided this matter back in 1973 in the matter of Row v. Wade.

Why are these States doing this, what is their true motive? Fear? Everyone all over America should be concerned because these States are making choices for women and taking away their right to make their own decisions about her own life and body. This is not only a threat to woman’s rights, the open defiance against our basic constitutional rights is a threat to the very core of our society.

Thank goodness there are amazing lawyers out there, like ACLU, and other groups of lawyers who are now preparing for battle to defend our United States Constitution rights, once again. For more information see this New York Times article about the sudden rise of legislation against our United States Constitution based on conservative values.

Under the 14th Amendment of the United State’s Constitution, no democratic government should create laws that restrict woman’s rights over her own body. Our basic civil liberties are at risk today, which is part of my why as I an going to law school. We have to fight for our rights, if we don’t rise up, no one will. We have to be the example for the next generation and be the change we want to see.

What do you think? Please comment below and remember to subscribe!