April 29, 2009

Today was full of a wide array of emotions and sentiments.

It was our last day of classes. For all of the obvious reasons, I couldn't have been more happy for this day to come. As of right now, the only thing that stands between me and summer freedom are finals. But it's also sad. I've spent every day since September with these 60 or so people. We have camaraderie. We know who sits where, we can predict who will say what about a given case, and usually, which supreme court justice they will quote (yes, we are THAT dorky!) We've spent a lot of time together, we've complained together, studied together, freaked out together, laughed at professors together, and celebrated together.

Nothing else is quite like 1L year. Any law student will tell you that, and I'm a little sad to see it go. There was comfort in the familiar. Next year I will have some friends in a few of my classes, but it definitely won't be the same as spending every day with the same people. Each of our professors concluded with a few words thanking us for what a wonderful semester it has been. I'm not sure if they tell ALL of their students that they were, "The best class I've ever taught," but I'd like to think they were telling the truth. I really can't believe that in just two weeks, I will be completely finished with my first year of law school. It feels like yesterday I was freaking out about starting classes, meeting new people, and all of the other nerves that come with starting a new endeavor. Yet here I am, nine months later.

Two years ago today, bff K's father passed away. As with the death of any parent, this really effected us (our foursome friendship: me, K, R, and A) but particularly so because the circumstances were both sudden and confusing to process and accept. It was an event that shocked us and had a true impact on the people that we are. In many ways, we were forced to grow up. Nothing could have prepared us for how to help K deal with something like this happening, but we did. Although I would give anything for K to have her dad back, in many ways his death brought us closer together. It taught us not only about death, but also about life, and about ourselves.

Excitement, nervousness, sadness, grief, clarity. A lot going on in this little mind of mine. But these are the things that keep us all going. Life is a journey, and the journey is the destination. I am glad to have all of these experiences, for they are building the person I have become and the person I will continue to be.