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Posted Jan. 10, 2022

How to make the most out of your law school experience

Law school experienceLaw school is one of the most demanding experiences that a student can encounter.

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There are so many expectations for LLM students and in many cases, students can end up missing out on some of their law school experiences because they are too busy focusing on the learning element and don’t have time for the extracurricular aspect. In this blog we have some great tips to help you make the most out of your law school experience.

Be proactive in your learning

The easiest way to make the most out of your law school experience is by being proactive in your learning. Being proactive means preparing for and constantly seeking solutions or getting more out of your learning activities. Being proactive in your learning also means being actively engaged and not passively observing – this is an effective way of succeeding in your academic studies and will help to promote your retention of content. It will also give you a sense of direction, help with your self-improvement and awareness, as well as provide peace of mind because you will be planning activities before they happen. Being proactive in your learning will also help you with your non-learning-related activities, for example, you can create time for social activities more effortlessly.

Get to know your classmates

You will also significantly benefit from getting to know and associating with your fellow classmates. Many law students spend most of their time in class, libraries and studying, which can make it hard to interact with other people and have a social life. Therefore, getting to know fellow classmates would come in handy as they are probably your best chance at having a social life while studying for an LLM. Getting to know your classmates will also come in handy when participating in group discussions and will prove invaluable if there are any group tasks.

Form study groups

The primary purpose of going to law school is to learn, and making the most of your experience should also involve doing things to improve your learning. This is where forming a study group can come in handy. Study groups can be a precious learning tool. You can go through the material with classmates to increase your understanding and course material through the study groups. And spending time with your classmates is likely to be socially rewarding as well as academically beneficial.

Create a study plan

Many law students complain about not having enough time for studying, taking practice LLM exams, preparing outlines and doing all that is expected of them. While this may seem like the case, it is not true. With a fully drawn-out study plan, you will hopefully realise that you have more time than you thought. It will also give you ample time to have a social life outside of learning, attending study group discussions and taking care of your wellbeing.

Get involved with extra-curricular activities

Another way to ensure you are getting the most out of your law school experience is by getting involved in extra-curricular activities, both law-related and others, for example participating in sports. Getting involved activities out of class will help you succeed in your studies. Partaking in social activities will help you have a social life and unwind from the hectic law studies. And joining the law society or a mooting group could prove to be invaluable to your actual LLM studies and future legal career, too.

Look after your personal wellbeing

Law school can be one of the most demanding experiences you will ever undertake as there is a lot of material to read and many classes and group discussions to attend. This hard work takes up a lot of time not leaving much room for looking after personal wellbeing. Looking after your wellbeing can significantly help you make the most out of your law school experience, and taking the time out to unwind, rest and recuperate can make your academic studies even better. So, if it all feels like it’s getting on top of you, take a few hours off from your LLM studies to go rest, watch a movie or even go out to a spa! Basically do anything that gives you joy and helps you unwind. Taking care of your personal homecare needs, like cleaning, cooking, washing, etc, is also paramount and will help promote your health and enable you to succeed with your studies.

Ask for help if you need it

Law school can be very challenging so never be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Asking for help will help take some weight off your shoulders and put things into perspective. This does not only mean seeking help for law-related or school-related issues from your tutors or supervisors, you can also seek help for personal issues. For instance, if you are having a hard time financially or with your LLM accommodation, you can seek assistance from the relevant people. Seeking help will help make your experience better by eliminating unnecessary stress.

In conclusion

The above tips will help you have an enjoyable experience in law school, minimise your stress levels and help you succeed in your studies.

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