Congratulations, you have successfully completed your first week of law school!

It may not feel like much of a “success” yet. Maybe a 20-page reading took you three hours. Maybe you’ve heard the words case brief, outline, and cold call more times this week than your own name. Maybe you walked out of class more confused than you were when you walked in. Still, you made it.

That in itself is an accomplishment worth recognizing. You have just completed something that roughly 1% of the world’s population completes; you should be extremely proud of yourself.

The first week of law school feels like you’re drinking from a fire hose with a straw while simultaneously pretending to know what you’re doing. You become a sponge, desperately trying to absorb every piece of information from the people around you. Each morning you wake up, get dressed, put a smile on your face, and go to school. From the outside, everyone seems to have it together. Meanwhile, beneath the polished outfits and freshly highlighted casebooks, everyone feels overwhelmed, exhausted, and confused.

Here’s the secret no one quite tells you in your first week of law school: the majority of people around you feel the same way; they’re just not saying it.

The good news? It won’t feel this way forever. Eventually, the unfamiliar vocabulary becomes familiar, the cases get easier to read, and you can explain subject matter jurisdiction to your study group. The end of your first week of law school is slow, but once you're preparing for your second week of law school…the dust has settled.

And this is where the real work begins.

No two law students are the same, so success in law school is different for everyone. You have to figure out what success looks like for you and build the habits that will help you get there. For one student, success might mean making the Dean’s list. For another, it might mean landing a dream internship, understanding the material, protecting their happiness, joining Law Review, Mock Trial, or Moot Court, or simply finding balance in a season of life that constantly asks for more.

While the destination may look different for each of us, many of the ingredients are similar:

  • Dedication

  • Time management

  • Self-awareness

  • Consistency

  • Kindness

  • Resilience

  • Integrity

  • Empathy

  • Innovative

So, now that the first week is behind you and the dust has begun to settle, there is really only one question left:

How can I set myself up for success?

The best thing you can do for yourself is give yourself time to figure it out. Law school is a completely new environment, and no one expects you to have it mastered after your first week, or even your first semester.

Be willing to adjust. What worked for you in undergrad may not work anymore. Try new things, learn from your mistakes, ask for help when you need it, and give yourself some grace along the way. Did I mention asking for help? Asking for help from your advisors, mentors, professors, and TA’s is crucial. Use office hours and be intentional with this time.

Most importantly, remember that you are building both your personal and professional identity. Be open to exploring what it means to be a law student and, eventually, a lawyer. Take time to journal, reflect, and think intentionally about what you are learning—both inside and outside the classroom. These small moments of reflection can help you better engage with your experiences and shape the kind of student, professional, and person you want to become.

Some of the best law school advice comes from hearing how others navigated it themselves. So, I asked fellow law students, graduates, and legal professionals to share a piece of advice they think you should hear as you begin your own journey.

Now, I’ll let them take it from here.

Hear From Other Law Students & Professionals

“My advice to law students is to use the first few weeks of school to find a schedule that works for you and establish a routine.

Once you find your rhythm, stick with it. Having that structure will help you stay on top of your responsibilities, plan your weeks more effectively, and still make time to enjoy everything law school has to offer.

While earning good grades is important and should absolutely be a priority, don’t let academics consume your entire law school experience. These are some of the last few years before stepping fully into your professional career, so make time for your friends, get involved, attend events, build relationships, and have fun. Work hard, but don’t forget to actually enjoy law school while you’re here.”

NICHOLAS CASARIEGO

Notre Dame Law School ‘ 26
Associate, Alayon & Associates

“Don’t get caught up in comparing yourself to other students.

Every student approaches law school differently, and what works for one of your classmates may not work for you.

Develop a learning strategy specifically tailored to how you learn, and you will ultimately save time and retain information better in the long run.

Secondly, take law school day by day. Staying consistent and focusing on what you need to accomplish each day will make law school feel much more manageable than focusing on the semester as a whole.

So in conclusion, find what works for you, stay consistent, and trust that you have what it takes to be here.”

LANE MILLER

LMU Duncan School of Law | 2L
SBA Senator | Peer Leader

“Honestly, the biggest adjustment after week one isn't the material, it's the pace.

It’s quick and it’s fast but don't stress about outlining right away, take it one day at a time. You've got way more room than orientation makes it feel like, and starting a couple weeks before midterms is plenty once you actually know what the professor(s) cares about.

Find two or three people you can talk through cases with. it makes the whole thing so much less isolating. And seriously, don't compare your week one to someone else's week one. Everyone finds their rhythm at a different speed.

Give yourself permission to not have it all figured out yet. That's kind of the whole point of being here!”

SKYLER LINDSEY

LMU Duncan School of Law | 2L
SBA Senator | Women in Law Student Ambassador | Peer Leader

“The most valuable advice I can give to a first year law student is to learn the difference between what feels important in the moment and what will actually matter in the long run. Law school has a way of making every grade, cold call, rejection, and opportunity feel enormous, but very few individual moments will define your future.

Work hard, stay consistent, and don’t measure your progress against someone else’s timeline. Most importantly, don’t become so focused on becoming a lawyer that you forget to be a person along the way. Make time for the people and things you love, celebrate the small wins, and give yourself permission to still be figuring things out.

Law school is important, but it is only one chapter of a much bigger life. Treat it that way.”

ANETTE CEPERO

Oklahoma City University School of Law | 3L, First-Generation Law Student
Executive Board Member, Fighting for Innocence Through Exoneration Club (FITE) | Hispanic Law Student Association | Second Amendment Society | Collaborative Clinic | Organization for the Advancement of Women in Law

“The first week of law school can feel extremely overwhelming, so it’s important to stay present in your classes, introduce yourself to your peers, and don’t be afraid to answer questions early on. You will inevitably get called on at some point, so getting comfortable speaking in class from the beginning can save you a lot of anxiety later. Before you know it, raising your hand and participating will start to feel like second nature.

It’s also very important to find a mentor, whether through your school or on your own. Having someone who’s been in your shoes can provide invaluable guidance, support, and, of course, outlines.

Don’t just calendar your classes, also calendar when you’re going to read, when you’re going to make your study materials, and any personal events you have going on. This helps me make sure I have time for myself during one of the most time consuming ventures of my life.

That brings me to my next point which is to make time for yourself no matter what, some professor will tell you at some point during your first year that “the law is a jealous mistress,” and it certainly is, so making time for yourself is maybe the single most important thing you can do during your journey.”

JOHN TERRY

LMU Duncan School of Law | 2L
Mock Trial Member

“I found 1L year extremely difficult until I realized something crucial to my success in law school.

I learned to stop taking everything so seriously and that if I needed to take a break, I deserved to have one! Spending time on yourself whether that is working out, traveling, watching TV, or even taking a nap, find what works for you and make sure to prioritize it!!

You should be investing just as much time into yourself and your mental health as you are your legal career! Nothing in life is serious enough to give up your mental wellbeing or happiness!

Good luck with 1L and everything beyond!!!”

JAYDEN SIZEMORE

LMU Duncan School of Law | 2L
Moot Court Member

“So, you’ve finished your first week of law school, and now you’re feeling the pressure and asking yourself, “What is going on?!” Don’t worry—you’re not alone. I was there too. I had no idea how to outline or even how to case brief.

My biggest advice is to figure out how YOU retain information best. For me, it was creating charts, handwriting notes, and practicing model exam answers. Don’t just copy what your friends are doing because what works for them may not work for you.

The biggest challenge in law school is learning how to apply what you know. Your issue and rule can be a sentence or two, but your analysis should be the bulk of your answer. Most importantly, always tie the rule back to the facts!”

AARON ARGALL

LMU Duncan School of Law | 2L
Moot Court Member | Federalist Society Member | Legal Extern, The Law Firm of Daniel L. Ellis, PLLC

“After your first week of 1L, remember that it’s okay to feel lost. It’s not scary; it’s just new.

During cold calls, know that it’s okay to get the answer wrong, we’ve all been there. It’s a good use of your time and tuition, and it’s better to make mistakes in class than someday in front of a judge. Ask for help, connect with 2Ls and 3Ls, and don’t be afraid to ask for their outlines. Studying in law school is completely different from undergrad, and the sooner you accept that and adjust your approach, the smoother it will feel.

Most importantly, give yourself grace, don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s, and be kind. There will always be someone who knows more or has a better internship, but the energy you put out has a funny way of coming back to you. You made it this far, take a moment to enjoy where you are and be proud of yourself. The best is yet to come!”

STEPHANIE BANEGAS

St. Thomas University College of Law | 2L
Marketing & Social Media Director, Fashion Law Society | Director of Brand & Communications, First Generation Law Society

“The greatest advice I ever received was not to let law school rule your life/world. It’s so extremely important to take time for yourself, visit your family, spend time with friends, and just relax. This helps you focus when you need to without getting that “burn out” feeling.

Another really helpful piece of advice is to create a routine.

For me it was as simple as working out at the same time every morning and making sure I stopped studying and was in bed by a certain time. Find what works for you and know that what works for you isn’t always what works for others.

Comparison is the thief of joy, and you need all the joy you can get these coming years. Good luck and study hard, but don’t forget to live your life while you’re at it!”

ZOE SMITH

Loyola University Chicago School of Law ’26
Certificate in Transactional Law | Former Vice President, Sports and Entertainment Law Society (SELS)