West Palm Beach

As it turns out, I'm not at all alone in the world.  When I walked into my jurisprudence class this afternoon, I walked into the middle of a conversation about what some other 3Ls were planning on doing after graduation.

"I'm moving to West Palm Beach," one girl announced.  "I'm sick of this, and I know someone will give me a job eventually."

Although she was the only one who planned for sure to can the idea of practicing law, an profession for which we have all spent the last three years sacrificing everything.  It seems like a waste to put so much blood, sweat and tears into something and then decide not to do it at all before it gets off the ground.  But still, I am glad to hear that other people are feeling similarly.

"I want to be happy," she said.  "I'd rather be happy than rich.  I'm so burned out.  And law people are mean."

I have to agree.  With all of the above.  And thanks to her for stating it so simply.  This isn't complicated--it's a question of fitness.  Is this really something I'm cut out for?  I don't think I'm a mean person in general.  I am competitive, though, and that's definitely a crucial component.  It took me three years of law school to figure it out, but she is so totally right.

I'm not trying to be whiny or mopey or anything; this is merely an exercise in self-reflection.  After three years of law school, I am definitely different than I was when I started.  I am much calmer, more rational (though you probably couldn't tell from reading this), and definitely more practical.  I'm also poorer.  A lot poorer.  You know, I guess its normal.  It must be, if I walked into a classroom with four or five people in it, and all five were talking about how unsure they were about the whole idea of the legal profession.

"I'm going to be in West Palm Beach playing golf."

Well, I'm not.  I'm definitely not.  I'm going to move back home and take the bar.  And then I'm going to get a job, practicing law.  If I can't get a job right away, I will volunteer somewhere in some sort of legal atmosphere, and I will reapply.  I have too much debt to have the leisure of moving to exotic places and playing golf (of course, I am physically unable of playing golf, but never mind that), even if I wanted to.  Luckily, I don't really want to, anyway.  In fact, West Palm Beach Girl is not the only person that I've heard of who is considering not practicing--or at least, not practicing right away.  A friend of mine got engaged earlier this week...and told me a few days later that her mother was encouraging her to live at home for a year and take a break from law while she plans her wedding. 

Dream.

Come.

True.

Well, unfortunately, I do not have that luxury.  And even if I did, I can't imagine that I would really take a year off.  I have worked pretty hard to get to this point, and if I took a year off at this point, I'd be no better off than everyone else who took time off before going to law school.  I do sort of feel like being so young and being virtually finished with law school is a particular point of personal pride.  I mean, at 25 I'll be a licensed attorney. 

And tomorrow I'm sending out the first set of job applications!  Let's hope I get one soon.  I passionately hate cover letters.