Hello and Welcome!!! As my first post, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Danielle Strait. I will be a second year law student when you arrive in the Fall. I entered law school after I'd been out of school for a couple years. It has been exciting, frustrating, stressful and fun all at the same time. Anxiety was the overriding emotion I was dealing with last summer when I was in your position. When will I move? Where will I live? Will school be too much of a challenge since I've been out of school for a few years? What will my classmates be like? How competitive is it really?
Honestly, my biggest mistake last summer was reading a book which some people consider a rite of passage for incoming law students. This book describes the first year of a student at a big name school. It was filled with doom-and-gloom and stressed me out! Within four chapters, I came to my senses and put it down. I reminded myself that I was already accepted to this school, they must have seen something in me and I was ready for the challenge.
This mindset has played out well. First semester was a whirlwind of figuring out my schedule and my professors’ expectations. The first few weeks is likened to learning a new language. Always remember, there are a couple hundred others who are learning that language along with you.
You can survive first year. It has been challenging but rewarding in so many ways. And I'm here to help you transition into living here and making your summer, hopefully, a little smoother.
Having said this, we will be updating this blog weekly or bi-weekly with major issues you may face finding housing and living in DC. Also, I encourage you to join the Unofficial Facebook group. Something similar was done with my class and getting to know a few classmates before school starts can make all the difference. Facebook will allow you to network with students facing the same concerns and possibly find classmates who will be in the trenches with you next fall. Email me at 83strait@cua.edu to get linked to our Facebook group or to learn more about Facebook.com.
So, keep checking back here. Hopefully, you will find helpful information and realize many others are facing, and have faced, the same worries you have.
