Writing to past me and future me
Partially inspired by Michaela, I decided to write a letter to 1L me, but also include some advice for 3L me.
Dear 1L me,
Welcome to your new journey. You have worked so hard to be where you are today. The road ahead may be scary, but it's yours.
I know when you received your acceptance letter from UC Davis, you didn’t think it would be where you ended up. But after putting down your seat deposit and seeing that your student ID number was the same 9-digit confirmation code you had received when you applied to undergrad at UC Davis, it felt like fate.
You were scared when you packed up your childhood bedroom to move to Davis for law school. Scared doesn’t even cover it – you were downright panicked, but you made it. From day one, you convinced yourself that you didn’t belong. You watched your professors and classmates use words and talk about things you didn’t even know existed.
But you adapted.
Adaptation has always been your strong suit. In law school, you took your first proctored exam (besides the LSAT), took part in your first law school competition, you interviewed for your first legal job, and you networked! Networking. Even today, the thought of having to go to a networking event keeps you up at night, but you did it. You went to your first networking event, the Capital Reception, and came home with at least two business cards. You accomplished so much, even when you were scared.
Lastly, because I know you didn’t say it enough to yourself throughout 1L, I want to tell you I am so proud of you. You wanted to run away so many times, especially when they handed you were handed a schedule that left little room for non-school work during the week, but you didn’t. For that, I’m proud of you.
Image Description: Photo of Sample Weekly Calendar given to incoming 1Ls during orientation.
Dear 3L me,
Right now, I am feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. I am so ready to be done with law school. I love my friends and my life, but I can’t wait to actually figure out if all this was worth it.
As I write this letter to you and think about graduating, I can’t help but remember what one of the panelists said during First Gen Advocates Student Board culture week. He said “I loved law school; I actually miss it.” Those words seem unreal to me right now, but putting myself in your shoes, I can understand why he might miss law school. It was difficult, but you got to learn so much and make lifelong friends. I hope you look back and feel pride in your journey.
Also, I hope you will come back to this post when you’re about to graduate from law school. I hope reading this and your other blog posts makes you feel ready to tackle the journey of being a lawyer. As Alejandra Campoverdi said in First Gen: A Memoir, you’ll be joining an “elite group” once you’re done with law school. You’ll be stepping into a whole new world, one that is even shinier than the one you entered when graduated from college.
Are you ready? I know that’s a loaded question and you probably don’t want to answer it, but I want to tell you that I know you can do it. You conquered college and then law school; you can conquer being a lawyer. Look to the people who helped you through law school; these are the same ones who will stand by your side as your navigate your journey to becoming a lawyer.
I know it’s daunting to close this chapter of your life, but I wish you nothing but the best on your new adventure!
Are you ready? I know that’s a loaded question and you probably don’t want to answer it, but I want to tell you that I know you can do it. You conquered college and then law school; you can conquer being a lawyer. Look to the people who helped you through law school; these are the same ones who will stand by your side as your navigate your journey to becoming a lawyer.
I know it’s daunting to close this chapter of your life, but I wish you nothing but the best on your new adventure!
Labels: aspirations, inspiration, self discovery
posted by RK @ March 03, 2025
4 Comments
4 Comments:
I really appreciate this post because it reflects so many of the emotions we all experience as law students, especially as first-gens. I’ve felt all of these same feelings—fear of not belonging, uncertainty about the future, and moments of wanting to give up. This reflection will be something truly valuable to look back on once the journey is over. I actually wrote myself a letter in high school that my teacher gave back to me five years later. Reading it was surreal, I could relate to the person I was then, but I also saw how much I had grown. It’s crazy how time puts everything into perspective. This was such a great idea for a blog post!
Hi RK. I want to start by indicating how emotional reading the letter to your 1L self made me. When I read what you wrote, I couldn’t help but think about how far we have all come. I remember the fear, anxiety, and self-doubt that accompanied starting law school. I also remember how exciting and new it was to take such a big step in my life. I am also a 2L, so looking forward to next year I share your sentiments of excitement and nervousness. I’m excited to see what life brings, but as a K-JD (with one gap year living at home) I’m scared to be a “real adult” on my own after graduation. I know I should trust in myself, but I can’t help but wonder what unknown future challenges lie ahead. Am I ready? Probably not. Is it going to happen anyway? Most definitely. Thank you for sharing. We’ve got this!
This is a beautiful letter to yourself. I'm only a 2L but I really wish I could talk to my 1L self and tell him it would be alright. It feels like yesterday we were all nervous for our first cold call and the readings took forever. As we grew, we got to see that law school wasn't as bad as everyone made it out to be. Maybe it's because the skills we've learned as "first and onlys" taught us to be more resourceful but I cannot wait to be in your position. Hearing from 3Ls like yourself, I see the light at the end of the tunnel and keep telling myself this will all be worth it. Thank you for writing about the Capital Reception and that schedule they gave us during 1L orientation. I thought I was the only one who felt that way about those things. You may not realize it but your post and the fact that someone on an FGA panel inspired you has motivated me to be there for others as a mentor next year. Thank you for sharing your story, and just know that your words are an inspiration for other "first and onlys" to keep at it.
RK, I loved reading your reflections as you wrap up your final semester in law school. I'm glad you took the time to tell your 1L self how proud you are of them; I know many of us can relate to feeling overwhelmed and doing our best to navigate a new environment while being uncertain of ourselves. I enjoyed reading this as a 2L because I can relate to the feelings you had during 1L, but I can also rely on your perspective for 3L as something I can look forward to.
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