First Impressions

Literal translation: Light Law People

Today was my first *real* day of school. For the past two days, I have been getting orientated along with the rest of the first year law students, or 1Ls. Learn this lingo now, I'll be slinging it around like I know what I'm talking about soon!

Disclaimer: as much as this post may seem complainy, I am really enjoying school so far. Even the reading. I swear.

Now. Let's start with Monday. I arrived at orientation at 8:45 for refreshments and check-in. My section, 8, had pink nametags! <3> socialize for the next 45 minutes. This may not seem so bad to some of you, but here's a little something to know about me:

I am shy. I do not do well meeting new people because I get flustered and don't like to feel like I'm being fakely nice. However, this aversion to social interaction makes me prone to being labeled as cold and snobby--not exactly what I wanted the first impression of me to be. Thus, I put on my best smile, quelled my nerves, and struck up a conversation.

Luckily, everyone seemed to be in the same boat; slightly nervous, awkwardly asking the same questions over and over (where did you go to undergrad, where are you from, etc.) and staring surreptitiously at each other's nametags/boobs. After this lovely introductory period, we were ushered into classrooms for various talks on what to expect, a mock class, blah blah blah when's lunch? UCLA is known for the quality of its food, and considering all three meals were being catered Monday, that's what I was looking forward to the most.

Oh sorry, I'll recap what breakfast was: assorted danishes, cinnamon rolls, muffins, coffee, tea, and orange juice. Lunch was a HUGE assortment of sandwiches and salads, maybe 10 different kinds! Ok that's not HUGE per se, but it was still very impressive. And tasty~ nom nom Tuscan chicken nom. By this point in the day, satiated and happy to be out in the sun, all of my fellow classmates were beginning to open up a bit more, joking and having a jolly good time. May I also mention that everyone is super nice!? What happened to cutthroat, "you're not allowed in my study group" Vivian stereotype? UCLA is so much better than Harvard.

Vivian. She's a betch.

After the compulsory tour of campus (highlight: getting sunburned), we had another session and convocation, followed by a reception! More noms.

So that was my first day of exposure to law school. Very mild, very kind, and very enjoyable. Yesterday was much of the same, with a delicious fiesta lunch accompanied by eccentric faculty and BEEEES.

Last night, I spent my evening reading and preparing for my first day of class. I was so focused, I didn't even eat dinner until I was nearly done! Major change of heart from undergrad, mostly because of fear. My first class, Lawyering Skills, was nothing scary. The professor, on the other hand, is. He's LOUD and veeeerrrry expressive. I liked him immediately. Then came lunch, which I ate alone until Melf came and joined me (yay!). After that came my first experience with a real class: Property. In which I had my first experience with failing to say anything of real importance. Namely, I was the first to make an ass of myself! Hurrah! At least I tried, right? Everyone else had all these great, though mostly irrelevant, insights, and there I go, trying to participate, and I get a "Let's try to push that a little more" and a massive FAIL. Can you sense the self-pity? I guess it wasn't actually that bad--my slighted brain is overreacting a bit. I plan on reading veeewwwy carefully tonight so I can redeem myself tomorrow. Or not so carefully, if I don't finish by the time Top Chef airs.

Oh, and I know you're all wondering, what did I wear on my first day?! Sadly, no pencil skirts or sexy librarian glasses: just a plain old comfy dress, stolen from ReeRee's closet. Yay!