It took two weeks, but now I finally have that "back in law school" feeling.  The first two weeks were a blur of new textbooks and softball questions.  I even felt myself thinking "It's nice to be back" a few times, as I enjoyed a cup of Uptowner coffee and browsed "Above the Law" between classes.  Obviously, that didn't last.

Being back in law school after the second week is kind of like running into an old boyfriend from undergrad.  Just when you start to let your memories get all pleasant and fuzzy, you run into him at a bar and realize, no, he's just as slimy as he was a year ago.  And now he's balding in a really unfortunate way.  And he may or may not be missing some teeth. Except with law school, you can't just go home feeling like you dodged a bullet.  Law school gets to come home with you every night.

Sitting in the hard lounge (when I can get a table), has been entertaining over the past couple weeks.  In a sick way.  The other day, I actually heard a 1L say "You know, I think I've got the hang of this LRW thing.  It's not like it's that hard!"  Everybody together: Awwwwwwww.   I'll see you when you get that draft back, sir.  I hope you signed up for a mentor.  Or for a Vodka-of-the-Month Club.

I think the difference between first year and second year is that first year, it feels like Law School is beating up on you.  You have to take all of these classes, you have to write these memos.  Everything is prescribed and mandatory.  So when things go awry, you have The Man to blame.  Plus, everyone's going through the same thing.  There are always fellow 1Ls willing to commiserate over a nice tall glass of Pepto.  Not unlike boot camp, whatever you're going through, you're going through it together.

Second year, whatever I'm doing, I'm just doing it to myself.  Why did I sign up for 8:50 am classes?  Why did I plan all of these sweet resume-building activities that happen at exactly the same time?  Why did I schedule three Constitutionally-based classes when evidently I did not pay enough attention in Con Law I?  The powers that be gave me all this autonomy after first year, and I evidently cannot be trusted to make my own decisions.  I'm like a five year old left with an unattended bowl of Halloween candy.  Yeah, that's going to end well.

So I guess my advice to the 1Ls this week is as follows.  Don't worry.  Nobody knows what the heck is going on.  Even that girl who claims she's got LRW figured out, or the guy who talks really loud about how he could basically pass the bar on what he learned from his year as a paralegal at Rich & Pretentious, LLC.  When those Memo 1 grades come out, remember that you are not your LRW grade.  Have a drink, cry a little, and then do your Torts reading.  I'm sure you've heard the old cliche "Look at the person to your left and right, one of you is going to drop out."  It's really more like "Look at the person to your left and right.  All of you hate LRW, and never want to see a case brief again."  And just remember.  If all of those people on the back of the phone book made it through law school, the odds are in your favor.