Students are returning from the summer and the law school building is once again full of activity! Last Friday we held the 2010 Minnesota Minority Recruitment Conference and Job Fair in the building, and last night our Career and Development Office hosted a reception for our first On Campus Interview (OCI) event of the year. Admissons is busy finalizing the orientation week plans and we can’t wait to welcome our 1L’s to the community on Monday, August 23rd!
Yesterday I ran into Robyn, a rising 2L student, who was telling me about her amazing study abroad experience in Israel over the summer. I was hoping that other returning students could comment below and let us know what they have been doing for the past few months.
I spent the summer taking Criminal Procedure and Negotiation. My summer classes were both great experiences! I also had several opportunities to relax (gasp!) with friends from law school. I had the girls from my study group over for a pool party to celebrate finishing summer finals. Now I am spending the rest of the summer working on applications for On Campus Interviews, and I’ll be attending the Vocational Retreat this weekend to start the new school year off with focus on my calling.
I spent the summer doing three things. First, I took Criminal Procedure I with Scott Swanson and about 60 other classmates. Second, I had a volunteer internship at Caplan Law Firm (a criminal defense firm in the Warehouse district). Third, I worked part time at Nokomis Park conducting day camps with children (this is my fifth summer here). This is my last week at my job and internship and next week I will be preparing for classes and finishing up my non-law school books.
I was a research assistant for Father Whitt, working on canon law and Catholic education. Also, I took criminal procedure and client interviewing/counseling.
Sounds busy, right? WRONG. I actually was able to spend a lot of time getting out and about and exploring the Twin Cities a little more. I’m from Illinois originally, and so coming here last August without a car meant mostly going to law school and going home. This summer I was able to be get myself to concerts, festivals, block parties, fundraisers, malls, bikeshops, the DMV, youth conferences, state parks, lakefront beaches, and historical monuments, all easily accessible by bus lines.
So if any out-of-staters coming here are worried about not seeing much, especially without a car, there’s actually a LOT going on in the Twin Cities…and it is a reminder that there is certainly more to life than working your butt off 24/7 to finish law school.
Don’t be afraid to take a stay-cation every now and then and get out and explore a little!