Five Tips for Balancing School Work and a Social Life in Law School

We've all heard the platitude, "all work and no play....yada, yada, yada," and we never thought it would apply to us. However, once you enter the world of law school, you may want to heed these wise words. Law school can be an intense, competitive environment, and the demands placed up you will seem overwhelming at times. Your classmates always seem to have everything under control, so the pressure to work that much harder is ever-present. In such a high-stress environment, it's easy to loose track of your social life, and an active social life is imperative both to your enjoyment of law school and to your individual wellness. Although it may seem impossible to balance schoolwork and a social life, the following are five tips to help you achieve that healthy balance:

1. When you open your daily planner on Sunday evening with the intention of planning that week's activities, assignments, and other responsibilities, don't forget to set aside time to spend with friends. As a stressed out law student, it's easy to give "social time" a low priority score, but this is a big mistake. Overworking yourself can lead to alienation and burnout, and this certainly isn't in your best interest as a student. Taking time to relax and socialize is crucial and should be written into your planner just as you would block off time to work on an assignment.

2. Protect your social time just as you would your school time. As both are equally important when it comes to maintaining a healthy balance between the two, both should be equally protected. Don't fall into the trap of consistently canceling social engagements in order to get ahead in school.

3. If you are like many law students who feel guilty whenever they use up valuable study time to socialize, try looking for social events that combine school and play. Most programs will offer school-sanctioned events that not only will allow you a social break, but will also allow you to network with professors, alumni, and other students. You won't feel as guilty about "wasting" valuable time socializing if you're also networking your way towards your career. Along these same lines, study in groups when appropriate. This is another way to combine both your social and academic life.

4. When in the throws of a study session, bare in mind the law of diminishing returns. Past a certain point, over-studying will not help you. Know when you've "hit the wall" and use extra time to hang out with friends. You're better off relaxing and laughing a little bit as opposed to overdoing your studying!

5.Finally, don't get frustrated when you fall "off balance," as this inevitable. Remember that achieving a balance is a continuous process and there will be times when you have the perfect balance and other times when you're way off. Be patient, keep your goals in mind, and keep striving for that perfect ratio of social life to academic life.

Advertisement

Get More Information