Law Students

Myth: Law School Leaves No Time for a Healthy Lifestyle

By Ms. JD

Ed Note: This summer, Ms. JD solicited lessons learned from law students across the country.  Several law students mentioned the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle while in law school, including weekly exercise, nutritious meals, and plenty of sleep.

Joanna, a student at the University of Buffalo, wrote:

In listening to 1L war stories, I was often told that the only things I would have time to do were go to class and read.  I took this advice to heart, and often neglected to exercise regularly or pay enough attention to what I was eating.  That was a big mistake.  I am sure that my 1L year would have been more productive and less stressful if I had worked in a daily visit to the gym.  In addition, packing healthy lunches and snacks would have saved me both time and money (both of which were often spent by running to the nearest convenience store or restaurant when I was hungry). It is truly an error to underestimate the value a healthy body contributes to a healthy mind.

A student from the University of Oregon fully agreed:

Managing my time was the most difficult thing to learn while I was trying to pass my first year of law school.  However, with my first year over, I now know that I could have done things differently and that forcing myself to work out and eat healthy could have significantly improved my physical and emotional condition. Exercising is crucial, it might be one of the few ways to relieve stress, feel energized after hours of reading in a cold and dark library and days of recitation.

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Full post as published by Ms. JD on July 31, 2008 (boomark / email).