By: Archiebald Faller Capila
If you would ask a young kid or a teenager looking forward to his graduation why they want to be lawyers, they would say that it is their dream to become a member of this esteemed legal profession. If you would ask them about their goals in life, they would say that they want to become members of the Supreme Court, members of Congress, or even the president of the Republic. They would say that they want to practice lucrative fields of law and eventually become the highly respected lawyers they dream to be.
Before entering law school, do you remember what motivated you the most in order to become an aspiring member of the profession? One way or another, the same is a dream which, if compared to other aspirations, is unmatched with respect to size and ambition. To dream big is a major part of enduring law school. It serves as the fuel that burns with our desire to become great in our own respective professions.
Law students are always made to see the study as one big challenge. Our ates and kuyas in the profession always say that the Bar is one of the most important factors we need to focus on in law school. It is only when we pass it, according to some people, could we celebrate in full. And why shouldn’t we? The Bar examination is the culmination of everything about law school. It is the measuring stick on whether or not one is fit to practice law. Indeed, it is but logical to focus on the said examination and celebrate big time if and only when one finally surpasses this hurdle.
However, before one may be able to finish law school, eventually take the Bar, and hope to pass it in due time, there are several things needed to be dealt with. Law school is not only about taking up law subjects, eventually graduating, and then preparing for the Bar examinations. The same is an oversimplification of what law school is about.
Aside from the study of law itself which requires tremendous effort in finishing kilometric reading assignments, there are still a lot of external factors that need to be dealt with in the process. Whether the same be related to logistics, financial capacity, emotional availability, or lack of willpower to push further, there will always be other things that law students need to deal with.
This is where the law journey starts. It is not only about how a law student finished but how that journey comes about as well. Law school is and will always be not solely about graduating and passing the Bar examinations. It is about how law students reach that point.
In a day, a law student can experience a lot. From the 8-hour preparation for the day, the nerve-wracking recitation, to the unending reflection on what he or she could have done better, the day seems like an eternal loop of hardships and heartbreaks. In a month, a law student could hit rock-bottom so many times. From the failing grades in recitation to the seemingly unending cycle of study and rest, law school has become a blur at this point in time. In a semester, a law student could lose a lot in the process. In summary, the law school experience is not only about the results which a lot of people look forward to.
While graduating and passing the Bar examinations could be considered as the greatest achievements in the short span of a law student and bar candidate’s life, the same must not be viewed as the only accomplishments that matter most. Law school is full of challenging sequences that require attention. Accordingly, the accomplishment of these tasks also requires celebration.
It is fitting that law students celebrate small victories as well.
Whether it be a passing grade in the recitation, a lucky answer in an examination, an extended deadline for case digests, or a granted ceasefire for a respective class, law students must appreciate these little things more often than not. Small victories are victories in their own sense. These victories require attention because these are the factors that keep us alive as well.
In the process of becoming a lawyer, we remember the things that make us thrive. The little things others consider as non-factors are in fact victories for us because they serve as a testament to our hard work and dedication. These instances are what make us feel human again.
Every day, law students are required to repeat a certain loop that will determine whether or not they are fit to become lawyers. Because of the stress the environment offers, law students forget the progress they make along the way. They forget that every day that passes, they improve their respective crafts and become better persons along the way.
Law school is not only about training a person to become a lawyer. It is supposed to be a safe haven that nurtures the different talents and skills of its students. It is a place wherein people are welcomed in order to improve their respective crafts. It is a place wherein the knowledge of the law is shared to the mind, but the essence of which is taught to the heart. In short, law school is a place wherein one can learn and lose a lot at the same time.
If and when we learn how to appreciate the little things, we could then appreciate the study of law, in general, more as well. If and when we appreciate the small victories in the process, we then become more aware of the things that make us thrive to be better in whatever environment there is.
Go on and rethink how you see things. Celebrate a passing grade. Celebrate a newly found friendship. Celebrate the life that gives. Celebrate the great experience that is law school. Never take for granted these things in life because these are the factors that will help you reach your ultimate goal of becoming a lawyer any time soon.
Always put into mind that by creating a more positive environment for yourself, you are slowly preparing for better days to come. Build a better future by appreciating the small things in life. Shift gears and learn to see through the small things that make you whole. Look into the tiny but significant victories and consider them as your trophies. Never take things for granted in this journey to becoming a lawyer. You will always need the extra motivation to push forward and eventually become a significant person. Remember, small victories are victories in their own right. Small victories, when combined, create a significant amount of success along the way. Always put into mind that while you may not be defined by your victories, you are still nonetheless made up of the tiny but significant improvements along the way.
Go on and celebrate the fine things you never focused on before. Go on and look into these things through a different lens. Go on and become the great lawyer you are destined to be by bannering the victories you once saw as not significant. Celebrate law and celebrate life. Celebrate the dream that keeps you up at night.