Hello Friends!

My name is Abigail and I am so excited to be on this journey with you.

A year ago, I looked at the upcoming 1L year with trepidation. I was frightened: unsure of what the year would bring. But I was equal parts hopeful. I had so many questions swirling around as I prepared myself for what lay ahead. Would I realize that law was not for me? Would I have an identity crisis? Would I find out who I was? Would I meet my lifelong friends? Was this the year I would finally fall in love?

And fall in love I did.

I fell in love with the challenges. I fell in love with the times when they felt almost insurmountable and I found people to rally beside me. I fell in love with how hard work became an end rather than a means to an end. I fell in love with new ways to consolidate information and being pushed to be more vocal about things I was passionate about. I fell in love with new areas to be passionate about. I fell in love with the vastness of things I did not know, and the things I had to bring to the table.

I fell in love with myself. I discovered that I have capacity for so much more than I had expected. I fell in love with who I was becoming because of my environment. I fell in love with my shortcomings. I fell in love with the challenges that revealed who I truly was. More importantly, I fell in love with the realization that I would always be so much more than my grades, and my career. I fell in love with the way this experience made me my biggest cheerleader. Despite it all, I would always be a constant.

I fell in love with my friends. I fell in love with midnight Sprite runs and walks to the Shoppers to buy sale chocolate. I fell in love with awkward first hellos that turned into “friendsgiving” dinners.  I fell in love with before class conversations about whether Casper: the friendly ghost could be considered a person. I fell in love with friends who ordered snack boxes with me. I fell in love with dinners and dance parties. I fell in love with short car rides, turned concerts, turned problem solving sessions. I fell in love with conversations about life until 2 am in the middle of exam season. I fell in love with late night grocery runs and laughter on my living room floor way past my bedtime.  I fell in love with classmates who became friends then family and finally whose arms became home.

To the Abigail a year ago: take it in. The answer is yes. You will meet friends who will undoubtedly change your life forever, challenges that will shape you. You will fall in love with 1L slowly but surely. Allow yourself to experience it all and ascribe no value to some experiences over others; they are all worth it.