Hello incoming 1L’s! Hope you were able to enjoy your summer despite all the craziness going on. A year ago I was definitely nervous since I was moving to a new city and worried about making friends, but was also super excited to start law school! Hope you’re feeling that excitement as well. 

My name is Gabriel Rincon, I’m entering my 2L year. I’m a clinician at the Law Student’s Legal Advice Program (LSLAP) and a Research Assistant (RA). I grew up in Halifax and did my undergrad in Montreal, so I’ve been slowly making my way across the country. Of course, moving to the other side of the hemisphere came with challenges so I decided to live on campus at Green College. If any 1L’s are at Green this year I encourage you to reach out! 

I won’t sugarcoat it: 1L is tough, you will spend the better part of your year reading. That being said, 1L was an incredible experience. You’re going to make a bunch of new friends that all love the law as much as you do and you’ll have professors that’ll inspire you to learn about areas of law you had no idea existed. Allard also offers a wealth of opportunities to get involved. LSLAP and RAing are great but that was my path. I would encourage you all to explore what Allard and UBC have to offer to find what you enjoy doing. For example, I picked up Ultimate Frisbee and now I love it!

Of course, this year will have unique challenges, primarily interacting with your classmates. Some advice I have on that front would be to consider signing up for a Peer Tutor and a Legal Buddy, as I think these two programs will be important supports and links to the community. Also, while staying safe, try to meet your classmates. Getting to know the amazing folks in your small group is one of the experiences that makes 1L fun. Some general advice though: book a meeting with the Career Services Office. They do amazing work supporting and mentoring students.

There’s still some summer left though so I hope you all enjoy it. 1L flew by for me and it really was a rich and wonderful experience. Wishing you all the best this year and welcome to UBC law!