Hey incoming 1Ls, my name is Trevor Hunt and I’m going into my second year at Allard. I was an LSLAP Clinician (legal aid volunteer), and the Academics representative on the Law Students’ Society for Scow. I’m also an avid skier, mountain biker, and hiker – activities which don’t mix well with not having much free time!

1L has a ubiquitous reputation of being challenging (correct), having lots of readings (also correct), but those are a small cost to pay for the emotional and intellectual journey you’re about to start on. When you have less time on your hands because of school, you’ll have to prioritize because you must. And there’s no sugarcoating it; you’ll question what’s worth your time, who’s worth your time, and how you use your time (please, please take time for yourself) because there’ll be so many new things going on. I challenge you to view this as an exciting process as opposed to a nerve-wracking one! You can only see how much you’ve grown in retrospect, so you have to get through the year first.

And to that end, get involved in extracurriculars to figure out what you do and don’t like! People understand that you’re at the start of your path as a lawyer and will give you the leeway to figure things out. If you think you’re a budding star criminal lawyer but realize after 2 months the club and profession aren’t for you? That’s fine! And don’t feel like you have to jump at every single opportunity – a lot will get thrown at you right away – but opportunities present themselves when you least expect them to. I stumbled into an incredibly cool opportunity to join an unofficial drug policy working group in mid-February completely by accident!

All of that being said, if there’s any one piece of wisdom I want to share, it’s to have the confidence to introduce yourself to strangers professionally. If you come across a professional who you’re curious about, reach out! Most of the time people are ready and willing to help answer your questions and if someone indulges your curiosity, they’ll simply hope you’ll do the same and pay it forward when you’re in their shoes.

You’re all going to do amazingly – good luck!