…for Orientation and the First Few Weeks of Law School!

Hello incoming 1Ls! My name is Aicha (pronounced “eye-sha”) I’m a third year student (3L) and this year’s Orientation Assistant. If you’re anything like I was before 1L, you have a million and three questions about law school buzzing around in your head. I’ve compiled the following list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers in hopes of helping silence that buzz!  If you still have questions after reading this post, please feel free to email me at studentservices@law.ubc.ca and I’ll be more than happy to help you out. Here we go!

 

What should I wear to Orientation?

First day: No suits required! Please dress in whatever casual clothing you usually wear. Keep in mind that we will be providing you with a fabulous Orientation t-shirt at registration and you’ll need to wear it for the first day.  

Rest of Orientation: Most people only wear the Orientation t-shirt on the first day, so dress as you usually would for daily life. No suits required!

Banquet: The banquet is NOT a formal event so sweeping ball gowns and sleek tuxes are unnecessary. This isn’t an event you need to buy new clothes for: just don some dress pants and a shirt, or a dress if you like, and you’ll be golden. And if you’ve got a tie, great! Pop that bad boy on and you’re more than ready. You can see some examples below of what’s been worn to previous banquets.

First week: You likely know this is coming, but I’ll say it again: no suits required! Wear casual clothing: you’ll be sitting in class, meeting people, and (hopefully) basking in the glorious sunshine during your breaks. No need to get fancy over here.

 Prior Banquets:

  

 

What should I bring to Orientation? Do I need to take notes?

There is no need to bring a laptop and you aren’t required to take notes during the lectures. That said, bringing a pen and a small notebook can’t hurt: the “How to Read a Case” lecture on Thursday, August 29 will be useful when you do start your readings, and you might find it helpful to take some quick notes. Most orientation events are purely informative and meant to introduce you to your peers and professors, and to give you a small taste of what ‘The Law’ and law school will entail.

 

 

When do I get my class schedule?

A general schedule will be posted on the UBC Law website (this schedule is subject to change), but your finalized schedule will be included in your beautiful, comprehensive, made-with-love Orientation packages. You’ll receive those bad boys at registration on the first day of Orientation. Be excited!

 

 

Can I get a list of my required textbooks? Where can I buy them?

All textbooks can be purchased at the UBC Bookstore, but there are a few reasons why you don’t need to worry about your textbooks or book lists just yet: you won’t know exactly which books you’ll need until you meet your professors and receive your syllabi. Also, the Grad Committee organizes a used book sale at the beginning of each semester, and this is a fabulous opportunity to get great deals on texts that you’d otherwise have to buy at full price. You’ll get more information about the used book sale during Orientation and the first week of school.

If you’re really anxious about your books despite my sage advice, you can try the UBC Bookstore Booklist tool to see what texts your professors have ordered. However, I wouldn’t go this route because you don’t need the books yet and can save money with the book sale, and because I can’t guarantee that the booklist function is accurate. You can find more information about the Booklist on the UBC Bookstore website.

 

 Do I need a suit in first year?

You do not need a suit for the first few weeks, but I highly recommend getting one for first year. It will come in handy during Wine & Cheese receptions, at networking events with firms, or if you plan on going to the court house (to observe a trial, or as a representative for LSLAP etc.). It does not need to be expensive; I bought my first suit at Sears!

 

 

Is it true that December exams ‘don’t count’?

Yes and no. December exams are ‘fail safe’, so if you do better in the April exams only that April mark will count. If you get a better grade on a December exam, it will count for 25% of your final mark in the course. I recommend approaching the December exams as if they do ‘count’, because then you will know exactly how well your preparation paid off. It allows you to modify your studying style for April if necessary, and that 25% boost doesn’t hurt if you really knock a December exam out of the park!

 

 

Should I take notes by hand or with my laptop?

You should use whichever method you’re most comfortable with, it’s all about personal preference. Most students do take notes with a laptop, but there are usually a few students in a class who stick it out old school and handwrite. I find using a laptop easier because it’s neater than my handwriting, I type faster than I write, and I find my notes easier to organize once I want to edit them for exam purposes. The downfall of typing is you can get caught up in trying to transcribe a lecture and then don’t actually learn as you frantically type away. Handwriting forces you to be concise and to get down the main points.  

 

Once school starts, keep an eye out for the Academic Success lectures offered by the faculty.  You’ll get a chance to hear from upper year peer tutors, and they’ll give you helpful tips on what study and note-taking methods worked for them.

 

 

Should I read anything law related to prepare for first year?

In the words of a wise man, “don’t worry, be happy.” Enjoy your summer before law school and read ‘for-fun’ books, climb a mountain, or frolic on the beach. You’ll have ample time to sequester yourself in the library during the school year so enjoy the time away from law things while you’ve got it. Grab some sun while it’s here, by November you’ll be your special shade of Winter White and will have forgotten what ‘sunshine’ is.

 

That being said, the UBC 2013 Orientation Guide does list some recommended books if you’re super keen to get a glimpse of law life. I didn’t look at any of them and I’ve managed to make it this far. Don’t worry, you’ll get to experience law school first-hand soon enough.

 

 

Do professors use the Socratic Method?

Most professors do not, but I had one use it in first semester of first year. Don’t panic! This was mostly to learn our names and he never tried to trick, trap, or embarrass anyone. When we were asked questions they were usually along the lines of ‘what were the facts’, and that’s easy enough to answer if you’ve done the reading. Don’t worry, no prof will Legally Blonde you in front of the class (I know you’ve seen that movie and know what I’m talking about).

 

Should I be worrying about law summer jobs and articling jobs already?

No! While there are summer legal employment opportunities after 1L, many of these jobs don’t have application deadlines until later in your 1^st year (i.e. Term 2).  Focus on your studies and get involved with some of the activities, clubs, or communities that you’re interested in. The Career Services Office does a fabulous job of keeping us apprised of when and what we should be thinking about when it comes to legal employment. Enjoy your first year—and the summer before law school—because you will have plenty of time to think about your summer and articling job options later on in your law degree. If you’re thinking about non-law summer jobs in general, the same advice applies: you’ll get many opportunities to consult the Career Services Office about summer employment, and they are magicians when it comes to keeping us informed about opportunities that arise. Relax, enjoy your summer, and don’t yet worry about law jobs!

 

I hope you’ve found the above helpful! If not… oh look, a picture!

 

Cheers,

Aicha

Orientation Assistant