Hello and welcome, class of 2020!

You will hear the word “wellness” a lot during your first year of law school, and staying well means different things to different people. I’m going to share with you a few of the things that I found helpful during 1L, but read this with a thought to what wellness looks like to you and how you can best achieve your version of wellness!

  1. Decide on your “non-negotiables”

There’s no getting around it – 1L is an extremely busy year and you’re going to have a lot on your plate. With this in mind, try to figure out the things in your routine that are the most important to you in terms of staying well, both mentally and physically. This could include a weekly skype date with your family or going back home for Sunday dinners, going for a run or to your favourite yoga class a few evenings a week, or taking a few hours to put down the case law and read a novel before bed. Think about what these things are for you, and try to remember to prioritize them even when your schedule gets crazy throughout the semester. The to-do list from school will never be finished, so if you try to wait until it’s all done to make time for the other things you care about, you will never get to them!

  1. Be selective

As you will soon discover, there are many ways to get involved in your first year of law school. While I would definitely encourage you to join in on the opportunities that excite you and to avoid self-selecting out of things too early, don’t feel like you need to do it all! Once life starts to get busy, if it’s not something that you are excited about, it will get pushed aside very quickly, anyhow. Seek out opportunities that are truly of interest to you and that you will be willing to put the time and effort into. Don’t feel guilty about not signing up for something just because a lot of other students are doing it (or because they are giving you free pizza!), and don’t be afraid to stop doing something if you realize that you aren’t getting out of it what you wanted to (just be sure to explain this to whoever is in charge so you don’t leave them hanging!). Prioritize your well-being and your goals when deciding what you can (or can’t) manage in your schedule.

  1. Take breaks

Making use of the breaks in your schedule to step away from the computer screen for a while is not only beneficial from a health perspective, but it also helps you to be alert and ready to pay attention in your classes. Rather than sitting at your computer during your morning break, try finding a friend and walking down to Tower Beach (just across the street from Allard!) or to a new coffee shop on campus! There are also weekly by-donation yoga classes held at Allard during your lunch break and entrance to the UBC Aquatic Centre is free with your student card, so make use of those student fees and go swim some laps or just enjoy the sauna! Whichever way you choose to do it, taking time to move your body and get some fresh air (even if it’s only for 15 minutes!) will be worth it!

  1. Connect with your peers

Law students are some of the most passionate, engaged people you will ever meet and they are a great resource to take advantage of! Both your fellow 1L classmates and upper year students will be able to help you get through the academic transition from undergrad to law school and (what personally I found to be even more important) they will help you navigate all the additional stressors that come with starting law school. Whether you need advice about how to network, you need someone to explain what a CAN or an OCI is, or you just want to rant to someone who has been through it all before and can provide some empathy and encouragement, upper year students are the perfect resource! Although it may seem counter to my previous point on being selective, I would suggest signing up for every possible mentorship opportunity you come across. You never know where you will make a strong connection with someone, so don’t discount any opportunity! Sign up for a legal buddy and a peer tutor (even if you think you have studying under control!) and reach out to the students you see involved in clubs and student government. The students who are involved in these programs do so because they want to help, and you will be amazed by how much time they are willing to put in to helping you succeed!

Finally, be compassionate with yourself. You will be learning a lot over the coming year, so forgive yourself when things don’t go according to plan and do your best to adjust! Although this gives away my embarrassingly immature sense of humour, I want to share a quote from one of my all-time favourite movies, Zoolander. In the words of Hansel, made model extraordinaire:

“Do I know what I’m doing today? No. But I’m here, and I’m going to give it my best shot.”

In 1L, there will almost certainly be moments where you will be overwhelmed, stressed out, and feel like you don’t know what you’re doing. I hope these moments are more rare than they are common, but know that everyone experiences it and you can get through it! Will you feel like you know what you’re doing every day? Probably not. But you’re here, so give it your best shot, make yourself a priority, and don’t forget to reach out if you have any questions!

-Liz Janzen