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I celebrated on the day that I found out I passed the University of the
Philippines ' Law Aptitude Exam (LAE), but I had no idea what
exactly I was celebrating for.
Amidst warnings from those (un)fortunate enough to have already
spent time in the hallowed halls of Malcolm, I welcomed the
adventure I thought law school was going to be. I just passed the
LAE and nothing could rain on my parade certainly, admittance to
the prestigious UP College of Law was a feat in itself.
Then, law school started. You soon learn that there is nothing more
grueling, more disastrous than the life of law students struggling
with their first year.
Not for me
I honestly did not think Id ever end up in law school, nor did the
scores of people who were so unabashedly surprised when they
found out I was in UP Law. At a young age, I had decided against it,
much to the chagrin of my lawyer father who loves what he does for
a living and lives for what he loves doing. And sure, Suits made it
seem fun and sexy but law always appeared to me to be such a
strict, rigid, and unforgiving profession.
But then, I one day found myself - a lost twenty-something
graduating from college with no plans nor any inkling of what to do
with my (now very imminent) future. When my father suggested that
Hardest part
To say that my first year in law school was the hardest thing I ever
had to accomplish would be an understatement. There is little to no
time for anything else in your life and most days you find yourself
racking your brain, wondering why in the world youre staying.
Nothing really prepares you for the grand manner. The reality of it
isnt so grand.
Thats pretty much what law school is: a sacrifice to learn. Through
all of this, you also learn to persevere. That glimmer of hope, that
small slither of light which shines through the darkest of days, can
get you through so much. Og Mandino did say, Failure will never
overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough, and
this has never been so true.
In between piles and piles of readings, arduous recitations,
countless sleepless nights, and so many tears, I learned about the
law and I learned so much about myself. Mans resilience and
propensity to carry on has always amazed, but never would I have
ever imagined that I would find this in myself.
I have since believed that never in my life have I gone through
anything more gut-wrenching and fulfilling but at the same time I am
thankful for it every single day.
I celebrated on the day that I found out I passed the Law Aptitude
Exam, like how I celebrated when I found out I made it through this
school year, like how I now celebrate after every exam, quiz, and
recitation and now I know why I do this. Law school makes or
breaks you.. and if youre still swimming, there is much to be
thankful for. - Rappler.com
Isa Rodriguez is a law student and social media producer at
Rappler.