First week back.

As of now, I've completed my first week of classes.

Honestly, I feels like I never left. I know I had this whole summer of adventures and working, but when I sat down in my awkwardly linked chair and pulled out my highlighter and my pens and starting taking notes on what the professor said and was preparing myself with something semi-intelligent to say in case I got called on, it all came back.

Another reason it feels like I've been in class this whole time: this is the first time that I've started school without a so-called "syllabus week." You know, that first week of school when the teacher or professor goes over how the class is going to run, lets you out early because you haven't had homework yet, and an overall joke of a week.
Law school doesn't believe in syllabus week.
We have first assignments. So day one of class is a full class, because you already have had homework that needs to be discussed. I'm telling you, we never really left.

I do have to say I'm pretty excited about my classes this year. We're not stuck in sections anymore, so I get to see different people and go to different rooms. For some reason, the tone of the classes is very different. It could be that I'm not scared to be wrong, but the discussion is much more open, the professors are more engaging, and it's much more of a discussion than a lecture. But then again, this is just week one. I could be singing a completely different tune in a few weeks.

The subjects are interesting as well.
Constitutional law is going to be a beast, but it's got to be done.
I'm doing a program that integrates evidence and trial advocacy. It's also going a TON of work, but I'm stoked for it. The professors are engaging and interesting. I love that I can apply what I'm learning in evidence to the exercises I'm doing in trial ad. Plus, trial ad. is fun.
Professional responsibility is all about what lawyers can and cannot do, but it's done through discussing what you would do if you were the lawyer in the case. The "what would you do" discussion is really interesting.

I'm continuing at the public defender's office through the year. I also picked up a part-time job on campus. 

It's going to be a busy semester, but I built it that way. Last year, I wasn't as involved, and I felt like I had too much down time. I'm excited to have a schedule. I'm excited to be working with new people. I'm excites about the things im going to be working on. I'm just pretty stoked on this year. 

Moving stinks, and other things in the past two weeks.

These past two weeks have been a whirlwind. Sometimes more of a tornado. But things can only go up from here!

Last week, C and I got the keys to our new apartment on Tuesday, and I had to be out of my old apartment by Friday. It was also my last week full-time at the PD's office. As such, I was refusing to take a full day off to move. So, I planned to pack all weekend to the sound of Netflix or love of my life Spotify, move everything out Tuesday and Wednesday, clean Thursday and be done in plenty of time to sleep a normal amount on all nights.

Best laid plans of mice and men and all that.

Now, moving is never fun. Never, ever, ever, ever, ever. Throwing all of your things into boxes, hauling those boxes to a different place, and then taking all of those things out of those boxes sucks. There's no way around it; no way to make it fun.
Our school's network was down starting the Saturday I planned to start packing. So that meant no interwebs. Which meant a sad and Netflix-less Manda. And not laundry machines. Which meant an angry and frustrated Manda moved dirty laundry.
I have WAY more stuff than I imagined. I lived in a two bedroom apartment by myself, and it was apparently my mission to fill it all. That meant that I moved a few hours Tuesday, a few hours Wednesday, then six hours Thursday. Add two hours of cleaning to Thursday, and it's two a.m. C's boyfriend was awesome and left me an air mattress; I blew it up, flopped down and passed out. Up at five a.m. to unload everything then off to work!

I was out of my apartment on time, so it all worked out.

Peace out, Oak Park. 

This week has been setting up the apartment and helping with 1L orientation at the school.
I bought an antique bed frame that I'm absolutely in love with on Craigslist. I now have a mattress, and I love it even more.

It's been kind of strange not being at the PD's office. I know my email is going to be overflowing, and I miss the assignments. I get to go back the second day of school, but it'll be different to not be there all the time.

Sunday, C, C, and I went to the Sacramento Antique Fair. That was a fun trip. Some of the stuff was what my great-grandfather would have called a nickel's worth of God help us, but some of it was gorgeous. There were tons of trunks to drool over. Like, the most beautiful trunks I  have seen in a long time. If only they weren't two or three hundred dollars.
C and C hit the jackpot though. We found a sweet locker (like a full length high school locker that the nerdy kids get stuffed into), a big picture frame for $5 (score!), an end table, an awesome love seat for our patio, and a beautiful blue dresser. It's now sitting beautifully in my closet, full of my clothes.

Isn't she beautiful??

Monday, I started my job in our school's student affairs office. I'm really excited to get started there. It's the first time they've had people in the positions held by myself and my cohorts, so we're getting to put the procedures in place and start things the way we want to. It's also fun to know everything that's going on at our campus, get to know the student leaders and the administrators, and be able to aid student life in general.

Tuesday, I volunteered in a scavenger hunt for the 1Ls. We got awesome neon orange shirts. My job was to sit at a coffee shop for four hours and tell people they could have free coffee. My life was hard.

Wednesday, I volunteered with registration. I loved meeting all the first years and sending them on their way.

Today, I recruited for my clubs. I had spiels that I could rattle off without thought. Thank you, sorority recruitment. I guess you weren't completely terrible.

Tomorrow, I get to start first assignments. Helloooooo 120 pages of trial advocacy and a bunch of constitutional law. Out of the frying pan we go.