This crazy month called November.

November's been a good month. Crazy, but so good.

At the beginning of the month, I took the MPRE. Then jumped in the car with this awesome guy N and drove to Berkeley for the Cal-UA game. After spending way too long looking for parking and walking to the stadium, we finally made it and watched Arizona bear down to a win! 

Our seats were pretty awesome.

The next Thursday, I did my full day trial for my trial advocacy class. It was an amazing learning experience. I was on the prosecution, so it was a good experience to see things from "the other side." It was fun to do the trial. It's got all of the public speaking and the strategic wording and the spontaneity that I think is a good time. We lost, but it there was reasonable doubt up and down our case file, so it was comforting that the jurors, who were community members, were able to see that and come to the right verdict. We also got to watch the jury deliberate, and it's interesting to see what parts of your case that they latch onto and which parts they ignore. Spoiler alert: they don't always pay attention to the information that you want, and pick up on lots of things that you didn't even mention.

Two days later, I took my first final. Gag. And turned in a big paper that Wednesday after that. And then did an oral argument a week later.

But then, I WAS FREE!!

To do things like go to Apple Hill. Or do some mini golfing with N. 

So November, thanks for kicking my butt, and being a blast.

Holy semester.

This semester has been... interesting.

Why interesting you ask? Here's why:
Life was busy. Between school, part time job, externship, and generally wanting to have time for myself, life was busy.
It's all been great though. School has been school. I was stressed, as to be expected, but not in the panic-filled manner that I was last year. The old, tired saying that the second year of law school will work you to death is absolutely true. I'm no longer afraid of being called on in classes, and I know that all of the work will get done, there's just a lot of it.

The part-time job is beautiful. Most of the time it's just holding office hours and doing my homework, which is much appreciated.

My externship at the public defender's office is still amazing. I love the office, love the work, love the clients. It can be kind of crazy and a little trying at times, but I love being able to go there and work with real people on their real problems. It makes me excited for the future.

I'm still running the half-marathon in January (eight weeks! Ahhh!). I've taken LOTS of breaks throughout the semester, whether it be because it was dark when I wanted to run, or my bed wouldn't let me leave, or my knee was being stupid. I'm up to eight miles, and while it sucks for the first three or so, the last five rock. I'm excited to finally do it!

And that's been the last three months. All I have left is two, count them two, finals this year. So much better than five. I go home for Thanksgiving tomorrow, come back in a week, take my finals over the next two weeks after that, and then I'm done! Play time for two weeks!!

Can you tell I'm excited?