By: Emily Gold
During one of my first classes in law school, my LPS professor told my class the importance of failing. She went on to explain that F.A.I.L. simply stands for “first attempt in learning”, and it is the first step towards fostering a new skill. I was at first skeptical of this advice—in an institution that is so grades-driven, can we afford to fail? However, I quickly learned that one failure can quickly lead to a successful legal career.
Law students tend to be perfectionists, and the thought of “failing” leaves many of us uneasy. However, we often learn more from what we do wrong than what we do right. Personally, I struggled with my first legal writing assignment—but this “failure” was simply the first step in my legal writing journey.
If you didn’t do as well as expected, it can be tempting to throw that assignment in a dark drawer and pretend it never existed. However, it is so important to review your work. Your professors and your TA’s are there for a reason—if you have questions about any of the feedback just ask! Once you understand what you did wrong, don’t dwell on the past. One assignment will not make or break your entire career in law. Review it, understand your mistakes, and then move on! You can’t change a past grade, but you can shape your future.
After my first legal writing “failure,” I reviewed each comment, and made notes of how I can improve for next time. These skills build, and I knew I would need to learn for next time. I tried my best not to obsess over my “first attempt in learning” and instead focused on the next assignment that was due. I made more of an effort to visit my professor and TA in office hours. I learned from my mistakes and improved from there.
Remember this is the first time you are doing something like this. Up until a few months ago, CREAC was just the sound your stairs made and ALWD was the way you would describe a dresser at Ikea. It is not expected that you will be writing like RBG after only a few weeks of law school. These things take time, but you’ve already taken the first step.
My final piece of advice is to always be kind to yourself. Law school is hard enough without the added pressures imposed by that little voice in your head. You were admitted to Suffolk because the powers that be in the admissions office knew you could succeed—they wanted you to be a Suffolk student. If this group of random strangers can have faith in you after reviewing your resume and transcript for a few minutes, then you can have faith in yourself after a lifetime of seeing all your successes firsthand. You’re meant to be here. Your legal journey is only just beginning.