Top Lifestyle Posts from 2015

One of the top posts of 2015 was on my goals recap! I really like reflecting on my goals and how I did, and I'm honored people care enough about my goals to read as well. Kind of embarrassing, actually, given how poorly you could argue I did this year, but it is what it is!

Another one of my top posts was my review of the Fitbit! I was so excited to finally get a Fitbit, and I was even more excited to review it. It's been super helpful and motivational for me these past few months.

J moved in (finally), and it was really fun to write about how the apartment has changed since he moved in! I can't say how much fun it was to have the apartment to ourselves and really make it our own. It's changed a lot since this post, but it's still fun to look back!

My Stitch Fix posts have also been super popular this year! They really came through for me this year, which I'm thrilled about - I had basically given up on them as a service, but I absolutely love the work clothes I got from them this year.

 This was my only other Stitch Fix I got this year, and I also reviewed my first Fabletics purchase. I got one shirt from the Fix, and at the time, I loved my Fabletics outfit. I bought one or two more outfits from Fabletics, but haven't bought from them since. Eventually, I found the materials were really cheap and really weren't worth paying what I was for them.

This post on how to budget simply was really popular this year, and I wasn't really surprised! I think a lot of people my age haven't been taught how to - I sure wasn't. I got a lot of my information on how to budget from the Internet, because I was never taught practical skills in high school or college, haha. I think a lot of people are also embarrassed about not knowing these practical things, and therefore don't ask, which is why I think the post was so popular - it was a non-judgmental way for people to learn a simple skill! :)

Top Wedding Posts from 2015

One of my most popular posts from 2015 was on making boxes for my bridesmaids! I really wanted to ask them in a personalized way and to give them little gifts to thank them for being in my life. I really wish I could have given them in person, because I definitely had mini alcohols for each of my girls that (it turns out) can't be sent through the mail!

I posted a series about finding my wedding dress, which was insanely popular. I quickly realized that my readers really, really liked hearing about wedding stuff. I don't blame you, because I like it too. :) They were super fun to write. My first post was on my initial thoughts when dress shopping and my experiences dress shopping in Boston.

My second post in the wedding dress series was about actually finding "the dress." It was totally unexpected, but so exciting! I still pine for it, and I'm not exaggerating. I wish I had it now so that I could wear it around the house. :) 

My last (and third) post in the series was 6 tips for dress shopping. I read a lot of tips beforehand, but these were the ones I really took to heart and used myself. Bringing snacks was a must, because it is physically and emotionally exhausting! I was also really shocked by how much other people's opinions were hard to ignore. At the last place we looked in Boston, my mom and grandma loved this lace dress on me (not the one shown above), but I felt literally nothing. It was so hard to explain why this dress - which was technically perfect and looked amazing on me - just wasn't the one. I felt like I was letting people down! In reality, I wasn't. They wanted the best for me, which wasn't that dress.

In April, I posted about 8 wedding things I'd been loving! Since my wedding Pinterest board is private, it was fun to show off some of the things I'd been thinking about. It ended up being really popular, which again, after realizing how popular all my wedding posts were, wasn't totally unexpected. It's funny to see how my tastes or ideas have changed since then!

It's honestly really hard to write about J and I's wedding - I'm never sure how much to share. It's not just because of privacy, but because if I share everything that we're planning, then I think the wedding itself won't be as exciting for our guests! I like having surprises planned, and I want people to be totally awed! If everyone knows what we've planned, then no surprises. Boo!

At the same time, I really love writing about it. It's fun. We're finally at the point where we've got the big stuff taken care of and I'm constantly being asked about our plans, so it feels silly not to write about it. Plus, writing about finding a wedding dress was basically the most fun I had writing this year! 

It's so funny, because I was so stressed out about being a bride at first. Now, it feels like the most natural thing in the world, because over the past year, I've really let go about what I think I'm supposed to do/think/feel, and just let J and I figure stuff out! There are no wrong answers, and that's been super freeing for me. :)

Top Law School Posts from 2015

This was by far my most popular post of 2015 - as of today, it has over 1200 views thanks to Pinterest! It turns out Evidence is hard, and I can't tell you how happy I am that people thought these flow charts were as useful as I found them!

 I wrote about law school and insecurity in March, and it's one of the posts I've gotten the best feedback on. It's really easy to feel like you don't belong or that everyone's smarter than you in law school, so it was really nice to write about (and remind myself) that we're all here for a reason, and that we can and will get through this!

I wrote about my 2L year of law school, which was infinitely better than my 1L year. Big surprise there, right? ;) I actually had fun, got the best grades I'd ever gotten, and took classes that were simulations instead of just using case books.

One of my favorite things I wrote this year was about things not to do in law school. I go to school with a lot of chill classmates, but that's not the norm. To be frank, the majority of people in law school are insufferable, but you can keep from being insufferable by not doing a bunch of judgmental, annoying things. Something to note. ;)

When I started "Girl Named Fiddy" and let go of "Nonsensical Me," one of the things I really wanted to write about was my journey to applying to law schools and writing about my experiences in law school. I really wished I could have read about before coming, and there's not much out there unless it's a horror story or a story about a law student from Harvard. 

I wanted other people to google "law school" and read stories about real life in law school. I wanted them to know my honest thoughts about my experiences, which is one of the reasons I was so proud to write my "recap" of my 1L year. It was not a positive experience. I really, really struggled, and I wanted anyone else struggling to know they weren't alone and we could get through this.

It's weird to think I'll have to stop writing about law school in five months, but I won't pretend I'll miss it. All I want to do is graduate and start working! I want to help people, not be stuck in a lecture... But I can make it for five more months. :)

Happy 2016!

2015: Recap

New Years Day (our 4 year anniversary) in Hilton Head // Dancing at a bar // Back to Concord // Reading Watership Down

Leif after tooth surgery // Taking a study break // Visiting my family // Visiting Chase at college

Mom & Dad & I visited Savannah // My new pet hair vacuum (!!!) // Working out // Bridal boxes for my bridesmaids

J visited me during spring break // My bridesmaids all said yes! // Helping Abby & Andrew move // Erica & I at Easter

 Growing a tiny cilantro plant // Mom & Grandma visited me // Wedding dress shopping in Boston // Pizza 4 ever

Post-finals wine tasting // Margs with Erica & Amanda // Flying with James back to Iowa // Seeing Liz again was heaven

J finally graduated!!! // I bought my wedding dress // J moved in with me // Ikea to buy new furniture

Memorial Day // Grilling with J // Hiking with Andrew, J, & the dogs // Working at NHLA for the summer

Coffee hangs // Portsmouth // Grandma & Grandpa visited // Exploring New Hampshire

Work bathroom selfies // Siam Orchid Thai food for our half anniversary // Staycation // Watching "Drunk History" for hours on the 4th of July

Did an entire hearing on my own! // More house sitting with puppies // The best salmon ever // Space museum in Concord

Working at the NHLA booth // Finally beat "The Hobbit" // Breakfasting // Explored the Maine coast

Bought a real plant & haven't killed it yet //  Back to Hilton Head // Got caught in a downpour // Hannah visited me!!

Caught a mouse! // Birthday dessert for Andrew // First day of work // Jeanna & Phil visited us for a weekend

Protein pancakes // Finally got to meet Hillary // Visited Boston to speak to attorneys // Beautiful new planner

Got my nails done // Engagement pictures!! // Apple picking with Abby & Andrew // Joined a local choir

J & I visited Salem, MA // We celebrated Jay & Tyler's wedding // Fall // The best salsa I've ever made

Margot & Shaun for Halloween // Gingerbread latte // Started going to a barre class // Got some great Stitch Fix clothes

Mom & I visited Iowa // Chose a wedding venue // Celebrated Abby & Mert's wedding // Ran a 5K with Erica & Amanda

Thanksgiving with Abby & Andrew // My fav vinyl // We won a wedding photography contest // 3 choir concerts

J & I bought the littlest Christmas tree // Bought new running shoes // Studying for finals // Christmas in Iowa

Chase & I at Star Wars // Caught a cold from the stupid planes // "New" engagement ring // J's birthday

Working out with the family // Felt mushrooms // J on the beach // Saying goodbye until January

I kind of talked about this year in another post, but in a lot of ways, I felt this was a transition year: transitioning to working while in law school, J transitioning to graduate life and working full time, us transitioning to living together again, trying to figure out what we're doing once I graduate this coming spring, making wedding plans... A lot of what we did this year was for big events that will happen in 2016.

It wasn't until looking back, today, when I really appreciated what a good year this was. Sometimes it feels like I spend too much time waiting and not enough time experiencing, but I did experience a lot this year. J graduated and moved in with me, and we had what I dubbed our "New Hampshire Summer," where we tried to explore as much of the state as we could while still working full time. I spent a lot of time with friends, took much-needed breaks, and did a lot of studying. I put myself out there a lot - I asked for jobs, I contacted people, and I learned to brag about myself (within reason, of course). 

I think J and I learned a lot about each other this year as well. We had to deal with a lot of stress about our future, about money, about health and bodies, and especially about jobs. We had to figure out what we liked and didn't like for our wedding. Maybe this year wasn't so much a "transition" year as it was a "learning" year.

It's been fun, 2015. I can't wait to see what 2016 will bring!

2015 Goals: Final Recap

Hello friends! Can you believe there are only FOUR days left of 2016?! I feel like this year flew by, but then again, I feel like that every year.

This year was pretty epic. J graduated from college, I found a wedding dress, J moved in with me in New Hampshire, I worked all summer at NHLA, J got a job, I worked during the school year at a firm I adored in Concord, we got to see two of my favorite people get married, etc. It wasn't so much a "big" year as it was a "transition" year - getting ready to J to get here, getting experience, trying to figure out where J and I were going to go after law school... A lot of waiting.

In the meantime, let's go through my 2015 goals and how I did!

• Start a new 12x12 project

My goal for 2015 was to read another 12 books, but this time, half of them could be books I'd already read. I got a lot of flack from my family about this new "rule," but I don't regret it at all. I hadn't read Anne of Green Gables or Harry Potter in over a year, and I couldn't go another year without them. I regret nothing. I got through my 12 books and then some! I still haven't blogged about Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix or the book I'm currently reading, Pride, Prejudice, & Zombies.

The Casual Vacancy
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
A Room of One's Own
Anne of Green Gables
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
The King's Curse
The Princess Bride
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Gideon's Trumpet
Watership Down
Not That Kind of Girl
Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone
How to Have the Wedding You Want

• Notice when I'm gossiping

This was a problem I really experienced last year, so really wanted to notice this year when I was gossiping. I think I did great this year - both on noticing and also on stopping myself when I noticed. Sure, there were times when I still gossiped, but they were few and far between.

• 30x30 yoga project

Whoops... Didn't do this one. I really intended to do yoga for 30 days straight, but I jut never found the time and/or the motivation. By the time I realized I needed to do it, it was already December and I was about to go into finals. Sure, it may have calmed me down, but I didn't want to focus on yoga: I wanted to focus on preparing for my tests. It was a good intention, but I didn't follow through.

• Give away 200 things

In this at least, I did not fail! I gave way more than 200 things away, which is surprisingly easy when you think about going through my seasonal clothes and cleaning my bathroom of all those weird, small items that accumulate but you never actually use. Easy goal this year!

• Have a law school book club meeting

This was also a bit of a failure, but I don't really feel bad about this one. We did not have any book club meetings, but I was also the only person who read the book. I could have had the meeting anyway, but it seemed stupid to meet to only have me talk about the book.

• Make blogging calendars each month

There were a few hickups in this goal as well. I started out strong and kept up through the summer, but when I started up school again in the fall, it kind of fell to pieces. I was super stressed, tired, busy, and even if a made a calendar at the beginning of a month, I couldn't keep up. One of my professors commented about how much time bloggin was taking from me when I was talking to her about being stressed, but I insisted I still wanted to keep it up. Ironically, I basically stopped blogging after that conversation. I allowed myself a break, guilt-free, and it really helped. I blogged when I felt like it instead of adhering to a strict calendar (which I know isn't ideal, but it's what I needed this fall). No idea how I'm going to progress this next year. It's going to be a busy one!

• Find and cook two or more recipes each month

I was terrible at keeping track of this goal, but I honestly think I achieved it this year. I tried really hard to find and cook new recipes, and although I didn't blog about them, I think I did this *almost* every month, if not every month. No way to prove it, but hey, I ate a lot of food. :)

• Make my bed every day

This was a complete disaster, haha. I kept up with it alright when I was living by myself in the Spring, but J actively refuses to have the bed made. He insists he sleeps worse in a made bed and that it is *science*, haha. Regardless, the bed has basically never been made.

• Physical fitness goals

I had a few goals concerning my fitness this past year. The main one was to work out at the gym 5 times a week when I was in Concord. I did a fabulous job during the Spring semester, less of a great job when I was working this summer, and even worse this fall. I kept trying to get motivated, but I was exhausted all the time and couldn't find the motivation. I did about 5-6 weeks this fall where I exercised 5 times a week, but some of those were a little weak. I actually gained weight this past semester, though I think part of it has to due with cooking for two (which I love to do, mind you) and seeing J eat so much more than me. It's like, "Well, he's doing it, so..." Full recap: It got more and more difficult to get to the gym as the year went on, I didn't feel much of a difference when I wasn't working out as much, and my body didn't really change. So not a great year as far as my fitness goals, but I'm still glad I did as much as I did!

• Reward myself when I reach my goals

This goal was also touch-and-go: I basically didn't do it until this fall, and I only did it for 6 weeks. During those six weeks, it was really motivating! I really wanted my reward (a Lush face mask), so I worked out five days in a row for two weeks with no problems! Later, though, the rewards just weren't enough to offset how busy and tired I was. Ultimately, I still think it was a good goal, and I'd like to implement more stuff like this in the future.

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Looking back, it seems like I didn't get that much accomplished this year, at least as far as my goals go. But I do think I accomplished the things that really mattered - I adjusted how much I talked about other people, which was incredibly important to me; I read a ton of books, even during law school; I gave away a lot of my things to people who needed them more; I ate new, healthy, and interesting things; I tried (in vain) to keep my bed (and apartment) clean; I worked out a lot and took pretty good care of my body; and I rewarded myself for good behaviors! Even though it wasn't as good as I intended, I'm still really proud of what I accomplished in 2015. Here's to another year of growth!

Moving In

I've been in the same apartment for two years, and I'm about to sign a lease for the third year - all three years of law school! I've never spend a year here the same way. During the first year, I was living with a couple who shared the second bedroom. During the second year, I was living with a young woman and then all on my own during the second semester. Each of these living situations were very different, and each made me think differently about "my" space.

For the past two years, I've had the "smaller" bedroom in this two-bedroom apartment. It's not technically smaller, but it has some weird parts that jut out, this way and that way, so that it's hard to fit things in the space to make the most of it. I didn't mind having that room. The first year, it made sense that the couple get the "bigger" room. The next year, I was already moved in and settled in the smaller room, so it didn't make sense for me to move - plus it was a nice selling point for potential roommates. :)

When J and I decided to keep this apartment for another year, it was a pretty easy decision to move into the bigger room. On top of being easier to fit things into and perhaps even being technically bigger, it has about double the amount of windows than my old room had - a fact that my cats never stopped reminding me of! It also had a walk-in closet and another side closet, while I'd been stuffing my whole wardrobe into a dresser and a tiny closet.

The question remained about what to do with my old room. I kept telling people that we didn't need it - what was I supposed to do with a whole extra room? Then one of my friends suggested that we make it into kind of a tv/movie room, and J and I were sold! Since there's a living room in between, J could stay up later than me (as he is want to do) and watch tv or play video games without disturbing me!

We originally wanted to move the loveseat into what we're calling the "Playroom" (Get it - cause there's actually an x-box in there? Anyone get it? Anyone?), but it physically wouldn't fit through the door! Such a shame. Instead, we've tried to just put a lot of pillows and blankets on the floor, and just recently added a folding chair that I got from my friend Erica!

We kept my desk in the living room, but moved the loveseat into a different spot, thereby making it a "reading" chair. J and I just picked up a desk for him today, which we're hoping to paint this weekend and put in the living room as well!

If you don't remember what my room and the living room used to look like, here's a refresher:

Without further ado, here's how we've "moved in" to our little apartment!

That's everything that's changed! To be honest, the rest of the kitchen was a mess, and the bathroom hasn't changed at all, so I decided you guys really cared about seeing those. ;)

In my experience, changing up where things are located really changes the feel of the whole apartment, and it was important to me that my apartment really felt like our apartment. It really does - I think it has a lot of elements of both J and me, and I love how we've mixed our art on the portrait walls. One of my favorite pieces in the apartment is the new shelving unit we got from Ikea a few weeks ago. We finally have room for all my books and all J's vinyl, and I've tried hard to really mix them together. That's what moving in together (again) is, after all - mixing your lives and your hearts and your stuff.

Luckily, the hardest part about living with J again has been that I can't watch whatever I want to whenever I want. I'm used to being able to marathon 3 seasons of "GIRLS" whenever I felt like it, and now I have to... ask his opinion. The horror! ;)

My 2L Year of Law School

At the end of last year, I did a post on my 1L year of law school. I tried to be super honest about what I was feeling and experiencing, because last year was really hard for me. I had friends, but I was away from my "regular" friends and family. The coursework was really hard. I struggled. I thought about dropping out or transfering at least twice. But I didn't, and I made through 2L year - happier, definitely healthier, and so much more stable!

My hope here is to be just as honest about what I experienced, which is actually easier this year because I actually enjoyed my 2L year immensely.

1st Semester

At first: 
I started out my first semester feeling pretty great but also dealing with some insecurities. I had been rejected from a few programs, and I had been essentially wait listed in this program at school called the Daniel Webster Scholar Program. The program's intent is to create lawyers who were actually client- and practice-ready, so the Scholars learn more practical skills versus reading about the skills in a book. They're also judged by actual Bar exam reviewers for the last two years of law school, so they don't have to actually sit and take the Bar - which makes sense, because they're literally doing a two-year Bar that actually looks at your skills, not just your ability to answer questions.

Long story short, I was accepted into the DWS Program almost immediately after being wait listed (yay!!!) and came to school feeling so enthusiastic about UNH Law and the DWS Program. At the same time, I felt insecure that I hadn't gotten into DWS immediately and therefore didn't really "deserve" to be there. I felt like I needed to really prove myself.

Homework:
To be perfectly honest, I mostly just remember doing DWS homework first semester. I was in a DWS class called Pretrial Advocacy where we were split up into firms and simulated filing an FMLA case in New Hampshire Federal Court. To say it was labor-intensive would be an understatement. We were all learning how to do these documents for the first time, but we kept time sheets and I ended up averaging anywhere from fifteen to sixty hours of work for this class a week.

I also took Evidence, Wills, Personal Income Tax, and Professional Responsibility. The homework for those classes was mostly jut doing the required readings. Looking back on my 1L year, I remember being really overwhelmed with all the homework. This wasn't the case at all last semester. Even the classes that were case book-intensive were really doable, and while Evidence was probably the hardest for me to learn, that was probably my own fault for not keeping up as much in the beginning.

Home:
I had a new roommate last year! Her name was Ashley, and she was an absolute DELIGHT. She was an incoming 1L, super respectful, fun, sweet, and so caring. I loved coming home from class to see her and talk about how she was dealing with her first year. I also had both James and Leif here, which was nice. They play fight pretty hard, but it's so much easier to deal with two cats than one. They cuddled and entertained each other and kept each other (mostly) out of trouble!

Friends:
This was maybe the biggest (and most helpful) change for me from 1L year to 2L year: I actually had established friendships! I already knew everyone, I knew personalities, and my friendships from the previous year really blossomed! It didn't feel isolating or scary anymore, and I actually gained a whole new set of friends from being in the DWS Program. I was in a "firm" of people that I didn't know well, but we all ended up getting along so well and I really appreciated their friendships.

School:
I did fine in all my classes, and I actually really enjoyed my first semester of 2L year - which was really necessary since 1L year had been such a struggle. Everything seemed to come easier to me, even though I was definitely faced with more work than 1L year. I just felt like I finally knew what I was doing! I also got the chance to argue a Summary Judgment Motion in front of a judge in New Hampshire Federal Court for my Pretrial Ad class, which was an amazing experience!

Family:
I was still far away from my family and J, but like a lot of this past year, it just didn't seem as difficult as it did 1L year. J and I knew when we were going to see each other, we skyped a LOT more, and I felt really happy and secure, even though I missed him desperately. I also got to see my family more! I saw them and J in September for my cousin's wedding, and then I saw everyone again over Thanksgiving, when my family met J and part of J's family in Las Vegas! It was a total blast, even though I came back from fall break totally exhausted. It was 100% worth it! I also saw my family over Christmas, when I spent about three weeks down there with J!

All in all, I just got to see my loved ones more and it made a huge difference to me. I felt secure, safe, and loved!

Health:
I hardly worked out at all, but I also didn't gain any weight. I mostly felt really good, physically, because I was still eating healthy foods. On the other hand, I was drinking an ungodly amount of coffee and savoring every moment of it because at least I was awake!

I did have one scare where I thought I might have a cancerous tumor on my back. I have a benign tumor (a lympoma) on my side that grew in high school. It's relatively small (no one knows I have one until I point it out), doesn't hurt, and doesn't get in the way of anything, so I've never had it removed. This one on my back felt the same, but it scared me because I had literally just found it. Obviously my first thought was cancer, but Web M.D. actually reassured me that it was another lympoma - and the doctor confirmed that it was a lympoma and definitely not cancer! I can't tell you how relieved I felt after that appointment!

2nd Semester

At first:
I was honestly excited to go back to school in January. I had a good class schedule that I was actually pumped about, I had morning classes every day (I'm definitely a morning person) except for one night class on Wednesdays, and I had established a good schedule for myself as far as working out and eating healthy, so I felt super upbeat and ready to go!

Homework:
It felt like I didn't HAVE homework compared to how much I was doing for Pretrial Ad first semester! I thought Trial Advocacy would be the same way, but it certainly wasn't overwhelming. I had to practice my speaking skills in front of my classmates, but the actual grunt work wasn't as difficult as I was expecting. Speaking in class? Terrifying, but I really worked on improving myself all semester, and it became one of my favorite classes!

I was also taking Employment Law, Business Associations, DWS Miniseries, and Negotiations. Employment Law assignments took me about three hours to do per class, but I found readings for Business Associations super easy! Negotiation usually took a lot of outside work to complete each week, because we were expected to be competent in the specific legal area the negotiation was in and we filled out complex outlines each week before the negotiation. Miniseries homework really depended on which week of class it was - some weeks were more like lectures, while some weeks we were required to read up on all information, while some weeks it was more about practicing specific skills.

It was definitely a work-intensive semester, but the homework was spaced out enough for me that I wasn't usually overwhelmed.

Home:
My roommate actually ended up leaving school to follow her dream to be a teacher. She was so happy about this change that I couldn't be that sad about it, even though I missed her desperately! I was worried having the apartment to myself would be lonely and isolating, but I ended up really liking it! I've spent so many of the last seven years trying to be a considerate roommate, and I actually got to have an entire apartment to myself. It was kind of freeing and relaxing! I got to do what I wanted, when I wanted to, and not worry if someone else didn't like that I left my dishes out or wasn't super tidy. I also loved being able to have friends over and not worry about bothering another person. And, while this is going to sound super lame, the cats were great company and never let me feel alone.

Friends:
The biggest thing that changed between first and second semester was that we were pulled out of our DWS Pretrial Ad firms and mixed up for Trial Ad. It was still the same DWS group, but I got to see a lot more of my friends who had been in the opposing firm first semester. It was really fun and interesting to get a new dynamic and create a supportive environment with people I had literally been opposing first semester, especially since a lot of them were my friends before this year. I liked not having the rivalry that was apparent first semester, and I feel like all of us bonded a lot more because of that!

School:
I kept expecting this semester to be exhausting, but I found school really doable second semester. I had more than enough time to do my homework each week, my classes were really interesting and (dare I say it) fun! It made me really look forward to practicing law!

I also took and passed the MPRE, which is like the legal ethics test you need to take to be a lawyer. It's not unheard of for people to fail it, so I was a little nervous about having to retake it... but thankfully I passed well enough to be accepted in every state in the US! :)

Family:
I saw so much of my family this semester, and I felt amazing. I saw my family in Hilton Head over spring break, J visited me over his spring break, and my mom and grandma came up to go wedding dress shopping in Boston with me over a long weekend! I loved seeing so much of the people I love. :)

Health:
I really focused on my heath this semester! One of my goals for 2015 was to work out five times a week while I was in Concord, and I did this almost every single week all semester. I was so proud of myself! While my weight didn't change at all, I felt so much better every day. I was less stressed, I was awake and ready for class every morning, I felt accomplished, I felt beautiful, and I loved feeling my muscles grow. I also worked on tracking my food, so that I was eating enough or not overeating.

I also cut out coffee cold turkey about 2/3 of the way through the semester. I was drinking around 2-3 cups a day and one weekend experienced terrible, splitting caffeine headaches. I decided then and there to stop temporarily, with the hope that I could really cut down on how much I "needed" to function. That weekend was terrible. I took three Advil the first day, and only one the next day, but then I was done and no longer in withdrawal from the caffeine. I added tea back into my diet, and I'm still drinking only one or two cups of coffee a week now.

Overall, I had a really good 2L year. I found myself actually enjoying law school and feeling like I really belonged here, after spending most of 1L year wondering what I was doing and why. I could actually see myself as a lawyer, and maybe even as a good one! 1L year was so difficult for me that 2L year felt like a breeze in comparison - but it's also possible I'm just better at practical classes than reading case books.

It was so apparent to me that a solid support system and friends are so important, whether or not you're in law school. Everything was easier when I felt secure about my family and J and when I got to see them more.

Everything was also easier when I made working out a priority. It really surprised me how much it made a difference.


This summer is going to be one of the greatest I've ever had. I've accepted a job with New Hampshire Legal Assistance in Concord, and I couldn't be more excited about it! I'll be helping domestic violence victims and low-income clients all summer, and I'm thrilled to be helping the kind of people I came to law school to give a voice to. J just moved in to my apartment, and we're working on our little love nest. :) It's my first summer actually in Concord, and I can't wait to explore more of the area since I'll have some evenings and weekends free!