Two years of studying law has made me wise (no kidding). Here I am to share the top five things that people who are thinking of attending law school need to improve before attending the prestigious halls to becoming future law practitioners.

Law school is no walk in the park. We only wish it was. There is a ton of hard work and dedication put into the years of studying law and reviewing for the bar. Sweat, blood and tears (mostly tears) are very much included.

When I first started law school, I was working a job in an event planning company. My job included e-mailing vendors and clients, creating and designing presentations, websites, and invitations and updating event calendars for my boss.

I started work at 7AM and logged out at 4PM so I had an hour and a half before my classes started at 5:30. Classes were usually until 8:30 and I’d get home around 9PM, eat dinner, clean up, read and study for a few hours, then head to bed by midnight.

I did this in the beginning but the workload of law school eventually got too much and sure, I felt bad about leaving a good job and a source of income, but focusing on law school survival was important to me.

Truth is, the job was easy but it was soul sucking because my boss was a soul sucking person. *insert nervous laugh* If you put a toxic job over the hectic schedule and demands of law school, it made me lose motivation to focus on my studies. 

All I could think of was how much life sucked because I had a pile of readings to finish but I only had lunch breaks and a few hours at night to finish all of them. On top of that, I was still recovering from a break up. Where was my sanity going?

I eventually quit my job and became a full-time law student. It’s easier said than done. I no longer had a source of income and I had to depend on my savings and my parents to support me in my studies. But I had more time to study and I’d often spend the entire day in the library just studying and making notes. I’m so glad I quit my job and I’m blessed with great support because I’m about to start my third year of law school very soon and I passed all my subjects. I’m right where I am meant to be right now.

I’m not telling you that you have to quit your job in order to succeed in law school but rather, prepare yourself for what is to come. Like I said, law school is no walk in the park.

Forming a good study habit

In law school, books and the internet are your best friend. It’s all about seeking the information. You have to read a lot. I mean, a lot! You have to read, understand and retain the law.

With the amount of law that you have to learn, you need to dedicate hours of your day to study sessions and form a study habit that is beneficial and works for you.

Ways to form a study habit:

• Create a study schedule. Give an amount of time (maybe an hour) for each chapter of a book.
• Stick to that schedule. Don’t just remind yourself to study. Actually sit down and read the book.
• Make reading a daily thing. You can’t study properly if you hate reading. Majority of the time in law school, reading is all you will be doing so in order to form a good study habit, become a bookworm and immerse yourself in books and knowledge.

Work on your handwriting

Oh, boy. Your handwriting is very important in law school because during law exams, you will be writing countless essays. If your professor cannot read your answer, most likely he’ll give a low score because despite your proper application of the law in your answer, he already has difficulty just staring at your handwriting, let alone being able to read it.

Even if it is the best formulated answer out there, no one will give a crap about it or even take the time to read it if you write it with crappy handwriting.

In my first semester of law school, three professors pointed out my horrible handwriting which led to some insecurity but this is the great thing: you can change the way you write.

All it takes is practice. When you are writing anything e.g. in your planner, taking notes, creating outlines, be conscious on how you write and form your letters. Aim to make your handwriting clear and legible. Find strokes that are comfortable with the way you usually write. Overtime, your handwriting will definitely improve.

Time management

Important in any person’s life but especially in law school where you will have countless papers, readings, reviews, classes and on top of that you may even be holding down a job and other personal matters.

Knowing how to manage your time even before law school starts is a great way to evade disaster. Give time not just for law school and other people but also yourself.

The best way to do these:

• Get yourself a planner. And yes, use it. Don’t waste your money by letting it sit pretty on your desk all year.
• List everything. Lists will be your best friend, from to-do’s to grocery lists and assignments you need to finish.
• Get rid of clutter. In your physical space and online, get rid of old useless files, papers and trash. If you’re unsure of deleting things on your computer (aren’t we all?), place them in an online drive like Google Drive or Dropbox.

Discipline

Is this the most important of all? Hhmmm…maybe.

When you encourage discipline in yourself, you can really get things done. Whether it is forming a good study habit, improving your handwriting or managing your time better. See what I did there?

The things we do and do not do all stem from the discipline we have.

So before entering law school, be disciplined enough to choose a law book over your phone, to finish that essay over watching a movie and to prepare for exams over going out.

Prepare your Physical and Mental Health

So, this is the most important of all.

This is the reality of it.

In law school, you can get humiliated during class recitations.

You can feel all alone and left out when no invites you to a study group.

You can think you are the dumbest one in the class.

You will carry on responsibilities more than you can handle.

You will feel it getting too much sometimes, lose sleep, get depressed, get sick and ask yourself, what have I gotten myself into?

Law school is not easy for anyone. Don’t let this scare you.

There will be pitfalls and struggles along the journey and being mentally and physically prepared for all of that is what will make you succeed and rise above the rest.

Water is not a skincare miracle drink because if it was, we wouldn’t have so many people complaining about having to go to the bathroom so much and still not getting clear skin.

Drink more water.

Google, Youtube, blogs will offer you this tip on how to get clear skin. But there’s a big misconception or understanding that drinking more water has a direct effect to clearing up your skin.

Before busting this myth, I am in no way advertising that one should give up on water because it isn’t a skin miracle. Water is good. I love water and I will never understand why people have to be reminded to drink water.

Now, off we go, myth busting.

Let’s first look at some of the benefits that water has on our body:

• Assists in wound healing
• Helps in getting rid of body toxins
• Boosts energy
• Helps with weight loss

What are the effects if we don’t drink enough water?

We gain water weight, become dehydrated, get headaches, feel weak and it also affects our mood and physical and mental state.

Water is nourishment. It is fuel for our bodies and along with other factors, it helps keep the body healthy to function properly.

By drinking water, you are giving fuel to your entire system and the organs to do their assigned tasks in keeping you moving and healing daily.

Drinking water will not add moisturize or change the texture of your skin. Big myth right here!

It will not clear up your acne either.

You are now asking yourself the question: What can water do for me and my goal to getting clear skin?

It will help to keep your body happy, healthy and functioning. In this way, you are helping your body do one of its basic functions which is to heal you. Heal away and prevent the inflammation and acne.

Think about it.

If you don’t drink enough water, your body becomes dehydrated and your organs will weaken and shut down. In turn, the body won’t be capable of functioning properly.

You cannot expect your body to heal your acne or skin dullness if it is too busy and stressing out over what to do if your organs start to fail.

Even with a healthy diet and a great skincare routine, if we do not care for ourselves from the inside, it will still greatly affect and show on our skin.

So, yes, water contributes to keeping your body nourished but it does not directly keep away or cure acne. It does not work like that.

Now that you know this, please, for the love of God, stop complaining why you’re peeing too much and not getting clear skin.

Here’s a little reminder: Make wearing sunscreen a habit. A daily habit.

Yes, I mean every single day so that is 365 days a year (366 for leap years). Don’t forget to reapply as well.

A minimum of SPF 15 is recommended. Even when you are staying indoors and it’s a cloudy day, the sun’s rays can penetrate through the clouds and your windows and reach your skin.

Here are the top reasons you should wear sunscreen everyday:

Protection from UV Rays

There are two common types of UV rays.

We have the UVA rays which can penetrate into deeper layers of the skin and even pass through windows. They can speed up the formation of signs of aging such as dark spots and wrinkles.

UVB rays only affects the top skin later and cause sunburns and skin damage. You might think it’s okay to get a little bit of a tan but no, these rays also play a role in the development of skin cancer. No, thank you!

Prevent sunburn

Speaking of sun burn, we all hate how sensitive and painful our skin feels after too much time in the sun. Even when you’re not at the beach all day, it is better to stay safe and apply sunscreen.

Reduce skin cancer risk

The damage that UV radiation has accumulates. Even just less than twenty minutes under the sun each day will add up the damage on your skin and there is a greater danger of developing skin cancer.

It’s also important to re-apply sunscreen every 2-3 hours due to sun exposure and sweat.

Decrease the chance of early skin aging

Too much sun exposure leads to damaged skin. You can get wrinkles and brown spots quicker than you usually should.  

Keep an even skin tone

This might seem like a very superficial reason but it’s also a very good reason. Having an uneven skin tone (the cream and coffee tan lines) is an insecurity and I wish I was more consistent with my sunscreen application even before.

Physical vs Chemical Sunscreen

There is physical and chemical sunscreen. Using a physical sunscreen is the better option because the main ingredients in these types of sunscreens have been around for years and they work really well to keep sun damage away. They are also the culprit for giving you a ghost face when you apply your sunscreen.

But it’s amazing that there are so many brands and companies out there that are coming up with physical sunscreens that are comfortable to wear, without the ghost-like look.

Physical or mineral sunscreens contain zinc oxide or titanium oxide. This type of sunscreen protects the skin by shielding it from UV rays and scattering them.

There are also chemical sunscreens that contain octisalate, avobenzone, octinoxate and oxybenzone and allow the absorption of UV radiation and releases it from the skin as heat.

Blog recap:

• Wear sunscreen every single day even if you stay indoors or if it’s a cloudy day.
• Reapply sunscreen at least every 2 hours, more often if you do strenuous activities that make you sweat a lot.
• Choose a physical sunscreen (zinc or titanium oxide)
• Use a sunscreen that is at least SPF 15 (higher is better)

 

Resources/Articles

5 important reasons to always wear sunscreen 

UVA vs UVB Rays 

UV Radiation and Status on Sunscreens 

Sunscreen vs Sunblock 

There are so many oils out there that claim to be a head to toe miracle. But no oils are the same.

Some are not as effective and nourishing for the hair as others. I’ve tried a few oils which can be used for hair, body and face. Let’s see which ones are great and which ones are not so great.

Before anything else, I want to make it known that I have rough and tangled hair with an oily scalp and I live in a tropical country so the weather here is quite hot most of the year.

Coconut Oil

You can read it everywhere that coconut oil has so many amazing benefits for the body, including the hair. The list of recipes for a coconut oil hair mask is unlimited.

But this oil is very heavy. 

As a leave-on hair conditioner, only apply a little. Unless you want a greasy head.

Putting on too much coconut oil makes hair very oily and even drags it down. The top of you head will look flat and sleek, not in the good way. And it’s messy! Your hands, hair, clothes and everything you touch and hold get very oily.

As a hair mask, I keep the oil in my hair for a deep condition (about 10-15 minutes) and have to wash off with shampoo. After washing it off, my hair feels soft but there’s an oily feeling left behind and so I usually wash my hair twice just to get all the oil out.

Coconut Oil Mask will make hair feel soft and smooth but that’s from leftover oil. Once all the oil is gone, hair doesn’t feel that smooth and moisturized.

I’m sure that this oil can help nourish the hair and strengthen it because it is a very heavy oil but keeping it on the hair is not a good choice.

Sweet Almond Oil

This one is not as heavy as coconut oil. It has a sweet smell and is nourishing. 

I only used this one as a leave-on conditioner and it’s pleasant since it is not very heavy on the hair even though there’s the possibility of getting a grease ball look if you apply too much at the top. It’s not as messy as coconut oil either.

Although, it doesn’t make hair as smooth as I want it to be.

Shea Butter

Not necessarily an oil, but you can melt it with the heat of your hands and apply to hair to add shine. I tried this as a leave-on conditioner but it is quite heavy and sticky.

After shampooing and removing the oil from my hair, my hair felt more rough then it usually was. This was a disappointment because I read so many good reviews and watched tutorials of the benefits of shea butter on the hair. It’s not for me I guess.

Olive Oil

I used this on my hair as a deep conditioner and it works.

Fair warning: this has a strong smell that others may not be able to tolerate. I applied this all over my hair and placed a shower cap on for an hour. Afterwards, I washed off the oil with shampoo.

I got great results. My hair was so light and soft afterwards. 

Sunflower Oil

This is new to the scene as I can’t find a lot of hair masks or tutorials on this one. I specifically used the one from Human Heart Nature. It is promoted to have as many as 25 uses for the face, body, nails and hair. I used this right after stepping out of the shower. I apply exactly one pump and massage it on the tips and a bit on my scalp.

It makes my hair soft and light but there’s no dramatic change really. At least it’s not as greasy as others.

Argan Oil

This is what I am currently loving. It is a real game changer. I had used so many oils on my hair before that I basically just gave up but my dad recently bought a bottle of argan hair oil from Watsons. The brand is Naturals by Watsons.

It’s a light oil and leaves my hair so smooth, soft and light. I wouldn’t add more than a pump of this though because it does have the tendency to look greasy. This is by far the one that has helped me reach my hair goals.

It is important to enjoy life and make the most of it.

I think I lived most of my life so far wanting so much and thinking that things would give me true happiness. Sadly, even when I had everything a person needed to live comfortably, I continued to seek and demand more. I stopped enjoying life because I thought more things could give me happiness. That is not the case.

To truly enjoy life, one must focus and become aware of life itself. Here are a few ways to enjoy your life.

BE WITH PEOPLE THAT MATTER TO YOU.

Seek companionship with people that add value to your life and help you in your journey of personal growth. Say no to toxic or manipulative people because they will suck the life out of you and make you unhappy. You won’t be able to be yourself or enjoy life with these people.

Being friends with someone for wealth, fame or cool kid status is not a healthy friendship if you can’t be who you are with that person. It will be like a friendship walking on egg shells.

Be with people that uplift you, share your goals, make you laugh, get your jokes and give you the understanding, support and love you deserve.

TAKE PICTURES AND VIDEOS.

Make memories in the moment and take pictures to preserve these memories. For every important and happy event, take a picture or a video to document and preserve that moment in your life.

One day, you will see those pictures and watch that video and see what a long way you’ve come. That was a part of you and helped in the making of who you are now. Memories are wonderful things that we must look back on every now and then.

BE IN THE MOMENT.

This may go against my previous tip of documenting life but not everything must be recorded or taken on film. It is truly amazing when you just sit still and become aware of where you are in life. This is your life and just being alive and going through any journey is a gift in itself.

BE KIND AND GENEROUS.

Be it with your words, thoughts or actions, doing good to others is good to you as well. Be a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on when someone needs it. Give support and love to those who are in need.

More importantly, be kind and generous to yourself. If you have so much love for the people around you, give love to yourself as well. Look in the mirror and uplift your own self with kind words and lots of self-care.

BE GRATEFUL.

Just as you live in the moment, look around you and see what and who you have in your life. Thank the universe that you have your family and friends, your job, your opportunities, your life. Everything around you is a great part of you.

DON'T COMPARE YOURSELF.

Comparison is the greatest lead to insecurity. Stop picking at yourself thinking you are too big here or too small there. You are who you are and that is wonderful.

Don’t use time and energy on comparing yourself to another person. Instead, use the time and energy to improve yourself and your being every single day.

RELAX. TAKE NEEDED BREAKS.

It’s absolutely alright to hit pause every now and then. We all need vacations to relax and reboot our minds and bodies. Whether you go on a weekend getaway to some luxurious destination or stay home to get a great nap, you are giving your body and your mind what it needs.

LEARN SOMETHING NEW.

Life can get boring, right?

Doing the same activities every single day makes you restless and bored. You need to nourish your mind and challenge yourself sometimes. Go beyond what you already know and advance your skills and mindset.

Grab a book, enroll in a course, take up a new hobby, go back to school—learn something new. The process of learning is always an adventure and it’s a great way to try new things and to challenge yourself.

Enjoy every step of life because it is yours and it is wonderful.

xx Bella

Photo Credits: Pexels.com