Mens Rea

When I visited California Western in the early part of 2008, I did it with reservation. I had heard that law school had a 'cut-throat' atmosphere; that people were only looking to further their own professional prerogatives and subsequently, weren't looking to make friends. From a logical standpoint, it made sense. It's only natural for people to want to help those close to them, but each 'friend' is also an adversary. Does that mean people will shy away from sharing notes, getting together for study sessions, or being amicable with one another? I feared it might, but each advisor at California Western looked me in the eye and assured me, "it's different here." Only one week in to my first year, I've stopped drinking the Kool-Aid.

I'm not saying I haven't enjoyed the company of several colleagues at California Western. Notice how I used the word colleagues; I can only consider a few to be friends. It's partly my fault, since I can appear standoff-ish at times, especially when I'm wearing dark sunglasses and listening to my iPod. But truth be told, I wonder if the difference lies in my state of mind.

Last Friday, California Western sponsored an event at a local club called 'Stingaree.' While I'm not a fan of the place, I was enticed by the thought of bonding with several other colleagues. Having an open bar didn't hurt either. Unfortunately, I quickly found out that this wasn't really a "meet and greet" environment. I remember a similar situation that occurred during my first few weeks of undergrad at UC Davis. A friend of mine had recently moved into the dorms, and I accompanied him to the complex's highly publicized 'Ice-Cream Social.' When we arrived, the room was quiet and people were looking at their shoes. I remember telling my friend, "They should have called this the Ice-Cream Antisocial."

On the first day, we were subjected to a speech about professionalism. About maturation. Maybe this is a step in the process. I'm fully aware that exams are important. I'm fully aware my grades will likely determine the employment opportunities I'm given in the near future. But I don't think it will affect my happiness as much as the personal relationships I build with people over the course of my life. Or at least I hope not.