Law School Stress: How to Deal with the Pressure

You’ve known ever since you were small that being a lawyer and trying to help innocent people was where your future was headed. You’ve taken all of the LSAT prep classes you could take, studied until your brain was full, sat down to take the test, and were admitted into the law school of your choice. Believe it or not, that was the easy part. 

Now is where the real fun, and stress begins. It’s not going to take long for your brain to feel stuffy and the stress to build as you try to juggle law school classes, a social life and, in many cases, a job to help you make it through. 

For incoming law students, the first weeks can be critical and how you handle them can make or break your time there. If you want to make it to graduation and become the top-notch lawyer you’ve always dreamed of being, then following the tips below might just cinch it for you. And if you haven’t settled on which law schools you want to apply to, this ranking tool makes it easy to see the ones where you’re most likely to be admitted.

Don’t Fall Behind

One of the worst things you can do as a beginning law student is to fall behind in your studies or your classes. You’re going to hear the phrase often over your college years that law school is a marathon, not a sprint. This is entirely true. This isn’t like high school where you can skip the assigned reading and be good when you get to class. The more prepared for class you are, the better you will do and the less stressed you’re going to be. There are quite a few tricks, tips, and habits that you should study up on to help you be prepared for classes and make it a habit not to fall behind because it’s possible you will never get caught up. 

Join a Study Group

The old saying about misery loving company has never been more true than when you’re in law school. It’s best if you have help when it comes to making it through with little or at least low stress levels. The key is to join a study group whose top goal is studying, not socializing. This isn’t to say that you can’t socialize with your study group. However, it’s important to separate the two. Studying comes first, socializing and partying come later. That’s just the way it is. 

Take Breaks when Studying 

It’s important to take at least a 10-minute break for every couple of hours you’re cramming during law school. Below, you can find a few recommendations for what to do on those breaks. 

• Take a short walk. Not only will it clear your mind, but the physical exercise and fresh air will be great for you as well. 
• Stretch
• Write down or check off things on your to-do list, giving yourself a sense of accomplishment.
• Meditate or do yoga
• Breathe
• Take a shower or bath
• Talk to someone you love
• Spend 10 minutes with your pet

These are a few of the top ways to relax for 10 minutes during a study cramming session. Remember, while studying is important, so is taking care of yourself if you want to be able to make it through law school sane and in one piece. 

These are just a few of the best tips out there for dealing with the stress of law school. You’ve gotten into the program and are in the school of your choice, so now the real work begins. Don’t let the stress of it get you down. Follow the tips above and you’ll be fine! Getting through law school is tough, but it can’t be done with a lot of organization and a little bit of patience.