Anxiety in Law School…Deal with it Sooner Rather then Later
Midterms are over, you’re gearing up to finish your final
papers for legal research and writing, and then you realize that finals are
around the corner. If you’re like me,
you’ve already freaked out at least once.
Whether it was from that bad paper grade, a rough midterm, or a week you
just couldn’t get the reading done, you just have cracked. First and foremost, BREATHE! Law School is stressful, no body said it was
going to be easy, and if they did, they lied…Law School is hard, no ifs ands or
butts. However, there are ways to deal
with this stress and possibly nip it before it crushes you.
Know when you’re stressed:
Sometimes we may think we’re just
tired, or that we are running on empty, but maybe it’s more than that, maybe
its stress. Know yourself and recall
what stresses you out to get it managed before it leads to detrimental
consequences.
Seek Help:
I remember thinking for years that
therapy and medication was a sign of weakness…until I got help. Getting help may seem scary, you don’t want
your friends to know you’re struggling, and you don’t want to scare your loved
ones…but not getting help and struggling is scarier. Plenty of schools offer free counseling.
See the following for further
reference on what Capital and Capital Law Offer.
As always, if you’re feeling
stressed, get help sooner than later.
Avoid Substance Abuse:
After a stressful day of school,
you may feel the urge to down that bottle of wine, or indulge in other
substances. While the occasional drink
is okay, it’s important to remember the statistics. DrugRehab.com lists attorneys as one of the
seven industries that are highly likely to abuse alcohol. In the first decade of practice, 29 percent
of attorneys report having drinking problems, and that number only slightly
decreases to 21 percent in the second decade of employment. Some of these issues may even stem from
stress of school. Again, while the
occasional drink is okay, you must know your limit and seek help if these
habits start to consume your life. The
Ohio Lawyers Assistance Program (OLAP) is available to help both attorneys and
law students.
Do something you enjoy:
Sometimes, we just need a break
from Law School and the stress. While we
can’t find time every day, it’s important to block out some time to do things
you love. Whether that’s going to the
gym, baking, museums, etc., take the time to do things you love. It will give you some balance and bring you
up when school is bringing you down.
Additional Resources if you are worried about anxiety:
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