I just returned from my meeting at the beautiful Sage Bistro on campus. It's the locale for our Friday night banquet that's happening during Orientation Week and my favourite lunch spot on campus (when my dad is paying). It got me really excited for Orientation Week which is less than two weeks away! Besides the rolling mountain landscape and the Pacific backdrop, I could picture all the connections that are going to be made in that room shortly. Some of the people that I met during Orientation Week have become some of my closest friends and I'm excited for all of you to meet one another and have the same experience over fresh spaghetti bolognese, four cheese ravioli and tiramasu! (Yes, I just finalized the menu...)
Another event that's been in the forefront of my mind lately (and not because it's hard to plan) is "The First Lecture with Anne Giardini". Besides being the president of Weyerhaeuser, an active member of her community and mother of three children, she's a best-selling author. I bought her latest novel "Advice for Italian Boys" last week-end and have been enjoying reading it while picturing her hectic life as she wrote it and worked full-time. If you need a good read before school starts, I definitely recommend it or perhaps her other novel "The Sad Truth about Happiness" which I haven't had the pleasure of reading...yet!
If you have any questions about any of the Orientation activities/events/schedule or pasta give me a call (604) 827-3552 or email: orientation@law.ubc.ca
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
Summer sun something's begun...
Besides being my go-to karaoke song, "Summer Loving" from Grease is an apt title for this post because that is precisely what I'm doing right now, loving my summer. Not only do I get to look up drink specials at work (as part of my job--honest), it's allowed me the flexibility to go travel for a few weeks (well, that and my student loans...), which brings me to the real point of my post: summer jobs.
A lot of people start law school already stressed out about where they are going to work that summer. The first few weeks of September and the Career Services Office is teeming with first years wanting to know about summer positions. I'm no CSO expert (but don't worry--you'll meet the real experts during Orientation Week) but I can shed a little light on some of the opportunities that are open to first years for their summer jobs.
My job: my job is wonderful and I would highly recommend it to anyone and everyone, but unfortunately there's only one job, so I can't really go about doing that. If you love to plan events, enjoy working with people and have lots of energy it may be perfect for you. This year there were two other jobs open at the faculty--Student Services Assistant and Careers Services Assistant, but this may change from year to year. If you do get the opportunity, definitely apply for these jobs as they're fun and allow you to get to know the faculty and staff in a different capacity.
Research Assistants: lots of professors are working on projects and research and many need research assistants. These jobs are often posted on the Career Services website or can be established in a more casual capacity by going and talking to a professor whose area of interest aligns with your own.
Fellowships: a few law firms offer fellowships where students get to work alongside a professor and become immersed in his/her research.
LSLAP: Law Students Legal Advice Program offers around 20 full-time summer jobs. These jobs are obtained in a job-draw usually held around early April. You get ballots for the job draw by volunteering with LSLAP throughout the year. LSLAP summer students almost always get to go to court and get a lot of first hand experience with real legal issues...and there's also a great camping trip involved...
ProBono, Canadian Journal of Family Law, Law Revue: are some other student organizations that offer summer positions. Again, these positions may be obtained by general job postings OR from students volunteering with these organizations throughout the school year and then being a priority for any summer job that comes up.
Summer jobs are really the least of your worries right now as a soon-to-be 1L, but if you want more information our amazing Career Services office has lots of info on their website or in person: www.law.ubc.ca/careerservices
If you have any questions about drink specials, orientation week or anything else for that matter give me a call (604) 827-3552 or email: orientation@law.ubc.ca
A lot of people start law school already stressed out about where they are going to work that summer. The first few weeks of September and the Career Services Office is teeming with first years wanting to know about summer positions. I'm no CSO expert (but don't worry--you'll meet the real experts during Orientation Week) but I can shed a little light on some of the opportunities that are open to first years for their summer jobs.
My job: my job is wonderful and I would highly recommend it to anyone and everyone, but unfortunately there's only one job, so I can't really go about doing that. If you love to plan events, enjoy working with people and have lots of energy it may be perfect for you. This year there were two other jobs open at the faculty--Student Services Assistant and Careers Services Assistant, but this may change from year to year. If you do get the opportunity, definitely apply for these jobs as they're fun and allow you to get to know the faculty and staff in a different capacity.
Research Assistants: lots of professors are working on projects and research and many need research assistants. These jobs are often posted on the Career Services website or can be established in a more casual capacity by going and talking to a professor whose area of interest aligns with your own.
Fellowships: a few law firms offer fellowships where students get to work alongside a professor and become immersed in his/her research.
LSLAP: Law Students Legal Advice Program offers around 20 full-time summer jobs. These jobs are obtained in a job-draw usually held around early April. You get ballots for the job draw by volunteering with LSLAP throughout the year. LSLAP summer students almost always get to go to court and get a lot of first hand experience with real legal issues...and there's also a great camping trip involved...
ProBono, Canadian Journal of Family Law, Law Revue: are some other student organizations that offer summer positions. Again, these positions may be obtained by general job postings OR from students volunteering with these organizations throughout the school year and then being a priority for any summer job that comes up.
Summer jobs are really the least of your worries right now as a soon-to-be 1L, but if you want more information our amazing Career Services office has lots of info on their website or in person: www.law.ubc.ca/careerservices
If you have any questions about drink specials, orientation week or anything else for that matter give me a call (604) 827-3552 or email: orientation@law.ubc.ca
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
A mature student's take on law school
Special guest blog entry by Laura McPheeters
You've read on this blog about the trike race, beer-ups and small groups. You've heard that the social aspect of law school is extremely important and that you will make your best friends here. Many law students on the good side of 30 fully participate in all of that and have large circles of friends. On the other hand, many don't have the time or inclination to do more than attend class and read or study in the library, and they still have a rewarding time at school.
I have three young kids and I've already been to graduate school and had a career. I am a part-time student, so I'll be around longer than most. In three years so far, I have yet to see the trike race or set foot in a beer-up. Nevertheless, I have made friends in school through participation in classes, moots, clinical programs and the Mature Law Students' Association, a loosely-knit group I started up two years ago.
For what it's worth, here is my advice to incoming mature law students. Stay focused on what you want from school. If you want a social whirl, go for it. If you already have a full and busy life, then use your time efficiently at school. Go to class, go to the library, go home. You won't be the only student who doesn't go to the beer-up. Don't worry, you'll meet great people through the clinics, moots or other activities that you choose to spend your time on. Get to know your small group even if you don't see them outside school; it's good to have allies at school if, let's just say, your hard drive dies and you lose several months' class notes because you've been lazy about backing up. Voice of experience speaking...
If you have any questions about being a mature or part-time student, please email me, Laura, at elderlylawstudents@gmail.com. Welcome to law school!
You've read on this blog about the trike race, beer-ups and small groups. You've heard that the social aspect of law school is extremely important and that you will make your best friends here. Many law students on the good side of 30 fully participate in all of that and have large circles of friends. On the other hand, many don't have the time or inclination to do more than attend class and read or study in the library, and they still have a rewarding time at school.
I have three young kids and I've already been to graduate school and had a career. I am a part-time student, so I'll be around longer than most. In three years so far, I have yet to see the trike race or set foot in a beer-up. Nevertheless, I have made friends in school through participation in classes, moots, clinical programs and the Mature Law Students' Association, a loosely-knit group I started up two years ago.
For what it's worth, here is my advice to incoming mature law students. Stay focused on what you want from school. If you want a social whirl, go for it. If you already have a full and busy life, then use your time efficiently at school. Go to class, go to the library, go home. You won't be the only student who doesn't go to the beer-up. Don't worry, you'll meet great people through the clinics, moots or other activities that you choose to spend your time on. Get to know your small group even if you don't see them outside school; it's good to have allies at school if, let's just say, your hard drive dies and you lose several months' class notes because you've been lazy about backing up. Voice of experience speaking...
If you have any questions about being a mature or part-time student, please email me, Laura, at elderlylawstudents@gmail.com. Welcome to law school!
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