Moving Day Approacheth

Wednesday was my last day at Affinity Law Group for the summer, ending another great summer of experiences that are going to help me as I embark on the path of law school. This summer was awesome in that I got to do a lot more "lawyerly" things, including drafting more complex documents and working on some marketing things for the firm that have been a great experience. I think that these experiences are going to really come in handy as I embark on the next stage of my career. After all, I am moving to law school day after tomorrow, and that will no doubt be the start of many new changes and adventures in my life.

As I mentioned earlier, Sunday is moving day, and there is so much I have to get done before then! It always amazing me how much stuff I have when I go to pack it. Yesterday I managed to get my DVDs and DVD racks packed, most of my office supplies, and my shoes. That means I have kitchen stuff, clothing and furniture to pack up and then I am good to go.

Time is a bit of an issue, because today is my 22nd birthday, which means that I have birthday festivities to attend to. I like to think that this is a good pay off for all the hard work I have put in, and it is nice to have a couple days of fun despite the stress that packing has had.

Something else that is nice is that I got my schedule for the fall last night. It is going to be a lot of work, but I am excited to get started. I think I am ready for the challenge, and while I am only enrolled in 14 credit hours, I am sure that is going to be a lot for me to handle this first semester. One piece of advice that I got from the law firm is that you have to remember that it is a lot of work, but you have to make time to have some fun, otherwise it won't be nearly as enjoyable. I am sure the advice all the lawyers at Affinity gave me will come in handy as I face the challenges ahead.

Anyways, my next post will probably be after the move, and I will make sure to let everyone know how it goes! Wish me luck!

Don't let money get you down...

Money is not a new concern when it comes to the life of a student. Heck, for the last few weeks of school, most of us start getting concerned with how we are going to pay for our student loans, where our next paycheck is going to come from, and how much money we think we are going to get from distant relatives for graduation. Still, it has hard not to become concerned about money when the prospect of not having it is constantly looming on the Horizon.

I suppose I should preface this by informing everyone that I have accepted admission to Drake University Law School, and put a down payment on an apartment, so I will have somewhere to live when I start in 11 weeks. Overall, it was a relatively expensive, yet productive trip, and I have to say that the school itself is pretty nice. While I know that it is a good investment in the future, as soon as they started going through the tuition prices, I have to say it was more than a little daunting.

While I am lucky enough to have family members that are able and willing to help me out with some of the tuition prices and rent, but that doesn't mean I'm home free. I did some basic budgeting yesterday, and while it is possible for me to make enough at the law firm over the next few weeks to live like a poor person for the next year, the prospect of paying all my bills, furnishing the basics of my new apartment, having enough for textbooks and getting to buy enough groceries is none-the-less daunting.

Still, I think the one thing that keeps me going on this ambitious career path is the idea that in the long run, it will all be worth it. Making a few cutbacks might be what is necessary to realize my desire to become an intellectual property attorney, plus it will be good for me to learn what living on a budget is like - very tight budget, granted. At the end of the day; however, it is important not to let financials keep you from pursuing something that you really want to do. As my father always says: "10 years from now, you won't even remember what you didn't have while working towards something you want to do."

So, as daunting as law school is going to be, it is something that I have to do. Will it be expensive? Heck yes. Will I have to make some sacrifices to make it possible? Undoubtedly.

Will it be worth it in the end? Absolutely.

Now, it is just a matter of working my butt off over the next few weeks to lessen the blow as much as possible. Do you have any money-saving tips? Post a comment and let me know!