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Chapter 19A Line in the Sand—What If Everyone Did This?

After doing everything I could to get into law school, one of my first experiences was somewhat bizarre. There were about 200 of us in the night program and we were all sitting in an old auditorium in the historic town of Boston. It was hot, we were all anxious, and I was personally overwhelmed with anxiety. A few professors got up and told us what to expect, and gave us the realistic view of what law school was really going to be like. They told us things like close to 40 percent of us would not graduate, that we would eventually alienate our friends, and then they dropped the bomb. They asked how many of us were married.

Now, this was the night program, so all of us worked. Most if not all of the class raised their hands when asked if we were married. Then the professor said, “Ninety percent of you will end up divorced.” I was shocked and appalled. How could they be so sure? The professor went on to say that not only is law school demanding, but it changes you as a person, and then the profession of practicing law is even more difficult and most marriages do not survive. Law school requires all of your time. Then, when you actually graduate, studying for the bar requires more than all of your time. You are studying when you are sleeping, showering, or using the bathroom. Then, if you are lucky enough to pass the bar exam and get a job as a lawyer, sleep is not an option and all waking hours you are thinking about the ...