First Day of Law School and What it is Like to go to School during COVID-19

Yesterday was my first day of law school.

I got up at 6am, got ready and drove to school.

I parked and did my daily questionnaire monitoring my COVID symptoms in my car before entering the building. I put on my mask and kept it on for the next four and a half hours.

I found my classroom, 30 minutes before class started, and picked my seat. That is my only classroom and only seat for the whole semester.

The good seat options were limited because every seat has to be 6 feet apart and socially distant. We are a section of about 40 students, in a lecture hall fit for 200.

I introduced myself to my peers around me.

Our class is a hybrid class. This means that we have some students that will be online the whole semester. These students Zoomed into class. Their faces were projected on a giant screen in the front of the room next to the professor and the projector screen. It was a bit of sensory overload.

Our first class was Legal Writing. Our professor was hysterical. He had me laughing from 8:10-10:10.

We sat for two hours straight without a break. We then had a twenty-minute break before our second two-hour class, Torts.

Wearing a mask all day for class was challenging. I am used to wearing a mask for long periods of time for work but to not be able to have a break and take it off and drink water, was really challenging.

It was weird being in class where you don’t know anyone, you can’t socialize, and you have to wear a mask. Orientation usually allows for some form of friendships and relationships to be built, but we didn’t have that. This semester will be interesting.

Before orientation, some professors held office hours via Zoom to answer any of the student’s questions about the semester.

Someone asked about what to wear to class. The professors both answered: business casual.

To me, this wasn’t a super big deal because I always dress up for class, but I was interested to see how my fellow classmates would show up to the first day of class. 

I wore business casual, but some of my fellow students were in full suits. Others had on casual dresses. A handful had on t-shirt and shorts. 

All in all, it was a very diverse crowd in terms of dress. I wonder how long the suit wearers will last before switching to sweats. My prediction: not very long.

I think I was dressed just right for class!

Overall, my first day of law school was weird yet interesting. Can’t wait to keep updating you!