Law school and law practice has a tendency to become all-consuming. Attorneys and law students are always looking at the next deadline, project or exam. You have to be able to maintain a life and interests outside of the law, however. It will make you a better lawyer and a better person! So, in this spirit, it’s time to share a bit of myself. Here are just a couple of ways I (Brad) stayed sane through law school and practice.
1) Books! Books! Books! (But not textbooks!)
I am an avid reader. I always have two or three books that I pick up as the mood strikes me. Some are law related and others are not. Here are a few recommendations from yours truly:
For a law related recommendation, one of my favorite books I picked up during law school is a story of m
urder, prejudice, and the most famous trial attorney of the 20th century and paradise.
Honor Killing: Race, Rape, and Clarence Darrow’s Spectacular Last Case by David Stannard is a fascinating and compelling look into the racial politics of Hawaii in the early 20th century. The story follows minute by minute the alleged rape of a serviceman’s wife and the aftermath and trials that followed. You can find the book here.
I just finished reading an excellent book that chronicles the story of the United States Ambassador’s family leading up to Hitler’s seizure of power and victory of the Nazi state. In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin is a gripping and eerie read. Oh, and there is also the little part where the Ambassador’s daughter becomes a Soviet spy! Check it out here.
2) Hit the Gym!
Exercise is probably the best way to cope with stress. Don’t trust me – trust the American Psychological Association. Personally, I used to log about 20 miles during finals weeks (yes, believe it…I used to run until law school gave me bad knees). Swinney has a lot of programs for students including yoga and, for the more adventurous, Zumba!
3) Maintain contacts with your non-lawyer friends.
Lawyers and law students are a unique group of people particularly prone to fits of mass hysteria. Stay connected with those friends who are not law students or lawyers. Not only will they help you keep perspective and be a source of encouragement, they will also tell you when you are acting crazy.
Keep calm, breathe, and carry on. If you have any book recommendations, send them my way!
Tagged: law library, resources, stress relief
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