Come January 1, everyone is ready to change everything about themselves. People want to lose weight or get organized or whatever. January 1 for most people is a time of renewal and fresh starts. Maybe not a time of rebirth like spring, but it feels like a natural starting and ending point. You look back at where you’ve been and decide where you’re going next.
But for students of all kinds, the end of August through the beginning of September is our January 1st. It’s our New Year. On January 1st, a 1L is probably still a little bit shell-shocked from their first run in with finals. How are they supposed to commit themselves to even a simple diet much less an entirely new lifestyle? The end of summer is when a law student has a clean slate to work with.
So make your New Year’s Resolutions now instead of in January. Now is when you have a fresh start, before your plate fills up faster than you can clear it off. Now is when you’ll be able to start good habits like reading for pleasure more, or working out in the morning. Work on things you want to change in September, because by October or November you’ll be in a groove (or a rut), and in January the idea of adding yet another responsibility to your list will disgust you.
