In this blog post, you are going to see 10 essential things that every law student needs in law school. The reason why they are considered ‘essential‘ will make sense towards the end of this blog post. Some you may need more than others, and some of them you just can’t live without. I survived law school by ensuring that I had each and every one of these 10 essential items. And without further ado, let’s jump into them.
Table of Contents:
A water bottle
This one is a no-brainer. You need a water bottle of some sort. The reason why you need a water bottle is that when you are reading a legal textbook or in the middle of a lecture, you will get thirsty. I noticed that this happened when I was actively engaging my brain. Using your brain to solve legal problems is thirsty work – so don’t forget to carry a cool water bottle around with you in your bag or in your hand. It is important!
A printer
I didn’t realize how important this was one until the days when the printers in the university weren’t working or when I wanted to print off my assignment from home because it was due on Monday at 9 am and the printers in the library opened at 9 am… Having your own printer so that you can print off your own paper and notes proved to be extremely useful to me during law school.
I didn’t have to worry about printing my assignment in the library because I could easily do it in the comfort of my home. There is a price tag when it comes to computers. As you would expect, the good ones are more expensive. But I recently bought a new printer by Epson which I really like, they’re student-friendly, easy to set up and use AND it has wireless printing. So you don’t have to connect via a USB cable – you can connect via Wifi and it prints straight away.
Go-to Suit
This one I think is a necessity, not necessarily for law school but just in general. Throughout law school, you’ll be seeking legal jobs and applying to various firms for internships. You’re expected to dress professionally and appropriately. Rather than waiting to buy a suit the day before the event, trying on the suit, and realizing it does not fit (based on a true story)… have 1 or 2 staple suits in your wardrobe so that when you’re networking event or job interview comes up, you’re not searching and searching for a new and having difficulties trying to find one.
Diary/Planner of your choice
After school, you are in control of your life, and your studies and you are having your first taste of independence. However, very quickly, if you’re not used to putting down reminders somewhere in a notebook, a diary, or a planner (even if it’s on your phone) it’s easy to forget. As for me, I preferred digital reminders on my phone that acted as a diary. For every deadline or event coming up, I set up a reminder on my phone every single time. But I wish that I started using a planner or a diary sooner. It does NOT need to be anything fancy – even a tiny notebook where you can write down anything important that is upcoming is more than enough!
I used a small 100-page notebook that was no bigger than an adult hand and it was all that I needed. Check it out here.
Notebook/Notepad
Read the above.
Hole punch
I wouldn’t classify this as a “MUST'” but it certainly helped to have my own hold punch at home especially, when I printed off my notes and wanted to hold them in my folder. The reason why I included this here is because it is something that the entire family can benefit from using and it’s generally inexpensive. I wouldn’t spend any more than €3 on one – here’s an inexpensive one I found online.
Lunch box
This one is a big one. It is inevitable that you may* buy your lunch from time to time. In my case, at one stage, I bought my lunch every day. But – I soon stopped because making my own lunch was cheaper and way better quality than buying and spending nearly €25 a week on lunch alone! I suggest investing in a decent lunch box that you can use to heat up foods, store foods, and securely carry foods in. I would suggest spending a bit more than usual on this one because you do not want to find that your food has escaped into your books and personal items – all because the lid wasn’t secure enough… (again, speaking from experience).
USB Stick
This goes without saying – you’ll be typing up your assignments and you need to STORE that assignment somewhere as a secondary storage space. Check out this blog post on why I recommend having at least 2 USB sticks. Trust me, it’s an important one!
Tote bag or book bag
This is mainly for returning your library books to the library because there will come a time when you’ll be returning huge books to the library and you’ll need a sizeable bag to carry them in. Oh, those were the days…
Laptop/computer
I don’t think that I need to explain this one. But I will say that you do not need the newest model of any branded laptop – you just need something to work on from home! I find Acer or HP to be good brands for college laptops. Their interface and usability are quite simple and easy and perfect for college-goers.
Got some questions about these essentials? You’ll find me chatting away on my Instagram so don’t be shy, do say hi! (You can also email me at: yennusicklegalcorner@outlook.ie. !)
Until the next blog post,
Slán go foill!
