How emotionally stunted and needy are law school students at this time of year, with finals on the horizon and mid-terms just being returned to us? It's a good question. But it brings an ugliness you might not be ready for.
So, on Wednesday we got back a writing exam. One day after getting back a paper we'd turned in. This means about 50% of us scored under the average and were depressed, because maybe this means we're not going to be good attorneys. 5% of us scored right around the average and we're depressed because this means we'll be average attorneys, which translates into being unemployed in our minds. 40% of us scored over the average and were depressed because we don't have any idea what our score means and there's every chance we're not going to be good attorneys. 4.9% scored at the top and are not depressed, but they're not content either. And there's one person who scored the top score and is depressed because of everything they had to sacrifice to get the top score. But that's all normal.
What wasn't normal was what happened after. We have this class on Mondays and Fridays, but the exams got into the student services office on Wednesday, which means we didn't have a chance to hear how he thought we did, or for him to say anything about anything. All we knew was that he got mad at our class because someone was clearly surfing the internet in class, which is beyond taboo in law school. Honestly, he just told the whole class not to look at the internet. He didn't call out the person; he didn't throw anyone out of class. And I am quite sure most the other professors here would have at least yelled. But he was cool about it. But between that and the test dropping midweek, it became clear to many in our section that our professor hated us. He hated us for not doing better on the test.
It's true he was a little bit sheepish if you'd run into him in the halls (and I ran into him twice between Wednesday and Friday). He'd nod at you as if taking your temprature to see how disapointed you were with your score, or your choice in going to law school, or with him for giving you a grade you didn't want or you thought you didn't deserve. Or maybe he was nodding because he was just so seriously disappointed in us. And that dissapointment had transformed into hatred. Sheer, burning, angry hatred. No other reasonable explanation.
Yes. That's exactly how emotionally stunted and needy we are right now. If you know someone who lives with or near someone in law school or who's significant other is in law school right now, remember they need your support now more than ever.
****
So, Wednesday night, Mitchell hosted oral arguments held infront of the Supreme Court of Minnesota. Which was awesome. What was even more awesome, you ask? I got to be a greeter for the justices. Which means, I got to chit-chat with them and shake hands with them. I'm sure I made no lasting impression on any of them and that it will not help me much going forward. Except in one way. I comported myself pretty well.
The only really dumb moment for me was when running out to meet Justice Page with an umbrella, I said, "Good morning Justice Page." It being 5:30 pm, it was dark in St. Paul. But the Justice is a nice man, and I was holding an umbrella, sheilding him from the rain, so he said kindly, "It's night." To which I replied, "I'm sorry. I get here and it's dark and I leave and it's dark." And he laughed. So. Yeah. I'm gaining confidence.
Which is all the more amazing considering all the professors here who hate me.
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