Thursday, April 14, 2005
Nostalgia Isn't What It Used to Be
Last night my 1L section had a "reunion dinner." These are the people I spent my entire first year of law school with--they assign all our classes, and all of us were there all year. Not everyone came last night, of course, but a lot did, and some of them I'm not sure if I've seen in the last two years.
It was kind of trippy seeing all these same people together in the same place. I see many of them individually all the time, but looking from one face to another to another really did have the intended effect of taking me back to my first year of law school. Except we all looked a little older. Not everyone noticed this, even when I pointed it out. One friend said, "Well, I have dropped my whole California hippie look." I don't know if it's really possible to tell that someone has aged three years, even when you've seen them repeatedly all the while. But like I said, seeing all the same faces together took me back to September 2002. We look more mature. Older. More worn-out. Less idealistic and more realistic. We're 3Ls now; that's the way we're supposed to be.
In her short remarks, Dean Kagan assured us that "students are the best asset Harvard Law School has." She said, "I hope that we've been able to give something to you during your time here. But one thing I know: you have already given us a lot." I came home from the event to find a letter from Harvard Law School, asking me to donate to the annual fund. I picked it up, thought about the Dean's words, and threw it in the garbage.
It was kind of trippy seeing all these same people together in the same place. I see many of them individually all the time, but looking from one face to another to another really did have the intended effect of taking me back to my first year of law school. Except we all looked a little older. Not everyone noticed this, even when I pointed it out. One friend said, "Well, I have dropped my whole California hippie look." I don't know if it's really possible to tell that someone has aged three years, even when you've seen them repeatedly all the while. But like I said, seeing all the same faces together took me back to September 2002. We look more mature. Older. More worn-out. Less idealistic and more realistic. We're 3Ls now; that's the way we're supposed to be.
In her short remarks, Dean Kagan assured us that "students are the best asset Harvard Law School has." She said, "I hope that we've been able to give something to you during your time here. But one thing I know: you have already given us a lot." I came home from the event to find a letter from Harvard Law School, asking me to donate to the annual fund. I picked it up, thought about the Dean's words, and threw it in the garbage.
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