Lambs to the Slaughter

I recently went to a law school fundraiser and found myself talking to second year law student ready to start their job at a law firm this summer. I felt like I was talking to an old version of myself. They said all the same things I did. That I had worked at demanding jobs before and knew what I was getting myself into. That I knew the hours would be long, but I could do it.

Although I was right about being able to work the long hours, I don't think I knew what it would feel like. There is a big difference between knowing intellectually that you might have a day where you bill 20 hours and feeling that. It is different when you have to call your significant other and tell them you will be missing their birthday and leaving them home alone because a project just blew up. Sitting in the same clothes you wore the day before and staring blurry eyed at the computer trying to do work feels crappier than I thought it would. That said, there are positives to the experience. I get to work on interesting cases and pay my loans. People that sign up for this life just don't know what it is really like until they know.