I’m so sorry you’re going through this and law school, which is it’s own special kind of terrible. When you’re ready for the angry, fuck that guy, righteous anger phase, I recommend Beyonce’s “Hold Up” and “Sorry” as well as Lizzo’s entire catalog but especially “Good as Hell” and “Truth Hurts.”

Oh wow. I’m really sorry that he blindsided you like that. I’m about a month out of a 13 year relationship. The breakup was “mutual,” and a long time coming, but when we broke up he decided to use every insecurity I had ever shared about myself or the relationship against me.

Sounds like a great start! After seeing your other post, maybe also time to get all the pets he didn’t want (not that they can totally fill that gap obviously).

Yeah it can really leave you at a loss of what to do with yourself after a breakup. Maybe go eat a bunch of stuff he’s allergic to, while watching the films he vetoed over the years?

Yes, I had exactly the same thought—that him being so awful made it easier to see light on the other side. I almost wondered if he did that on purpose, but looking back I don’t think he was nearly self-aware enough for that. It was just an incidental silver lining to his hurricane behavior.

I have sympathy for you. When I went back to head school - business - I’d been out in the work world since my classmates were in high school. Their attitude to education (passive) and their understanding of the real world (vague) was a hurdle. I eventually found some buddies who were older and/or international…

I have no advice but congratulations on starting law school, that is some boss shit and you did it.

I agree with mscoffee. Law school has nothing to do with being a lawyer, but I do understand the struggle. Your life experiences will be a real asset to the legal profession. You’ve got this. Really. You’ve been through worse. You know how to work hard. Congratulations on being admitted into law school! Not everybody…

With regards to the viral panic, when exams come you need to AVOID THE LIBRARY AT ALL COSTS. DO NOT STUDY FOR EXAMS AT THE LAW SCHOOL LIBRARY UNLESS YOU HAVE LITERALLY NO OTHER CHOICE. I wrote that in all caps because it is the only way I can even begin to emphasize just how thickly the worst, most toxic, most…

I’m graduating in May, at 37. It’s been tough, but you’ll see when you look around that although you are older than the average student, there are plenty of other non-traditionally aged people studying the law. Talk to them, and don’t be afraid to befriend the younger ones too. After all, they are your colleagues…

My sister is heading into her third year and she’ll be 38 tomorrow. She appears to have embraced the youths. Ha. She’s married with two kids so her life is really different from the other students. And I do think she was shocked at first. But it’s sorted itself out I think. She’s made some friends. I guess it’s not…

Ha yeah -- I’m lucky to be at a firm with people I really like and respect doing work that’s interesting! 

Ha! When I was a legal assistant, some of the lawyers I worked with (including a couple of partners) tried to convince me to go to law school. But they were all so miserable, I went into advertising instead. (Direct quote from an associate: “If I could just return this degree for a refund and go get a job at Forever…

For sure -- focus on getting your bearings and briefing cases, but it won’t hurt to understand what you’re working toward. 

Never been in law school (though I was a legal assistant, and dated several lawyers! I always felt like I earned an honorary JD between all of that), but I didn’t finish college until I was 28. Now I am 33 and work at an ad agency (for context, ad agencies definitely skew young. The hours are so grueling, any sensible…

Career shift towards public interest

Yeah, the collective panic can be really draining. If you meet some nice people, study groups aren’t a bad thing, but they can get stressful if the people suck/are too competitive/whatever. I met a couple of nice people and enjoyed studying with them, even though I’m usually more of a work on my own type. I’m sure…

No advice on the generational divide — I was one of the young ones in law school. But my best advice is that although law school kind of sucks, it bears no resemblance to being a lawyer, which is awesome. Do the reading, try not to pay too much attention to grading curves and rankings and the annoying know-it-all…