you won't like your classmates

Among the various statements I heard about law school before I went, that was probably one of the more puzzling. "You will like the subject matter, and you'll like the professors, but your classmates, you won't like them."

Since I compulsively gather information, I had read books, interviewed lawyers, read websites and blogs, and talked with many people before I decided to go to law school. I heard a lot of advice, much of it repeated. This particular advice came up a few times, not often enough for me to take it seriously but enough for me to wonder.

Clearly I'm not the only one who has heard it. I received email a few days ago from an engineering student, considering law school but worried about how engineers were received in law school. "I heard that I probably wouldn't like my classmates, but you seem to like yours."

I do. My classmates are one of the best parts of law school. I look back on that advice and laugh. My classmates are smart, motivated, compassionate, idealistic, funny, hard-working, generous, and respectful. Sure, some of them have their quirks. Sure, not everybody is happy all of the time with everything. But heck, who doesn't have quirks? Who is happy all of the time?

I'm not saying that there aren't law schools or environments where you might not like your classmates. I was astonished on my first day of class with students outside of my section. But even that person has calmed down since the first day of class, and what astonished me the first day now strikes me as the contributions of a worried student, a person who isn't quite able to express himself well but who cares deeply about the subject matter. And, of course, everybody is entitled to the occasional bad mood.

But most days, allowing yourself a bad mood day here or there, you'll like your classmates. Honest. And, if you're lucky like me, they'll be one of the best parts of your law school experience.