Keeping up with Keala
My first month at Loyola and in Chicago has been filled with new and exciting experiences. I have learned so much already, and I have built what I know will be long-lasting friendships.
Law School
This semester I am enrolled in 15 credit hours. My core classes include Torts, Property and Civil Procedure, and I am also taking Legal Writing and Legal Research. Each professor is great in their own way, which makes class interesting and fun! There hasn’t been a day where a professor has not made me laugh; one even cut his own hair to illustrate the concept of conversion. Outside of lectures, I attend tutor office hours where upperclass law students help 1Ls grasp what may sometimes be tricky concepts. They help tremendously. Attending tutor office hours not only allows you to clear up any confusion, but it also allows you to learn what past students have done to be successful in that particular class. My first midterm is coming up, so wish me luck!
Within the Loyola community, there are many ways to get involved. This past week I joined Women’s Law Society, the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association and Art Law Society. Joining different associations is a good way to get to know upperclassmen and people from outside of your section. Most even hold networking events to meet practicing attorneys who are current members of that association.
All Aboard
Every year, the Student Bar Association puts on a Boat Cruise event. The boat takes off from the Navy Pier and tours the lake for several hours. It’s a fun evening of eating and dancing (two of my favorite things), and the Chicago skyline is beautiful at night!
At Boat Cruise, I got to know people in my section on a personal level. While in class, it’s strictly business and there is little time to talk to all 70 classmates. That is what makes events like Boat Cruise so much fun! It is a chance to chat with people who sit on the opposite side of the room from you, whom you only know by their last name from “cold calls”.
Free Time
Remember how I said I like to take a little time for myself every now and then? Well this past weekend I went to the Art Institute of Chicago and got to see some of my favorite paintings. In particular, Gauguin’s work. Art Institute has an amazing exhibit showcasing the life of Gauguin from his early post-impressionistic works through the time he spent in Tahiti. And the best part is that it’s free for post-graduate students! Tickets that would normally cost $25 plus an extra amount for pop-up exhibits, are free with a student ID. This is a great (and cost-free) way to enjoy a Saturday afternoon, especially if you love art as much as I do.
Loxley with Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s At the Moulin Rouge (1892-95)
Thank you so much for reading this week’s blog! Stay tuned for more next week as I dive deeper into law school, Chicago and Lou Malnati’s Pizza.
Loxley
Loxley Keala is a 1L at Loyola University Chicago School of Law. She is blogging about the journey of her first year of law school. To search all posts written by her search the Loxley category on the right hand side. Questions for Loxley? Email law-admissions@luc.edu with the subject “Ask Loxley” and she will make sure to answer them in a future post.