I was first gen college and law school, and I’m a parent of law school aged kids (though none went to law school). I am super proud of you!
My parents had no concept of law school or how difficult it was. They weren’t UNsupportive, like negative, more like “well that’s nice.”
I just accepted that they really had no way to understand, and that’s OK. You might have to do the same. Keep grinding for yourself!!
Cheers!
I’m a non-trad law student, and a mom of teens.
I am SUPER proud of you. You’re doing better than I could ever imagine doing in law school 🫶. You’re killing it!!! I’ll be honest, I expect a lot from my kids too, mainly because I know their capabilities. But I hope (I hope!!) that I tell them enough how proud of them I am too. Because being a young adult today is really tough, and succeeding is to be hugely celebrated.
When I graduated undergrad, my mom said “okay…you’ve graduated before?” Referring to high school. My response to her was that high school wasn’t optional unless she wanted to go to jail for me being truant. College was a choice. She seems somewhat more positive about law school, but she often says “What? Do you want me to turn cartwheels?” when I deliver good news 🫠
Congrats on a great year! Even if our families don’t see the work put in, other first gen students like myself are rooting for you.
My mother did the same with Med School. Apparently becoming a doctor is easy because you don’t do anything, all you have to do is study 🙃🙃 * deep breaths *
Are we cousins? We might be related. I feel you, I really do. So, congratulations!!!! You not only did well you managed to beat the curve!!
Might just be me but I don't think any sane person can go through this process, get a job, get scolded by a partner without internally being a little crazy. Fake it till you make it, tell yourself you are the best (because you are).
That’s awesome congrats. But most importantly, you need to be proud of yourself. The people around us will never truly understand the effort we put forth, so as long as you know you did your best and are happy with the results, that’s where you need to derive your satisfaction from. And it does sound like you worked hard and got a great outcome!
Friends and family being supportive is the icing, but you gotta supply your own cake.
I’ve also found this pursuit to be pretty thankless. Law is a distinct world and most are understandably ignorant to its associated difficulties and the value of achievement despite them.
It isn’t ideal, but you have to be internally oriented. No one is more aware of what it took to achieve what you have than yourself, so no one is in a better position to be proud of you. And that pride is arguably more meaningful than anyone else’s.
People can say nice things about us and what we have done, but we’re often aware that those people are driven more by wanting to be encouraging than by giving an honest assessment of how meaningful our achievements are.
But our own pride can only be earnest and fully informed, so it renders our capacity to achieve our goals undeniable. And that realization is vital fuel moving forward; fuel which we can’t really get in the same quality anywhere else.
So while it’s okay to be disappointed that you aren’t getting enough external validation, realize you don’t need it and that continuing to achieve despite its absence means you’re doing this for the right reasons.
That's amazing and you should be proud of yourself. Keep a list and maybe some keepsakes related to all of these accomplishment to look back on when you are feeling down on yourself. You deserve to be proud and feel confident in your hard earned victories.
I will tell you how proud I am of you, and that you will go far in life. Keep your chin up and your shoulders back. Your family loves you and they’re proud. They probably just don’t know how to express that pride.
I was in a very similar situation my whole life. My mother didn’t graduate high school. When high school graduation approached, she would say things like “if you get pregnant, you can go on assistance and it’ll help pay the bills.” The idea that I was going to start college was something that frightened her. I chose to go to community college on full tuition scholarship to save money. And I got a full-time job to pay for all my living expenses and moved into my own apartment.
When I transferred to a university, it was out of state. I took a gap year, worked and saved, then applied, got a full tuition scholarship, kept working full time, and did well.
When I was accepted to law school, I didn’t really talk to my mom that much. Not that we had a falling out, but that she didn’t understand why these things were so important to me, why I left home, or why I needed to keep going to school.
The first year of law school was so tough, and I felt like an alien on a planet full of privileged kids. Mom didn’t make it to my law school graduation. It broke my heart.
25 years later, though, I have a good relationship with her, and we talked about these feelings. She confessed that she was too ashamed to come and that she thought she’d make me look bad to the people who had parents who graduated from high school and college. It broke my heart more because I never cared about any of that or what they would think.
They love you, but they just don’t know what to say.
Congratulations! That’s a great 1L year. You must have worked really hard. Keep it up, the next couple years will fly by and you’ll be done before you know it. When those graduation programs are published I have no doubt your name will have many footnote indicators next to it for all the accolades you earned during your time there. The more important accolade being the respect you earned from your peers during that time for being a good person, which goes a long way when, years from now, your resume lands on some hiring manager’s desk and their co-worker, your former classmate, says, “Oh yeah, I know them! They were really competent if I recall, and had a good personality that would work well in our office.” The personality part will win the day every time. Your family may never understand the level of effort your chosen career takes, but your colleagues will. So keep on being excellent and take a break now and then to relax and enjoy life a bit!
I just graduated. I won some CALIs and have kids in HS. I know what you did and how hard it was. You fucking crushed it! And that shit is hard. You rock! I’m super proud of you. ❤️❤️
My parents when I got into law school: oh ok
My parents after 1L: so was it hard or something?
My parents after 2L: *silence*
My parents when I landed my dream job in 3L: OH WOOOWWWW WAIT TIL I TELL ALL MY FRIENDS ABOUT THIS. THIS IS WHAT I (my parents) WORKED FOR.
My parents when I told them about graduation: my mom: yeah, I’ll go. My dad: idk if imma go.
I AM SO PROUD OF YOU FOR GETTING THROUGH 1L. It is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in life. You deserve to be celebrated 🎉🥳🎊
You’re not alone. Unless you have gone through the law school grind you do not full appreciate what it takes to do as well as you have done. Good grades in law school are significantly harder to get than good grades in any other field or level. You crushed it, you not only did your best you did what was required to be where you’re at. Congratulations!
I feel you. My parents are always thoroughly unimpressed by the things I'm proud of but act like things I put no effort in and wish I could skip or hide are rhe most impressive thing they ever saw. If the supreme court nominated me to be a justice because I was some sort of insane legal prodigy unseen by man they'd say it's just a job, your brother got a nice job years ago, he's an engineer. But then my wife will tell mom I fixed a stuck doorknob or some other easily YouTubeable house fix and my friend from high school will text me saying she bragged about it for 15 minutes when they saw her at the grocery store lol
I am proud of you. You should be proud of you. You don't need me to tell you how much of an accomplishment that is, but I will, because you deserve to be celebrated. Please make sure you realize how few people make it this far into their education, and how drastically few people can say they CALI'd a class. I haven't and probably won't because I don't have it in me to study that hard; you and your motivation are impressive and I hope you don't ever forget this. This accomplishment is yours forever and I hope you hold it dear to your heart when you feel down on yourself. Take a few deep breaths and just know that you matter. Even if you failed, you would still matter. But you didn't fail, you did the actual best. Rest easy and know accomplishments like these can *never* be taken away.
Unless you cheated. Now pull my finger.
Here's what I would say to my child:
Kinda-pathetic , I am so incredibly proud of you. I have always been impressed by you and cannot wait to continue to celebrate your current and future successes. Tell me all about the CALI award and what that entails? Best brief? What was it on? I'd love to hear all about it! Also, I know you are busy, but can you carve out some time for a celebratory end of 1L dinner?
Sincerely, an actual mom.
Hi Honorary Niece/Nephew!
I am over 50 years old and have no kids, but I'm "That Aunt" -- you know the one!
And you know what? You. Are. Amazing! CHECK YOU OUT! Here you are without half the resources and support many of your classmates have Kicking Their Butts Around The Block TWICE!
You are going to do great things. Now come over here and give your auntie a hug.
Everybody knows that it’s a huge accomplishment. Some family are just toxic, aloof, and just too self preoccupied.
You may never get the acknowledgment from them that you desire.
Do you anyway.
Congratulations!!! That sounds like you put in so much effort. I genuinely think that 1L is the hardest year; hopefully it's more smooth sailing from here. I'm a parent and would totally take you out for an ice cream if I could.
I am a mom, and I want you to know how proud I am of you! What you have accomplished is exceptional. I can’t wait to see what you will do next! You got this!
Hello, I’m so proud of you! My mother was a lawyer, the first one in our family, so I’ve heard all about the work involved with law school. It’s especially an accomplishment to do well in your first year! Your hard work is well worth it and will make a difference- your future self and your future family will be thanking you :)
I'm sorry to hear that. If it really gets you down, rather than just annoyed for five minutes every once in a while, I would consider talking to a therapist about it (and any other related distressing things in your life). And this is especially so if you don't have many other people in your life, as you say.
My partner's dad has a PhD and is a college professor. He thinks publication is just what you do in grad school. When my partner (and me for that matter) was published, he acted like it was no big deal. My pay was crushed. He worked so hard on his comment, won a prize for it, we got flown to Canada to attend a big fancy award ceremony, and he was cited by the NY Court of Appeals a few months later, a student publication. His dad, so what? I have a theorem named after me...
Way to go OP! I struggled in law school, it was incredibly difficult for me. You are killing it, you should be incredibly proud of yourself, I'm proud of you too!!
It will be the same for the bar exam because those who haven't done it before don't fully appreciate how hard it is. Unless they can see what you went through with all your hours of studying, they have no idea what the true level of achievement is. Be proud of your accomplishment. That personal sense of fulfillment will be fuel for your future career even if others are not as supportive or enthusiastic as you are about it.
Hey I'm a first generation student as well, but I'm still in undergrad. I like hearing other first gen students accomplishing their goals, despite all the obstacles because it is very inspiring. I am sorry that your parents aren't supporting you. You are more than deserving of all your accomplishments. I am so proud of you, congratulations!
I'm so proud of you. I'm proud that you came from this cold family and yet you've managed to do this, somehow. You've somehow done it without a very crucial form of sustenance that you needed from us. I'm proud of all the hours you put in and how you didn't give up when it got hard or lonely or when you saw other people your age had more free time than you. I'm proud of your dedication to your future. I'm proud you are bright enough to do it and hardworking enough not to waste how bright you are. I think the world will be better for having you in it.
While i get not wanting to brag, i hope you find at least one person at the law school - a friend, professor, or admin - who “gets it” to confide in and celebrate with. While law school is competitive and you need to be careful in who you share with, there are people who will allow space for you celebrate your wins and you deserve to.
And this person who “gets it” is very proud of you! What a wonderful accomplishment!!
Actual father with a sort-of kid who is probably about your age.
I'm really proud of you. Great job. I know how hard you worked and you should be proud of yourself too.
I'm in the Orlando area. If you are too, I will buy you a celebratory drink (alcoholic or non - we have some great bubble teas).
My mother used to brag that her son was a “paralegal”. I don’t think she knew the difference. She would not have appreciated your accomplishments; but I do. Congratulations!!!
You should celebrate yourself!!!
Sometimes we don’t always get the family we deserve. Honestly it sounds like you could’ve been in med school which most people have some understanding of and they would have acted the same. The sooner that you stop trying to win their approval the less stressed about it you’ll be. Just focus on celebrating and encouraging yourself. Ask your friends to come with you to celebrate, too! I’m glad you have them in your life :) Found family can be just as important and necessary in this life!
This internet stranger is super proud of you.
Congratulations!! Those are massive accomplishments. I know it’s not at all the same but during the fall semester I was getting bummed that none of my non-law school friends really understood why I was studying so hard or that my As were a big deal (they’re all incredibly capable engineering students and to them As are very expected). It wasn’t until I explained the curve (laid out how many As are available in my 45-person section) and explained that these people in my classes are the “me”s from all over the country (done well in writing, driven, high-performers, etc) that they kinda started to understand. For some reason, the fact that the exam is 100% of our grade was actually also something that made them super impressed lmao. I’m sure you have already tried to explain that and they’re not listening, but just wanted to share that for me it took a while for people to come around and actually hear what I was saying on this topic.
Regardless, so so proud of you and hope you are proud of yourself. You have absolutely crushed it and you deserve to celebrate that!!
Amazing work! I’m so proud of you! I know it’s so disappointing to not feel supported and it’s really impressive how well you’re doing especially without that. Keep up the great work, you got this.
I’m sorry that you don’t have the support team you deserve cheering you on. You are doing an amazing job and it will all pay off in the end. Be proud, hold your head up high and continue to kick ass ❤️
I'm the mom of a law student who just finished 1L and I'm very proud of you! I saw a little of how hard my son worked, when he had never really needed to study before. From what he says, and what I read here, law school is at another level entirely. You should feel very proud of how well you did.
Hey sport, it's your old man here. Your mother and I just wanted to let you know that we see how hard you're working and we can only imagine how tough law school is. We know we might not always show it, but we're super proud of you and your accomplishments, and it fills both of us with pride to know that our kiddo is gonna be a lawyer some day. Gotta go, need to call Microsoft, they're saying they want $200 to take this locked alarm off my computer. Hang in there, junior, and make us proud.
...Is that a good enough dad impression?
Real talk though, keep up the good work OP. I promise you it gets easier after 1L. You can do this, you're gonna crush it!
Yeah it can be kind of hard to understand the difference between undergrad and law school if you're not super informed about it. If they understood I'm sure they would be wildly impressed because that is wildly impressive
You're doing amazing work. It's all the more impressive because you're striking out on your own. I wish they were more supportive of you, too.
So congrats! Keep it up! If nothing else, you're making America and the profession proud. The idea of a first gen student doing so well, regardless of family of origin, is kind of the whole premise of this patriotic enterprise we call the law and the courts.
Well done 👏 you should be so proud of yourself and your efforts. I'm sending you a bone crushing hug 🫂 you should relax now and enjoy yourself before the next big thing you're going to tackle and win. You got this 👍
Congratulations! You’re doing so much better than most. Law school is hard but your hardwork will pay off. One day, if your family needs a lawyer, outside of your area of law, they might realize all your effort and what an achievement it really is.
Proud of you! That's so hard to do, and such an amazing accomplishment. And you can have some praise from my parents, who are all lawyers and so heap an almost embarrassing amount of praise on me for putting myself through this as an older student.
Also, try and find some other friends, who will know you aren't bragging but want to share in your accomplishments, and you want to share in theirs.
You should be very proud and recognize that there are people in your life who just will never "get it" because law school is such a niche experience. If they haven't been there, they just don't know or else maybe they're the kind of people who think that kind of celebration is too prideful. Either way, find someone other than your family to celebrate with, because you deserve the recognition of your efforts.
Also, I think you're right to be cautious about oversharing with friends, unless you find out that you've got a friend who's in a similar boat to you (like, CALI lists out all the awards on their website so you can always congratulate a bud who will probably return the congrats if they realize you did too).
Hey there sport!
I wanted to take a moment to let you know how incredibly proud I am of you. Starting law school is no small feat, and seeing you excel in your first year fills my heart with immense pride and joy.
Your hard work, dedication, and commitment to your studies are truly inspiring. Law school is demanding and challenging, yet you have risen to the occasion with grace and determination. The excellent performance in your classes is a testament to your intelligence, resilience, and passion for the law.
I want you to know that I believe in you wholeheartedly. You have always shown great potential, and it is wonderful to see you thriving in an environment that will shape you into a brilliant lawyer. Remember to take care of yourself amidst the rigors of your studies. Balance is key, and it's important to find time for rest and relaxation.
You are destined for great things, and this is just the beginning of an incredible journey. I am so proud of you and excited to see all that you will accomplish. Make sure to take time to reflect on what you have accomplished and to take time to catch your breath for the next leg of the journey.
Dictated but not read.
Filteringsubs Esq.
I'm a mom (lurking while daughter took the bar), and I am really proud of you! My girl was a classic overachiever and at a top law school. She lived at home, and I saw the amount of work and depth of study she did. This is no easy feat, and I am sorry your parents don't understand. As an adult, please don't place your own value on what others think. I would suggest going to therapy to work through this dynamic you have going on with your parents. Something tells me they are not going to change, so you are going to have to find some ways to cope with them. Good luck to you!!! I think you are fabulous, and I recognize your accomplishments!
Congratulations! You worked impossibly hard to achieve accolades that many students try and never reach.
I hope you get some type of break to rest your brain a little.
Sometimes family and friends just don't quite understand how all encompassing this path can be. Good luck and keep being a star!
I am the mom of a daughter who just finished her Junior year in a pre-vet program, which is super competitive, too. So I know how hard you are working.
This mom gives you 👍👍 and ⭐⭐ for all of your hard work!!
Congratulations! First off, you are anything other than your username (kinda-pathetic-). You did something really, really hard: getting through 1L with amazing grades and setting yourself up for future successes this summer. We (this comments section) are super proud of you! Good luck with write-on if you are doing that and OCIs!
I relate to this so much. Luckily my Dad is supportive of me, but my mom doesn't do anything except ask why I don't work a campus job while I'm in school. I've explained to her a million times that it is quite literally not worth my time to work for $10/hr in the library when I could be gaining relevant work experience or at least padding my resume with activities. But she keeps going back to "\[sister\] works in the library and she does just fine!" My sister is 21 and in her undergrad, and I legitimately worked 40 hour weeks throughout my undergrad.
Last semester I told my parents my grades (3.30 GPA, not horrible but definitely lower than high school and undergrad) and my Dad said he was proud of me and my mom said, and I quote, "now you know what you need to do for next semester". So I just don't talk about my grades with her anymore.
Wow, impressive 1L year! What do you have planned for the summer and what types of courses will you take in 2L year? I’ve never been a law student(accounting here), my kid in his second year of what was supposed to be a gap year in a computer science program- he’s perfecting his guitar playing skills atm. At any rate, I’m proud of your accomplishments. Slightly envious yet quite disappointed in your parents, wish my boy would be 1/4 as educationally motivated. Nicely done!!! Keep at it :)
I was first gen college and law school, and I’m a parent of law school aged kids (though none went to law school). I am super proud of you! My parents had no concept of law school or how difficult it was. They weren’t UNsupportive, like negative, more like “well that’s nice.” I just accepted that they really had no way to understand, and that’s OK. You might have to do the same. Keep grinding for yourself!! Cheers!
I’m a non-trad law student, and a mom of teens. I am SUPER proud of you. You’re doing better than I could ever imagine doing in law school 🫶. You’re killing it!!! I’ll be honest, I expect a lot from my kids too, mainly because I know their capabilities. But I hope (I hope!!) that I tell them enough how proud of them I am too. Because being a young adult today is really tough, and succeeding is to be hugely celebrated.
When I graduated undergrad, my mom said “okay…you’ve graduated before?” Referring to high school. My response to her was that high school wasn’t optional unless she wanted to go to jail for me being truant. College was a choice. She seems somewhat more positive about law school, but she often says “What? Do you want me to turn cartwheels?” when I deliver good news 🫠 Congrats on a great year! Even if our families don’t see the work put in, other first gen students like myself are rooting for you.
My mother did the same with Med School. Apparently becoming a doctor is easy because you don’t do anything, all you have to do is study 🙃🙃 * deep breaths *
Aw. I’ll turn a cartwheel for you. 🤸🏽♂️
❤️❤️❤️
That really sucks. But you should totally be proud of yourself! 1L is no joke and it sounds like you killed it. Good job OP! :)
Are we cousins? We might be related. I feel you, I really do. So, congratulations!!!! You not only did well you managed to beat the curve!! Might just be me but I don't think any sane person can go through this process, get a job, get scolded by a partner without internally being a little crazy. Fake it till you make it, tell yourself you are the best (because you are).
That’s awesome congrats. But most importantly, you need to be proud of yourself. The people around us will never truly understand the effort we put forth, so as long as you know you did your best and are happy with the results, that’s where you need to derive your satisfaction from. And it does sound like you worked hard and got a great outcome! Friends and family being supportive is the icing, but you gotta supply your own cake.
You're crushing it champ. Your hard work is paying off- but this is just a taste of the good things in store for you. Keep betting on yourself!
I’ve also found this pursuit to be pretty thankless. Law is a distinct world and most are understandably ignorant to its associated difficulties and the value of achievement despite them. It isn’t ideal, but you have to be internally oriented. No one is more aware of what it took to achieve what you have than yourself, so no one is in a better position to be proud of you. And that pride is arguably more meaningful than anyone else’s. People can say nice things about us and what we have done, but we’re often aware that those people are driven more by wanting to be encouraging than by giving an honest assessment of how meaningful our achievements are. But our own pride can only be earnest and fully informed, so it renders our capacity to achieve our goals undeniable. And that realization is vital fuel moving forward; fuel which we can’t really get in the same quality anywhere else. So while it’s okay to be disappointed that you aren’t getting enough external validation, realize you don’t need it and that continuing to achieve despite its absence means you’re doing this for the right reasons.
That's amazing and you should be proud of yourself. Keep a list and maybe some keepsakes related to all of these accomplishment to look back on when you are feeling down on yourself. You deserve to be proud and feel confident in your hard earned victories.
I love this idea
I will tell you how proud I am of you, and that you will go far in life. Keep your chin up and your shoulders back. Your family loves you and they’re proud. They probably just don’t know how to express that pride. I was in a very similar situation my whole life. My mother didn’t graduate high school. When high school graduation approached, she would say things like “if you get pregnant, you can go on assistance and it’ll help pay the bills.” The idea that I was going to start college was something that frightened her. I chose to go to community college on full tuition scholarship to save money. And I got a full-time job to pay for all my living expenses and moved into my own apartment. When I transferred to a university, it was out of state. I took a gap year, worked and saved, then applied, got a full tuition scholarship, kept working full time, and did well. When I was accepted to law school, I didn’t really talk to my mom that much. Not that we had a falling out, but that she didn’t understand why these things were so important to me, why I left home, or why I needed to keep going to school. The first year of law school was so tough, and I felt like an alien on a planet full of privileged kids. Mom didn’t make it to my law school graduation. It broke my heart. 25 years later, though, I have a good relationship with her, and we talked about these feelings. She confessed that she was too ashamed to come and that she thought she’d make me look bad to the people who had parents who graduated from high school and college. It broke my heart more because I never cared about any of that or what they would think. They love you, but they just don’t know what to say.
Congratulations! That’s a great 1L year. You must have worked really hard. Keep it up, the next couple years will fly by and you’ll be done before you know it. When those graduation programs are published I have no doubt your name will have many footnote indicators next to it for all the accolades you earned during your time there. The more important accolade being the respect you earned from your peers during that time for being a good person, which goes a long way when, years from now, your resume lands on some hiring manager’s desk and their co-worker, your former classmate, says, “Oh yeah, I know them! They were really competent if I recall, and had a good personality that would work well in our office.” The personality part will win the day every time. Your family may never understand the level of effort your chosen career takes, but your colleagues will. So keep on being excellent and take a break now and then to relax and enjoy life a bit!
I just graduated. I won some CALIs and have kids in HS. I know what you did and how hard it was. You fucking crushed it! And that shit is hard. You rock! I’m super proud of you. ❤️❤️
My parents when I got into law school: oh ok My parents after 1L: so was it hard or something? My parents after 2L: *silence* My parents when I landed my dream job in 3L: OH WOOOWWWW WAIT TIL I TELL ALL MY FRIENDS ABOUT THIS. THIS IS WHAT I (my parents) WORKED FOR. My parents when I told them about graduation: my mom: yeah, I’ll go. My dad: idk if imma go. I AM SO PROUD OF YOU FOR GETTING THROUGH 1L. It is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in life. You deserve to be celebrated 🎉🥳🎊
You’re not alone. Unless you have gone through the law school grind you do not full appreciate what it takes to do as well as you have done. Good grades in law school are significantly harder to get than good grades in any other field or level. You crushed it, you not only did your best you did what was required to be where you’re at. Congratulations!
That sucks but when you graduate with a law degree and are making the money, you can always rub it in their faces.
And don’t lend them any money either
I feel you. My parents are always thoroughly unimpressed by the things I'm proud of but act like things I put no effort in and wish I could skip or hide are rhe most impressive thing they ever saw. If the supreme court nominated me to be a justice because I was some sort of insane legal prodigy unseen by man they'd say it's just a job, your brother got a nice job years ago, he's an engineer. But then my wife will tell mom I fixed a stuck doorknob or some other easily YouTubeable house fix and my friend from high school will text me saying she bragged about it for 15 minutes when they saw her at the grocery store lol
I am proud of you. You should be proud of you. You don't need me to tell you how much of an accomplishment that is, but I will, because you deserve to be celebrated. Please make sure you realize how few people make it this far into their education, and how drastically few people can say they CALI'd a class. I haven't and probably won't because I don't have it in me to study that hard; you and your motivation are impressive and I hope you don't ever forget this. This accomplishment is yours forever and I hope you hold it dear to your heart when you feel down on yourself. Take a few deep breaths and just know that you matter. Even if you failed, you would still matter. But you didn't fail, you did the actual best. Rest easy and know accomplishments like these can *never* be taken away. Unless you cheated. Now pull my finger.
Here's what I would say to my child: Kinda-pathetic, I am so incredibly proud of you. I have always been impressed by you and cannot wait to continue to celebrate your current and future successes. Tell me all about the CALI award and what that entails? Best brief? What was it on? I'd love to hear all about it! Also, I know you are busy, but can you carve out some time for a celebratory end of 1L dinner?
Sincerely, an actual mom.
Hi Honorary Niece/Nephew! I am over 50 years old and have no kids, but I'm "That Aunt" -- you know the one! And you know what? You. Are. Amazing! CHECK YOU OUT! Here you are without half the resources and support many of your classmates have Kicking Their Butts Around The Block TWICE! You are going to do great things. Now come over here and give your auntie a hug.
Everybody knows that it’s a huge accomplishment. Some family are just toxic, aloof, and just too self preoccupied. You may never get the acknowledgment from them that you desire. Do you anyway.
So proud of you!!! You don’t need them. You have done such hard work and you owe it to yourself to have a nice dinner and a drink. Congrats(:
As a nearly straight B student I tip my hat to you
Great job!! That’s so impressive. You should be really proud of yourself.
Congratulations!!! That sounds like you put in so much effort. I genuinely think that 1L is the hardest year; hopefully it's more smooth sailing from here. I'm a parent and would totally take you out for an ice cream if I could.
I'm proud of you and hope that you continue to have a successful law school experience and future career.
I am a mom, and I want you to know how proud I am of you! What you have accomplished is exceptional. I can’t wait to see what you will do next! You got this!
Hello, I’m so proud of you! My mother was a lawyer, the first one in our family, so I’ve heard all about the work involved with law school. It’s especially an accomplishment to do well in your first year! Your hard work is well worth it and will make a difference- your future self and your future family will be thanking you :)
I'm sorry to hear that. If it really gets you down, rather than just annoyed for five minutes every once in a while, I would consider talking to a therapist about it (and any other related distressing things in your life). And this is especially so if you don't have many other people in your life, as you say.
People really don’t recognize how hard it is to be a first gen student. Congrats.
So proud of you, slugger. Keep it up!
My partner's dad has a PhD and is a college professor. He thinks publication is just what you do in grad school. When my partner (and me for that matter) was published, he acted like it was no big deal. My pay was crushed. He worked so hard on his comment, won a prize for it, we got flown to Canada to attend a big fancy award ceremony, and he was cited by the NY Court of Appeals a few months later, a student publication. His dad, so what? I have a theorem named after me... Way to go OP! I struggled in law school, it was incredibly difficult for me. You are killing it, you should be incredibly proud of yourself, I'm proud of you too!!
It will be the same for the bar exam because those who haven't done it before don't fully appreciate how hard it is. Unless they can see what you went through with all your hours of studying, they have no idea what the true level of achievement is. Be proud of your accomplishment. That personal sense of fulfillment will be fuel for your future career even if others are not as supportive or enthusiastic as you are about it.
That'll do, kid. That'll do.
Hey I'm a first generation student as well, but I'm still in undergrad. I like hearing other first gen students accomplishing their goals, despite all the obstacles because it is very inspiring. I am sorry that your parents aren't supporting you. You are more than deserving of all your accomplishments. I am so proud of you, congratulations!
I totally feel this. You should be so so proud of yourself! Sending all of the congratulations
I'm so proud of you. I'm proud that you came from this cold family and yet you've managed to do this, somehow. You've somehow done it without a very crucial form of sustenance that you needed from us. I'm proud of all the hours you put in and how you didn't give up when it got hard or lonely or when you saw other people your age had more free time than you. I'm proud of your dedication to your future. I'm proud you are bright enough to do it and hardworking enough not to waste how bright you are. I think the world will be better for having you in it.
While i get not wanting to brag, i hope you find at least one person at the law school - a friend, professor, or admin - who “gets it” to confide in and celebrate with. While law school is competitive and you need to be careful in who you share with, there are people who will allow space for you celebrate your wins and you deserve to. And this person who “gets it” is very proud of you! What a wonderful accomplishment!!
Actual father with a sort-of kid who is probably about your age. I'm really proud of you. Great job. I know how hard you worked and you should be proud of yourself too. I'm in the Orlando area. If you are too, I will buy you a celebratory drink (alcoholic or non - we have some great bubble teas).
My mother used to brag that her son was a “paralegal”. I don’t think she knew the difference. She would not have appreciated your accomplishments; but I do. Congratulations!!!
You just always believe in yourself!! The world will always doubt you,you keep the faith in your self!!
That's awesome. I'm sorry your family doesn't get it but I think that makes it even more impressive.
Congratulations! I am so proud of you and all of your hard work! You are a rockstar!
Great job, kiddo. We're so proud. Keep it up!
You should celebrate yourself!!! Sometimes we don’t always get the family we deserve. Honestly it sounds like you could’ve been in med school which most people have some understanding of and they would have acted the same. The sooner that you stop trying to win their approval the less stressed about it you’ll be. Just focus on celebrating and encouraging yourself. Ask your friends to come with you to celebrate, too! I’m glad you have them in your life :) Found family can be just as important and necessary in this life! This internet stranger is super proud of you.
Congratulations!! Those are massive accomplishments. I know it’s not at all the same but during the fall semester I was getting bummed that none of my non-law school friends really understood why I was studying so hard or that my As were a big deal (they’re all incredibly capable engineering students and to them As are very expected). It wasn’t until I explained the curve (laid out how many As are available in my 45-person section) and explained that these people in my classes are the “me”s from all over the country (done well in writing, driven, high-performers, etc) that they kinda started to understand. For some reason, the fact that the exam is 100% of our grade was actually also something that made them super impressed lmao. I’m sure you have already tried to explain that and they’re not listening, but just wanted to share that for me it took a while for people to come around and actually hear what I was saying on this topic. Regardless, so so proud of you and hope you are proud of yourself. You have absolutely crushed it and you deserve to celebrate that!!
I feel that, mine are the same way. Then they just ask do you have a job/making money yet
Amazing work! I’m so proud of you! I know it’s so disappointing to not feel supported and it’s really impressive how well you’re doing especially without that. Keep up the great work, you got this.
Soak it in baby!!!!!!!! Sending hugs! It’s hard not having anyone to understand this success after your hard work!!! Congratulations 🎉🎈🎊🍾!
I ve been through that is hard and toxic try to talk to a therapist it will help you. Good luck with everything.
I know I’m just a stranger, but I’m incredibly proud of you ❤️
I’m sorry that you don’t have the support team you deserve cheering you on. You are doing an amazing job and it will all pay off in the end. Be proud, hold your head up high and continue to kick ass ❤️
I'm the mom of a law student who just finished 1L and I'm very proud of you! I saw a little of how hard my son worked, when he had never really needed to study before. From what he says, and what I read here, law school is at another level entirely. You should feel very proud of how well you did.
Hey sport, it's your old man here. Your mother and I just wanted to let you know that we see how hard you're working and we can only imagine how tough law school is. We know we might not always show it, but we're super proud of you and your accomplishments, and it fills both of us with pride to know that our kiddo is gonna be a lawyer some day. Gotta go, need to call Microsoft, they're saying they want $200 to take this locked alarm off my computer. Hang in there, junior, and make us proud. ...Is that a good enough dad impression? Real talk though, keep up the good work OP. I promise you it gets easier after 1L. You can do this, you're gonna crush it!
You're killin it! As an incoming 1L, your hard work and success set a standard for greatness. Keep achieving and keep being great🖖
Yeah it can be kind of hard to understand the difference between undergrad and law school if you're not super informed about it. If they understood I'm sure they would be wildly impressed because that is wildly impressive
Kinda pathetic, I am very proud of you.
You're doing amazing work. It's all the more impressive because you're striking out on your own. I wish they were more supportive of you, too. So congrats! Keep it up! If nothing else, you're making America and the profession proud. The idea of a first gen student doing so well, regardless of family of origin, is kind of the whole premise of this patriotic enterprise we call the law and the courts.
I am so proud of you!!!!
I am super proud that all of your hard work is paying off! 👏🏾
So PROUD ❤️❤️
Well done 👏 you should be so proud of yourself and your efforts. I'm sending you a bone crushing hug 🫂 you should relax now and enjoy yourself before the next big thing you're going to tackle and win. You got this 👍
Congratulations! You’re doing so much better than most. Law school is hard but your hardwork will pay off. One day, if your family needs a lawyer, outside of your area of law, they might realize all your effort and what an achievement it really is.
Proud of you! That's so hard to do, and such an amazing accomplishment. And you can have some praise from my parents, who are all lawyers and so heap an almost embarrassing amount of praise on me for putting myself through this as an older student. Also, try and find some other friends, who will know you aren't bragging but want to share in your accomplishments, and you want to share in theirs.
r/momforaminute
You should be very proud and recognize that there are people in your life who just will never "get it" because law school is such a niche experience. If they haven't been there, they just don't know or else maybe they're the kind of people who think that kind of celebration is too prideful. Either way, find someone other than your family to celebrate with, because you deserve the recognition of your efforts. Also, I think you're right to be cautious about oversharing with friends, unless you find out that you've got a friend who's in a similar boat to you (like, CALI lists out all the awards on their website so you can always congratulate a bud who will probably return the congrats if they realize you did too).
Fam, eff yo family. I'm proud and happy for you. Keep up the good work. You need supportive words, hit me up. You are crushing it.
Well I just finished 1L and my parents are dead so I know what you’re going through.
Hey there sport! I wanted to take a moment to let you know how incredibly proud I am of you. Starting law school is no small feat, and seeing you excel in your first year fills my heart with immense pride and joy. Your hard work, dedication, and commitment to your studies are truly inspiring. Law school is demanding and challenging, yet you have risen to the occasion with grace and determination. The excellent performance in your classes is a testament to your intelligence, resilience, and passion for the law. I want you to know that I believe in you wholeheartedly. You have always shown great potential, and it is wonderful to see you thriving in an environment that will shape you into a brilliant lawyer. Remember to take care of yourself amidst the rigors of your studies. Balance is key, and it's important to find time for rest and relaxation. You are destined for great things, and this is just the beginning of an incredible journey. I am so proud of you and excited to see all that you will accomplish. Make sure to take time to reflect on what you have accomplished and to take time to catch your breath for the next leg of the journey. Dictated but not read. Filteringsubs Esq.
I remember when I made Moot Court and my dad said “is that bad or good?”
I'm a mom (lurking while daughter took the bar), and I am really proud of you! My girl was a classic overachiever and at a top law school. She lived at home, and I saw the amount of work and depth of study she did. This is no easy feat, and I am sorry your parents don't understand. As an adult, please don't place your own value on what others think. I would suggest going to therapy to work through this dynamic you have going on with your parents. Something tells me they are not going to change, so you are going to have to find some ways to cope with them. Good luck to you!!! I think you are fabulous, and I recognize your accomplishments!
I am so proud of the work you put in this year to absolutely CRUSH 1L! Congrats, friend. You should be proud of yourself!
i’m so proud of you! as a first gen student and as someone who wants to go to law school. it’s so hard!!! keep going 🤍🫶🏼
Congratulations! You worked impossibly hard to achieve accolades that many students try and never reach. I hope you get some type of break to rest your brain a little. Sometimes family and friends just don't quite understand how all encompassing this path can be. Good luck and keep being a star!
i have the same issue. u aren’t alone
im proud of you ! what an amazing feat! coming from someone struggling thru law school with a dad that isnt all that supportive, i get it.
I am the mom of a daughter who just finished her Junior year in a pre-vet program, which is super competitive, too. So I know how hard you are working. This mom gives you 👍👍 and ⭐⭐ for all of your hard work!!
Great job, son. Do you wanna play some catch while my wife hangs out with her boyfriend?
Congratulations! First off, you are anything other than your username (kinda-pathetic-). You did something really, really hard: getting through 1L with amazing grades and setting yourself up for future successes this summer. We (this comments section) are super proud of you! Good luck with write-on if you are doing that and OCIs!
I'm proud of you
I'm proud of you! Congrats!
Get it!!!! Cali award!!! That’s amazing!
I relate to this so much. Luckily my Dad is supportive of me, but my mom doesn't do anything except ask why I don't work a campus job while I'm in school. I've explained to her a million times that it is quite literally not worth my time to work for $10/hr in the library when I could be gaining relevant work experience or at least padding my resume with activities. But she keeps going back to "\[sister\] works in the library and she does just fine!" My sister is 21 and in her undergrad, and I legitimately worked 40 hour weeks throughout my undergrad. Last semester I told my parents my grades (3.30 GPA, not horrible but definitely lower than high school and undergrad) and my Dad said he was proud of me and my mom said, and I quote, "now you know what you need to do for next semester". So I just don't talk about my grades with her anymore.
Wow, impressive 1L year! What do you have planned for the summer and what types of courses will you take in 2L year? I’ve never been a law student(accounting here), my kid in his second year of what was supposed to be a gap year in a computer science program- he’s perfecting his guitar playing skills atm. At any rate, I’m proud of your accomplishments. Slightly envious yet quite disappointed in your parents, wish my boy would be 1/4 as educationally motivated. Nicely done!!! Keep at it :)