Preserving your identity during university

By Vridhi Mathur.

Reading time: four minutes 

Balancing legal studies and maintaining a strong sense of self-identity can be challenging but rewarding for anyone pursuing a legal career. This article fleshes out how to maintain your balance in different situations whilst staying true to yourself.

Starting point

Balancing the demands of a law degree can be challenging, leaving little room for self-reflection. However, it is crucial for you to understand your identity and where you stand at each step of your journey. This is because it leads to the formation of your base that helps you navigate and keep up with the demands of your studies.

It is important to take breaks if you don’t already, to reflect on your values, beliefs, and the reason behind your goals and simultaneously organise your legal career in the long run. This is not a one-day task and Rome wasn’t built in a day; however, you could achieve this by reflecting upon the subjects you like or dislike, spending time speaking to people in the legal field, and most importantly by staying focused.

Setting boundaries

Law school is a tough and confusing journey, and you will often question where you stand in the rat race, especially towards the end of your degree. During this period, try to set some boundaries by carving out time in your personal life to spend time with friends and family. This is a lifetime skill that you will need when you start practicing as a lawyer, so it is recommended to start now than later.

Additionally, legal studies can be mentally and emotionally taxing and everyone copes in different ways but one way to combat this, is by incorporating some mindful exercises in your daily routine. This will preserve emotional stability and mental clarity which will help you stay grounded and focused. You could also achieve this by going to the gym, doing some yoga, meditation, or even going on walks to clear your head.

When you keep in touch with what you love, it helps align your personal beliefs with your job. This will make you excited and enthusiastic about law. Keeping in touch with what you love makes you realise how important hobbies are in your life, especially with the chaos of law studies. It helps you stay true to yourself in law school and beyond.

Finding your passion

Legal studies offer an abundance of opportunities and each of them is made available to cater and suit different personalities in this field. Lawyers can indeed do it all, but these specialisations help you look at topics that interest and excite you. By knitting your studies with your passion – maintaining your identity becomes an organic and enriching process. The process of choosing your niche will inevitably be difficult in both legal study and personal growth. Therefore, you must consider them as incentives for development rather than as roadblocks. This is not a one-day exercise, and it may take a while to reach a point of decision, hence, it is important to remember that every obstacle presents a possibility to grow personally and improve your approach in both your professional and personal lives.

Diversity and Inclusion

The legal profession benefits from having lawyers who work from across the world which allows you to interact with a diverse group of people in the legal sector. Opportunities such as virtual and in-person events, open days, and vacation schemes offer the perfect platforms for you to embrace your unique identity. Nobody is looking for one set of people, everybody enjoys hearing about different perspectives and appreciates varied mindsets. Actively engaging yourself in discussions during networking events about diversity and inclusion will give you an upper hand in cultivating a strong support system that includes mentors, peers, and friends who understand and cherish your individuality.

Take some time out to celebrate your achievements and acknowledge your milestones. By recognising your accomplishments, you reinforce the connection between your academic and personal successes.

Finally

Striking a balance between legal studies and maintaining your identity is a dynamic process. It demands introspection, flexibility, and dedication to uphold your moral principles throughout your legal journey. By constantly integrating your identity into your legal career, you can mould the right career for you, that offers you good work-life balance.