MY JOURNEY THROUGH LAW SCHOOL

I know most of my blog posts are usually about breaking down and simplifying legal concepts, but today, I want to do something different. I want to pause the educating and take a moment to share my journey through law school, raw, unfiltered, and straight from the heart. My hope is that as you read this, you’ll be reminded that it’s okay to stumble, it’s okay to take time to find your path, and most importantly, it’s okay to be human. If you’ve ever felt like giving up, I hope this encourages you to keep going and stay focused on your goal. You’re not alone. 

I’ve spent the last few years walking through one of the most demanding yet beautiful journeys of my life, law school. From the moment I received my admission letter, I knew my life was about to change, but I didn’t fully grasp just how much I would grow, learn, and evolve not just as a future lawyer, but as a woman of purpose, discipline, and faith. Now, as I prepare to turn the page and step into a new season, I feel led to reflect. 

When I first started law school, like some law students, it wasn’t my dream. Ever since I can remember, I wanted to be a doctor. That had always been the plan. But when my cluster points weren’t high enough, medicine was no longer an option. Law was my backup, and to be honest, I didn’t even think I’d get selected. But somehow, I did, and since that door opened, I decided to walk through it and just move on. After admission, I wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about the academic side of things. I was more excited about being on campus, the friendships, the sherehes, and everything in between. I missed a lot of classes and, truthfully, I was just in school for the sake of it. First year was really fun; I fully embraced the ‘campus life’ without much commitment to my education. I remember sitting in class and watching people confidently answer questions I thought were impossible or too difficult. I used to wonder how they even understood what the lecturer was saying, because half the time, I was completely lost.

In second year, things started going south. I got involved in a business that, at the time, seemed like the right move, something new, exciting, and full of potential. Little did I know I was in for quite the ride. There’s a narrative constantly circulating on social media, among friends, and even relatives: “Degree ni karatasi tu,” or “Watu wa degree bado wanakaa kwa mzazi bila kazi,” or “Siku hizi, degree haina maana kama huna connections.” These messages were being pumped into my mind every single day I spent in that business. Over time, I began to believe them. I started wondering if maybe I was wasting my time in law school, if it was more important to ‘get the bag’ than to spend four more years in school. I even questioned if my parents really knew what was best by investing in my education. I felt like I understood life and money better than they did.

The interesting thing is, my parents are both successful and they knew that education was key to their success. But because I had bought into those negative narratives, I conveniently hid from them the kind of information I was being fed. One thing I’m deeply grateful for is that I never decided to quit school entirely, I just wasn’t fully focused. 

Sometimes, I’d try to avoid responsibility for my actions by blaming the business, but I would often ask myself: “I wasn’t forced to believe these things, so why did I?” and “Was I not grounded in my purpose enough that it was easy to get distracted?” and “I have a brain, why wasn’t I using it?”

Though this business distracted me for a while, it became an important part of my law school journey. I’m truly thankful for the lessons it taught me about career growth, personal development, money, and even my relationship with God. Would I recommend it to someone else? Absolutely not. But I’m glad I was able to turn lemons into lemonade.

By the time I reached third year, I knew I had to start working to recover my degree. The first two years had been a whirlwind of distractions and lost focus, but in fourth year, everything changed. That’s when I became truly focused, I knew what I wanted and wasn’t afraid to go after it. My mindset shifted completely. Instead of dwelling on how law school wasn’t my first dream, I chose to create a new dream for myself.

Thanks to the lessons I had learned, I realized the importance of having clear goals and a plan to achieve them. It wasn’t easy getting back on track, but I was fortunate to have support from people who genuinely cared about me. I gained much more clarity about the people around me, this time, I could distinguish friends from acquaintances and classmates. I understood that growth and evolution had to be constant, so I began picking up books beyond just my law school materials.

Overall, my third and fourth years were about finding myself and rediscovering my goals. While I’m not yet the person I want to become, I am very proud of who I am now. By the end of my final year exams, I can confidently say that I made significant progress.

Looking back, my journey through law school has been anything but conventional. From starting off unsure and distracted, to getting swept up in external voices, to finally finding clarity, discipline, and purpose, I’ve grown in ways I never imagined. Law school didn’t just teach me about the law; it taught me about life, identity, grace, and resilience.

I may not have started this journey with passion, but I’m ending it with purpose. Every setback, every detour, and every lesson played a role in shaping me. This chapter may be ending, but my story is far from over. In my next blog post, I’ll be sharing 5 key lessons I learned during my time in law school, lessons that I hope will encourage, inspire, and maybe even challenge you on your own journey.