August 27, 2026
At the start of every academic year, the editors of The Temple 10-Q share tips for new law students to approach their first year of law school. The two-part series contains advice that applies to all 1Ls.
- You don’t know what you don’t know. This is the motto of 1L year that the whole school lives by (including professors)! You are starting a new journey, and your whole class is in the same boat of learning how to navigate law school, interpret the law, brief a case, etc. The great thing is you are not alone and you will learn! Some may need more time than others to get the hang of it, but remember this is not a race, give yourself grace, and Temple is there to support you along the way.
- Get help before you need it. For many students, law school is the first educational setting in which there are limited opportunities for individualized feedback. In prior academic settings, frequent interaction with teachers may have made it possible to succeed without attending office hours or seeking extra guidance. As a result, asking professors or teaching assistants (TAs) for help during 1L can feel awkward or intimidating. The best way to overcome that discomfort is to attend office hours before you are struggling. Introduce yourself to your professors and TAs early in the semester, ask a question about the material, or simply discuss how to approach the course. Building those relationships early makes it much easier to seek guidance when you need it most. By laying that foundation early, you make asking for help a normal part of your law school routine, not something you turn to only when you feel behind.
- Join an affinity group or student organization and actually get to know people. Especially for 1Ls, affinity groups can give you an immediate community outside your section. You meet people with similar backgrounds and interests, but also upper-class students who have already survived the professors, exams, OCI, journals, clinics, etc. And don’t feel like you have to belong to a particular identity group to show up to an organization’s open events.
- Talk to the 2Ls and 3Ls. Yes, Temple has a lot of formal resources and you should absolutely use them. Reach out to the various deans, professors, and counselors. But your fellow law students, who have a year or two of law school under their belt, also have a valuable perspective. For example, it’s one thing for a dean[BS1] to say: “Getting one bad grade doesn’t mean you’ll be unemployed.” It’s another thing to hear a 3L say: “I didn’t do amazing my first semester, but I still ended up at my dream job because I did X, Y and Z.” That perspective can be incredibly helpful and reassuring.
- Actually do the reading. Case briefs, commercial outlines, and Quimbee can be great supplements, but they are not substitutes for reading the cases yourself—especially during your first year. A big part of 1L is learning how to read a judicial opinion: identifying what matters, separating the rule from dicta, following the court’s reasoning, and figuring out why your professor assigned the case in the first place. You will get faster at it with practice, but you only get that practice by actually reading. That said, you do not need to understand every sentence or spend three hours decoding a five-page case. Read thoughtfully, use supplements when you are confused, and come to class prepared to engage with the material.
- Buy used books and check out library resources. Law school already comes with a steep price tag between tuition, supplies, and relocation costs. Casebooks don’t have to be part of that burden. Before buying new, check whether Temple Law Library has a copy on reserve, ask upperclassmen who’ve taken the course if they still have theirs, and search online—used copies and older editions are often available for a fraction of the price.
- Make a schedule and stick to it. Every week make a to-do list for each day of that week. Schedule your readings for class, meetings, and time for yourself. This will give you an idea as to what you are up against each week, and you can plan accordingly. The further ahead you plan, the more leeway you give yourself if an assignment takes longer than anticipated or something unexpected comes up. If you keep your schedule regimented and treat it like a job, you have more time to stay healthy, go to the gym, cook, hang out with friends, and go to sleep at a reasonable time.
- Develop a routine—consistency is key. Law school is unlike undergrad. You will have to balance long reading assignments with foreign concepts, all while trying to network to secure a summer job. Your first year will be hard, but it is doable and should be enjoyable. To conquer your first year, you should create a routine that works for you. Schedule a daily time slot to review your class notes and set aside time on the weekends to complete all of your readings. Don’t neglect yourself—try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. Schedule time for the gym or another activity that keeps your body moving. Don’t forget to have fun—keep up with the hobbies that you enjoy and spend time with your friends regularly. Stay in contact with your loved ones and friends from back home. You may not have as much free time as you used to, but try to make good use of the time that you do have.
- Give yourself a bedtime. As enticing as it is to stay up and try to finish that one last reading, it is almost never worth losing sleep over. It is not beneficial to stay up into the early hours reading cases if you won’t remember them in the morning when you are in class. Calculate how much sleep you need to function well the next day while still making it to class about 10 minutes early to settle in. Set an alarm for that time to let you know to stop working and go to bed. As you may already realize, there will always be more you can be doing in law school, but you should not sacrifice your sleep, or you will also find you sacrifice your sanity.
- Take care of yourself and your relationships. Law school can completely consume you if you let it, but do not let it stop you from spending time with the people you care about. Even if you are less available than you were before, schedule time to catch up with your family and friends. It is easy to get caught up in your law school bubble, but spending time with the people you love will give you a much-needed break and perspective on what is important.