As L&L’s social convener, I get the opportunity to connect with a lot of our classmates while I host weekly online social events.The majority of messages that I receive are from club execs who reach out to me for advice on hosting online events or from colleagues asking about plans for the upcoming winter semester (no, I don’t know the answer to that). As we’ve progressed through the school year, I’ve noticed increasing feelings of burnout, frustration, and a general lack of motivation.
Besides the regular stresses of school, we must deal with added challenges that arise due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For one, Zoom burnout is real and looking at a blank screen while a professor lectures about the law for two hours is draining. Additionally, outside of school, several external factors increase anxiety, like the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases and ever-changing social distancing measures. Furthermore, the unpredictable law school environment where professors add unplanned asynchronous/synchronous lectures and additional readings to our courses is incredibly frustrating and may be why this year is more stressful than usual.
That’s not to say that online lectures have been entirely negative. There have been some benefits to this altered environment and several classmates have had positive experiences. For example, some professors have updated their teaching styles, clubs are hosting unique events, people spend less time commuting and more time with loved ones, and having recorded/asynchronous lectures has made learning more accessible. These innovations have been great, but the focus of my discussions have been on how to overcome zoom burnout and how to get “re-motivated”. A common question I’m asked is: Am I the only one feeling this? The answer is no.
Whether it’s the judges writing wonky decisions that make no sense or the challenges of learning how to “think like a lawyer”, law is challenging. The challenges of law make it easy to forget that we are in the midst of a global pandemic and a massive economic meltdown. It can feel ridiculous to be reading Denning decisions about estoppel while the world and the economy are being turned upside down. The combination of school stress and general life stress is oppressive. Feeling frustrated, unmotivated, or burnt-out is a likely symptom of this. It is ok to not feel ok. You are not alone.
It’s important to remember a few things. First, you made it to law school. You may feel “imposter syndrome”, but rest assured you are no imposter. Osgoode selected you among thousands of applicants due to your academic credentials and, most importantly, your interest in law and law school. Keep those interests close to your heart; remember why you came to law school. It should be your north star. Second, ask for help. Some legal principles won’t click at first. That’s all good; it happens to all of us. That doesn’t mean you’re going to fail or never get the job you want. Don’t be afraid to reach out to friends, Dean’s Fellows, or your professors. Help one another out. Third, and maybe most importantly, be kind to yourself. A lot is going on right now, and ignoring everything that’s happening can take a toll on you. With school online, it’s easy to spend way too many hours sitting at your computer. Take breaks, pick up a non-law book, go for a walk, take up a hobby. You don’t have to spend every waking hour of the day doing law. You can and should do other things. As Osgoode students, we are incredibly lucky because we have so much going on. Go to a club event, attend a Thursday night social, participate in Mock Trial, or attend a law talks panel.
As my colleague Silas Lee wrote last week, law school is hard, it’s what makes success, success. It’s a great piece and I recommend reading it (looking at you 1Ls). Be that as it may, it’s ok to not feel ok. Feelings of burnout, frustration, and anxiety are natural. Those feelings are valid. Please pay attention to them, be kind to yourself, reach out to friends, and help those who reach out to you. Take breaks and remember that you’re not going through this alone.