Are you about to start your law degree this autumn?
With the long-term impact of Covid still very much up in the air, we speak to finalist Gareth Smith from Northumbria University’s Grey Society about his top tips for making the most of your degree and university opportunities.
How to be a fresher in 2020
2020 is a year like no other. As a current third year student, I will never have to experience a socially distanced freshers’ week and first year. I’m sure that you are blindingly aware that it won’t be the experience you quite imagined, but try to make the most of what you can.
Here are some quick fire tips to get you started on the best footing:
Get to know your way around campus and the library - you will still need them even if learning is mostly online.
Make sure your internet is good. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to watch a live lecture that keeps buffering - it can really de-motivate even the hardest working of students.
Your flatmates are your family. Even if they don’t study law, they will become your biggest support network and guide you through the ups and downs of a law degree (there will be stressful times!). Don’t be afraid to lean on this support – for example, asking them to spell check your work or joining you for a late night library session!
Try to enjoy freshers week as much as possible. Your first year at university is really full on (and probably even more so than usual, thanks to covid this year!), so make sure that you spend this time settling in, making new friends and fully experiencing freshers week to the max. You will have plenty of time to get your head down as soon as term officially starts, and you will want to focus on work once you get going so that you don’t get left behind in the first few weeks of teaching.
Read your books. Yes, you are going to have to put aside time each week to do this, but it makes life so much easier at the end of the year.
TOP TIP - check your reading list and see if the library has copies of any of your reading list books. If there is a book that you need, speak to the librarians as often they can order this in for you – don’t purchase all your books yourself until you know what you are going to use! Don’t forget that you can use our special Grey Society discount code to get money off your first Law Answered Revision Notes purchase!
Which modules should I pick?
In true lawyer fashion there is no right or wrong answer to this question!
You need to figure out what type of law excites you. If you have a career set on becoming a barrister, then you should pick some criminal law modules, but don’t feel limited to what you think you are interested in – you never know what you might find an interest in if you keep your options open. Your lecturers can (and usually love to) advise on what your best choices are. Don’t be afraid to go and ask them or older students about the different modules on offer. Speaking to tutors is also a great way to see which lecturers you connect with and therefore which courses you may enjoy more!
You are also likely to have a number of compulsory modules in your first year to ensure that you gain a strong understanding of the legal system, contracts and tort.
Another think to consider if what type of law you will need to have studied to apply to any prospective jobs. You can do this by making connections in your chosen area of law and asking recruiters at firms if there are any subjects that they are ideally look for a candidate to have studied.
However, the best advice is to just choose options you think you will enjoy and ones that are assessed in a way you learn the best - some people suit course work, others suit exams. At the end of the day, a passionate, knowledgeable law student is far more likely to get a training contract than a law student that has completed the right modules for the role but brings no enthusiasm or specific knowledge to the interview.
Studying for exams
Exams. Undoubtedly the worst part of life at university are the exams!
I, like many others, struggle with exam pressure and stress and so I know how difficult this time can be. Some of the things that I have found to be useful in managing my stress and focusing on learning include:
Re-watching lectures online and make additional notes to consolidate my knowledge
Writing a list of popular questions that may be examined and preparing model answers. Even if these topics don’t come up, this will help you understand how to structure an exam answer quickly.
Make sure that you attend all revision seminars. Tutors like to give handy tips or set questions for prep that mirror exams so don’t treat these as optional.
Create a pairs matching game with cases, topics and rules of law (this may sound basic, but it really helps consolidate knowledge and learn cases!)
Give yourself plenty of time to prepare!
In Gareth’s next blog installment, he will dive into the various ways of finding work experience opportunities to boost your CV in preparation for Vac Scheme and Training Contract applications.
Gareth Smith is a third year Mlaw student at Northumbria University, Chair of Northumbria Students' Union Student Council and Fundraising & Volunteering Officer for The Grey Society (Northumbria’s Law Society). He is hoping to enter the sports and media law sector and is also passionate about gender equality and mental health work.
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