Tuesday Morning Wake Up with Mariah –
Good afternoon friends & family!!
I have some very exciting news and it has to be shared. I passed the California Bar Exam, not by my own strength, but God’s. These past three years have been a real test for me. Graduating from law school and then passing the bar exam was no small feat. I shed a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. In hindsight though, I became a stronger person because I endured one of the hardest tests of my lifetime. I also learned several lessons along the way that can help me and others overcome difficult times.
Lesson 1.
Always keep friends and family nearby. Don’t push away your close friends and family during difficult times. You will need their encouragement and support. My family walked through law school with me. They listened to me rant about how much I hate law school, comforted me when the teachers posted my first-year grades and encouraged me not to give up. Ultimately, I would not have survived law school on my own. Just knowing that my mom was a phone click helped relieve my unease.
Lesson 2.
Never give up. I can guarantee you that you will encounter hardships in law school. When these difficult times surface, remain focused on your ultimate goal, and if need be, make adjustments. For instance, I knew I wanted to be an attorney since my junior year of undergrad. I had no idea though that I would have to overcome many trials to achieve this goal. My first-year grades were shameful, and I seriously contemplated giving up. In addition, I failed the bar exam in February and felt like my life was over.
However, I realized that if I quit, I would not be an attorney, which was a painful thought to process. In my mind, the long-term pain of losing was far greater than the temporary discomfort of winning. In law school, I re-prioritized my schedule to include less time with friends and more time reading supplements. In essence, the supplements were like a “Law School For Dummies” book. It summarized the law in words I could understand and included real-life hypothetical’s. My adjustments paid dividends in the end. By my last semester of law school, my overall GPA had increased almost an entire grade point.
Lesson 3.
Trust God. Most students in law school stress about their grades, job prospects, and passing the bar. I succumbed to these fears as well. After I took the bar in February, I spent the next three months anxiously awaiting the bar results, fearing I would fail and never get a job. In May, I found out I failed, and I cried for days. In the midst of my anguish though, God reminded me of his goodness. I knew if I overcame law school, I could master the bar exam. I retook the test in July and passed.
Ultimately, I don’t know what my future holds, but I do know that God won’t let me down. He didn’t let me down during law school or throughout studying for the bar exam. My job is to let him direct my life and trust that he will get me where I need to be. The journey may be arduous, but the end result will be a glorious masterpiece.
Until Next Time Be Whole and Be Fit