Week 1, done. Week 2, I got this.

Well, I've made it through week #2 (and the month of August!), and let's say its already been quite the ride!

Like other students the night before the first day of school, I had a hard time sleeping Sunday the 19th. I had read as much of the homework and cases I could and to the best of my ability the entire week prior. I had my outfit laid out. Yet, I had no idea just what to expect.

My first day of class I only had Property. My professor is super engaging, loves sarcastic and lame jokes, and is often illustrating the principles in class with his own wallet (losing his wallet as a matter of "lost property") or with sound effects and poorly executed accents that often sound like deranged Jersey shore natives mixed with Southerners. I find the class to be very interesting as "real property" has always been a part of my life living out on the Almostafarm in FoCo with my family. I am excited to find out more about this subject!

On my second day, I was hit pretty hard with my class load. First I had Contracts at 8:30am which meant that I woke up before 7am... Yes, you read that correctly. Law school does this to people, makes them exhibit behavior they would have never done before... The professor is nice and entertaining because when someone answers a question wrong he just kind of looks at them and then says "Someone else?" Slowly but surely I am learning his specific mannerisms so I know when I need to write something down or its one of my peers who isn't quite right.

Then I had Torts with the self-claimed "hard-ass". And yes, he is just that. Initially it's a bit intimidating and hard to know how to handle his antics but I find that I like his class the most. He is very deliberate in "grilling" us so that we get what we need to get out of the cases we read and very concretely understand the principles. Of which there are a lot. Plus the cases we read are very interesting where an old man throws a stick at kids on his sheds, or a case about Colorado in which a woman was falsely imprisoned in Fort Collins nonetheless! Dad says he knows the officer... haha

Then I have what may be the most exciting of my courses, my Lawyering Skills class. The class is my writing class where each semester you focus on different skills aka types of writing and research we will encounter as lawyers. What's unique about my class is that our professor, a practicing attorney, was assigned a case by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals here in Chicago to take on this case pro bono. So we have a "law firm" -- we being the class, professor, writing and resource center lawyers, as well as librarians -- and will be doing all the research to help our client out. That's all I am allowed to say because I don't want to sacrifice our client-attorney privileges. (<---- sooooo cool!) Once we do submit our brief, it will be a matter of public record so I believe then we can speak about it, until then I don't want to go against the professional ethics code.

This is probably my greatest creation yet as a person who loves color coding, calendars, and sticky notes :) [read OCD] (Mom and Dad, I know you're shocked I didn't end up with an excel sheet of sorts haha) Each week I can take off my study blocked out hours and arrange them as need be depending upon work schedule, etc. So in other words, its awesome.

 

During this second week I have discovered a few things. 1) packing lunches is the way to go, saves you money, gives you good brain food, overall keeps you going during long days of classes/work and being in the library (as weird as this may seem, Mom thanks for buying me that lunch box this year haha), 2) the library is an awesome place. They have big windows, and a machine that dispenses coffee, and I can be on a super quite floor or one where my peers and I can chat over the cases and eat. Altogether, library time has been very useful and productive for me. Here are some pics:

 Coffee from the machine... it's actually not that bad!

 This is the view looking out at State Street and DePaul University on the right from the 6th floor, or the main floor of the library.

 Me actually in the library. Needed photographic proof :)

 This is how I set up shot with my notecard of homework for the week, my Torts casebook (one of three this size!) and my computer to type out my beautiful case briefs I made my very own template for! Yes, I know. I am a law geek.

3) My locker might be my lifesaver. Although very high school-esque, I have never appreciated a locker as much as I do in law school. I can keep my books here overnight if I do not need to work, have a back-up phone charger in there as you can see, and I can also hang my lunch bag, jackets (winter and rain boots when needed), all in one place and not have to carry it around all day. It is amazing how sore my back was at the end of the first week.

4) Keeping books in the aforementioned locker gets my butt to school to study, therefore being waaaaay more productive.

5) Somehow I am keeping quite active between randomly walking Abby, I try to take the stairs in our condo building and at school as much as I can (just not to my class on the 11th floor because I do not think there is a direct stair route and I don't feel like dropping dead/sweating buckets on my way to one class haha). Also, I have been wearing a pedometer at work (the kitchen guys and I like to make guesses as to how many miles I walk in a night) and last Saturday, we were slammed and I walked over 9 miles!

Speaking of work, I am still at the same place and it is starting to work out much better for me. I know the system well enough and have bonded with our female owner over the past couple weeks. As for the male owner, I am learning his antics and just accept him for how he is, warts and all so to say. Last Friday and Saturday ended up being pretty good for me tip-wise, so I truly cannot complain when I am getting decent money as well as an exercise out of the entire ordeal. Just have to stay under the 20 hours a week rule, per ABA guidelines.

I've been trying to pre-cook meals so that I can easily take things for lunch or make them for dinner when I have a bit of a time crunch and I was wondering if anyone out there had any recipe suggestions! So far I have premade breakfast burritos and lasagna and frozen them both portioned out, but are there any other ideas? I have a few more but always appreciate suggestions. Not only that, leave me a comment (I do moderate them so that's why they don't show up right away) and let me know how you are! I miss everyone very much and am thankful I have this awesome 21st century tool to reach out to y'all! Also thankful for skype because who would ever want to miss out on this family action???

 Sometimes there are just no words... 

Or shirts. And evidently lots of "sketch" facial hair... haha

That's all from me for now. Need to get ready for work and embracing my long weekend to get ahead for the week! Much love!!!

From your country girl in the big city,

- Cassie

Orientation complete! Bring on class...

Hello once again from what was ever so conveniently a beautiful day in Chicago! We've had a few cooler days with lots of rain lately...

So much has happened this last week! It's truly been a whirlwind of activity and happenings around here for me. I had my first training shift on Saturday the 11th and learned a few things about this restaurant. 1 - I now know what a functional chaos looks like. 2 - the food is awesome. 3 - Although not totally in love with it yet (and it did get better by time my third shift came and gone on Wednesday), for now I am thankful to have a job and am going to make the most of it. If I truly do not enjoy my time away from studying and being in class when I am there, then I will find something else that better suits me and fits my needs for an external, money-making activity.

Wednesday morning, the 15th, I was supposed to help out ICIRR with this cool event to help young illegal immigrants apply for the DREAM Relief Act on the day the application was officially released by the government, but tragically I caught a nasty head cold. Mom thinks it's because I finally was settled in and wasn't as stressed about moving, and I think she's right (as always). Instead I spent the day getting much needed rest and started my first portion of orientation, which was right off a page out of high school times. I literally got my picture taken for this darling ID,

took care of other housekeeping items at the school to make sure I was all good to go for starting classes Monday, and I was given a locker. Yes, a locker to keep all my giant textbooks in and to put my umbrella and snow boots when the weather is less agreeable. Which, it will be.

I have been working a ton on knocking out my pages and pages of reading casebooks and taking notes. This is the scene that now exists on my desk, and probably will permanently from here on out:

 Note: iPod with legal dictionary ready to go whenever I cross some legal term I do not know (which is a lot), giant case book, laptop with self-made template for briefing my case, notepad to keep written notes and questions on as I read, chapstick (if you really know me, you know this is important), and this night I drank Coke to give me a little caffeine kick haha

Here is an example of what I am reading for my torts class, damages! Woooo Torts!

Thursday and Friday of orientation was at the Spertus Institute, a Jewish studies center of sorts, off Michigan Ave., where we had hours of jam-packed information given to us on literally every aspect of our law school career -- ranging from a virtual tour of the library, an oath of professionalism with an actual Illinois Supreme Court Justice, services for us when we feel like we are going crazy and might lose it if we read one more case and have to brief it... you know, the useful stuff.

One thing they said, and I would love to share with you all, is that this is a time in my life when I have to be a little selfish and won't be able to reach out to everyone as much as I would love to and spend quality "time" on the phone, etc. with you. So if you call, it might take me a while to call you back. That's why I created this blog to create some middle ground where I can let loose a bit via my writing and y'all can still be connected to my life. Please feel free to email, text, call, whatever you like, just give me a little time to get back to you! :)

At the end of orientation today, we had lunch on a boat, the Mystic Blue and went on a two and a half cruise of Lake Michigan. Luckily the weather was absolutely beautiful! After having rained a lot of the day yesterday. To get to Navy Pier, where our boat was docked, we got to take these open trolleys through part of downtown Chicago. Here is a pic of Kelsey and I on the trolley...

And here is a sampling of my peers...

This weekend is the Air Show with the Blue Angels and what not, so today they were practicing over the shore area of the lake and we got to see it all!

I love this one where they are cruising along the skyline...

Needless to say, the view was absolutely breathtaking today! Kelsey and I had this moment on the trolley ride back to the school where we fully realized that we are living in the big city now!

This was my gang today: Kelsey, Ryan from Montana, Joel from Milwaukee. Very cool group of people. Though Ryan and Joel are not in our section, Kelsey and I definitely want to hang out with them from time to time!

I have spent the rest of my Friday night napping, cleaning up the condo, did some dishes, and washed my sheets (don't want to sleep in the sickness anymore!). Tomorrow will be a full day of studying and getting my homework done, as will Sunday, except when I work Sunday night. Here's to the start of a new school year, a new chapter in my life, and a new and exciting journey! :)

Much love from Chicago!

- Cass

Mission find a job, complete.

Today I decided I was going to actively search for a serving gig somewhere near my condo so that I can actually have an income during these ever-so expensive law years. When I got home from class I decided to get on Craigslist one more time to see if anything new had popped up in the Wicker Park or Bucktown area. Turns out there was a posting for a little Italian joint just a couple of stops down the Blue Line from me as I am going into the city. I had a few other places I wanted to check out, but this Italian place, Tocco, happened to be my first stop.

For whatever reason it had to start raining more as I am trying to look nice in my blazer and blue jeans, with my hair tucked back. I stop at Tocco and turn in my resume to the bartender. He said he would give it to the interested party and that I should take a business card for the restaurant to check back. As I am about a block away, I get a phone call from Bruno, the Italian owner, asking if I can come back for an interview. Now a bit windblown and definitely wetter, I tried to tuck away my whisps and headed back to the restaurant.

Bruno, is a tall, tan Italian man, who was wearing a white shirt, blue blazer, and red pants. He couldn't look more the part of owner of a trendy little Italian spot. Melissa, whom I believe to be his wife, was also there to meet me and "interview me". Needless to say I got the job! The atmosphere is awesome and their food has ingredients actually shipped in from Italy. Plus the wine list is pretty impressive itself. I am going to come in at 4pm on Saturday and start my first day of training to shadow another server and begin to learn the ropes of this restaurant. 

I am excited that I get to stick with what I know, wine and Italian food, but be in a more upbeat atmosphere than I've been in before. We get to wear anything we want that is black or white, and can accent with fuchsia. They want us to express our individual styles and look forward to coming into work. Melissa said that everyone who works there is more like family than just staff. I think it will be a nice fit for me and I found that every server I talked to rather enjoyed their time spent there. So hopefully it all works out and I can make the moolah I need to live off of!

If you want to check the place out, here is their website for Tocco. 

Here's to the Chicago gods helping me out today (even in the rain)!

Until next time...

- Cass

I've finally hit the ground... jogging?

Hello, hello from a sunny day in Chi-town!

This week I started my "Early Bird Gets the Law" pre-school type law course. It goes for two hours every day for five days, and we begin to learn about the legal system, as well as what is expected from us in our courses by reading a book that breaks down an actual case that occurred in NY over a Monet painting. One of the girls who is in my section is also in the class, as well she lives close to the same L stop that I do, so Kelsey and I have been going to class together each day. (Kelsey comes from Ohio, her parents met in Tunisia in the Peace Corps, and like me, she wants to get straight A's to bring in the scholarships for next semester, so we seem to be a good fit!) We are also already cranking on our homework for our upcoming semester classes so we can use each other as extra resources to make sure we fully understand the cases and fully understand what we are supposed to be doing in our class! The course is definitely helping to ease my anxiety over what is expected of me, especially as I have the majority of my syllabi and don't really know what to make of it all yet.

I am adjusting to city life quite well so far. I find the L trains going by at night to be kind of peaceful... sick, huh? It's weird to me that when I take Abby for a walk (our darling dog) I have to pick up her poo because at home, a walk for Kaycee is going to the mailbox and she can just do her thing out in the field as she pleases. It is nice to have a dog around though, and I am very much still loving our condo. I've had a chance to work in the kitchen more this week making meals for Sami and myself, and I must say I am loving the kitchen amenities! It is fun for me to look at what limited ingredients I have and then try to make something delicious out of it! (Mom, second moms, and Grams, you should be proud for teaching me so well!)

Last night I attended my first ever WHITE SOX game! Sami's Dad is the general counsel for the team, so to say the very least, we have a pretty sweet ticket hook-up. Tonight our tix were in the "Gold Coast Club" where we had all you can eat and drink during the game. Life is tough, eh? (I, personally, see it more like enjoy these fleeting moments of spare time and sanity because it will all soon be over...)

 

Sami's family has their own brick! 

 Epicness...

 View from our seats!

 Yay roomies!

 

I swear wherever I go in this town I see my dad's name... haha

Best produce in town!

... And even at the baseball field... Dad is everywhere!

Hope all is well wherever you may be! Missing everyone back home... I need to go write a case brief now :)

- Cassie

Hello from Chicago!!!

Hello from Chicago!!!

Yes, I finally made the leap and have moved out of my parents' house (much to their dismay and relief, I do believe haha) to begin three grueling years at John Marshall Law School right in the heart of downtown Chicago!

My last week in Colorado was a blast. I went camping with my bro, his girlfriend Jenny, and my bestie from DU, Amanda at Lake McConaughy where we sufficiently got sand in our cracks, and our food, and pretty much everywhere imaginable!

 

 Randy and Jenny - Rand being a goon as always

 Amanda and I after a sandy meal...

 Amanda catching a little air on the wakeboard!

 I was trying out the Randy look... I can almost pull it off...

 Amanda and Jenny were super excited about all the sand toads... and there were a ton.

 Randy and his dang holes. Some things never change...

We came home late Tuesday night and I had a chance to spend my last few days packing up all the rest of my belongings, hanging out with old debate friends, bottled up the barbera zinfandel blend of wine I made at Vintages with Jessie Hoosey, and had a BBQ at my house Saturday afternoon to get in my last goodbyes. PS - Thanks to everyone who came out that night. I was amazed at the spread of people from all different times in my life who showed their support and love that day, just as they always have!

 This is the machine that fills the bottles with the delicious wine.

 Jessie getting her bottle on the udder...

 Here is the case! We chose all the different colors of foil for the top. I still need to make a clever label... In case of emergency? That way I can crack it open when law school gets crazy? haha

From the party:

 Pallavi! Love this girl!

 My bestie Joel! Tu me manques!!!

 Linds!!!! She was a sad girl so I harassed her...

 Ditts!

 My absolute favorite of the night! Love you both so much!

I packed up the Uhaul Sunday and early Monday morning, Mom and I set out for Chi-town. Our first day we drove all the way to just outside Iowa City and saw a lot of construction and corn. Finally had to call it quits and rested in Williamsburg. Then it was back on the road to my new home!

The condo is absolutely darling! I took some pictures once all the unpacking dust settled and was swept away.

I am living in a neighborhood known as Wicker Park/Bucktown area. It is full of young, up-and-coming professionals, young families, dog owners, and hipsters galore. There are many cultural and artsy happenings, so I think I am going to love it here. I am only about a block from the "L" stop that I can take directly into the city to go to school every day. 

 My room started off a dark brown, so Mom and I repainted immediately, with the help of my new roomie, Sami!

Dad flew in Wednesday morning and got lost on the "L" trying to figure out how to get to the Western stop that is closest to us... evidently there are three, and third times the charm! :)

Here is a tour of the place:

 Front entrance

 Entrance looking into our vintage French themed living room

 Our sweet buffet with bookshelves

 Big windows looking out into the alley and our awesome couches. The blue one has our dog, Abby on it!

 This is the balcony where I am going to get an urban garden going!

 Kitchen, or as Sami calls it "Cassie's domain"

 Here's my darling little bathroom! And, it has a bathtub!

 Entrance to my bedroom, notice much more enjoyable green color

 

 

 Delightful view from my window and desk area!

I have already received 3 of my 4 first day assignments for school, starting August 20. This semester I am taking Torts, Property, Contracts, and a special Lawyering Skills class with a focus on Civil Rights. I will be spending my next couple of weeks taking different orientation courses and starting my homework! And so the reading begins...

That is all I have to update for now! Would love to hear from you! Feel free to post a comment or you can always email me!

Sending my love from Chicago...

- Cass