10 Most Useful Purchases for 1L Year of Law School
/The first year of law school is tough, but there are certain items that help make the experience better! Here are my top 10 purchases that were the most useful during my 1L year of law school.
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A large backpack
One thing about law school is that you will almost always be carrying around a bunch of super heavy textbooks. While a shoulder bag is almost always more fashionable than carrying a backpack — your shoulders will thank you if you get a normal backpack instead of a purse. If you drive to campus, you’ll likely have to walk a good distance from a parking lot or garage to your law school, so be prepared! Some classes require more than one textbook and you may have two classes in one day so plan on being able to carry 4 textbooks at once.
Laptop Stand
A laptop stand is super helpful for keeping your laptop at eye level rather than straining your neck to look down at your desk. Also, it can be super helpful if you have an online class so you can keep your laptop out of the way and have room for your textbook and a notebook on your desk. Pair it with a keyboard & a mouse and you are good to go!
Textbook Stand
A textbook stand is one of those things you never think you need until you are in law school spending hours every day reading textbooks. For at home, I prefer a more sturdy, bamboo stand but many of my classmates bring a smaller, foldable one to use during class or at the library. No matter which type you choose, this item is a must have!
Noise Cancelling Headphones
If you have roommates or plan on studying while on campus, you will be grateful for your noise cancelling headphones. They will help you stay focused on your school work but can also be helpful for drowning out the noise around you.
Sharpie Highlighters
I’m pretty sure I went through at least 30 highlighters in my first year of law school and these sharpie highlighters are my FAVS! Having multiple different color highlighters is really helpful for book briefing cases which means highlighting the different parts of a case in different colors (ex. facts in yellow, procedural history in pink, etc.). I find this to be SO helpful because it will make it super easy when you want to type up your briefs but if you don’t have time to type your brief before class and you get called on, you can easily look down and identify the parts of the case. Plus, highlighting while reading helps with reading comprehension!
Laptop Desk for Bed
If you are someone who likes to be comfortable while studying, this is going to be the best purchase for you! I love this laptop desk because it is perfect for doing your law school readings before bed or working on papers from the comfort of your bed!
Sharpie s-gel pens
Just like the sharpie highlighters, these are my favorite pens! You will likely go through a ton of pens during law school as well, especially if you handwrite your notes. In my first year, I had several professors who did not allow technology in the classroom so I handwrite all my notes in those classes with these pens.
Hp Officejet pro printer
Don’t underestimate the value of a dependable printer in law school. I printed a TON my first year and am so glad I purchased this printer! Although you will likely be able to print on campus, it is really helpful to have a printer at home so you can print while you are not on campus and you don’t have to go to campus just to print something.
Bluebook
Every single law student’s best friend it their bluebook — it is a guide that helps you form correct legal citations for legal documents such as your written memos, motions, briefs, etc. You will need this not only in your first year of school but in your internships and the rest of law school too!
Understanding and Mastering the Bluebook
This book was recommended by my 1L professors in our writing class and it was SO helpful! It breaks everything in the Bluebook down in an easy to understand way so it is the perfect pairing with your Bluebook.
