Grade One to One L

Moving from first grade to first year law is quite the jump, but I have to say that the transition has been less rocky than I initially thought. The idea of being cold-called in class is scary, but less scary than being on call to a bunch of six-year-olds most of the day, every day. I can handle my odds with ease after two years of that. It's crazy how differently my first week of law school has gone in comparison to my first week of teaching. That was a wild display of chaos, inexperience, and completely false expectations. Not that I think law school will be a walk in the park... I'm sure the anxiety and insecurity will come in due time. I'm wondering whether it's easier to get the horrific out of the way early, or to know it's lurking somewhere in the future. I guess the jury's still out on that one (hah! Law jokes!).

I went to the gym for the first time today, overwhelmed because BU's gym is huge. I walked around aimlessly looking for day lockers and feeling like a freshman (how I've felt most of the week) when all of a sudden I heard some yelling echoing down one of the hallways next to the pool. I looked through the door and saw a short, young-ish man with one hand over his head.

"First grade! You have five seconds to get in a line behind me! Five... four..."

Six-year-olds with wet hair sopping the backs of their shirts pulled at their clothes uncomfortably. The countdown didn't stop them from whipping their towels in spirals on the ground, scuffing wet shoes on the floor, or looking in awe at their surroundings. One girl seemed more concerned about finding her friend Stella-

"Where is she?!" she proclaimed to the teacher's dismay.

-than getting in line.

Don't get me wrong. I miss my kids. I miss parts of teaching. But you could not pay me a million dollars to take first-graders on a field trip to the pool. I could only smile at the teacher and hold the door as the line straggled past.

*Side note: why doesn't this class have a door holder as a class job?! Rookie mistake.