Blog
HomeRSS
See my complete profile
Name: AKA
Home: Toronto, Ontario (in Australia until April 2009), Canada
Archive
November 2004December 2004
January 2005
February 2005
March 2005
April 2005
May 2005
July 2005
August 2005
September 2005
October 2005
November 2005
December 2005
January 2006
February 2006
March 2006
April 2006
May 2006
June 2006
July 2006
August 2006
September 2006
October 2006
November 2006
December 2006
January 2007
February 2007
March 2007
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
Changing the World
Buttons
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
People who know me often ask why I want to be a lawyer. They're actually more interested in how they think I'll manage to be a lawyer. I don't blame them. Mention a lawyer and you picture a suave, fast-talking, sly person - something I'm told I never am or could be.
In most settings, classroom or otherwise, I'm normally the quiet girl who sits in the corner only speaking when spoken to. Even in most group settings that's me. Why? Don't know. Possibly because I'd rather observe and listen to what people are saying and how they're saying it. This won't make me a bad lawyer, but a better one. I know lawyers have a bad reputation, but it's always the bad ones that stick out more. The good ones are those who acutally take the time to listen, formulate a good argument and win for the sake of the person they're defending. Yes, most are after the money, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to do well in terms of money. I don't want to trample over people in the process of doing it, but use as much of my skills possible to get me there. I know may one day eat my words (many people telling me that all people start off like me, but eventually end up corrept and money-hungry) but for now I'm tired of defending not only my choice of profession but myself.
I'll always be an introvert - it's just who I am. I have learned to come out of my shell more and more as years pass by. Working in a bank helped that a lot (when you have to argue with people twice your age, it happens). And I'm sure soon I'll be comfortable with myself enough to be more forward. Right now I shrink back from a lot of things because I'm overly self-conscious.
Today I had a mini-breakthrough (baby steps folks) - I actually raised my hand in class to make a point during a case. Of course I fought with myself in my head for awhile before doing it. The professor had called on someone else to brief one of the cases from our readins and after discussing it he paused to ask if anyone had any questions. That's when I surprised myself by shooting my hand in the air. It took me by surprise when the professor called on me - I had to look at my arm to make sure it was mine that was up. I could feel face blushing (that's got to be the most annoying reflex humans have) and I quickly blurted out my point.
The prof, who's a really great guy all around, smiled and thanked me and said it was really good and started a different discussion on it. He even later came back during another case briefing to the point I had brought up (it was about liability of the city to maintain the installed waterpipes in the city...not the most earth-shattering stuff). If I were in kindergarten, I'd have a gold start on the board next to my name (they should really continue that through university - I totally think it'd motivate people! It's a GOLD star for crying out loud!).
I know to many this whole scenario seems pointless. And maybe it was in the big picture. But it's just relieving to know that we don't stay the same person. There are always small changes happening in our every day lives, some we may not notice for months and some which others may call us out on. Obviously, change is good and bad. But as much as I've ranted on how much I hate change, it's slowly seeping in that it just may have a positive side.
In most settings, classroom or otherwise, I'm normally the quiet girl who sits in the corner only speaking when spoken to. Even in most group settings that's me. Why? Don't know. Possibly because I'd rather observe and listen to what people are saying and how they're saying it. This won't make me a bad lawyer, but a better one. I know lawyers have a bad reputation, but it's always the bad ones that stick out more. The good ones are those who acutally take the time to listen, formulate a good argument and win for the sake of the person they're defending. Yes, most are after the money, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to do well in terms of money. I don't want to trample over people in the process of doing it, but use as much of my skills possible to get me there. I know may one day eat my words (many people telling me that all people start off like me, but eventually end up corrept and money-hungry) but for now I'm tired of defending not only my choice of profession but myself.
I'll always be an introvert - it's just who I am. I have learned to come out of my shell more and more as years pass by. Working in a bank helped that a lot (when you have to argue with people twice your age, it happens). And I'm sure soon I'll be comfortable with myself enough to be more forward. Right now I shrink back from a lot of things because I'm overly self-conscious.
Today I had a mini-breakthrough (baby steps folks) - I actually raised my hand in class to make a point during a case. Of course I fought with myself in my head for awhile before doing it. The professor had called on someone else to brief one of the cases from our readins and after discussing it he paused to ask if anyone had any questions. That's when I surprised myself by shooting my hand in the air. It took me by surprise when the professor called on me - I had to look at my arm to make sure it was mine that was up. I could feel face blushing (that's got to be the most annoying reflex humans have) and I quickly blurted out my point.
The prof, who's a really great guy all around, smiled and thanked me and said it was really good and started a different discussion on it. He even later came back during another case briefing to the point I had brought up (it was about liability of the city to maintain the installed waterpipes in the city...not the most earth-shattering stuff). If I were in kindergarten, I'd have a gold start on the board next to my name (they should really continue that through university - I totally think it'd motivate people! It's a GOLD star for crying out loud!).
I know to many this whole scenario seems pointless. And maybe it was in the big picture. But it's just relieving to know that we don't stay the same person. There are always small changes happening in our every day lives, some we may not notice for months and some which others may call us out on. Obviously, change is good and bad. But as much as I've ranted on how much I hate change, it's slowly seeping in that it just may have a positive side.
1 Comments:
Blogs of Note
Book Shelf
I have never had a single doubt in my mind that you will be an amazing lawyer. Forget what the others say. You can be the exception to the stereotype!
And yes, gold star for you for speaking class! keep it up!