[Opinion] Constant

Ever since I was young, I had a best friend in each grade. In elementary school, they were Jeanne, Martha, Monica, Angelica, Reeham, and Hannah. In high school, they were Lara, Gian, Jen, Janna, and Sarah. In college, they were Lili, Maria, Amanda, Sherry, and Therese. You may not know these people, but to me they were the ones who made my elementary, high school, and college life fun and exciting.

We might have had different paces in graduating college, but most of them now pursue different fields of profession whilst here I am, still studying. Instead of pursuing a career, I pursued education. It’s not such a bad choice. But going through the education system again is bound to take its toll – especially if it’s law school.

In law school, we meet new people, create new friendships, learn and experience new things. We start on the same playing field even if you finished with honors in college. There are mountains of books to read, seas of cases, and a forest of current issues and events we need to trek every once in a while. There are four years (ideally) until you graduate and then take the bar exams. Ultimately, for these five years, unless you are a strong independent man or woman who does not need anybody in this journey, I suggest you find your own constant.

In the dictionary, as a noun, it means a situation or state of affairs that does not change. As a noun, I mean it as a best friend; a person you can lean on in times of hardship; a person who will have your back no matter what; who will support you like a mage does in a MMORPG; a sidekick in your own superhero life story. Having a constant will make your life better in law school. Not easier, for law school is definitely not easy, but better.

It does not matter if it’s one or two or ten. It does not matter if it’s a girl or a boy or LGBTQ. It does not matter if your constant varies per year or per section or per subject. It does not even matter if your constant is a classmate or from another school or a relative – although, it is recommended that your constant be a law school student or classmate for various reasons. What matters is that your constant supports you and they make you happy in this journey we call law school.

A constant will help you get through the subject, explain to you what you don’t know, discuss difficult concepts, or be as study buddy and help retain knowledge and information. A constant will cheer you up when you just had a bad recit or bad midterm results. You can vent your frustrations, complaints, anger, fear and other feelings about law school to your constant. A constant will be the one who will pass you the beer or light up your cigarette when you partake in a walwal session after finals. He or she might really be bad at karaoke but nevertheless you will enjoy yourselves. A constant will motivate you to hang on and do your best. With a constant going on the same journey as you are, he or she will understand you, your pains and your joy in your law school journey; be with you every step of the way – or at least on the same path as you are.

It is important that you do not use your constant as you would use a property or right. Nobody likes to be used – unless, you have masochistic tendencies, then I guess to each his own. Treat them as you would want others to treat you. As much as possible, reciprocate. In law school, we do not only strive for the top on our own, but we do it with the help of others. Remember, in the process of helping others, you also help yourself. ■

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