Carol Longoria

Age: 39
Undergraduate School: University of Texas at Austin
Undergraduate Major: English
Hometown: Austin, TX
Status: Part-Time Day
E-mail: calongoria@mail.txwes.edu

11/18/09 - Today was a really rough day. We took part one of our Civil Procedure final exam in class and I learned that one of my law school friends is having difficulties with his son. The baby’s been sick for a few months and they don’t know why. We recently saw pictures of him in his Halloween costume and were hopeful that he’d gotten better, but he hasn’t. Having two sons of my own, I can’t even imagine what the family is going through. All day our group of friends reminded each other to pray and several times I tried, but I couldn’t get through it without my eyes welling up. I took my exam with a heavy heart and suddenly all those questions about jurisdiction and venue seemed so insignificant. After class and alone in my car I was finally able to add my prayers to the mountain that I know have been sent to heaven today. I’m sure I did fine on the exam, but it got me thinking…

It is so important to reflect on the blessings we have. Our families and the connections we build with our law school family are what make this journey worth it. These friends I’ve made here will be my friends forever. After working so closely and intensely toward a common goal, it’s impossible NOT to bond - you’ve gone through the fire together. We know when someone in our group is sick, when their kid is in the school play, when company’s coming over and what’s for supper. You need these small glimpses of reality to keep your feet on the ground when you’re on planet Law School. So, I am thankful for my faith, my family, and my friends. 

I’m taking Thanksgiving Day off, but will be studying hard for finals until then. Studying resumes on Black Friday (no shopping for me) with my first final on Monday after Thanksgiving. Please keep me and my little law school family in your prayers as we struggle through the last few weeks of this semester. Happy Birthday, Karla and Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.


11/11/09 - I’m getting that feeling I’ve come to know as “maximum overload.” This is the time in the semester when you want to stand up and say, “Enough!  I’m full. Let me empty some of my head out before you give me more!” Sigh! I’m trying really hard to stay on top of things and simultaneously organize and prepare for finals. I’ve got flash cards falling out of my pockets, hornbooks are my constant companions, and my drive time is spent listening to ConLaw and Property CDs. This is how it will be for a while.  Until then…life goes on. 

I have to say a Happy Birthday to my mom--just ‘cause. This morning she delivered my oldest son to school for his basketball tryout and then stayed for the Veteran’s Day assembly and band concert in which he played. We were all pretty subdued this morning since we had a late night. My aunt was hit by a car on Sunday as she was crossing the street and well, I just felt like my mom needed to see her sister.  So we went to San Antonio and had dinner with my aunt and uncle.  

While listening to her story my mind began spinning questions: “Were there witnesses?” “Is there a police report?” “Was he drunk?” “Were you in a cross-walk?” While I was also concerned about her injuries, it’s like my attorney-in-training mind just went into over-drive. I was careful to offer only suggestions because I’ve found that now my “opinion” can take on a new significance. People look at you differently as if being in law school means you suddenly “know.” Heck, I know just enough to get me in trouble, so my “advice” to her was to get an attorney because she needs someone to advocate on her behalf and I’m just not there yet.

As I close out this update I’d like to congratulate our Texas Wesleyan Law alumni that did phenomenal on the bar. With the third highest pass rate in the state, I am so proud to be a TWU Law student.


10/28/09 - I feel like this week’s blog is a classic example of conflicting law. Last time I wrote about using time productively. Today, I must confess that lately I’ve been less than productive with my time. Now that I’ve painted myself into a corner, like a good law student I’m back to my original premise looking for a loophole: What exactly did I mean by “productive?”

I guess realistically there comes a point where you hit a wall. It can happen many times throughout the day, a week, or a semester. Monday and Wednesday are such long days for me. By the time I sit down in the evening to read for my next day’s class, I have a small window of time before the law of diminishing returns kicks in. Pushing past that wall will cost me more in the way of sleep and added exhaustion, than I gain in useful study.

Then there’s the wall you hit when you’ve been studying diligently for months and you suddenly feel so burnt out that everything’s a distraction. Yesterday my friends, Karla and Martha, and I gave in. We had two cancelled classes, a cold front blew in and it was a dreary, rainy day so we decided to have lunch away from campus. Then, that turned into “We should go to the movies.” After the movie, I “needed” hot chocolate and of all the random things, Karla wanted “birthday cake.” Hours later we were back at school with books laid out regretting our time away. We’ve not yet forgotten how hard we worked to get into law school and we actually felt guilty thinking about all those that would love the opportunity to be where we are. It’s like you’re letting down a whole bunch of people, even those you don’t know, when you waste one second of this experience. In the end we decided that there were worse things we could have done and that sometimes you just have to give yourself a breather so that you can come back stronger than ever. After all, tomorrow’s another day.


10/14/09 - I love fall.  Unfortunately, college football (Hook ‘em Horns!!) and baseball games (Go Yankees!!) every weekend are a major distraction for me. Luckily my trusty planner helps me make the most of every day. With so many competing interests for my time, planning is vital. As I’m typing this I’m sitting in my car in the parking lot waiting to pick up my son from school. I’ve spent all day in the library, and in the 15 minutes before the bell rings, I think I can get this blog done. That’s the way it is; any small block of time can be productive. And really, once you get into your studies, it’s almost weird if there’s “nothing” to do.

For example, last week was Teddy Bear Immunity week. One of our student organizations held its annual teddy bear sale to collect money for charity. Students buy the bears and turn them in for “immunity,” i.e. participating professors promise not to call on those with bears. I participated in two classes: Property and Constitutional Law. I didn’t really need or want a pass in Property, but Prof. Short opted to give the whole class immunity if he got a certain number of bears, so I did my part. Con Law…well, that was all for me.  I really love my Con Law class and Prof. Rambo is just awesome, but wow - that reading is so dense it takes a lot out of me. Even when I think I’m well read for class, Prof. Rambo can squeeze out nuances that just never occurred to me. All day Wednesday I anticipated going home and having no Con Law reading. I was in bed by 9:30 PM but unable to unwind with this nagging feeling that I left something undone. Even knowing I had my immunity bear safe in my briefcase, I couldn’t relax and enjoy my well-earned sleep. Bummer. If I’d had my book, I’d have just gone ahead and read.  I clearly can’t do “nothing”—it’s just way too stressful!


10/1/09 - Recently I was on a student panel for prospective students. They asked why we chose Texas Wesleyan Law. For me, discussing law school admissions brings back not so pleasant memories. I’d heard the statistics: law schools receive thousands of applications each year and accept only a fraction. Anyone who’s done any research knows that getting into law school isn’t easy. 

It all seemed so intimidating to me especially as a non-traditional student. Although I felt that my work experience proved I’d be an excellent student, I worried that the gap since my undergrad would make law schools wary about giving me a chance. It took a couple of admissions cycles before I got positive results and each time I applied I wondered if “this” time the Admissions Committees would get it right. The waiting was always excruciating.

The turning point was some good advice from my former boss and mentor. She said I should decide what was more important: being a lawyer or attending a specific school. What a simple concept. You see, up to that point I had been trying to add law school to my existing lifestyle. I loved my life in Austin and wanted to stay there. Thus limited, I never even considered what law school would suit me best if it meant leaving Austin. It’s like buying a house you hate simply because you love its location. While location is important, most of us want to find both a good location and a home whose attributes we love as much or more. Until I started looking for my law school in this same way, I overlooked a lot of good places, including Texas Wesleyan Law.

I believe that God has a path for us all, so once I surrendered to His plan and stopped trying to force mine, things fell into place. Not only did I get admitted to law school, but I ultimately chose the right place for me. I found myself in Fort Worth with new friends and surrounded by faculty and staff that work hard to help me succeed. So I compromised (a bit) on my location, but in exchange I found a “home” that suits me just fine.


9/16/09 – It’s a month into the semester and I’m cautiously optimistic. I’m not yet comfortable saying that 2L year is “easy” compared to 1L, but it is different. I think it’s dangerous to think that you’ve got it all under control; to do so fosters a false sense of security and makes it oh-so-easy to start slacking. Then, like a sneaky undertow in the ocean, finals arrive and you realize that you are drowning in work that has to be done.

I did a mental check this week and feel satisfied with where I am in all my classes. There are a couple that admittedly need a bit more attention from me, but overall I’m keeping up and don’t feel that sense of panic I felt last year. I think this comes from putting some of my 1L study skills into practice early in this semester. Reading cases and picking out essential elements is easier; however, I find it’s still necessary to brief cases and outline my courses. While there’s still plenty of work, I get more done in less time. 

There’s always other stuff to take up that extra time though. Lately, there’s been a lot of buzz among my classmates about how their families are coping with the time demand that law school requires. Everyone’s family is fine with law school in theory, but reality can be quite a shock. It’s not for the weak or faint-hearted. I’ve seen some of my classmates in tears because of a family blow up or sick kids and I’ve listened to their frustration as they struggle to meet so many obligations within a finite amount of time. Law school is by definition a community of over-achievers; it’s hard to find yourself in a situation where you can’t do it all yourself. Consequently, this experience, more than any other that I’ve known, requires unwavering familial support and understanding. To all my friends that have been having a rough time with things, know that “This too shall pass”—we’re all in this together. Thanks to my family for (mostly) holding down the fort.

9/2/09 – Speaking of stress, law school offers a variety. The other day I laughed with my friend Megan about “seating chart stress.”  Thank you, Megan for voicing what I’d been feeling all first week. Besides schedules, new subjects and the crushing work load, first week means seating charts. If you don’t get a good seat, you lump it for at least a semester, if not the whole year. I found myself getting to classrooms a ridiculous 1.5 hours early, anxious to make sure I got “my” seat. Now as a 2L there’s the obligatory “save me a seat” from all your friends and that adds more stress. So there I am with a laptop in one spot, a book bag in another, my calendar and pencil bag thrown on that chair, and if someone doesn’t get here quick I’m going to have to start taking off my shoes! 

I know this sounds just nutty, but it really serves a purpose: For me and for lots of others, we want to sit where we’ve got the best chance to learn. Law school classes are dense with complicated concepts; to let your mind wander for just a few minutes is to risk missing out on some important (i.e. testable) information. I have to sit close to the front so I can see and hear the professor. I focus better if there are less distractions and being in front forces me to be prepared because there’s nowhere to hide. Some people like seats at the end of a row, others like the back, and others want to be near an AC vent or under a light…we all have our preferences. 

Anyone outside of law school might not understand how this is a big deal, but thanks to Megan who summed it up by saying, “What’s wrong with us?!” I’m relieved to know that I’m not alone in feeling this way.  Professors think that the chart is for them, but really it’s for us. I happily printed my name on the class seating chart and felt the weight shift (just a bit) from my shoulders.


8/26/09 – While waiting for my admissions decision I discovered the 1L blogs and got my first real sense of the Texas Wesleyan Law community.  Now, as a 2L I’ve been invited to blog and am very excited about the opportunity. 

First, some background: I live in Austin. Yes, “live” as in present tense. My home and family are in Austin, so twice weekly (sometimes, weakly) I commute round trip to school in Fort Worth. I’ve been lucky enough to keep a four day schedule for the last three semesters. I know, it’s crazy, I hear it all the time, and yes - it is; but I have two sons (ten and twelve) and it’s important that they see me everyday—even if it’s for 15 minutes in the morning before I head off to school. On Tuesday and Thursday, I’m home in time to pick them up from school AND manage to do so in compliance with all traffic laws! 

I’ve worked in various legal settings, but for the last seven years before Texas Wesleyan I was the Public Information Coordinator (PIC) for the University of Texas System. As the PIC I wrote hundreds of legal briefs to the Texas Attorney General. This intensive writing background was a very handy skill to bring into law school and greatly helped me with my 1L legal writing class. Not that it was any easier, it just wasn’t an unfamiliar concept.

My goal in this blog is to share my thoughts and insights about this wonderful law school experience. I am so blessed to have this opportunity. Earning a law degree is a great thing, even if you never want to practice law. However, for those like me who have spent large chunks of time around lawyers and the law, there is a certain comfort in finding your niche. I know this is what I want to do and every day, every case I read, and every piece of the puzzle that falls into place, I am closer to the finish line. I hope you will enjoy the ride as much as I do.