I know a lot of the new 1Ls out there are anxious about the first day of law school. It’s an exciting but stressful time, and I wanted to spend some time tonight recounting the story of my own remarkable 1L year. It’s quite a story! 1/

On the first day, my very first class was Contracts. I had assumed that the first day would just be an overview of the course, but on the first day I was very first person the professor called on. The professor made me stand, and asked me for the facts of Hawkins v. McGee. 2/

Once I was on my feet, the professor sarcastically quipped that I should “fill the room with my intelligence.” I hadn’t read the case though, and I had to admit it in front of everyone. It was humiliating as the professor himself recited the facts of the case. 3/

The experience was so stressful that after class I had to run to the bathroom with extreme nausea. Things got better after I joined a study group. Later, I met a woman named Susan and we started dating. She didn't like all the time I spent studying, and we had a complicated, 4/

up-and-down relationship. A while later, one of the most anticipated events occurred. Our Contracts professor invited us all to his house, for a cocktail party. He introduces me to his daughter, and it turns out that 5/

HIS DAUGHTER IS SUSAN! I WAS DATING THE PROF'S MARRIED DAUGHTER! I felt like I had the upper hand after that, and one night I sneaked into a secret room of the library and found my professor's OWN 1L Contracts notes. 6/

Even with this find, the pressure was building on all of us, given the tumultuous relationship with Susan. One day, the Prof called on me again, and in front of everyone said, "Here's a dime, call your mother and tell her there's serious doubt about your becoming a lawyer." 7/

I walked up, took the dime, then turned my back on him to walk out. He had finally pushed me over the edge, and I said, in front of everyone, "You are a son of a bitch!" and walked to the door. To my astonishment, he called out to me, and said 8/

"Mr. Anderson, that was the most intelligent thing you've said all day." I took my seat, and continued with the class session. Our study group was torn apart by tragedy, but I continued to study night and day for the final exam. After I took the final, my grades arrived. 9/

In those days, the grades were mailed, and I took the envelope and looked it over. This was it, the verdict on all of my work. Would I be a lawyer? Or would I need to tell my mom I had failed out of law school. I took the envelope, prepared to open it, and 10/

realized I just didn't care anymore. Instead of opening it to find out the all-important grades, I made a paper airplane out of the unopened envelope and tossed it into the sea. /end