Sisterhood

I started law school terrified—anxious, overstimulated, and over-prepared. I got to the building an hour before orientation started, which is typical for me when starting something new. I sat in the classroom, heart racing, running through all the worst-case scenarios in my head. Would I be the only one lost in the lectures? Would I make any friends?

Frankly, I don’t do well with making new friends. I tend to be shy and overthink every interaction, it tends to come off as a little standoffish. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned about myself, it’s that I attract incredible people who somehow see past my awkwardness.

By the second day of orientation, I had found my friends, I knew they would be because they instantly made me feel like we had known each other forever. Now, in my second semester of 2L, there’s not a single lunch I have without them, nor a story I don’t share with them right away. What started as casual conversations at lunch and in between orientation sessions turned into a sisterhood—one that has carried me through the highs and lows of this journey.

The Role of Sisterhood in Surviving Law School

They Just Get It

No matter how much your family and non-law school friends support you, they will never quite understand the unique experience of being a Black woman in law school. But your girl crew? They know. They know the stress of getting cold-called on a case you barely skimmed. They know what it’s like to walk into a classroom and be the only Black woman in the room. They understand the micro-aggressions, the unspoken pressures, and the weight of constantly having to navigate spaces that weren’t built with us in mind. Having a sisterhood that understands your experience makes all the difference.

A Safe Space in a Competitive World

Law school can feel like a pressure cooker. Many classmates see it as a competition rather than a shared journey. But within your sisterhood, there’s none of that, only collaboration. Your girls become your safe space. You vent to them about a professor, strategize over interview preparation, proofread one another’s application materials, and even cry when the stress becomes too much. Having people you can be real with in a world that constantly expects you to be on is priceless.

Emotional Support When You Need It Most

There will be days when self-doubt creeps in, when grades don’t reflect your effort, and when a professor’s dismissiveness makes you question if you belong. On those days, your sisterhood is there to lift you up, remind you of your power, and pour into you when you feel empty. Having women around you who believe in you, even when you’re struggling to believe in yourself, is invaluable.

The Balance Factor

Yes, law school is serious, but that doesn’t mean every conversation has to be about cases and legal jargon. One of the best things about having your girls is the ability to balance legal talk with pop culture debates, tik tok-sharing, and deep dives into the latest reality TV drama. Your girls remind you that you are more than just a law student—you are a whole person with interests, humor, and a life outside of case briefs. Your girls are there to show up with you—whether it’s attending conferences and networking events or convincing you to take that much-needed weekend getaway. They ensure that you’re not just surviving law school but living. Life doesn’t pause for law school, and they’ll make sure you don’t forget that.

Law school is a marathon, and no one should run it alone. Your girls will be the ones who push you when you’re tired, celebrate you when you win, and remind you that you belong in every single room you step into!

So to my law school sisters, I appreciate you, and I wouldn’t want to do this without you.

How has your law school sisterhood helped you thrive? Drop a comment and share! 💜✨