Midterms are done, and I have learned my lessons:

1. Turn my brain on in class. This is easier said than done. After work, it is really hard to turn on that switch. It’s easy to type down whatever the professor is saying or whatever he puts on the board or pretend like you’re listening while perusing through Facebook–it’s not easy to really listen and understand and take excellent notes that will save your life at the end of the semester.

2. I can’t study like I studied in undergrad and expect to succeed. Now I know to review, review, REVIEW (!!!) after class and make sure that I understood everything that just happened and commit it to memory right then and there–there is no hope if you try to come back to it at the end of the semester. There is just too much that is too complicated to sort out in my brain…

3. I need to suffer. I don’t think I suffered enough this semester–I was never really sleep deprived, hit the gym three times a week, attended a good number of social engagements, and did not get the frazzled feeling until just before exams. This is how you know you’re not studying hard enough in law school–if you feel good about yourself and the world around you–you are just not cutting it!!!

More to come…

As I rush to the ladies room and hurriedly replace my heels, slacks and starched shirt for comfortable, comforting jeans and sweaters, I feel like Clark Kent transforming into Superman ready to take on a villain.

Except that my wardrobe change enables me to take on the evil that is law school.

The end.

I have three tattoos – the Chinese character for “good news” on my left foot, the Chinese character for “love” on my right foot, and the Korean national flower in full bloom right in the center of my back.

I got the tattoos on my feet during my sophomore year in college as a sort of milestone—to mark the year that I finally felt firm in my spiritual beliefs, the year that I really mended my relationship with my older brother, and the year that I “dropped out of college” to do something crazy—to move to Japan, live off of donations, and be a friend to anyone who needed one.

While I was there, I got the third piece to mark another anomaly in my life: my hatred of Koreans (well, I don’t really hate Koreans.  Not all of them.  I myself am Korean.  Which is what makes the anomaly).  To this day, I really can’t understand or accept certain aspects of Korean culture.  But the art on my back reminds me that no matter how much I hate on the Koreans, I can’t forget or erase the fact that I am Korean, that being Korean is a beautiful thing.

But bottom line, no matter how well thought-out tattoos are, there are a lot of people in society who will always associate tattoos with crime, immaturity, drug use, promiscuity, etc.  None of those impressions fare well in the legal profession.

Anyways. Moving on to the removal part.

I really never thought I would get my tattoos removed.  That’s why I got them—because they’re not easily removed.  But since entering law school, I got three signs from God saying “Maybe you should call Dr. Tattoff…”

1) One of my bosses doesn’t really look me in the eye when speaking to me–the focus is on my feet. (Mind you, I always wear a pantsuit, so maybe she’s trying to sneak a peek…)

2) At a family wedding, my uncle gave me a look like “What??? Genie??? Tattoo???? I would never have thought…” Same with a younger cousin who was literally speechless when he discovered that his supposedly straight-edge, conservative cousin had been inked for several years.

3) At school, I’ve received a few comments to the extent of “Were you a gangbanger in a previous life?”

That last one sealed the deal.  What law firm wants to hire a former gangbanger, right?

So I called Dr. Tattoff.

This is the clinic run by Dr. 90210 himself, located in Beverly Hills.  I was actually surprised at its affordability–I thought the bill would run well into the thousands, but for the size of my tattoos, they quoted me at around $500-$700.  They also gave me a competitive price since I mentioned that I was considering going to another clinic for a second opinion.

In total, they estimated that it would take about 13 sessions to completely remove my tattoos as (1) they were professionally done, and are thus set deeper into the skin; and (2) I have Asian skin, meaning it’s more sensitive and that they can’t use their highest power laser.

Let me tell you, it hurts like *@&#^$(*@&#^(*$#@$.  For a week after, my feet were uncomfortably swollen and tender, and the tattoo became blistered and bumpy and gross.  Now that it’s finally healed, my feet are constantly itchy and in need of lotion, and whaddayaknow, they don’t look lighter or even vaguely “removed” at all.

Updates to follow.

Law school is not everything.

Law school is not everything.

I feel like I need to start writing standards across a chalkboard or chant this mantra before I go to bed at night. Because law school is taking over my life!!!

My fuse has been exceptionally short lately, and I find myself making law school foremost over everything—kicking family, friends, and my overall well-being to the curb.  I find myself cutting conversations short or snapping at family or friends who ask for my time or help.  My mentality is “how dare they intrude on my precious study time.”  

JERK!!!

As seriously as I take my education and career, it’s simply not worth being imbecilic towards my family and friends.

So, I had dinner and a venting session with a friend on Friday night instead of preparing for exams (which aren’t for two months, in any case—but dude, people at school are already getting ready, and that just makes you paranoid).

I sat with my mom and just listened to her talk about her own stress-filled day, fighting the urge to drop hints that I’m busy (avoiding eye contact, flipping through my textbook, etc), as I used to do.

I booked a flight for a weekend trip to St. Louis two weeks from now.  I miss my boyfriend.  Texting does not equal a relationship.

Screw midterms. They’re important, but not that important.

If you catch me being a jerk, please slap me and say “Law school is not everything. You jerk.” (You have to add the “jerk” part)

I promise, I won’t sue you for battery.

To quote, here are some things that the article listed as typical female office behavior:

“1. Speak too softly and aren’t heard

10. Offer a limp handshake.”

I don’t think I manifest any of these behaviors in the classroom, but I do tend to do this in the office—is that because I’m the lowly intern?  Or because I’m Asian?

Speaking softly, sitting demurely, speaking last, asking permission, apologizing, smiling, doing thankless jobs—those are all seen as virtues in women in Asian culture. And especially after having come from a year in the Japanese workplace, those “virtues” are lingering in the way I carry myself in the office.

I guess it’s time to watch more television—and brainwash myself with images of:

1. Patty Hewes, of Damages

2. Christina Hawthorne, of Hawthorne

3. Lisa Cuddy, of House

4.(and perhaps my personal favorite) Xena “You-Have-To-Be-Ready-To-Kill” Warrior Princess

Any other suggestions? :)