I came to the U.S to grow up. I came to law school to be challenged. I came to Columbia Law for my mother. All my utopical wishes to make this world a better place, fighting for freedom and justice as well as human rights have hit the wall of reality a few months ago, and no one has yet dared disturbing them in their coma . I am not animated by a sincere and strong enough raison d'etre to expect from practice a personally rewarding and interesting outcome. Maybe not yet. I am however still there, lured by these advantages a law school education provide, and guided by the deep conviction that I made, in the long-run, a very good choice for my own personal development and future career prospects.

-- KamelB - 15 Jan 2009

I found it interesting that Moglen mentioned in class that many of us do not realize it, but "we are looking for one another." I spoke to you briefly, but the more I read these, the more I realize that your intro resonated with me. You want growth; I want mentorship. You want the advantages of a legal education; I, too, want the stability and recognition such an education used to afford.

I was born in the US, but as a member of an immigrant family, have also felt the pressure to commit oneself to an activity for the sake of the family or rather, for what some would call long-term stability. Fighting for justice and making the world a better place are lofty goals, but I share these goals with you. I have found that when voiced, they are much too often met with incredulous stares or accusations of misguided idealism; perhaps this is your wall of reality. But what I ask myself each day and what I challenge you to ask yourself as well is: whose reality really is it? Why not just say to hell with the doubters?

It is not easy and in a few months I, too, may accept the fact that there is a high likelihood I will have a personally unrewarding career, but to me, it seems as though half the battle of law school requires maintaining a willingness to hang on to who you are despite the stares and critiques, a desire to define success in one's own terms, and a realization, as Holmes would say, that "an intellect great enough to win the prize" needs other food as well (p.14).

-- UchechiAmadi - 24 Jan 2009