3 days under the belt and I'm still here. Either I'm really good or law school is not quite as bad as my mind (with the help of others) made it out to be. At this point I have been to all of my classes and met all of my professors. So with three days down, what pearls of wisdom do I have? Time Value, Time Value, Time Value
Why the emphasis on time value? Well because time is a finite resource in law school, and the work you are expected to do is an ever increasing pressure on that resource. Yesterday (day 2) meant two more classes, and two more professors with their own thoughts and demands on my time.
First, I had Constitutional Law. This class I had really been looking forward to, one of my favorite subjects ever is Con. Law in particular the Supreme Court, its role in shaping decisions, and shaping laws. I am a court nut, I must admit, so I was quite excited once we got in class. Professor Con.Law is a interesting little figure to me. He reminds me initially of a bookish Hugh Grant, he has the befuddled absent minded professor type feel to me, but that is not to say he does not know his stuff. I came away from the first class very impressed by his knowledge of the subject, and more importantly the way he was able to convey some of the complex themes to us in our first day. I cant wait for the class tomorrow.
The second class I had yesterday was Legal Analysis, Research Communication (LARC). Also known as legal writing, this is the class that is probably more pertinent for us students when it comes to "being" a lawyer. This class is all about how to research, write, and communicate legal ideas, ideals, and concepts to courts and other lawyers. A class this important obviously...is worth the least amount of credits at 2, but is mandatory for at least 3 semesters. Professor LARC is also another of those interesting characters. In her professional career she has been around the system, most interestingly as a trial litigator. At first, during orientation we met with her twice, my impression was that she was a bit cold towards us in general as a class. After having our first official class with her, and after talking to some 2 and 3L's, I have come to realize that her approach to class is to put us in the roles of attorney, and she the Judge. That is to say, there is a very strict and formal decorum she keeps with us, and our assignments and guidelines reflect that. Of all my classes this one will be the most difficult for me simply because it requires a world shift in thinking about how to write and analyze the information that we are researching.
So today was the third day of class, and I had a much better feel for what to expect when I got to class. I was able to prep for class with the instructors questions in mind and found that I quite enjoyed the back and forth exchanges between us and the instructors. I will try to continue to keep the post kind of general for the first couple of days, things are very up in the air and I cant report yet on standard practices. But stay tuned, I will begin to write a little more about the colorful people in my class and just the experiences of actually being in school. So enjoy
Marqus A Cole
Keep Clawing Away...
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Law School: Day One
"You only get one first time, better make it an enjoyable one"
-Random guy to his HS girlfriend
Get your mind out of the gutter! So today was my first day of law school, which begs the inevitable question "How did it go?"; or my personal favorite "How bad was it?". Well I am here to report that not only are Law Professors not FIRE BREATHING DRAGONS...but by all accounts they seem to be reasonable, breathing, normal Humans! How can that be you might ask, find out below the break.
So with one day, and two classes under my belt, I now feel fully qualified in judging the entirety of law school in the post *note the sarcasm please*. I had two classes today, Torts and Civil Procedure. Each of my professors were older white men who had spent time out in the legal profession. I guess from here I should go into a little bit of background on the classes.
[This may also be a good place to reaffirm a few things about my posting here. As I've stated on several occasions this is meant to serve a few purposes: be my first hand account and written record of my trials and tribulations and law school, AND as a handy guide/reference for anyone considering, or anyone just interested in what law school is like. With that being said, this is entirely my experiences, my opinions, and my thoughts on things that I observe and happen in my world. That necessity means that I can only comment on the totality of my experience as I perceive it. All that is to say that, I can't speak for others or how things seem to other people. To that end, I will implement a policy of not using any professor's name at all, and not using a peer's name unless given permission by them as a professional and personal courtesy. That means you should assume all names are fictional unless otherwise noted]
Torts- this class is designed as an introduction and overview on the principle of torts. These are non-criminal, non-contract related instances where the action or inaction of an actor inflicts a harm or injury on another. The classic example is car accidents. Basically these are your everyday accidents, spilled hot coffee, slip in a store, product defects and injures a party. When people speak of "suing" they are claiming a tort has happened to them. Professor Torts seems to be a intelligent and knowledgeable teacher. My overwhelming first impression was that he wanted to be as accommodating as possible in helping us through a very long, challenging, and difficult process. I guess like the kind dentist that has to operate but makes you feel better about the procedure. Personally I enjoy the readings thus far, the cases are interesting, and the things we study are applicable to everyday life and situations. More on the class as the week continues.
Civil Procedure "Civ-Pro"- The study of the forms and rules of non-criminal cases. In short this class will teach us the rules, forms, and procedural laws that govern non criminal cases (cases arising from disputes between two parties, not invoking the power of the state). This class is ehh to me thus far. I understand and see it's extreme importance but rote memorization has never been a forte of mine, and it would seem this class focuses on learning the steps it takes for a successful law suit. That being said, as a person that strives to be an excellent lawyer you can bet Ill be learning pretty fast. Throughout orientation I was told by other staff and upper class men that Professor Civ-Pro would be my hardest teacher, he was mean, he was rude, he ate babies, and transformed into a bat at night (again please note the sarcasm). As is often the case, the truth is much more mild then the imaginations and misremembering of stressed out students. My one day appraisal is that he is highly intelligent and thus expects all of his students to see the cases the way he See's it after years of practicing. Personally I do appreciate the verbal sparring that goes on in class, but then again I never take personally when someone challenges my positions. I can see how that might be disconcerting to others though. We will keep an eye on this class though.
And that for all intents and purposes was it for my first day. I met with my study group after class (more details on that later), picked up my Transit Pass, and came home and did some studying. All in all, I would have to say while this will be a challenge, it will by no means be the most difficult thing I have ever done. After learning the Sigma way i.e. late nights, sleep deprivation, group learning, and muscle memory; I feel as if there are not too many extreme learning situations that I cant handle at this point. So there you go, that is how a first day of law school goes. Day 2 is tomorrow with more adventure.
Keep Clawing Away...
-Random guy to his HS girlfriend
Get your mind out of the gutter! So today was my first day of law school, which begs the inevitable question "How did it go?"; or my personal favorite "How bad was it?". Well I am here to report that not only are Law Professors not FIRE BREATHING DRAGONS...but by all accounts they seem to be reasonable, breathing, normal Humans! How can that be you might ask, find out below the break.
So with one day, and two classes under my belt, I now feel fully qualified in judging the entirety of law school in the post *note the sarcasm please*. I had two classes today, Torts and Civil Procedure. Each of my professors were older white men who had spent time out in the legal profession. I guess from here I should go into a little bit of background on the classes.
[This may also be a good place to reaffirm a few things about my posting here. As I've stated on several occasions this is meant to serve a few purposes: be my first hand account and written record of my trials and tribulations and law school, AND as a handy guide/reference for anyone considering, or anyone just interested in what law school is like. With that being said, this is entirely my experiences, my opinions, and my thoughts on things that I observe and happen in my world. That necessity means that I can only comment on the totality of my experience as I perceive it. All that is to say that, I can't speak for others or how things seem to other people. To that end, I will implement a policy of not using any professor's name at all, and not using a peer's name unless given permission by them as a professional and personal courtesy. That means you should assume all names are fictional unless otherwise noted]
Torts- this class is designed as an introduction and overview on the principle of torts. These are non-criminal, non-contract related instances where the action or inaction of an actor inflicts a harm or injury on another. The classic example is car accidents. Basically these are your everyday accidents, spilled hot coffee, slip in a store, product defects and injures a party. When people speak of "suing" they are claiming a tort has happened to them. Professor Torts seems to be a intelligent and knowledgeable teacher. My overwhelming first impression was that he wanted to be as accommodating as possible in helping us through a very long, challenging, and difficult process. I guess like the kind dentist that has to operate but makes you feel better about the procedure. Personally I enjoy the readings thus far, the cases are interesting, and the things we study are applicable to everyday life and situations. More on the class as the week continues.
Civil Procedure "Civ-Pro"- The study of the forms and rules of non-criminal cases. In short this class will teach us the rules, forms, and procedural laws that govern non criminal cases (cases arising from disputes between two parties, not invoking the power of the state). This class is ehh to me thus far. I understand and see it's extreme importance but rote memorization has never been a forte of mine, and it would seem this class focuses on learning the steps it takes for a successful law suit. That being said, as a person that strives to be an excellent lawyer you can bet Ill be learning pretty fast. Throughout orientation I was told by other staff and upper class men that Professor Civ-Pro would be my hardest teacher, he was mean, he was rude, he ate babies, and transformed into a bat at night (again please note the sarcasm). As is often the case, the truth is much more mild then the imaginations and misremembering of stressed out students. My one day appraisal is that he is highly intelligent and thus expects all of his students to see the cases the way he See's it after years of practicing. Personally I do appreciate the verbal sparring that goes on in class, but then again I never take personally when someone challenges my positions. I can see how that might be disconcerting to others though. We will keep an eye on this class though.
And that for all intents and purposes was it for my first day. I met with my study group after class (more details on that later), picked up my Transit Pass, and came home and did some studying. All in all, I would have to say while this will be a challenge, it will by no means be the most difficult thing I have ever done. After learning the Sigma way i.e. late nights, sleep deprivation, group learning, and muscle memory; I feel as if there are not too many extreme learning situations that I cant handle at this point. So there you go, that is how a first day of law school goes. Day 2 is tomorrow with more adventure.
Keep Clawing Away...
Sunday, August 23, 2009
1L
"1L"
So much is wrapped up in that title. So much honor, so much struggle, so much promise. As I sit here trying to prepare for tomorrow my first day of class, I feel as if I have moved to the eye of the storm. I am now one with the swirl of emotion and conflicting thoughts in my head. I have made my peace, its quieter. It's almost surreal I can feel everything moving around me so fast, my life has changed so much and will continue to change..and here I am just sitting. Being. 1L
It would be cliche to say I am about to take a big step tomorrow, my first class, what to expect? I honestly feel as if my entire life has led me here to this one point. All the things I have been through have become a giant confluence of forces shaping, molding, and directing me to this moment. This is my destiny, my calling, and its strange to think about it now. So many things I wanted to do as a child. So many things that were pushed my way as a teenager. So many chances to throw it away or pass it up as a Young Adult. But here I am, and I know, like I know up from down, that this is where I should be. Where I am supposed to be. Where I was always going to end up.
GOD, Destiny, Tao, or the Force...whatever it is, it knew I was heading here, and I think if I'm honest I knew it as well. I can not be worried, I've been through too much already. Will it be hard? Of course. Will it be taxing? Yes. Will it be to much for me? Not on your life. After pledging, I fully know my physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual breaking point...this will not be near it. This is a matter of self-control, and will. I have both. This will not be easy but this will not be hard, just another challenge. Another chance to prove myself.
I actually look forward to this now. This summer my boss and myself were discussing motivation. More specifically why some Black men make it past there circumstances and others don't. He said something that stuck with me "They don't know their 'WHY'. They know 'WHAT' they want, they know 'HOW' to get there, but they don't have the 'WHY'" What is my WHY? It's like 7th grade again. Y=??
Y=U+G. That is to say "Why is you plus your goals." So what is my Why? Why am I here?
Because I have spent my life watching my family and their service to others. The simple acts of kindness that defines both my parents and grandparents. Because I have been taught, and internalized, that education and pushing one's self to be better is life's greatest challenge. And helping others is life's greatest gift. That is who I am. My goal simply put, is to succeed so I can then use the fruits of my success to ensure others can succeed. Succeed so I can protect those that can not protect themselves. Succeed so that I can lead.
That is my Why. That is the secret strength that I take into this 1L year. That is the secret that will sustain me and force me to succeed. You see the truth is this is not about me, its bigger then me. I can fail myself, but I can not fail others, so I wont. So I am ready for tomorrow and what it brings.
I am 1L
I am
Marqus A Cole
Keep Clawing Away...
So much is wrapped up in that title. So much honor, so much struggle, so much promise. As I sit here trying to prepare for tomorrow my first day of class, I feel as if I have moved to the eye of the storm. I am now one with the swirl of emotion and conflicting thoughts in my head. I have made my peace, its quieter. It's almost surreal I can feel everything moving around me so fast, my life has changed so much and will continue to change..and here I am just sitting. Being. 1L
It would be cliche to say I am about to take a big step tomorrow, my first class, what to expect? I honestly feel as if my entire life has led me here to this one point. All the things I have been through have become a giant confluence of forces shaping, molding, and directing me to this moment. This is my destiny, my calling, and its strange to think about it now. So many things I wanted to do as a child. So many things that were pushed my way as a teenager. So many chances to throw it away or pass it up as a Young Adult. But here I am, and I know, like I know up from down, that this is where I should be. Where I am supposed to be. Where I was always going to end up.
GOD, Destiny, Tao, or the Force...whatever it is, it knew I was heading here, and I think if I'm honest I knew it as well. I can not be worried, I've been through too much already. Will it be hard? Of course. Will it be taxing? Yes. Will it be to much for me? Not on your life. After pledging, I fully know my physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual breaking point...this will not be near it. This is a matter of self-control, and will. I have both. This will not be easy but this will not be hard, just another challenge. Another chance to prove myself.
I actually look forward to this now. This summer my boss and myself were discussing motivation. More specifically why some Black men make it past there circumstances and others don't. He said something that stuck with me "They don't know their 'WHY'. They know 'WHAT' they want, they know 'HOW' to get there, but they don't have the 'WHY'" What is my WHY? It's like 7th grade again. Y=??
Y=U+G. That is to say "Why is you plus your goals." So what is my Why? Why am I here?
Because I have spent my life watching my family and their service to others. The simple acts of kindness that defines both my parents and grandparents. Because I have been taught, and internalized, that education and pushing one's self to be better is life's greatest challenge. And helping others is life's greatest gift. That is who I am. My goal simply put, is to succeed so I can then use the fruits of my success to ensure others can succeed. Succeed so I can protect those that can not protect themselves. Succeed so that I can lead.
That is my Why. That is the secret strength that I take into this 1L year. That is the secret that will sustain me and force me to succeed. You see the truth is this is not about me, its bigger then me. I can fail myself, but I can not fail others, so I wont. So I am ready for tomorrow and what it brings.
I am 1L
I am
Marqus A Cole
Keep Clawing Away...
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Orientation
"That's it?"
Well OK, maybe I didn't say that...but I did have a sentiment similar to that by the end of today. I just completed the first official day as a 1L and all things considered, it was not that bad. That is to say it could have been much much worse. On the whole the staff and students were friendly, the whole affair stayed on schedule, and it was fairly engaging.
For the most part it was what you would expect from any orientation. We got a welcome from the dean, met the major administrative staff members, and had the heads of various campus services stop by and speak for a bit of time. The overwhelming since I received from faculty and staff was that "This will be tough, tougher then anything you have ever done. We know this, we have been through this, rely on us to help you." That sentiment I must say is very reassuring for a person walking into a whole new world with no real expectations.
I have to say that I was impressed by the professionalism throughout the entire day. From having all the handouts already together in folders for us with name tags and ready to hand out from the beginning, all the way down to the lunch they served. They started on time, and kept everything moving briskly. I cant say how much more pleasant the experience was. I can imagine had it been behind schedule and under prepared it would have only added to the apprehension most students felt.
Speaking of students, lets give a quick break down of the make up of my class. So this is very unscientific, I didn't literally count everyone or check bio data. My guess after talking to other students and staff is that the class size is roughly 260 incoming students. We are broken down into 4 sections roughly of 60 plus students. I would guesstimate a male to female split of 40/60; I'd put racial minorities at 35% (with blacks making up rough 15% of that). On the whole everyone I spoke to seemed extremely kind and bright. As a few staff members noted, all our lives we have been the creme of the crop, out standing amongst the back drop of mediocrity. Now what was once "extra"-ordinary, is THE ORDINARY. This to me seems both a good and bad thing. The good is that you are surrounded by like minded individuals striving to do better so that atmosphere encourages you to be on point as well. Plus they all have some affinity for the law and are suffering like you (misery loves company! lol). The bad is that everyone here has (rightly so I'd say) larger egos then most because they are accustomed to excelling, how else would be here. There is only room at the top for a few people, if everyone is shooting for the top, scores of people are bound to miss. That can really bruise some ego's if they are not accustomed to it.
But all that is to say that I feel comfortable at the school, with my peers, and with the staff/faculty. I do realize that the actual difficulty will come. I feel a bit more prepared for this though, due to my time online for Sigma. After going through that roller coaster of physical, mental, and spiritual testing NOTHING can compare. While law school may tire, frustrate, and challenge me, it cant possibly be more of a burden then pledging was. So in that regard I already have a mental edge over my peers. Hopefully it last. More from the battlefields later though.
M.A.Cole
Keep Clawing Away...
Well OK, maybe I didn't say that...but I did have a sentiment similar to that by the end of today. I just completed the first official day as a 1L and all things considered, it was not that bad. That is to say it could have been much much worse. On the whole the staff and students were friendly, the whole affair stayed on schedule, and it was fairly engaging.
For the most part it was what you would expect from any orientation. We got a welcome from the dean, met the major administrative staff members, and had the heads of various campus services stop by and speak for a bit of time. The overwhelming since I received from faculty and staff was that "This will be tough, tougher then anything you have ever done. We know this, we have been through this, rely on us to help you." That sentiment I must say is very reassuring for a person walking into a whole new world with no real expectations.
I have to say that I was impressed by the professionalism throughout the entire day. From having all the handouts already together in folders for us with name tags and ready to hand out from the beginning, all the way down to the lunch they served. They started on time, and kept everything moving briskly. I cant say how much more pleasant the experience was. I can imagine had it been behind schedule and under prepared it would have only added to the apprehension most students felt.
Speaking of students, lets give a quick break down of the make up of my class. So this is very unscientific, I didn't literally count everyone or check bio data. My guess after talking to other students and staff is that the class size is roughly 260 incoming students. We are broken down into 4 sections roughly of 60 plus students. I would guesstimate a male to female split of 40/60; I'd put racial minorities at 35% (with blacks making up rough 15% of that). On the whole everyone I spoke to seemed extremely kind and bright. As a few staff members noted, all our lives we have been the creme of the crop, out standing amongst the back drop of mediocrity. Now what was once "extra"-ordinary, is THE ORDINARY. This to me seems both a good and bad thing. The good is that you are surrounded by like minded individuals striving to do better so that atmosphere encourages you to be on point as well. Plus they all have some affinity for the law and are suffering like you (misery loves company! lol). The bad is that everyone here has (rightly so I'd say) larger egos then most because they are accustomed to excelling, how else would be here. There is only room at the top for a few people, if everyone is shooting for the top, scores of people are bound to miss. That can really bruise some ego's if they are not accustomed to it.
But all that is to say that I feel comfortable at the school, with my peers, and with the staff/faculty. I do realize that the actual difficulty will come. I feel a bit more prepared for this though, due to my time online for Sigma. After going through that roller coaster of physical, mental, and spiritual testing NOTHING can compare. While law school may tire, frustrate, and challenge me, it cant possibly be more of a burden then pledging was. So in that regard I already have a mental edge over my peers. Hopefully it last. More from the battlefields later though.
M.A.Cole
Keep Clawing Away...
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Start Your Engines
Mark,
Set,
GO!!!!
And Like that, they are off. Or I'm off, I must be off my rocker at least to think I was ready for this. But as Summer comes to an end, Law school patiently revs itself up and waits to engulf the entirety of me. So as I cherish these last days of relative freedom let me share a few things about school (while I'm still excited about, and in favor of law school)
Monday was my first trip back down to the campus itself. I bought 2 of my 3 books, got my official ID made, set-up my school email, and met with one of my advisers. By the numbers shall we?
1)Like I mentioned I got two books: Constitutional Law and Torts. The book for my 3rd class civil procedure was not in stock so I have to get it later. These are by far the biggest and heaviest (not to mention densest) books I've ever purchased or had to read. More on that later though.
2 & 3) I got my official DePaul ID and set up my campus email and checked out the campus wi-fi while i was hanging around. All things seem to be a go for Monday.
4) Last, I met with the director of the Family Law Clinic (whom I will refer to as Ms. B). She was the one that recruited me into that department so I figured I'd be polite and stop by to say thank you and talk. She gave me some good insight into the personalities of my professors as well as her thoughts on the first year of law school. It both helped and hurt my nerves, I'm still really anxious but on the whole I'm glad I stopped by.
Tomorrow I will be going back to campus to try and pick up the last book as well as scout my classes out and rent a locker. In the afternoon the Social Life committee will be hosting a kickball game for all the law students so I'm done for that. Kickball and meeting new people...how awesome is that? So as you can tell the posting will slowly ratchet up in frequency as the semester gets underway. This is as much about documenting for me my journey as it is a resource for other perspective (or current) law students., as well as for curious people. Off to bed for a full day tomorrow though.
Marqus A. Cole
Keep Clawing Away...
Set,
GO!!!!
And Like that, they are off. Or I'm off, I must be off my rocker at least to think I was ready for this. But as Summer comes to an end, Law school patiently revs itself up and waits to engulf the entirety of me. So as I cherish these last days of relative freedom let me share a few things about school (while I'm still excited about, and in favor of law school)
Monday was my first trip back down to the campus itself. I bought 2 of my 3 books, got my official ID made, set-up my school email, and met with one of my advisers. By the numbers shall we?
1)Like I mentioned I got two books: Constitutional Law and Torts. The book for my 3rd class civil procedure was not in stock so I have to get it later. These are by far the biggest and heaviest (not to mention densest) books I've ever purchased or had to read. More on that later though.
2 & 3) I got my official DePaul ID and set up my campus email and checked out the campus wi-fi while i was hanging around. All things seem to be a go for Monday.
4) Last, I met with the director of the Family Law Clinic (whom I will refer to as Ms. B). She was the one that recruited me into that department so I figured I'd be polite and stop by to say thank you and talk. She gave me some good insight into the personalities of my professors as well as her thoughts on the first year of law school. It both helped and hurt my nerves, I'm still really anxious but on the whole I'm glad I stopped by.
Tomorrow I will be going back to campus to try and pick up the last book as well as scout my classes out and rent a locker. In the afternoon the Social Life committee will be hosting a kickball game for all the law students so I'm done for that. Kickball and meeting new people...how awesome is that? So as you can tell the posting will slowly ratchet up in frequency as the semester gets underway. This is as much about documenting for me my journey as it is a resource for other perspective (or current) law students., as well as for curious people. Off to bed for a full day tomorrow though.
Marqus A. Cole
Keep Clawing Away...
Saturday, August 15, 2009
New Divide
There was nothing in sight
but memories left
abandoned
There was nowhere to hide
the ashes fell like snow
And the ground caved in
between where we were
standing
And your voice was all I heard
That I get what I deserve
So give me reason
to prove me wrong
to wash this
memory clean
Let the floods cross the distance in your eyes
Across this new divide
-Linkin Park-
but memories left
abandoned
There was nowhere to hide
the ashes fell like snow
And the ground caved in
between where we were
standing
And your voice was all I heard
That I get what I deserve
So give me reason
to prove me wrong
to wash this
memory clean
Let the floods cross the distance in your eyes
Across this new divide
-Linkin Park-
So here I find myself on the far side of this New Divide. This space, this place, that is hundreds of physical miles from friends and families and light years away emotionally and mentally. I find myself on the verge of a new school, a new way of thinking, and a new life. What is the reason, is this something I deserve???
I am finally bringing my long and much needed vacation to an end. I know it's been awhile so an explanation is needed I think. I finished working July 24th and took the advice of a few current law students I had heard from, which was namely "Take a long good vacation, you are going to need it."
So I did just that. I went back to Atlanta, and from there I went to New York, then to Toronto Canada, then to Niagara Falls, back to New York, back to Atlanta, then to Dayton Ohio to visit my grandparents, and finally I'm on my way back to Chicago. Busy? Yeah I know. I really got to see and do a lot and it was nice just getting up and doing whatever made me happy for the day. More importantly I had a chance to see lots of my friends and family before school starts. I really enjoyed the time with my loved ones, but it enforced an idea in my head more then ever that this next stage in my life will literally divide me from them.
In the physical sense I have moved to a city basically on my own. There is really no support network here for me other then a single uncle that I do not really have a familiar relationship with. The nearest support would be my grandparents five hours away. Other then that I am completely on my own. I've had my own place before (with a roomate) but never have I been quite so alone. It will be different; nice, but lonely, and im not quite sure how the solitude will affect me.
In a more 'meta' there will be another divide, one that I cant really put a name on it. After being home and talking to friends and my family, I cant help but feel a distance developing between me and some people. I realize that I am only 23, but I feel as if I am ready to move on to the next part of my life. This is not a judgment, everyone takes their own winding journey through life, and God knows mine has not been without it's detours and double-backs...but on the whole, law school, and what it represents to me, is a major step forward. For one, it will deliver a tangible step in the direction of my career and life goals. It's also forcing a level of maturity on me that I did not have as a undergrad student. I've done the college thing already, I dont need to get "accustomed" to the life style, study habits, and the independence that comes with it. I can fully focus on doing what is best for me and my future.
"Future", that's another thing that keeps coming up in my thoughts. I'm ready to face it. I dont know what it it holds, I have my thoughts on the subject, but more then anything I'm just ready to get there. So here I stand, with my back to my past and facing this New Divide. The saying goes "We will cross that bridge when we get to it"...well I'm here, and I'm ready, it's time to see what the future holds.
Marqus A Cole
Keep Clawing Away...
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Welcome to "The Den"
And with that...it's official!
I am now a "Chicagoian". Is that what they call themselves? Well whatever the name of a rose, it still smells as sweet. Which is to say, that I still have this sweet new pad here in Chicago. So a couple of quick things about finding a place,and having it ready for school.
First things first. Any place you decide to rent NEEDS/ nay HAS to be well within your budget. Granted Im getting $60K a year, of course I could stay in a place for $1200 a month and have no money on the side and make the semester needlessly tight. Or I can act like I have some sense and find a modest place. Being that this is Chicago (one of the larger cities here in the US) finding "a place" was bound to happen. The real trick was finding a place that was A) well within the budget B) had most of the features I need in an apt, and C) Had room for me to grow in. Lets take them one by one shall we?
1) So my place here is a 1bd/1 bath for $950. What that ends up meaning is that for that price I get a kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom...and since I did research and spent time looking, i got the added bonus of an "extra room" which in reality is a sun room, but ill be making into an office (more on that to come). So there has to be +/-. For that phenomenal price tag on this large square footage I had to look well outside of the immediate area of the school. In essence Im compromising time in the mornings and proximity to the school for more sq ft for a lower price. To me that is a good trade off considering I made sure my place is off the Public Transportation that goes directly to my school.
2) Make a list of all the things you Need/Want in an apartment, and stick to it! You never know, you might find that dream place that has all the things you want. Ill be honest this place doesn't have everything on my list but it has most of it, and a few extras that made it worth it. For instance the kitchen here is not as large as I may have wanted and it lacks a dishwasher, but the space I lose in the kitchen I gain in an "office". Which is good because I intend to spend more time working then cooking anyway. Whereas originally I was going to have to put a desk in my room, now I have a fairly substantial dedicated work area that should help improve my concentration and productivity.
3) Room for growth is important to me for a couple of reasons. If you have ever had a place of your own before, you may have experienced a particular side effect: Leaving with more crap then you started with. When I moved from my last place I was amazed by just how much "stuff" I had. Now could I have been a scrouge and got a studio for 5 or 6 hundred dollars....SURE! Would I have had space to be comfortable and accumulate the inevitable junk that comes with living somewhere for 3 years...of course not. This place gives me some space to grow and also space to simply get up and walk around. Being able to move from room to room is often overlooked but essential part of making a place feel "homie".
So there you go, just a little bit about my new place. You will hear me referring more and more to the Den, and may even catch some pics soon. We are really getting closer and closer to the start of this wild ride, so you'll be hearing from me more and more.
Marqus
Keep Clawing Away...
I am now a "Chicagoian". Is that what they call themselves? Well whatever the name of a rose, it still smells as sweet. Which is to say, that I still have this sweet new pad here in Chicago. So a couple of quick things about finding a place,and having it ready for school.
First things first. Any place you decide to rent NEEDS/ nay HAS to be well within your budget. Granted Im getting $60K a year, of course I could stay in a place for $1200 a month and have no money on the side and make the semester needlessly tight. Or I can act like I have some sense and find a modest place. Being that this is Chicago (one of the larger cities here in the US) finding "a place" was bound to happen. The real trick was finding a place that was A) well within the budget B) had most of the features I need in an apt, and C) Had room for me to grow in. Lets take them one by one shall we?
1) So my place here is a 1bd/1 bath for $950. What that ends up meaning is that for that price I get a kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom...and since I did research and spent time looking, i got the added bonus of an "extra room" which in reality is a sun room, but ill be making into an office (more on that to come). So there has to be +/-. For that phenomenal price tag on this large square footage I had to look well outside of the immediate area of the school. In essence Im compromising time in the mornings and proximity to the school for more sq ft for a lower price. To me that is a good trade off considering I made sure my place is off the Public Transportation that goes directly to my school.
2) Make a list of all the things you Need/Want in an apartment, and stick to it! You never know, you might find that dream place that has all the things you want. Ill be honest this place doesn't have everything on my list but it has most of it, and a few extras that made it worth it. For instance the kitchen here is not as large as I may have wanted and it lacks a dishwasher, but the space I lose in the kitchen I gain in an "office". Which is good because I intend to spend more time working then cooking anyway. Whereas originally I was going to have to put a desk in my room, now I have a fairly substantial dedicated work area that should help improve my concentration and productivity.
3) Room for growth is important to me for a couple of reasons. If you have ever had a place of your own before, you may have experienced a particular side effect: Leaving with more crap then you started with. When I moved from my last place I was amazed by just how much "stuff" I had. Now could I have been a scrouge and got a studio for 5 or 6 hundred dollars....SURE! Would I have had space to be comfortable and accumulate the inevitable junk that comes with living somewhere for 3 years...of course not. This place gives me some space to grow and also space to simply get up and walk around. Being able to move from room to room is often overlooked but essential part of making a place feel "homie".
So there you go, just a little bit about my new place. You will hear me referring more and more to the Den, and may even catch some pics soon. We are really getting closer and closer to the start of this wild ride, so you'll be hearing from me more and more.
Marqus
Keep Clawing Away...
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