Tonight, We Are Young…..

[highlight]-Sanyukta Banerjie, Gujarat National Law University.[/highlight]

On DD.MM.YYYY we had our Zero Day.

The firms that were coming, the firms that never came, how other law colleges had it better than us, how we always got a raw deal, every intimate detail of a law firm (yes! ‘intimate’!) hashed and rehashed in grand detail.

Nights melted into days and days into nights as I saw kids cram everything under the sun because:-

– “Dude! They can always quiz you on basic concepts” [while issuing Avtar Singh, R&D and Antonia Antonio Cassese. Together.]

-“The least that they can expect is that you be aware of what’s going on. [while poring over The Hindu, Economic Times and Business Line.  Again, together.]

– Miscellaneous: Advice by seniors, more intimate details of law firms.

[quote]Probably the reason why I suspect the student body drew a (secret) collective sigh of relief when the Zero Day finally came! Apparently humans as a species are not very good with handling uncertainty. We have an inherent need to sort things out or at least to appear sorted.[/quote]

One of my lasting memories of that day is when I entered the Waiting Room. It’s a pretty large room, air-conditioned, with sofas and chairs where people who had given their interviews or were waiting their turn sat. Steering clear of the latter (why bother the poor tortured souls?) I naturally gravitated towards the former.

Considering my nascent faculties of commiseration (not because I have a heart of a stone but simply because I’m emotionally retarded/awkward) I simply listened while some of them narrated their experiences with the interview board.

– “They screwed me man, good and proper!”

– “They totally took up my case, right left centre.”

-“God! They didn’t even give the time of day…”

[quote]Till by and by the conversation veered into self-flagellation territory.[/quote]

– “I feel so stupid. So dumb.”

– “I think I really am a little dim-witted.”

I mean these are kids I’ve seen, spoken to, interacted with, for four years now; perfect GPAs, presentable, incisive opinions and all in all, bright people, good people. I’m no Deepak Chopra (dear god no!) but all that negativity, their self-doubt was so unnecessary.

I get it. Sure enough, to put in your heart and soul into something and not expect something in returns is well, unheard of.

[quote]But one of the things I learnt and love about law school are the endless possibilities.[/quote]

[highlight]In 2014, I pass out with a law degree that honestly I can fashion into anything I want! I can join a law firm, I can start a law firm, I love mooting – I can get into litigation, I can open a legal cell in my city (people truly have no idea of their rights and duties as citizens of this country), I can join civil services (enough complaining about what the government does or does not do), I can join judicial services, I can teach! Truly the avenues are endless….[/highlight]

Let’s not rush the process of growing up. Concerns regarding earning money, keeping a roof over your head, taking care of your parents, etc. are all valid and will always be there. But this moment, this one shot that you have at being 22-23 is a one-way road. So let’s do what we truly love doing, what sustains the soul and what we would do for free if given half a chance.

We have our whole lives ahead of us…it seems madness to lose hope.