Just keep swimming

So...I have my grades from my very first semester of law school. While everyone is telling me to just work harder (they weren't grades that I wanted) I get incredibly frustrated because I really can't work any harder. I gave up happy hours with class mates, football games on Saturday, sleep, breakfast, working out, eating dinner, to devote pretty much my life to studying. 

And maybe that was the problem

Maybe I did too much. 

There was no Ashley time. There was no time for me to get myself together. My laundry piled up as well as my trash. But I was reading. And studying. And practicing. And it was all supposed to pay off. 

Well. I don't think that it did. And since everyone is telling me to change things, I'm going to do just that. 

I'm going to watch basketball. I'm going to go out once a month. I'm going to keep going to church. I'm going to keep working out. I'm actually going to stop studying to eat dinner. I'm going to get sleep. I'm going to get a DVR and actually watch TV...American Idol is back on after all. 

I say all this to make a point about optimism. I have the grades that I have and nothing is going to change that. So what do I do? Quit or keep going. And since I don't have a rich husband, looks like I'm going to have to keep going. The beautiful part is I don't have to think about those grades ever again. They're there! It's not like starting this semester is going to erase them, but I can't let them hold me back from getting where I want to get in my legal career. They are the grades for the first semester after all. And to a law student that means A LOT. But, it's just the first semester. 

True, this is the first major set back that I've ever experienced. I've never fallen so far from a goal that I reached. That saying, "Shoot for the moon because if you miss you'll land among the stars." ...  I landed somewhere around the International Space Station. Not very far from where I started. But, I am closer to the moon. So I'll just try again. It doesn't matter if I was on a satellite or the moon. The sun will still rise. 

So here's what's to be said about optimism. For those of you that suffer set backs, hardships, and disappointments in life, just know that the people at the top can't climb any higher, but you can. And no one can ever really appreciate the good times, unless they have suffered the hard. 

Keep your head up and keep it funky =)

Back into the fight...

I'm heading back to Houston tomorrow. This was the first break that I had that I didn't get bored. I like law school, don't get me wrong, but I'm sooo not ready to go back yet. It's not like I get to go back and enjoy Houston any. I have to go back and hit the books running. My grades were alright I guess so far, but I expect more from myself, and I'm going to get the result I want if it means even less sleep. I'll get used to it. =)

I had the competitive air around me and people saw that when I was in school. I never tried to hide books or not give anyone information when they asked for it. But I wasn't just giving debbie cakes away. (Inside info=debbie cakes) You're friends are your enemies in law school. You can't double cross anyone at this point in the game though, because NO ONE will want to work with you. That's life though. It's like big brother. Everyone looks out for who can help them the most...and now I head to my digression about egocentrism 

So now I'm headed back into the Lion's Den. It's a jungle in there.  The sick thing is, is that I'm excited. I have such a weird adrenaline rush about an intellectual challenge. Anyone else getting turned on? lol. I'm a nerd, I know. Overcoming obstacles is such a rush for me. And yes, I know I just had a blog about humble pie, but like I said in the beginning, I'm an optimist. I'm realistic enough to know that I'm not going to be Magna Cum Laude, but I know that I can get good grades. 

And that, Ladies and Gentlemen is how I plan to keep it funky.