I imagine a future where I can be referred to as- Affad T. Shaikh, Esq.- the post-nominal “Esq.” stands for “esquire”. I find that quite sexy and it sends chills down my spine thinking that in three years I will have a chance to sit for the bar test and take on the license to practice law. I won’t bore you with why I chose to pursue law school, nor will I go in-depth into how I got to law school, now. If you follow my earlier blog, then you know all about my civil rights advocacy in the American Muslim, Arab, South Asian and Middle Eastern community in Southern California so simply that’s what brought me to law school.
For now you should know that I am a sane and rational being that has elected, volunteered, knowingly-signed-my-life-away-to-student-debt in order to pursue a legal education and eventual career as a licensed attorney.
Also you should know that I am 28 years old and I have worked for the past five years in a non-profit full time. I should also share with you that I am somewhat athletic, that I enjoy food and I am unique. I am a practicing Muslim who identifies with my American experience but appreciates my South Asian (Pakistani nationality) heritage. I have friends, family and lots of interesting hobbies. I am human and tend to show great amounts of sympathy as well as empathy.
Slowly, I imagine as you read this chronicle, you will notice how all those things melt away until I am an insane, irrational, readily institutionalized law student. Telling people about my new endeavor has elicited cautious, and often completely repulsed, reactions. People see the logic in my decision to pursue law school, but most law students suggest I not attend.
So look out for titled posts “Chronicles of an Esquire in Training” (or if it catches on CEIT) where I hope to elaborate about my law school experiences, try to also tell you the lessons I learned having gone through the experience if you happen to be an aspiring law students you can better prepare yourself for law school. The first year I have been told is defined as the “year they scare you to death”; the second year is “they work you to death”; and, finally, the third year is “when they bore you to death”. The first year is also called 1 (one)-(hel)L. I already sense the ominous environment I am about to find myself in shortly.
I do not claim to be practicing the law in the State of California or in the United States. In fact, I am incompetent to offer any legal advice and nothing here is such advice. You will find my opinions and experiences and various interesting facets of the law I have met on my way towards becoming a future licensed member of the legal profession in the State of California. In essence I am an esquire in training, and this is just a sarcastic, real, obscene and frantic chronicling of my law school experience for the benefit of whoever reads this blog. Its a cautionary tale for some, for others inspirational or comical, however you take these blog posts, know that this is my REAL EXPERIENCE. So handle with care.
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