SCU Law - Your life in 3 Destinations
Written: Aug 17 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Live ethernet connections, great reference librarians, beautiful campus.
Cons: Limited dining options, not enough print stations, long lines for coffee.
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| zzJulia's Full Review: Santa Clara University School of Law |
You have finished your undergraduate studies. Perhaps you have wrapped up a grueling job and are looking for a career change. Or perhaps your kids have left the house and now you're ready to go back to school. You have the whole world at your feet, right?
Not exactly.
As a 1L (first year law student) at Santa Clara, your world will most likely shrink into 3 prime destinations, all within 1 block of each other.
1. Bannan Hall
All your lectures will take place on the first floor of this building. The lecture rooms are newly remodeled and have ethernet connections.
(This can be good if you must know how your stock portfolio is doing or want to play Hearts on the network, but detrimental to absorbing the lecture.)
Actually, where the ethernet connection really comes in useful is when you need to look up code sections (Corporations, Tax, Wills & Trust) during lecture.
In addition to attending lecture in these rooms, you will be taking your exams here, whether on your laptop or your bluebook so get comfortable, and scope out your favorite vantage points.
2. Heafey Law Library
Since your days will inevitably have time gaps between lectures, hie over to Heafey Law Library to find a good study table. Heafey has 3 small computer labs (only two have printers) and students usually crowd in there to check their email or print. There are cubbies on the on the first floor with ethernet connections and large tables all along the upstairs with live ports as well.
• Right before finals, the labs are mobbed by students needing to print their outlines. Paper jams, printer errors and empty toner cartridges can only add to your stress. Avoid this trauma by printing your outlines at home, or coming to the library in the early mornings. You could possibly scope the undergrad computer labs too, but then that would be venturing outside the 3 critical areas of campus.
• Bring earphones or earplugs to the library to tune out the gabbing of your neighbors and assorted typing sounds.
• The reference librarians are there to help you. Treat them with respect, they know a lot and are extremely helpful. Many of them also did the law school thing years ago and understand your confusion.
• You can even get a job here; not behind the desk, but as a Lexis assistant or a Westlaw assistant. You'll learn more about this in LaRAW.
What's LaRAW you ask? It's the dreaded Legal Reseearch And Writing class that will bring you even closer to Heafey.
3. Benson Center
This is where you will eat and get your caffeine fix (Seattle's Best Coffee). The Terrace Cafe stocks sandwiches, breakfast pastries, biscotti and brownies. I frequent this place often and if there is one thing that I pray for, it is a separate coffee line. RANT - The Raspberry Vanilla Non-fat Mochachino drinking undergrads holding up the line should get out of my way! I should be able to just plunk down a buck and hit the SBC dispenser. Whew! Finally got that off my chest.
In Benson, you will also find a Cafeteria and adjacent to that, the California Fresh section. In the main cafeteria, you can get eggs, pancakes, waffles, toast, rice, potatoes, cereal and fruit for breakfast. Lunch and dinner offers a Vegetarian stir-fry, in addition to rice bowls, pasta and meat entrees. In CA Fresh, you can order burritos, grilled cheese sandwiches, chicken Philly sandwiches and burgers. Best buy at CA Fresh - $.99 chicken soft taco!
Just outside Benson is the Bank of America ATM, for your beer fund needs.
Break Free!
Your early days will be learning a routine, getting used to your surroundings and deciding who you love/hate in your section. Once you have mastered this, I suggest a couple ways to vary your routine.
Outside the main entrance parking structure is the Jamba Juice. Though packed after 9AM, early birds can have a nice treat with little wait. Coffee is also available there.
Go to the gym - the Pat Malley Fitness and Recreation Center is new and a gorgeous facility. Stairmaster and lift to your heart's content. All you need to get in is your student ID.
As you get into the school year, you may also venture to Law House, home of the Career Center and your LaRAW instructor. A block over from Law House is the 7-11 and the offices of Law Review and the High Tech Journal.
Another block and you will be a popular hangout - Mondo Burrito!
It's a beautiful campus and the law students benefit from starting the semester a month before the undergrads (who are on the quarter system). If you're considering SCU for your legal education, take a tour of the campus and facilities -- you won't regret it.
Recommended:
Yes
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Member: Juls W.
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