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Post by jonalyngaspar on Apr 25, 2022 6:37:10 GMT
On friday april 22nd David took me out on my big/little date. The night before, David had texted me that he had plans for us to go axe throwing. As someone who's never been, I was super excited to throw some large weapons. I got ready around 5:30pm and finished just in time as he picked me up to go. At first, I was confused about where he was going to pick me up, but realized that he sent me his location after standing in the wrong spot for eight minutes. Fortunately, I was able to find his car and was still on time. On the way to the axe throwing place we did hit a little bit of traffic, but it gave us the opportunity to get to know eachother even more. As we headed north, we engaged in conversation about the pledging process and he reassured me that it’s worth it, regardless of how tough it may seem. From this conversation I learned the importance of criticism and growth. As David expressed that my pledge brothers and I are all going to make mistakes, and that it’s a part of growing as a group and individually. This conversation was truly insightful, and made me reflect on a lot of the choices I have made during my time as a pledge. As we wrapped up our conversion, we then arrived at the axe throwing venue. At the venue, we were given instructions on how to throw and an area with a target board to ourselves. At first, we started practicing throwing and then engaged in competitive games to see who was the ultimate lumberjack. For the first game we played tic tac toe. The game consisted of us throwing at a certain number, which corresponded to a spot on the tic tac toe board. In the first round, David ended up winning after a few throws. But in the second, I ended up winning after three initial throws because I wanted to assert my dominance as a true lumberjack. After playing tic tac toe, we then played twenty one. For this game I ended up winning because yet again, I am a beast at axe throwing. After spending about a little over an hour throwing axes, he then treated me to Korean corn dogs. I ended up ordering a potato dog which was half mozzarella and hotdog. After getting our corn dogs we then sat down to eat. As we ate, we then engaged in more conversation about our kappa alpha pi family. And talked about how the corn dog spot we were at was Trisha Paytas’s favorite spot to go too. After we finished, we then headed back to the car and drove towards Westwood. In the car, we continued our conversation and shared our goals post graduation. As we arrived back at my dorm, we said our goodbyes and exchanged pictures of all the fun we had. This day was truly needed and one of the most enjoyable times I have had during this pledging process. Getting to know David and having him as a support system has been so amazing. This day has really taught me the importance of a healthy work/life balance, as these past few days have been super busy. Being able to spend time with someone who really understands and has experienced the pledging process is so reassuring. I have realized that I should always set aside some time by myself or with others, and that I do not need to constantly overwork myself. Ultimately, having a work life balance reduces a lot of stress and anxiety which can prevent myself from feeling burnt out.  |
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Post by jonalyngaspar on May 2, 2022 4:56:21 GMT
Corporate Law
From the start of my collegiate journey, I’ve always been interested in the field of corporate law. After doing research, there are many pros and cons to such a field. Starting with the pros, many of the skills to be a corporate lawyer are ones that consistently train the intellect of a person. For example, one of the skills includes having great negotiation skills. In order to be a successful corporate lawyer, one must be able to be competent in helping to understand parties and to avoid mistakes when establishing certain connections. Another pro to working in the corporate law field is the supportive camaraderie amongst other lawyers. For example, many individuals who go to law school to become a corporate lawyer usually end up working with each other post graduation. Thus allowing the job to be enjoyable when you are working with those you may know. Another pro to working as a corporate lawyer is enjoying a challenge while working. As the field is rigorous and time consuming, most corporate lawyers are usually faced with certain challenges with the workload. As someone who thrives in a high stress environment, this most definitely would be pro in regards to the opportunity to learn and have continued knowledge. Even though some may think this idea is a con, it makes being a corporate lawyer very rewarding to know the work you are doing is beneficial to others and yourself. And a last pro to working in the corporate law field is the pay out it can have. Working within the field of corporate law is one of the highest paying fields. Thus leading to stability of certain positions and access to multiple resources some may not have. Now to the cons of being a corporate lawyer. One con to being one is the feeling of sometimes being overworked. For example, the field of corporate law consists of tight deadlines which can not be put off. This leads to days when some corporate lawyers are overworked and have to do overtime. Another con to the corporate law field is that there are not as many jobs that people can have as a corporate lawyer. For example, while corporate attorneys are in high demand, the truth is that there is more work in the litigation field compared to corporate. As there are always litigation cases consistently brought to people's attention compared to corporate cases. A third con to the corporate law field is the impact the economy can have on your own position as a corporate lawyer. For example, when companies cut costs they will and can lay off staff. Which can also include company attorneys putting corporate lawyers in the position to lose their jobs. Overall the job of a corporate lawyer has its pros and cons. As someone that is looking into the field, it most definitely is an environment that I would want to be a part of. Ultimately I think being successful as a corporate lawyer comes down to having a healthy work life balance. As much as being a corporate lawyer can induce chronic stress, having established time to spend out of work will lead to higher levels of success. As it can make you more productive and make you feel way better about yourself when working in the stressful field of corporate law. In conjunction, there are so many learning opportunities while working as one, which makes being a corporate lawyer all worth it in the end. But then again, this statement is subject to every individual and some may not like the corporate law field in its entirety.
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Post by jonalyngaspar on May 9, 2022 6:29:10 GMT
One law program I am interested in attending is the Colombia J.D. Law Program. It is ranked number four for the 2023 Best Law Schools in the United States by the U.S. News website and is widely known for having T-14 programs. There have been a handful of notable alumni to have graduated from the Columbia J.D. Law Program such as U.S Presidents, Supreme Court Justices and a few business titans. The Columbia Law School overall has many different programs that will lead their students to a bright future in the law field, but they are best known for their business/corporate and commercial law programs. After graduation, it is common for a very high percentage of Columbia Law School students to land a Big Law job at the top 100 Law Firms in the United States in comparison to other schools.
There are multiple options for degrees that the Columbia Law School offers to its students. A large percentage of admitted students chose to pursue a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree, which is considered the traditional degree that most students are interested in when going to law school in the United States. The Columbia Law School also offers a Master of Laws degree (LL.M.) within the span of one year. This degree is mostly pursued by lawyers who have already received their law degrees outside of the United States, as well as J.D. graduates that are interested in specializing in a certain field of the law. The last degree that the Columbia Law School provides for its students is the Doctor of the Science of Law (J.S.D.) degree. This degree primarily assists students interested in careers regarding legal scholarship.
The Columbia Law School has many factors affecting their admissions and the overall application process. The first step to applying is to sign up for the Law School Credential Assembly Service (CAS) which can be accessed online through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). Then once completed, the entire application will be submitted online through LSAC. There are a total of two tracks involved with the traditional J.D. program which are regular admissions and early decision. The application for both of these tracks opens towards the beginning of September, but the regular decision track application must be submitted no later than February 15th. Since admissions to this school are rolling, the sooner the application gets submitted, the faster the admission decision comes out and the higher chance of getting admitted. For example, if you were to submit the application no later than December 31st, the admission decision should come by March. And if you were to submit your application by the February 15th deadline, the admission decision should be out by the end of April. Columbia also contacts select applicants for an invitation-only interview, but it does not always guarantee one’s admission to the school. In addition, some applicants are also admitted into the school without an interview. Some requirements necessary for the Columbia Law School application are the $85 application fee and form, academic transcripts, a resume, an LSAT and or GRE score, two academic recommendation letters, Dean’s appraisal certification, and some essays. To explain some of these requirements, the Dean’s appraisal certification is a verification of your student conduct record. There are 3 essays requested from the application in which two of them are optional. The mandatory essay must be a law school personal statement that is two pages long, double spaced and in 12 pt font. One of the optional essays is a law school diversity statement and the last essay is a statement of strong interest in the Columbia Law School with explanations of undergraduate performances and the LSAT and or GRE performance.
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Post by jonalyngaspar on May 23, 2022 6:38:36 GMT
One nonprofit organization I would like to work in is one that is called Foster America. This nonprofit centers around America’s most vulnerable children. And aims to improve the lives of foster children and those at risk of entering the system. Those a part of the nonprofit are individuals who strive to develop a pipeline of leaders and innovators. In hopes of building a movement to transform the child welfare system in its entirety. This organization is one that I am truly passionate about, as I grew up and experienced the system myself. Knowing and understanding the system is the ultimate way to change it from within. Therefore I hope to one day be a part of an organization that discusses and tackles issues surrounding the future generation of children. If I myself had the opportunity to impact the lives of a foster child, I would be able to deter the negativity they would face within the welfare system. With this idea I would engage in the nonprofit's fellowship program. As the program itself recruits necessary professionals with skills in data, technology, design, strategy, and finance to improve the status of the welfare system. With all these expertise from a variety of sectors,I would be able to do projects that would help keep families safely together and make foster care more loving than traumatic. Collectively my goal is to help children who experience abuse or neglect. And help to different family situations heal when possible.and Therefore to induce an environment within the foster care system that is more safe and loving, instances when it is needed. Too often, neglect is what enables difficult situations within the welfare system. Thus why welfare policies make family separation an easier option than providing supportive services to children and parents with complex needs. Therefore my passions are parallel to this nonprofit, as I would never have any other children to experience the same neglect as I did growing up in the system. In the United States, our government spends $30 billion on foster care a year, but most children return home with little to no evidence that they or their families’ trajectories have improved. As a child who grew up in a low income family, becoming immersed in the child welfare system is both traumatic and distressingly common amongst most as well. For example more than one in three children experience an abuse or neglect investigation before reaching adulthood in America. This statistic is most definitely shocking, as I reflect on how many children around me have experienced the same neglect and abuse. In response to this, I believe I have a moral duty to do anything I can to give back to the community I was once in. Therefore, Foster America is a future non profit organization that I would like to be involved in to bring new energy, attention, and innovation to child welfare. In continuation, I hope to develop a sufficient leadership capacity and attract many others to tackle the welfare system’s most challenging problems at scale and prevent the effects of its failures. Which is why I want to also tackle the intersectionality of intergenerational poverty, chronic homelessness, and inequities in the criminal justice system which all play a part in the welfare of others. Ultimately, I am committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of different communities. As I continue to work every day to advance a more family-oriented approach to child welfare and impact the lives of children in a positive way. And lastly shape a system and many of it to live without fear when faced with the daunting idea of being in the welfare system and its inequalities.
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