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Hey 2Ls: 5 Things You Can Do With Your Time Besides OCI

By Betty Wang, JD on August 29, 2013 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

So, we get it. It's OCI time. There's no moot court competition going on and yet more than half the 2L class seems to be running around the law school in suits, or waiting anxiously in the halls for their interviews.

Don't feel left out if BigLaw isn't the track you want to go down. In fact, some would tell you -- good call, friend. (Seriously, good call.)

But, still, if you're feeling a little anxious about the fact that you should be doing something more productive with your time while many of your classmates sit in on nerve-wracking interview after interview, don't fret there, either. Here are 5 other things you can do with your time besides participate in OCI:

  1. Study. Sorry to start this list off with such a bummer, but, let's be real. You're in law school, so there's always work to be done. If you haven't yet, check out a couple of supplements for a subject that you're particularly struggling in and get ahead of the curve while your other classmates curl up in the fetal position over knocking over a glass of water at their interview.
  2. Exercise. Endorphins always do the trick if you need a quick pick-me-up boost. Not only that, but going for a jog or bike ride will leave you feeling more refreshed and productive. Let's not forget the fact that you'll be doing your part not only for your own health, but in fighting a fairly common epidemic amongst others in your field.
  3. Decompress. If you're a 2L, you must be exhausted. Remember, always, that breaks are necessary and conducive to one's sanity and your productivity and energy levels in the long run. So, do yourself a favor and read (fiction) or catch a movie (hopefully not a legal one, but we understand if you can't help it).
  4. Get away. If the cluttered mess of all that anxiety and stress from your classmates is really wearing you down, extract yourself from that situation. Take your work with you and go work at a cafe in a nearby town. Or, you can even gas up your car, round up a good friend or two, and just go somewhere further for the weekend. Who knows, maybe it'll even lead to some introspection and self-discovery that you never would've experienced otherwise.
  5. Job-search. So you don't want to be an overworked summer associate at some huge, brand name firm. Focus on what you'd like to do, then. Make an appointment with your school's career services office, check out your school's job-searching resources, or just start Googling and making your own plans to start tackling your summer job search head-on. From mass-mailing to lunch dates, the options are endless.

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