One major difference between the University of Miami and the University of Minnesota is that as a private school, UMiami was able to kick out the non-tuition paying crazies. Whereas here at UMinnesota, anyone can waltz onto campus with a sign about the [...]]]> Tik tok on the block and the campus crazies won’t stop…

One major difference between the University of Miami and the University of Minnesota is that as a private school, UMiami was able to kick out the non-tuition paying crazies. Whereas here at UMinnesota, anyone can waltz onto campus with a sign about the impending apocolypse.¹

I think I will stand outside of the law school with a sign as well. It will read: “THERE WILL BE FAMINE AND PESTILENCE IF WE DO NOT GET MORE COFFEE. SHOTTY WIRELESS, DRY HIGHLIGHTERS, AND CRAPPY IBM LAPTOPS FOR ALL!!”

I encourage the 1Ls to blog, especially when they are busy. “The busy times are when it is most important to blog!” I say. “You’ll thank yourself for writing!”

So of course I don’t condescend to blog when I get busy. Do as I say, not as I do right? I [...]]]> Oh, I am a terrible hypocrite!

I encourage the 1Ls to blog, especially when they are busy. “The busy times are when it is most important to blog!” I say. “You’ll thank yourself for writing!”

So of course I don’t condescend to blog when I get busy. Do as I say, not as I do right? I feel like a governor…

Luckily the free-for-all that is “discussion time” in my family law class is the perfect time to blog! I am so not slacking at this…

So, what happened last week?

Well, the most exciting thing about last week was the heat! I think it got to 80 degrees one day, but maybe I’m exaggerating… maybe it was 90 degrees, or 100…

Regardless, it was warm, and the grass came out:

The undergrads now lounge-about outside, and the scandalous daisy dukes have arrived. Hopefully this also means an end to the leggings epidemic that hit campus this winter! (Leggings are still not pants by the way…)

The great thaw is also exciting because Minnesotan drivers don’t do well with melting snow:


I’ve seen more car wrecks in the past few weeks than during the worst snowfall. Although this may have something to do with the amount of cars hidden in snow-filled ditches…I think the situation will improve now that the roads are dry and ice-free, but I’m probably wrong.

Other than the car wrecks and heat, last week was also the week of the work-out. I made to the gym about 4 times and constantly walked the dogs around the lakes.

My apartment building has also resumed its craziness. There are constantly drunks lounging in the stairway, people passed out in the hallway, mystery smells, and one of my neighbors must have given up walking her dog because there are little nuggets of joy waiting for me on the back stairs most mornings. Delicious.

And I would be remiss for not mentioning the boyfriend, but it’s hard to describe a new relationship without a fatty serving of cheese, so, let’s just say he’s so smoking hot that sometimes he looks like his pants caught fire:

That’s from Pechmans recreational fire…and no, Judd didn’t actually catch fire… I think…

So…my family law class has graduated to a new level of ridiculous. Some of my classmates think it is appropriate to tell a 100-person room of their peers the intimate details of their parents’ “loveless marriage” and the resulting emotional issues they now face.

I blame this overshare on the professor, who solicited it. The looks of disgust are hilarious…but this does not make it easy to focus on blogging.

Damn it class! You’re getting in the way of my writing time! Ugh. Luckily this disaster is ending for today, and I will keep with my blogging duties from now on…and provide more coherent “best week ever” posts…at least more coherent than this…possibly, maybe…

We received this email during our Criminal Law review session:

Students, Faculty and Staff:

The University will be closing three buildings on our West Bank [...]]]> I need everyone in Minneapolis to chill. For the next two weeks, I need the chaos to stop. Pretty please? We have stray bullets, riots, and now not-so-vague threats? What the hey?

We received this email during our Criminal Law review session:

Students, Faculty and Staff:

The University will be closing three buildings on our West Bank campus due to a time-specific threat of violence obtained by law enforcement. Those buildings include the Carlson School of Management, Hanson Hall and the Hubert H. Humphrey Center. All classes and activities beginning at or after 3:45 are cancelled in those buildings and they will close at 4:30 p.m.

This was a very specific threat of violence targeted at these three buildings. We are erring on the side of caution by canceling classes and activities and closing the buildings. UMPD is actively investigating this threat.

The Humphrey Institute’s “Changing Competitive Position of Public Research Universities” lecture has been moved to 5 Blegen Hall.

The threat was specific enough that regular operations will resume on Friday morning.

I apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your cooperation.

UPDATE: Turns out it was a shooting threat:

The University of Minnesota closed three buildings on its West Bank campus this afternoon after a note was found saying that a shooting was planned this evening, prompting the cancellation of classes in those heavily populated buildings, school officials said. (read on)

The coolest thing about this place is the tables. They feature some of the pellets from the former mineral [...]]]> As if I needed yet another café to add to my 15-odd study places! A new Dunn Brothers store opened on campus. It’s called the “River Road Café”, and it’s part of a swank, newly renovated building.

The coolest thing about this place is the tables. They feature some of the pellets from the former mineral resources center.

Packing was a less-than-graceful affair – I didn’t realize how many books I had until I filled three ginormous boxes with them.

The third box, of course, broke in my car, sending almost 100 books flying everywhere. Eh.

I had a layover in Atlanta. That airport is massive, but surprisingly clean…although I [...]]]> So I’m in Minneapolis now!

Packing was a less-than-graceful affair – I didn’t realize how many books I had until I filled three ginormous boxes with them.

The third box, of course, broke in my car, sending almost 100 books flying everywhere. Eh.

I had a layover in Atlanta. That airport is massive, but surprisingly clean…although I was shocked to see so many bars in the airport.

Well, so many bars, and so many people smoking (and drinking) at 10am. The layover was less than an hour so I had time to grab breakfast at Phillip’s Seafood, which was pretty empty. Yeah. I don’t go to an airport in the morning and think “CRABCAKES!” either. In the interest of dear Mr. Stomach, I had the eggs and cheddar.

There were so many cute Nordic-blond kids on the flight to Minneapolis. Well, I thought they were cute. Their grandma obviously didn’t share my opinion and opted for a few bloody-Marys, compliments of AirTran.

I got to Minneapolis, had a public transit/taxi adventure, and then met two of the (14?) housemates. After chucking my luggage in my room I roamed the neighborhood. I’m living in Dinkytown, which is the university neighborhood for the University of Minnesota.

UMiami doesn’t have an equivalent supporting neighborhood. Actually, walking around UMN makes me realize how a-typical UMiami really is. UMN dwarfs UMiami. UMN is also way nicer. Pictures!

More here.

I got my student ID, but couldn’t sign up for the gym.

Gym Lady: You’re not registered for any classes so you can’t get a gym membership.
Me: I’m a law student. They register us on the first day of orientation, the 27th.
Gym Lady: Then we can’t sign you up. Besides, we don’t prorate our summer membership so even if we did sign you up, you’d have to pay $80 for a 20-day membership.
Me: Erm. Where’s the closest Bally’s?

The next adventure of the day? Finding a grocery store!

I also put “Getting to Maybe” aside and started reading Barron’s “How to Succeed in Law School.”

And… I’m figuring out how to brief cases. I figure time spent with [...]]]> A box of Gopher Gear should arrive any day now. I went on a small online shopping spree for UMN shirts after I paid my last deposit.

I also put “Getting to Maybe” aside and started reading Barron’s “How to Succeed in Law School.”

And… I’m figuring out how to brief cases. I figure time spent with my legal dictionary and cases over the summer will pay off in the fall.

I wish I could buy my books already, but the wording on my school’s website doesn’t give me any clue when the required book list will be released. It will be in my registration packet. When do I get this packet? During registration at orientation? Or do these packets come out beforehand? Hm, hm, hm.

The first deposit is already in. This is happening. I want this. I’m excited. I really really am.

But declining all these other schools, especially those that gave me full rides, feels like burning my security blanket. ]]> UMN Law is my first choice. I was accepted and I’m attending. This is old news.

The first deposit is already in. This is happening. I want this.
I’m excited. I really really am.

But declining all these other schools, especially those that gave me full rides, feels like burning my security blanket.