That was so TwentyThirteen

Farewell Thirteen

When I started this blog 365 days ago I didn’t think I’d survive until today with the new lodging arrangements. 
Sadly, my first man, Adam, is leaving me after a year of harmonious absence and the applications are rolling in for his room. 

Once again, I have to think about people in a way one never wants to, picking at personality traits that might set your teeth on edge or wondering at their bathroom usage. 

I can’t put it in the ad, but it’s only open to males, as they have to share a bathroom with my sons, who keep it surprisingly tidy. But still, I could be sued if I advertised for men only. Or could I? In contract law, is it an offer or an invitation to treat? Will their consideration be considerate or considered? In land law, will I be licensing the use of a room or providing a benefit – this was much easier when I was legally ignorant. 

In January '13 I certainly didn’t think I’d have covered first year Law by now, seeing as I only applied online after a few drinks with some barristers and decided I could do that job. Driving to lectures every night was the least appealing prospect, but that’s turned out to be a great way to dissect the day. Only problem is food havoc, not only eating before and after lectures, but snacking on jellybabies during them. 

Some male friends were perplexed at my decision; they thought it was absolutely bonkers ‘at my age’ and ‘what was the point?’ Lectures are a great pleasure, law touches every part of our lives and it's fulfilling to learn something new. Yet brushing with the law is what most of us avoid, while others live by litigation. 

That's all great, but then the first exam day came, and I knew what those men meant. The fear of the blank page, the trick questions, the memory failure, the fact that I might have studied all the wrong stuff. The big hall, the rules, the silence, the scarified looks. Then it was all over, and I had a cramp from writing for two hours, having done all the things we were warned not to, putting down anything that came into my head.

Is it any wonder I haven’t blogged in two months? That, and a defamation suit if I write about my student colleagues or, worse the lecturers. I even did a mooting competition, a mock trial, giving full expression to someting I only practiced on my children before, arguing that I am in the right...

The one thing about the legal world is it isn’t ageist, as such. People practice well into their seventies (I'm being very optimistic). The revered, former Supreme Court judge, Catherine McGuinness, qualified as a barrister at 42, that’s still young as far as I’m concerned. 

So when it came to the King’s Inns Christmas Ball I thought a good cross section of the class would go, not so. And being prevailed upon to go by the younger socialites, I just had to dust off the ball gown and tiara and step back into the 19^th century ballroom.  Then it was the vengabus to a nightclub til the early hours, gosh it’s fun being out with 20-50 year olds in tuxedos and gowns with one thing in common, exam anxiety.

So, once more into the breach we go, after a year that started in trepidation, living with strangers, coming 'out' about D v. Ireland, getting book reviews and opinion published, becoming a legal student, I know 2014 will be another hard slog for all of us, but we’ll get there yet. Please let it be soooooonnnnnn!!