Lanie Park, a Student Ambassador at the ANU College of Law, shares her day in the life. 

For the past three years, I have shared insights into my life as an ANU Law student on TikTok. The growth of my account sparked when I began to share my day-to-day life attempting to balance my time between studies, social activities, tutoring and work, as well as the all the boring life admin tasks in between. It appeared that alike students seemed intrigued into how I managed it all so (as it appeared) seamlessly? But the truth is that most of the time, I don’t have it together!

As I near the final year of my studies, I have come to realise that thriving in law school isn’t about being perfect – it’s about finding what works for you. But of course, finding this ‘balance’ takes time, trial and error, so here are three things I implement in my daily life that I’ve found helpful along the way.

1. EMBRACING FLEXIBILITY

It is quite easy to fall victim to the feeling of anxiety when there are looming deadlines, exams to prepare for and hours of lectures to watch all whilst having a life to attend to outside of university. Having numerous different commitments at once also means that inherently, no one day will look the same, so it would be unfair to expect ourselves to be equally as rigid about our study routine every single day. Some days I need to attend my classes which means I need to dedicate more time towards being a student. But on other days, I have more free time that I need to spend towards fulfilling my role as Marketing director at the Asian Students in Australia Association(ASIAA) or creating content that is due for a brand. Being adaptable and reminding myself that it is ok to not be on my computer 24/7 allows me to navigate my life one day at a time.

2. THE POWER OF DAILY HABITS

The environment of law school can be intense and it’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing your study habits or lifestyle to your peers. I can confirm that I have also been victim to self-comparison and often felt guilty for not studying ‘as much’ or being ‘as productive’ as others. But the most important reminder you can give yourself is that everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for you. Everyone has different learning styles, lifestyles, circumstances, and strengths/weaknesses! Building my own daily routine filled with habits that align with my goals has helped me to not only manage my mental health against the workload, but also provide a sense of accomplishment in my day-to-day life which motivates me to keep going. Whether it be making my bed every single morning, writing a to-do list with smaller tasks, to making sure to get in eight hours of sleep, creating a sense of consistency between my days has helped me stay on track.

3. STRATEGIC DOWNTIME

Above all, it is crucial to take breaks. To this day, I often overlook the importance of stepping away to recharge. But it is definitely possible to schedule in downtime no matter how busy life gets. Whether it be an outdoor walk, getting a coffee or getting an early night in, breaks have become an essential component to my productivity.

All in all, balancing your law degree with work and life can be challenging but it is definitely possible if you focus on progress rather than perfection. Remember that everyone is on their own path, so give yourself space to navigate your journey at your own pace.

You’ve got this!