Michigan Law LL.M. Graduation

The end of my time at Michigan Law marks another chapter in my journey. I knew it would be a lot and that everything would happen so fast, and it really did—adapting to a new environment, getting to know new people, endless reading, exams, expanding my network, and job hunting, all within nine months.

While the student speaker was giving her speech, I couldn't hold back my tears because it really resonated with how I had been feeling over the past year. Being at law school is not only about casebooks and cold calls. I'm constantly learning to become a better version of myself. I didn't expect that I would put so much time and effort into navigating different kinds of relationships, which can be hard and challenging. During this process, I sometimes felt exhausted, but most of the time, after going through it, I felt like I was learning from the experience and getting to know myself better. Some incidents or experiences we've never encountered before can bring out parts of ourselves we never knew existed.

One of the best things about being at Michigan Law School is undoubtedly meeting amazing professors and having so many opportunities to interact with and exchange different perspectives with brilliant classmates.

I really learned a lot both in and outside of class from my fellow classmates. I especially enjoyed the practice simulation classes, which had assignments every week where we practiced drafting and revising contracts, providing comments, and negotiating in different forms and scenarios.

I also loved my mini-seminar class, where we would just chill at the professor's house, sharing different perspectives on our lives and the values reflected in the books we read.

Sometimes I felt self-doubt and even intimidated, but I'm glad I didn't skip any part of the challenge and stuck with it until the end. Every time I forced myself to do something I wasn't comfortable with—but believed was the right thing to do—it turned out to be so rewarding, whether it was sending cold emails and reaching out for conversations or applying for classes that required a lot of work and preparation. For me, even when there wasn't a desirable outcome, I knew it was the process that I learned from, and that's something I value a lot.

It is really the people here—the intellectual community—that make this place so magical. Of course, the Law Quad and the buildings themselves are amazing, like Hogwarts, my childhood dream school as a huge Harry Potter fan.

Undoubtedly, none of this could have been done without the presence of my beloved family and friends, who offered thoughtful advice, encouragement, or simply took the time to listen, whether in person or from afar. That means a lot to me, and I am truly grateful.

The speaker on Senior Day shared how she strives to live in harmony with her beliefs at work. I believe this also applies to life—how I strive to stay aligned with my values, even though many things are beyond my control. I still see myself as being in the process of discovering what that looks like for me.

I know there will be more challenges ahead in the near future. But for now, I want to celebrate all the hard work that's been done and embrace both the good and the bad memories as part of life's journey.

Cheers!