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From Penn State to the state of Indiana

I applied to Indiana because of the application fee waiver, but coming here has been the best decision I have made since I graduated from Penn State. After I was accepted, I visited Indiana for the first time and stayed with a fellow Penn State graduate who was attending Indiana Law. Everyone here was so friendly and eager to talk about their experience that I simply had to come here. After I visited Bloomington, there was no other school I wanted to attend. I accepted my offer before I left town, and even signed an apartment lease before I returned to Penn State to finish my last semester.

I was in the Air Force Reserved Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at Penn State. I graduated and commissioned as a second lieutenant in 2006. I was awarded an educational delay spot to attend law school. I split my 2L summer between McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey and Dewey & LeBoeuf, a large New York City law firm. I will be on full-time active duty after the bar exam, and I’m committed to the military for four years after law school.

A Big Ten campus

The great thing about being a part of a big university is that we get all the advantages of undergraduate students: discount tickets for sporting events, access to all the libraries on campus, and discount tickets for concerts and shows.

I love the Student Recreational Sports Center (SRSC), the state-of-the-art gym on campus. Students have free access to the gym. They have a ton of cardio machines, weight lifting machines, and free weights. But beware: A few weeks before spring break, it is extremely busy around dinner time! Everyone is prepping to get in beach-body shape.

I also enjoy all the places on campus where we can study. If you’re a night owl, the Indiana Memorial Union is a great place—it’s open until 2 a.m. I also like the 24-hour Starbucks across the street from the Law School and the new Pourhouse on Kirkwood.

The downtown nightlife is also hopping every night of the week. Law students’ favorite “hot spot” is Nick’s English Hut. But we have our SBA [Student Bar Association] parties at the Jungle Room, where we eat chicken wings and breadsticks. Other good spots are Kilroy’s on Kirkwood, the Upstairs Pub, the Bluebird, and Kilroy’s Sports.

Law School activities

My law school activities include the Latino Law Student Association (LLSA), Protective Order Project, Elder Law Clinic, PRACTICE Group advisor, the Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies, and being an Admissions Fellow. I was the secretary of LLSA, and I enjoy having discussion group sessions (which include speakers and “food for thought” movies at lunchtime). Protective Order Project helps people who have been victims of domestic violence and related problems. During my second year of law school, I was a PRACTICE Group advisor, where I showed the ropes to eight first-year students.

As an Admissions Fellow, I was able to reach out to prospective students who are a great fit for Indiana Law. I would call or e-mail them and answer whatever questions they had about IU. I also gave tours of the Law School.

Walking distance from school

One of the new things that I have taken up since I got to law school is caffeine every morning. Every morning, I have an internal debate: Starbucks or Circle K? Circle K or Starbucks? If I have a long day ahead, I might actually have both: once in the morning and once again around dinner time. Starbucks is a bit pricier, but they have the best croissants. On the other hand, Circle K offers one free beverage after you purchase six. So it all depends. But Circle K always gets at least one visit a day during finals week—for the power Red Bull.

One of the advantages of living in a college town is how much housing is available to students. I roll out of bed and can walk to the Law School in less than five minutes. I live in Poolside Apartments, which many people call the “Law School dorm.” But besides the fact that there are a ton of law students living there, there is nothing “dormish” about the complex—besides the occasional Law School parties and the in-ground swimming pool. Actually, it’s like an adult dorm. There are a ton of nice, newly built apartment complexes a block away from the Law School. I was able to ask around to see where I could get the best prices.

Favorite professor

Professor Hannah Buxbaum. She was my professor for Contracts, my first Law School class. She walked into class, poised and suited up, looked at the class roster, called a name, and said, “Please state the facts of the case.” The entire class sat there in shock, thinking, “Oh my goodness, this is IT! I am officially a law student!” The case? Lucy v. Zehmer! How can I forget the “contract on a napkin” case?

Each semester, I’ve had a class with Professor Buxbaum. Besides Contracts, I’ve taken Secured Transactions and a Seminar in International Litigation and Arbitration. I think she’s a genius. She is very “real.” She is honest with her students and is great at explaining the theories and how to apply them to real-world situations. She always goes above and beyond. She’s kind, but at that same time I would never want to disappoint her. The 1Ls will be lucky to have her.