Chapter 5: A Galentine’s Day excuse to connect in continuation of my efforts to witness my law class in non-academic environments and ask them personal questions about their experiences, their struggles, and their triumphs.
“Sunday, February 17th can be summed up in one word: camaraderie. On the three day weekend, meant to be a "catch-up on work weekend," a few of us female law students gathered to take a breather and celebrate each other and, ultimately, friendship. Personally, I was thinking "oh man, this is about to be so awesome! We get to make cupcakes and wear fun colors and take pictures together!" Unbeknownst to me, I didn't think I would leave thinking about how much law school consumed me this year and how much I missed genuine, jovial connection. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, I decided to change my thinking and realize what amazingly strong, intelligent, and passionate women surrounded me on this happy occasion; Becka, Brittney, Emily, Erika, Holly, Kiernan, and Lauren...what influential and smiley women! So yes, for me, this day was about camaraderie. It was about remembering there are others along the same path as you and learning to rely on one another when dealing with hard points in life...perhaps, the hardest, that day, was to put ingredients together to make rainbow cupcakes!”
“I really enjoyed the Galentine’s Day photo shoot because it was fun to get together with the girls without bringing anything about law school up. I loved playing dress up in a fun environment and getting to know the girls in my class better outside of the classroom.”
“This photo shoot was such a great reminder of the good that has come out of law school. I really do enjoy law school (ahhhh, on most days) but it can be so incredibly draining and blinding to the fact that I am trudging through the process with some phenomenal people--- some phenomenal, intelligent WOMEN. These women push me every single day to be the best student, future attorney, and friend; and to spend these three hours with them, with not one peep of law school, was such a breath of fresh air. I have a profound amount of respect for each one of them and for who they are both in and outside of school, and I think this photo shoot was the perfect tribute to the fact that we’re making it…it’s not always pretty… but we’re making it.”
“Galentines was AMAZING! While law school brought all of these women into my life, it was a great reminder to continuously surround myself with strong and influential women outside the walls of the school. Doing something as simple as making cupcakes and as intricate as origami (which I failed at), proved that I could do anything with these women and have tons of fun. Brittney made us all feel so welcome and comfortable, had many ideas and encouraged us to just be ourselves and let loose – she did a fabulous job behind the camera! Ultimately, this day was a celebration of one another and friendship – Brittney, Becka, Erika, Hallee, Kiernan, Lauren, and Emily – you have all impacted my life in a positive way and challenged me through this adventure we are on together; and for that, I am grateful.”
“Brittney is great to work with. She made the shoot so fun and had multiple fun and creative ideas. She made us feel exactly like ourselves and created a truly an unforgettable experience. I cannot say enough good things about Brittney. Spending five minutes with her it's more than obvious that she genuinely enjoys creating moments and capturing people being their authentic selves.”