For many of us, university has started! For me personally, my final year of law school has started. Like many, I am absolutely dreading it as this may be the first year where in person exams are finally happening!!! If you are also a 2020 university student, you would know the fear as the last time we took exams was for GCSEs. But as final year has started, so have a number of applications for law firms. This may be vacation schemes or training contracts. A big tip from me would be to apply early. Remember, you are only one out of thousands of students who are all applying for the same position. So, be different. Stand out. Attend law fairs and pre-check your applications with career advisors or even friends to make sure everything is perfect. Remember, once it has been submitted, you cannot go back and change it. But above all, from a fellow final year student herself, make sure you focus on achieving your grades more than anything. There are always graduate opportunities after university if you are struggling to cope with the pressure of applying to your preferred law firm. At the end of the day, your grades are more important. To even apply for a firm, the majority require a 2:1 entree level from your undergraduate studies. So, breathe. Focus on your exams and then applications if you have time. It is important not to overwhelm yourself.

Now, as many have completed their undergraduate studies and have left university, many of you are also beginning to enter your all-important university life. Dear first years, I wish I also knew this vital information when I first entered law school, so here it is. Apply to internships, law networks and follow law pages which provide you with important law events and applications. Many law networks that aid students include Aspiring Solicitors, UpReach, Bright Network etc. But, I guess if you are viewing my blog right now, you are sure going in the right direction already as Muslim Lawyer Hub also pivotally helps many law students alike. Trust me when I say that your student life does in fact fly past so quickly; it is better to set yourself up now as a first year student as this gives you less stress for when you enter your penultimate and final years of law school.

Now, as my ending note, good luck! Above all, enjoy your time at university and make the lifelong friends that you always deserved.

By Sameera.