De Minimis
  • Home
  • ABOUT US
  • Podcast
  • Your Learned Friend
  • Anonymous Feedback
  • Art
  • Get published!
  • Constitution
  • Archive
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2017 >
      • Semester 2 (Volume 12) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 8 (election issue)
        • Issue 9
        • Issue 10
        • Issue 11
        • Issue 12
    • 2016 >
      • Semester 1 (Volume 9) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 8
        • Issue 9
        • Issue 10
        • Issue 11
        • Issue 12
      • Semester 2 (Volume 10) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 8 (Election Issue)
        • Issue 9
        • Issue 10
        • Issue 11
        • Issue 12
        • Issue 13 (test)
    • 2015 >
      • Semester 1 (Volume 7) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 8
        • Issue 9
        • Issue 10
        • Issue 11
      • Semester 2 (Volume 8) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 8
        • Issue 9
        • Issue 10
    • 2014 >
      • Semester 1 (Volume 5) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
      • Semester 2 (Volume 6) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 10
        • Issue 12
    • 2013 >
      • Issue 1
      • Issue 2
      • Issue 3
      • Issue 4
      • Issue 5
      • Issue 6
    • 2012 >
      • Semester 1 (Volume 1) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 8
        • Issue 9
        • Issue 10
        • Issue 11
        • Issue 12
      • Semester 2 (Volume 2) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 8
        • Issue 9
        • Issue 10
        • Issue 11
        • Issue 12

Measuring Success and Coping with Failure

26/7/2016

 
MARY MICHELE CONNELLAN
Volume 10, Issue 1


This is my story, the lessons I've learnt through coping with ‘failure’, and measuring (and re-measuring) my success. I hope some of it will be helpful for others. When I started LMR I was invincible, proud of my accomplishments and fairly arrogant about the fact that I was fluent in three languages and had tons of international experience. I thought no doubt I would breeze through the JD and continue along my well-travelled path of ‘success’. Then life happened, and stresses I had previously been able to handle, like moving home, relationship break ups and family issues, all become overwhelming. I simply could not manage the rigorous schedule of the JD and life's problems.
Picture
So, what was I doing differently? Why couldn't I cope with the JD when previously I had managed a Masters in a foreign language and worked on projects in conflict zones? It's a question I am still trying to answer but the most important thing I learnt was that I was not ready and able to deal with the JD programme and manage life's problems because I had a skewed idea of how to measure success. I had to be the best and anything less than that was not good enough. The lesson I would like to share is that at some point, no matter how good you are (at everything) you will face failure, and it is so important to be ready for it.

Last year I was open about the fact that I had failed Constitutional Law, a subject I enjoyed and knew really well. I wanted to let other people who had failed the subject know that they were not alone and that it was okay. It was a healing experience for me because I had made a conscious decision to change my mind set. I didn’t have to win everything, being the best was not about getting the best grade but about being happy with who I was. There are lots of reasonable explanations as to why I failed Constitutional Law, my notes were far too dense, they were badly organised, I had over studied and was completely sleep deprived on the day of the exam (traps that lots of law students fall into) but I was also out of touch with who I was, what I wanted and what was important to me. I had put the JD above everything and everyone in my life, not recognising that I was the resilient person I am because of these relationships, and I needed them to remind me of who I was.

For anyone who is struggling with failure or everyone who at some stage will face it: never, ever lose touch of who you are and what is important to you. Quite frankly, you need to be more than someone with good grades if you want to succeed in life. Be kind to yourself and to others. Being a good human is more important than having a ‘good average’. If you can do both then hats off to you!  And finally, I commend those of us who have failed at something, learnt from the experience and grown as a result. Honestly the more you fail, the better. As Samuel Beckett once said: "ever tried, ever failed, no matter, try again, fail again, fail better."
​

Mary Michele Connellan is a second year JD student and the second year rep of the Later Law Student Network

Henry Dow, Erich Chang and myself will hold a support session mid semester for students repeating subjects.

The Later Law Network is actively involved in assisting students with family commitments and external stresses, contact them for on going support.

The rest of this week's issue:
  • Breaking: Animals Rights Lawyers Collective Generates Civic Disturbance
  • Finding Your Legal Spirit Guide and Other Ways to Stay Motivated This Semester
  • University of Melbourne Set to Show It Is Willing to Risk Human Life on Earth in Order to Climb Ranking
  • Opting Out
  • International Perspectives: Putu, Wayan, Ketut?

More articles like this:
  • Mental Health in Law School: Speak Up
  • Practicing Mindfulness at Law School
  • Kate Van Hooft Says Goodbye
Katherine
26/7/2016 09:48:32 pm

Thank you for writing this :) I haven't failed any JD subjects (fingers crossed though cos ethics!) but it's so easy to become completely overwhelmed in this course - it is brutal sometimes, and a concious effort needs to be made to stay connected to people outside the course.

In undergrad, I failed two subjects - I was depressed at the time, and struggling hugely with changing universities, the loss of a close support network, stress in a relationship, and health issues. I went from succeeding at everything I attempted, to being front of a review panel explaining why I should be allowed to continue my course. It was really confronting and scary, but I survived it, with a renewed sense of what was important in my life. And now, more than ever, my friends and family and partner keep me sane and focused when law school threatens to overwhelm and drown me. I also now know that it's ok to prioritise my mental and emotional health over academic demands, and getting a lower grade isn't the end of the world.

Good luck for the rest of the course!

Mary Michele
26/7/2016 10:30:08 pm

Thanks Kathrine, it is really encouraging to get such supportive feedback and this is exactly the kind of connection /culture we should harness at MULS. It is no doubt a very competitive and demanding course and that's not going to change but I honestly believe we can benefit from being more supportive of each other.

Katherine
28/7/2016 12:01:22 pm

No worries! My favourite 'failure' story is my step-father: he failed HSC (really, failed it - less out of 100 than I got for my lowest VCE score...) and he now has several degrees including a Masters and a PhD. We are not our grades, and failure in one pursuit does not mean we cannot succeed :)


Comments are closed.
    Picture

    Archives

    December 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014

  • Home
  • ABOUT US
  • Podcast
  • Your Learned Friend
  • Anonymous Feedback
  • Art
  • Get published!
  • Constitution
  • Archive
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2017 >
      • Semester 2 (Volume 12) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 8 (election issue)
        • Issue 9
        • Issue 10
        • Issue 11
        • Issue 12
    • 2016 >
      • Semester 1 (Volume 9) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 8
        • Issue 9
        • Issue 10
        • Issue 11
        • Issue 12
      • Semester 2 (Volume 10) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 8 (Election Issue)
        • Issue 9
        • Issue 10
        • Issue 11
        • Issue 12
        • Issue 13 (test)
    • 2015 >
      • Semester 1 (Volume 7) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 8
        • Issue 9
        • Issue 10
        • Issue 11
      • Semester 2 (Volume 8) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 8
        • Issue 9
        • Issue 10
    • 2014 >
      • Semester 1 (Volume 5) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
      • Semester 2 (Volume 6) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 10
        • Issue 12
    • 2013 >
      • Issue 1
      • Issue 2
      • Issue 3
      • Issue 4
      • Issue 5
      • Issue 6
    • 2012 >
      • Semester 1 (Volume 1) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 8
        • Issue 9
        • Issue 10
        • Issue 11
        • Issue 12
      • Semester 2 (Volume 2) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 8
        • Issue 9
        • Issue 10
        • Issue 11
        • Issue 12