SNAFU: The Flip Side of Online Law School

As the new semester begins, here’s a doozy discussion of the other side of law school in the new normal—aspects of online law school that are rarely discussed in public but are very much the topic of class group chats on Facebook Messenger and Twitter feeds. Some are even kept in the deepest, darkest parts of a law student’s conscience. Let the flipping of sides begin!

Most law students in the new normal have a love-hate relationship with intermittent internet connection. The Philippines is a “developing” country with one of the slowest internet connections in the world. Come to think of it, our connection seems to have a bit of timing. When the class hasn’t begun and you’re scrolling through YouTube or Twitter or some other site that goes straight to Shopee when you press play, the internet is fine. But wait until it's six in the evening and Attorney is taking the attendance or your name is called for recitation. Suddenly you can’t enter the loop or the class beadle keeps saying that your voice is choppy.

Some students use bad internet to their advantage. We all have those down days–like a heavy day at work, a breakup, or even the spirit of laziness visiting and conquering our bodies. Days in which we want to read the coverage but we just can’t find the willpower or patience to do so. Bad Internet connection has become the ultimate excuse for those students who haven’t had enough readings. But who knows, maybe they’re not really lying.

Another section of the Online Law School “Tartarus” consists of a student’s mental health. Law school is hard enough—the assigned readings, case digests, and recitation slash grilling sessions are just a few of the ordeals a student has to go through each day of class. Now put all those things in a claustrophobic virtual setting. At least during face to face classes, you had your classmates with you to cheer you on and comfort you in person. You had a group of friends to hang out with in the canteen and library to share the burden of unending readings and bad recits with the occasional chismis session. On the flip side, such solace is almost nowhere to be found in the online setting. What was once a very personal connection to classmates now seems to be a synthetic, almost robotic relationship. Such takes a toll on mental health as statistics show that peer support is known to boost a student’s morale.

As you can see, law school isn’t all case digests and mind-boggling exams. It’s practically a psychological joggling game with stress from work and school all in the balance. That is why law students can be likened to ducks, beings that look calm above water but paddle like crazy underneath it. We must learn to cope with and be accustomed to the flip side as it is now SNAFU: Situation Normal, All Fouled Up.