Mentally, I divide the time I spend working for FJI into about two buckets: task completion and learning moments. Both have their own merits. Task completion, which generally takes the form of coding documents and reading through letters, can be almost meditative (when it’s not tragically jarring) and allows me to listen to music and sit with my roommates while also getting the nice rush of accomplishing something. Learning moments on the other hand are generally opportunities that the attorneys at FJI create for us, like being able to sit in on legal calls or reading through newly filed motions. As I’ve indicated in previous reflections, I’ve been finding these components of the job even more engaging than I anticipated. What’s different about them though is that they are optional – I have to be proactive in order to ensure that I take advantage of them, not just noting them as an interesting possibility, but actually committing myself to attending. I do think I’ve been pretty good at this so far, to be fair, but, for a couple reasons, it’s a momentum that I need to make sure not to lose. For one, having these more in depth components help to break up the sometimes monotonous other work. Their content also helps me to conceptualize the context surrounding, and remind me of the importance of, said other work. They are also just access to chances for growth that I don’t have normally, so I need to make sure to leverage them while I can. I also want to make sure to note how grateful I am to FJI for caring about making this experience not just helpful for them, but substantive for us! It has really enabled me to connect to and enjoy the work I’m doing, and the people I’m doing it with, as well as prompted me to reconsider my future plans.
