LAW SCHOOOL?????!!!!!

Jumping into law school may surprise many, but that likely just means we haven’t chopped it up in a minute. I haven’t hidden the fact that I was applying to law school from people; I just haven’t broadcasted any of it on social media.

The uniform reaction from those I have informed throughout the process has been something like, “Law School?! Why?” So I’m here to explain my journey to this point briefly, and I’ll drop another article to explain further when a final decision has been made.

Contrary to popular belief, going into STEM was never a foregone conclusion. Although I was always interested in and naturally good at STEM, I have always had a deep love for history. So naturally, when I was determining what I would major in, I considered being a history or political science major. However, at the time, I didn’t love the idea of majoring in a subject where I would just be writing 24/7. More importantly, when I looked at the job prospects of a history major, I quickly realized that I didn’t want to be unemployed or a teacher.

This made going down the STEM route the logical decision, and I have had zero regrets as I have traveled this path.

I don’t know if I could sell anyone on the utility of a mathematics degree focused on theory, but the field of computer science has been a joy. Personally, I think being able to code, to some degree, will be a necessity in the near future. You can build, create, and solve so much through code, and I anticipate coding to some degree for the rest of my life.

This brings me to my next point; I’m not going to law school to escape my job. Shit, I didn’t think I was going back to school ever. I enjoy work, sure it can be a lot of work, but I learn a lot, make a tangible impact, and have been able to globetrot the world for the past two years. All things considered, this seems like a fair trade to me. If my goal was simply to be as wealthy as possible, or if I didn’t have concrete aspirations, I would 100% stay in my current role and likely be a Tech lifer in some capacity. I work with some fantastic people.

Yet, for all that can be achieved through technology, the root causes of most problems cannot be solved through technology alone. Think about a problem you’re passionate about, and now ask yourself if there’s a solution that technology alone can solve. There’s no app or technological solution to solve most structural barriers plaguing our society. Sure, technology can help us innovate within the status quo and make our lives marginally better, but these are more like band-aids on a wound. Tearing down structural barriers, root problems must be solved through policy and the law, in my eyes.

My true interest lies in helping work through and create solutions to promote educational, digital, and economic equity that I believe cannot be solved by technology alone. However, I am interested in how I can use technology to amplify these solutions.

So while I may be giving up some money and freedom for a little, I think I’ll come out to be more fulfilled and do more work that is meaningful to me. Outside of love interests, virtually everything I’ve aspired for has come to fruition, so I’m excited to start down a new path.

The cool thing about Tech is that you can always come back as long as you have the skills. I’ll still be coding and doing different projects over the next few years. In my eyes, the worst-case scenario is that I lose a couple of years of making good money and incur some debt. I’ll still be in my 20s, living, and breathing. More importantly, there will be no what-ifs. I can live with that.

Respectfully Disrespectfully, I don’t care what you would have done in my position cause you’re not in my position.

What I really am trying to say is, Fuck it, we ball. Enjoy the show I'm about to put on.