<p>Feel like sharing the previous event?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Feel like sharing the previous event?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I was irked by your thread on wanting to become a lawyer for the purpose of riding horses. My annoyance persisted in so many ways, ranging from the sheer lack of respect for the intrinsic value of law, to the possibility that one would write "horse-riding" as a reason for attending Stanford Law School on the application. </p>
<p>I do not really wish to pursue this issue further, for if I did, I would have explained my issue with your approach to law and law school. Needless to say, such an approach is disappointing. I am sure you are a very nice person, but I simply cannot respect people who value certain integral parts of our society only conditionally; in your case, your value of law is conditional upon its ability to put you on top of a horse.</p>
<p>I also feel like going to law school is a waste for you. I am thinking of the applicant who wants to go into legal academia for the purpose of revolutionizing the basis of law, the applicant who displays an unmatched affection for law and its role in society. I am also thinking of a selfish equestrian who could take his spot.</p>
<p>Once again, there many perspectives of your take of law school about which I am annoyed. I do not want to elaborate on them.</p>
<p>Well, I'm sorry that you feel that way, but I can't help what I love doing, and unfortunately for me I cannot help that it costs a lot of money to do. I don't think I would ever choose to fall in love with someonthing that costs so much money as I've never really had a lot of it, and I've always had to work to get to ride (shoveling poop [and then wheel barrowing it out to dump, often up a steep incline], cleaning tack, sweeping aisles, filling and scrubbing goopey water buckets, nothing I would call light, and for HOURS a day, so that I could ride a couple of hours a week). So I know this must be a part of my life--I genuinley would not be a whole person if I couldn't ride--and I must find a way to support it. So I look at what I'm capable of, what I enjoy (other than horses), and I have to narrow down my options. </p>
<p>There are a lot of people who go into law for the money. Money isn't the ONLY reason I'm interested in persuing it, but it certainly is a driving force. </p>
<p>I must ask, isn't everyone selfish in wanting to do what they love doing? How is it any more selfish of me to go into a field that I feel I would do well in, which would also support my passions, than it would be for someone who's passion is law to go into law?</p>
<p>I generally don't list all of me on a board, but I am also very interested in persuing pro bono work on behalf of animal rights and various animal cruelty fighters. In my ideal world I would like to work to set up humane standards for animal care before slaughter, and help to put an end to certain very inhumane practices (for instance the egg industry). I could litterally go on for PAGES about how inhumane the conventional slaughter houses and animal standards are, but that's an entirley different issue.</p>
<p>You were right in saying that you don't know me as an entire person, as sometimes people just don't have the energy or time to write their entire life goals/stories/aspirations on a board on the internet, but I also don't think it's fair of you to make assumptions about me just because I happen to love horses. I will assume you have something that you just love and would feel dead inside if you couldn't ever do again (or listen to or hear about, you know), and for me that's horses. Just because there are people in the world who do it as a status symbol, or because their friends do it, it doesn't mean that's why I do it. I've worked really hard to get to ride--nothing has been handed to me--and I want to continue working very hard to be able to continue working with horses, just in a different way.</p>
<p>As a side note, I do feel that even if I didn't ride, the rest of who I am would still be interested in persuing law. I love nit-piking through details, and finding loopholes, and proving people wrong (or proving myself right), and I love writing technical things (which is odd because I also love creative writing), and lists, and looking at things critically and playing devil's advocate to see my issue from other ends. I LOVE that stuff. I love logic, and took a summer course on it in HS through my own free will just for fun. I may not be interested in criminal law, but there are so many other aspects of the legal profession that I realllllly love thinking about, and get a huge rush out of.</p>
<p>I also get very passionate about argueing over constitutional and civil rights, and privacy. For instance I did mock trial at my HS (not paid--had nothing to do with horses--wasn't meant for college apps as I only started it my senior year--I just did it for fun) and I did the pretrial defense portion, and I defended the right to have a sticker on your car, and assemble with other people with the same sticker (complicated, but basically a right to assembly issue), and even though it was JUST a made up case, I got wayyyy into it and still feel that special spike of adrenalin when I think back to the case.</p>
<p>So it's not JUST horses. They just happen to be the most important thing in my life (and most deffinetly my emotional stability--I have a lot of other issues where if I didn't have horses as an outlet, I would probably be a very eff-ed up inividual on the inside).</p>
<p>I mean, I'm open for suggestions. I'm not in law school yet. What else do you propose I do for a living? Minimum salary would be at least $100k/year, thinking of taxes, and considering I'd need at least 20-25k/year to have 2 horses, and probably 75-80k to live reasonably comfortably in northern california (which is home to me, so it's not like I want to go out of my way to move there). Keep in mind that the 75-80k for living would be <em>almost</em> enough to support living in a 2 bedroom 2 bath condo, assuming I had a decently sized downpayment, so I'm not asking for anything extravigant, plus I'm sure I will be paying back student loans for quite some time. </p>
<p>I <em>love</em> economics, but am not strong enough in upperlevel calculus to do graduate level work in it, and I do not wish to be a teacher. I love numbers and working with money, but am not quite <em>grrr</em> enough to do stock trading, and I know that to do well in that one must be very aggressive. I also love photography, but generally speaking that doesn't pay at all, plus the form of it that I love (the kind with a darkroom and real chemicals) is slowly dieing. If it is immoral of me to go to law school, what else do you suggest I do for a living?</p>
<p>I realise it looks like I'm getting very worked up over this, I just really don't like it when people assume I'm stuck up or snobby or rich or "boorish" because my passion happens to be horses, and I just love riding. I hate hate hate that steryotype that we're all stuck up little rich kids who have mummy and daddy buy us a horse for our 10th birthday. I've never had a horse of my own and it kills me. I've fallen in love with so many horses, to then have them sold without me knowing it and never see them again, that I will work as hard as I can to have a couple that are mine and I don't have to worry about them being ripped away from me because I don't have the money to do anything about it. If you've ever seriously tried riding you would know it's not just a "sit up and look pretty" sport, but it takes hard work and a lot of sweat (and for me a broken back). Believe me, I never come back from a day at the barn smelling like roses, but I love it all the same.</p>
<p>
[quote]
There are a lot of people who go into law for the money.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>And I have no respect for them either.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I must ask, isn't everyone selfish in wanting to do what they[love doing? How is it any more selfish of me to go into a field that I feel I would do well in, which would also support my passions, than it would be for someone who's passion is law to go into law?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The motive is different; to the selfish person who loves law, law is both a means and an end for his desires. For you, law is a means, and horse-riding is the end.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I generally don't list all of me on a board, but I am also very interested in persuing pro bono work on behalf of animal rights and various animal cruelty fighters.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Which will not provide you with enough money for your hobby.</p>
<p>
[quote]
but I also don't think it's fair of you to make assumptions about me just because I happen to love horses.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I do not care that you love horses. I love stickers. Big deal.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I also get very passionate about argueing over constitutional and civil rights, and privacy. For instance I did mock trial at my HS (not paid--had nothing to do with horses--wasn't meant for college apps as I only started it my senior year--I just did it for fun) and I did the pretrial defense portion, and I defended the right to have a sticker on your car, and assemble with other people with the same sticker (complicated, but basically a right to assembly issue), and even though it was JUST a made up case, I got wayyyy into it and still feel that special spike of adrenalin when I think back to the case.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Even trial attornies rarely litigate.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I mean, I'm open for suggestions. I'm not in law school yet. What else do you propose I do for a living? Minimum salary would be at least $100k/year, thinking of taxes, and considering I'd need at least 20-25k/year to have 2 horses, and probably 75-80k to live reasonably comfortably in northern california (which is home to me, so it's not like I want to go out of my way to move there).
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That kind of money can be made by graduating out of any school in the t14. My point is that Stanford, Yale, and Harvard (well, maybe not Harvard) seem like institutions that admit students who are dedicated to law and find intrinsic, not instrumental, value in it. For example, I plan on going into legal academia. Big-firm guys are better off at Columbia, both professionally mentally. I hear from many lawyers that Yale, for instance, is too academic, theoretical, and philosophical. </p>
<p>
[quote]
If it is immoral of me to go to law school, what else do you suggest I do for a living?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I am not saying it is immoral, and some of the reasons you listed for wanting to go to law school seem good. The problem is that you seem to prioritize your horse-riding interests above those reasons; that is to say, horse-riding is the primary reason for your wanting to attend law school, and those other reasons (loving numbers and so forth) are only peripheral. If I am mistaken, which I hope I am, then I bid you good luck. I strongly suggest that you visit a law school classroom and tour law schools before you decide to attend. Law school is not for the faint of heart.</p>
<p>And no, I am not trying to perpetuate a stereotype. I do not care whether you are rich or poor.</p>
<p>You can get a handicap-room for having OCD??? What are the benefits of having a handicap-room???</p>
<p>I understand that the college had to make the change, and I don't feel that you should fight for the room. You may not understand why the handicapped freshman needs that specific room, but she probably needs it more than you do, or else your college would not have yanked it out from under you.</p>
<p>What I do think you should do is be assertive about getting the college to find you and your roommate a new room with equal facilites. Okay, so you won't have same location or view, but you should definitely not be out on your butt! You did your housing application just like everyone else--they should provide suitable on-campus housing for you at the same price you were going to pay. And they should do it very soon, considering that it was unprofessional of them to notify you that you were losing your room without already having a new room lined up for you. Its their responsibility and you should tell them as much.</p>
<p>EDIT: I just now read the part about the OP having a back problem. I do think that it is your own fault for not applying for a handicap room that this is happening. I'm not trying to harp on you like others are doing -- I definitely don't have the energy to do that -- and I sympathize with your situation. I just think you shouldn't expect that everyone else with disabilities should have the same "do it yourself" attitude that you do. I'm sure the new occupant of your room thought that applying for a handicap room would best way to insure getting the room they need and want, and its turns out she was right -- to your disadvantage. Everything in life can be used as an opportunity to learn, so just chalk this up as a learning experience. </p>
<p>When you speak to the residential life people about getting you a new room pronto, which I'm sure you will be doing, you should mention that they need to provide you another room with access to elevators or on the ground floor due to your health problem. Just because they had the right to remove you from that particular room doesn't mean they have escaped the responsibility to provide you with suitable housing that you have paid for.</p>
<p>Okay, I understand the principle of the issue - you were given a room and it was taken away from you, and that is wrong. However....you say you have a permanently broken back, and that walking up stairs, long distances, etc. is painful for you, yet you also said that "I've always had to work to get to ride (shoveling poop [and then wheel barrowing it out to dump, often up a steep incline], cleaning tack, sweeping aisles, filling and scrubbing goopey water buckets, nothing I would call light, and for HOURS a day, so that I could ride a couple of hours a week)." If you can handle that, you can handle the walk. As long as they offer you a different room, suck it up and stop complaining. The other person must have needed it more than you.</p>
<p>Wow, first of all, I thought this had died a while ago. . . </p>
<p>There's a difference in the kind of motion between doing barn work and going up 3 or 4 flights of stairs (with a large suitcase or refrigerator, especially), and I do have to rest quite frequently when I'm doing barn work (like taking 10 min breaks, etc.). I also have bad back days where I can't do any barn work because my back is in a spasm or just plane sore/stiff (but at school would still have to traverse the stairs for basic things). </p>
<p>Anyways, we ended up getting another room in the same building so problem solved. No more issue.</p>