Oh how I have missed school

It's midway through my second week of law school, and already I feel the electric excitement of the academic environment all around me. Dense readings, thorny philosophical issues, textual parsing, copious discussion. Assigned writing and projects. A buzz of activity. Only having to be anywhere apart from your bed for the 15 or so hours a week that class is in session. Watching that showoff in class make an ass of himself by running his mouth, before getting summarily stomped by the professor (altogether, let us silently chant a la Nelson Muntz: "HA ha"). These are the modest joys of a student's life.

Granted, there is much work to be done, but in academia, almost as if magically, the work is not much of a stressor. I have had occasion to consider why this should be true, and have reached a conclusion that may be worth sharing. You see, gentle reader, out in the "real" world, when people in authority would dump assignments on me, there was usually a smothering sense of responsibility that came with them. Oh golly, quoth I, I had better complete this TPS report with as much speed and skill as I can muster. This was primarily due to the paycheck that I received; I have always felt that I am on the hook for providing my best work whenever I am given money for it. There is nothing more stressful than having the constant pressure to be razor-sharp. Even at public school in the days of my youth, although I obviously was not personally paid to attend class, the entire community had paid for my education, and I knew that I owed it to Joe Taxpayer to give my full attention and effort to my studies.

It's different now. In college and again in law school, I finance the undertaking, so I am beholden to absolutely no other person for my performance. This gives me license to cut myself some slack once in a while (I know the guy who signs my paycheck, and he's pretty forgiving). So far, I've been totally scrupulous and on point in my study habits, but I don't feel weighed down by the necessity of keeping my nose to the grindstone, and that makes all the difference in the world.