Good Vibes 2012

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M.U .L.S.S. Health & We llbeing Guidebook Good Vibes

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The Melbourne University Law Students' Society presents:

Editors2

Design2

Alison Martyn &

Marco Angele’ &

Bec Pickering

Bronwyn Montgomery

Sponsors2

Printing2

Allens Baker & McKenzie Clayton Utz Freehills Maddocks Leo Cussen

On Demand Printing

Thank you8

The Editors would like to extend their sincere thanks to everyone who submitted an article or contributed to the Health and Wellbeing Guidebook this year. Without the assistance of many staff, students and others, this important resource would not be possible.

Disclaimer1

Please note that this publication is simply a guide and should not in anyway be seen as a definitive source of information. Its aim is to raise awareness about the issues facing law students and should not be considered a replacement for professional advice and assistance.

We urge you to always seek professional help for any mental and physical health issues. Please see the back page for further useful resources. The information in this guidebook has been provided by a range of professional and personal sources and should not be attributed to the Melbourne University Law Students’ Society.

Good2012

Vibes A Health & Wellbeing Guidebook_

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Melbourne University Law Students’Society

Editors’ Welome........................6 An introduction from the faculty...........................................8 Wellbeing in Law......................11 Students & Mental Health......18 Perfection.ism...........................21 Pets Paradise..........................26 Escape with Yoga................... 28 Skating.......................................32 Transition from university to working life..............................34 Ten tips for staying healthy and happy in Law School!...39 When I was at Law School..42 Anxiety......................................45 Stop! Relax time!....................47 Horses and the Law................51 Depression...............................53 Transition from uni to the workplace1...............................57 Being not-so Perfect..............65 Footy..........................................68 Going Healthy! Ten Easy Steps For Law Students...................70 Recipes!....................................76 Important Contacts1...............82 Image Sources........................86 Good Vibes

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As law students, we should all be aware of the mental health issues that cast a dark cloud over our profession. Over the past few years, both the Melbourne University Law Students’ Society and Melbourne Law School have put significant effort into researching wellbeing issues and educating students. This research has led to beneficial changes being implemented within the JD program.

Our aim is that Good Vibes will positively add to this conversation and provide you with many useful tips to ensure a healthy law school experience. We hope that you can take on board this knowledge and put it into practice during your time at law school, as well in your future career – whatever that may be.

Editors’ Welcome3

If you are finding it hard to cope or if you have a fantastic initiative you would like to see in action at law school, please do not hesitate to contact us. As Education Directors, our mission this year was to make the law school a happier and healthier place. We wish you all a rewarding end to the year – both academically and emotionally.

Ali & Bec Education Directors>

“What do you call an arrogant fugitive falling from a building?”

Con-descending.

Hopefully that made you laugh and smile. We have endeavoured to make this year’s edition of Good Vibes as light-hearted and positive as possible. This goal has only been achievable due to the efforts of many creative contributors and our formidable publications duo, Marco and Bronwyn.

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An introduction from the faculty1 Dr Wendy Larcombe>

Welcome to Good Vibes 2012 and many congratulations to Bec and Ali for putting together such an important publication.

Student Wellbeing has been much in the minds of a number of us on Faculty at the Law School over the past couple of years. In 2010, several students raised concerns that high levels of stress and anxiety seemed to be a feature of law school life – and one that was negatively impacting on people’s health. The Forum organised in October that year by Emily Hehir on ‘Lawyering Without Pain: The Culture of Perfectionism and How to Resist It’ was a catalyst that motivated a group of us – me, Ian Malkin and Pip Nicholson (then JD Associate Dean) – to apply for some University funding to explore the rates of depression, anxiety and stress among MLS students and identify strategies that might improve student wellbeing.

The 2011 Student Wellbeing Survey produced some salutary findings.

First, however, I must say that we had a fantastic response to the survey – 37% of enrolled JD and LLB students participated, ensuring we had a representative sample and could rely on the findings. So, many, many thanks to all who participated. The results confirmed that a significant proportion of students were experiencing severe or extremely severe depressive, anxiety and/or stress symptoms (DASS) – 22%, or one in five law students. We also learned that there was no statistically significant difference between the DASS levels among JD students and those among LLB students. This was surprising as we had thought that a number 8

Melbourne University Law Students’Society

of features of the JD degree – a full-time law degree, graduate cohort, better informed course choice, foundational skills subject, professional mentor scheme etc – might have supported student wellbeing. What we learned was that these features of the JD degree appeared to improve students’ course experience (compared with LLB students, JD students were generally more satisfied with their course and more likely to derive satisfaction from studying law) without necessarily reducing the stresses associated with studying law.

This was extremely important information for us to have when thinking about how to better support student wellbeing at MLS. On the basis of the survey findings, and also a review of best practice in supporting student wellbeing in law schools across Australia and the US, the 2011 project group designed a plan to improve student wellbeing at MLS by: adopting of adopting a whole-of-school approach to developing ‘mental health literacy’; increasing flexibility in the JD program design; highlighting the professional skills and competencies that students develop through studying law (it really isn’t all about your marks); and improving services for and responses to those students experiencing psychological distress. The main elements of that plan were adopted by the MLS Executive earlier this year and I am now chairing the MLS Student Wellbeing Working Group, which is implementing the plan recommendations and also exploring additional initiatives that might promote wellbeing.

Some changes that have already been made that you might have noticed include: cutting the JD first semester course-load to three subjects (following LMR) to give first year students more time to develop the foundational skills in reasoning and analysis; the option to study the JD full-time while taking only three subjects in any semester; and a series of wellbeing-related lunchtime seminars in second semester. In 2013 a ‘reduced load’ JD course plan will be available; the School hopes to adopt a discrete Mental Health Policy; and we are investigating having ‘Mindfulness’ resources available online. Behind the scenes, additional policies and initiatives are being implemented or developed, large numbers of Faculty staff are attending Mental Health workshops, Good Vibes

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facilitated by the Manager of Counselling Services, designed to help us identify and know where to refer students experiencing different sorts of psychological difficulties.

Of course, we are extremely lucky to have a dedicated and very talented Student Wellbeing Coordinator in the Law School – Ms Kate Van Hooft (ph 8344 4475). In addition to supporting students experiencing difficulties, Kate acts as a key advisor to faculty committees and staff working on student wellbeing issues, and is an invaluable member of the Student Wellbeing Working Group.

The 2012 Law Student Wellbeing Survey will give us further information about whether the steps taken to date to support student wellbeing are on the right track, and about other resources or strategies MLS could develop in coming years. So, again, to those who participated this year – many, many thanks. The information you provide through the survey is invaluable in helping us design improvements to our programs and student services.

That’s a snapshot of what’s happening on the ‘Faculty’ side. I’d note, however, that ‘student wellbeing’ is, ultimately, in your hands. What you do while at law school and how you respond to both the demands and opportunities that are consequent on studying law are the most important determinants of student wellbeing. Which is why this guidebook is such a valuable initiative and resource. Read it closely, follow the wonderful advice offered here – especially about maintaining your interests and connections outside the law school. And my very best wishes

Wellbeing in Law2 Kate van Hooft

Student Wellbeing Coordinator> During times of high stress, it’s easy to forget about maintaining good wellbeing. When you have a research paper due at the end of the exam period, two open-book exams and a take-home (plus work, plus family responsibilities, plus clerkship applications, plus volunteering at the local legal service…) the last thing you’re going to think about doing is nipping off to the day-spa for a hot-rock massage and foot rub. You just don’t have time. But, as a good as a hot-rock massage truly is, that’s not what wellbeing is really about. Wellbeing isn’t about the complete absence of stress – without stress we wouldn’t put much effort in to anything.

Managing stress is a question of balance; a moderate level of stress can motivate us to perform, but too much stress can stop us from performing to the best of our ability. It’s hard to strike the right balance, but often it’s the little things that count – going for a walk around the block every second or third day, listening to some music and not thinking about study or work for an hour, painting or writing or talking to friends or going to the movies. Good wellbeing is as much about not working as it is about working hard – you need balance. Your brain isn’t designed to withstand a constant onslaught – in order for it to work efficiently it needs breaks. Your study will be more effective if you take an hour or so every now and again and give it a rest. You’ll do better.

And you’ll feel better too.

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The Law School and the University do a lot to try to help students manage their stress and improve and maintain their wellbeing. At the University level, the Counselling and Psychological Services team will meet with students one-on-one, but also run weekly workshops during semester focusing on particular wellbeing issues (the schedule is here: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/counsel/community/students/ workshops).

At the School level, there are a number of administrative processes designed to support students – Special Consideration being the most well-known – but there’s also extensions, reduced enrolments, Leave of Absence and Alternative Exam Arrangements (AEAs). Special Consideration is designed to help students overcome illness or personal circumstances which have affected their ability to perform as they normally would. It’s about negating disadvantage so that every student is performing on an even playing field. For exams, it usually means the opportunity to sit a supplementary exam which takes place about a month after the main exams. For assignments, it usually means a little bit of extra time to submit.

Special Consideration shouldn’t be confused with Alternative Exam Arrangements. AEAs are about providing necessary adjustments to the conditions of an exam in order to negate a condition or disability.

Things like large-type exam papers, the use of a computer in an exam, permission to stretch during a long exam or sometimes giving a student extra reading time or writing time during exams. There is a raft of adjustments available to students to help manage physical disabilities or impediments, as well as learning disabilities and mental health conditions. Again, they are designed to provide a level playing field and are very effective in managing these conditions.

Aside from administration relating to assessment, we also offer a range of services to help address wellbeing issues. Consultations with the Office of Teaching and Learning in Law can do wonders to make you feel more in-control of your study, by giving you the best tips and advice to get the most out of your time and revision. The Student Centre has a 12 Melbourne University Law Students’Society

number of advisers who can help you manage and plan your enrolment if you’re feeling overloaded, or if you’re not sure about the direction you want to take. The Careers Office is also a fabulous resource to help you manage that important but at times terrifying process of securing clerkships, internships and work experience.

The most important aspect of managing stress is being aware of it – and noticing when your wellbeing starts to suffer. High levels of stress over extended periods of time can increase the risk of developing various illnesses, so it’s important that high stress levels are addressed before other illnesses or conditions manifest. In relation to studies, it’s important to keep stress levels within a normal range so you can perform to the best of your ability.

There are a number of things we can do to help you, but the best thing you can do is to think about what you need. It’s important to give yourself time to reflect; what motivates you to keep studying? Why did you start the degree in the first place? How have your goals changed since you started studying? If you had a particularly stressful previous semester, try and reflect on where things started going awry… and what you can do better this time. If you do notice your stress levels are getting a little high, please come and have a chat about it. Most students aren’t fully aware of the breadth of services available to them and we are usually able to help.

it’s all about balance Good Vibes

Unless you Always can be a be Unicorn. yourself Then always be a Unicorn.

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Students & Mental Health1 The University of Melbourne Counselling & Psychological Service>

Mental Health is a broad term that covers a group of conditions that can affect thinking, emotion/feelings and behaviour. About 20% of people will have a mental health condition some time in their lives. This is particularly relevant for our student population because early adulthood is often when mental health problems first make an appearance. Mental health conditions, including anxiety, mood problems, psychosis and substance use disorders can mostly be effectively treated, although episodes can come and go. A person diagnosed with a mental illness can live a full and productive life with the right level of social, medical and psychological support.

How does mental health impact on learning?

Mental health can impact on thinking, behaviour, mood, judgment and insight. This can mean problems with concentration, time management, meeting deadlines, decision-making, determining and meeting priorities, multi-tasking, performance anxiety, critical thinking, participation and involvement in group activities, disclosure, and self reflection.

Things to consider include: • Sleep – 6 to 8 hours for most people • Diet – a variety of fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy products, grains and a small serving of protein.

• Exercise – it is recommended that you undertake some sort of daily activity and at least 3 x 30 minutes periods of more intense exercise a week, vigorous enough to make you sweat and increase your heartbeat.

• Relaxation –Knowing when to “switch off ” is a healthy habit to cultivate. It is essential sometimes to just “tune out” by lying on the couch, listening to peaceful music, going for a slow walk, etc.

• Socialising – it’s great to go out and meet friends, eat something, have a dance, play some sport, but is it going too far? If you constantly spend too much time in a crowded, demanding atmosphere, it’s going to be very hard to get a restful sleep, relax by yourself, or focus on real study priorities later on.

Getting help Students with mental health conditions are encouraged to get professional help. Depending on the severity of the problem this may mean seeing a medical practitioner or other mental health professional.

Counselling can also be very helpful.

Referring people to the counselling service You may think someone could benefit from counselling. They may have experienced relationship breakups, difficult family situations, loneliness or depression, the death of a friend or family member, or other situations which interfere with academic or personal achievement. They may just be distressed but not able to identify the cause.

Maintaining self care Continual attention to self care is vital to good mental and physical health.

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What can you do about people who appear troubled?

• Listen - don’t rush to fix, advise or disagree; • Empathise - put yourself in their shoes; • Remember that as a friend or colleague your role is to provide support and to make suggestions for further support when it seems necessary. Don’t get involved beyond what seems comfortable or appropriate to you.

Counselling cannot work effectively unless it is voluntary and people hold some hope that it can lead to relief. If one attends from a sense of obligation, they might not be able to talk freely. Raise the idea of seeing a counsellor without forcing the issue. While you might give the phone number or mention the name of a counsellor you know, you should not ordinarily make the appointment on their behalf.

Further information including what to expect from coming to counselling and information on specific psychological issues can be found on our web-site at http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/counsel/

Perfectionism6 The University of Melbourne Counselling & Psychological Service> Do you feel like what you accomplish is never quite good enough? Do you feel you must give more than 100 percent on everything you do, or else you will be mediocre or even a failure?

If so, rather than simply working toward success, you may be trying to be perfect. Perfectionism refers to a set of self-defeating thoughts and behaviours aimed at reaching excessively high, unrealistic goals.

Often mistakenly seen as desirable or even necessary for success, perfectionistic attitudes can actually interfere with success. The desire to be perfect can both rob you of a sense of personal satisfaction and cause you to fail to achieve as much as people who have more realistic strivings.

Causes

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If you have perfectionistic tendencies, it is likely that you learned early in life that other people valued you because of how much you accomplished or achieved. You may therefore have learned to value yourself only on the basis of other people’s approval. If your self-esteem has come to be based primarily on external standards (comparing yourself to others), you may be vulnerable and excessively sensitive to the opinions and criticism of others. In attempting to protect yourself from such criticism, you may decide that being perfect is your only defence.

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The following feelings, thoughts, and beliefs may be associated with perfectionism:

or methods were impossible to begin with. Failure to reach them was thus inevitable.

• Fear of failure. Perfectionists often equate failure to achieve their goals with a lack of personal worth or value.

Third, the constant pressure to achieve perfection and inevitable chronic failure reduce productivity and effectiveness.

• Fear of making mistakes. By equating mistakes with failure, and trying to avoid mistakes, they miss opportunities to learn and grow.

Fourth, this cycle leads perfectionists to be self-critical and selfblaming which results in lower self-esteem, and may also lead to anxiety and depression. At this point perfectionists may give up completely on their goals and set different goals thinking, “This time if only I try harder I will succeed”. Such thinking sets the entire cycle in motion again. In addition, when some goals are reached by a person holding perfectionistic attitudes, these “successes” are often overlooked and the focus is placed on those goals not reached or “failures”.

• Fear of disapproval. Perfectionists often fear they will no longer be accepted if they let others see their flaws. Trying to be perfect is a form of protection against criticism, rejection, and disapproval.

• All-or-none thinking. Perfectionists frequently believe they are worthless if all of their accomplishments are not perfect, and have difficulty seeing situations in perspective. A straight-A student who receives a B might believe, ‘I am a total failure’.

• Overemphasis on ‘shoulds’, rigid, often unspoken, irrational rules for how their live must be led. With this overemphasis, they rarely consider their own wants and desires.

• Tending to believe that others are easily successful. Perfectionists tend to perceive others as achieving success with a minimum of effort, few errors, emotional stress, and maximum self-confidence.

At the same time, they view their own efforts as unending and forever inadequate.

The Vicious Cycle Perfectionistic attitudes set in motion a vicious cycle. First, perfectionists tend to set unreachable goals (however, it is often the methods by which these goals are pursued that can also be the problem).

Second, they fail to meet some of these goals because these goals and/ 20 Melbourne University Law Students’Society

Effects of perfectionism on interpersonal relationships Tending to anticipate or fear disapproval and rejection from those around them, a perfectionistic person may react defensively to criticism and in doing so frustrate and alienate others. Without realising it, they may also apply their unrealistically high standards to others, becoming critical and demanding of them. Furthermore, perfectionists may avoid letting others see their mistakes, not realising that self-disclosure allows others to perceive them as more human and thus more likable. Because of this vicious cycle they often have difficulty being close to people and therefore have less than satisfactory interpersonal relationships.

Healthy striving Healthy goal setting and striving are quite different from the selfdefeating process of perfectionism. Healthy strivers tend to set goals based on their own wants and desires rather than primarily in response to external expectations. Their goals are usually just one step beyond what they have already accomplished, or if higher goals are pursued, these are broken down into smaller, more manageable goals to be reached within a realistic period of time. In other words, their Good Vibes 21

goals are realistic, internal, and potentially attainable. Healthy strivers take pleasure in the process of pursuing the task at hand rather than focusing only on the end result. When they experience disapproval or failure, their reactions are generally limited to specific situations rather than generalised to their entire self worth.

What to do The first step in changing from perfectionistic attitudes to healthy striving is to realise that perfectionism is an undesirable, an unattainable illusion. The next step is to challenge the self-defeating thoughts and behaviours that fuel perfectionism.

Some of the following strategies may help: • Set realistic and reachable goals based on your own wants and needs, and what you have accomplished in the past. This will enable you to achieve and also lead to a greater sense of self-esteem.

• Set subsequent goals in a sequential manner. As you reach a goal, set your next goal one level beyond your present level of accomplishment.

• Experiment with your standards for success. Instead of aiming for 100 percent, try for 90 percent, 80 percent, or even 60 percent success. This will help you to realise the world does not end when you are not perfect.

• Focus on the process of doing an activity not just on the end result.

How you set yourself to reach a goal is often the key to successfully reaching that goal. Evaluate your success not only in terms of what you accomplished but also in terms of how much you enjoyed the task. Recognise that there can be value in the process of pursuing a goal.

• Use feelings of anxiety and depression as opportunities to ask yourself, “Have I set up impossible expectations for myself in this 22 Melbourne University Law Students’Society

situation?” or “In trying to reach this goal, am I going about it the “impossible” way?”

• Confront the fears that may be behind your perfectionism by asking, “What am I afraid of? What’s the worst thing that could happen?” and “If the “worst” does happen what does that mean to me?”

• Recognise that many positive things can only be learned by making mistakes. When you make a mistake ask, “What can I learn from this experience?” More specifically, think of a recent mistake you have made and list all the things you can learn from it.

• Avoid all-or-none thinking in relation to your goals. Learn to discriminate the tasks that you want to give high priority to from those tasks that are less important to you. On less important tasks, choose to put forth less effort. Once you have tried these suggestions, you are likely to realise that perfectionism is not a helpful or necessary influence in your life. There are alternative ways to think that are more beneficial.

• Take inventory of the types of goals that you set for yourself: Are they all or mostly related to education and career achievements?

What about goals in other areas such as leisure, socialising, relationships (friends, family, personal relationships), personal development, and spiritual goals? Psychology research points to a strong link between perfectionist attitudes and psychological distress resulting from a less than healthy life-style lacking a range of activities, variety and interests.

Think of a balanced and varied life-style as no different to, say, a balanced diet: Introducing a range of activities will ensure that your life is fulfilled, psychologically healthy and never boring!

In setting time to reach goals in a number of areas in your life, try first to monitor yourself: Ask yourself where does my time go? You may want to “invest” a week “observing yourself ” and recording how your time is Good Vibes 23

spent. The table below may help give you identify how time is spent.

Self Monitoring Table

Typical week day Typical Saturday Typical Sunday Morning Afternoon Evening

Knowing how your time is spent allows you to allocate time to different activities, prioritise and to ensure you reach that life balance.

Setting goals for a healthy life You can have goals in a number of realms in your life but research tells us that allocating time to a range of activities, including the following seven areas, tend to go hand in hand with a physical and psychological healthy life.

1. Career/Education/Employment goals: We can work “smarter” not “harder” by interspersing study time with other activities and achieve better results than if we just focus on study exclusively.

2. Self-development goals: These pertain to improving something about yourself (not study-related or work-related!) that you consider would make you a better person, for example learning to play an instrument, learning another language, practicing yoga, or volunteering.

3. Relationship goals: These can be divided into family, friends and a personal relationship. Setting goals in these areas involve deciding how you want to develop connections with others and how much time to devote to them. For example, you may want to set the goals of visiting family once every fortnight or calling your mum/dad every Friday, socialising with friends every Saturday, and spending time with boy/girlfriend three times weekly. You can also set the goal of “no personal relationship at this stage”. That’s OK and up to 24 Melbourne University Law Students’Society

you. We don’t necessarily need to be part of a “couple” to be happy and healthy.

4. Material goals: These can be big (“a new car”) or small (“new pair of jeans”), and can be set depending on your needs and budget.

Material goals are important because we live in a material world, like it or not! Setting goals (mainly saving!) to get what we want/ need materially help us develop patience and anticipation, not to mention a habit of saving your hard earned money.

5. Prestige goals: These refer to achieving things which others will recognise us for. Although the priority is of course to recognise yourself for your achievements, we are social animals and live in a collective society and are part of the “pack”. So, naturally being accepted and recognised by others will bring us a sense of satisfaction. BUT! Keep these goals in perspective and don’t let them dominate your thinking or life-style.

6. Leisure goals: These are VERY important in that time spent in leisure can be healing, restorative and restful allowing our “batteries” to be re-charged. It can also be a great opportunity to socialise with others. Leisure can include engaging in highly active and physical activities and/or restful, relaxing, and restful times. It’s up to you!

7. Spiritual goals: These can be goals of how you wish to live and conduct your life according to your values or spiritual beliefs.

Without goals in this realm, our lives would be devoid of a higher meaning and a sense of purpose beyond the three-dimensional world around us. Examples of spiritual goals can be “treat others the way I want to be treated” or “Share my knowledge and experience with others” etc.

A last word of advice, give yourself permission to review these goals regularly and make changes to them as your life changes. Remember, these are your goals!

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1

Pets Paradise

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Bec Pickering

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Simply put, law school is a stressful place. Cramming on level 3 of the law building during SWOTVac is enough to give anybody a facial tic. Waiting outside the Royal Exhibition Building before an early morning exam is a specific type of torture reserved only for University of Melbourne students. Receiving results is often more traumatic than completing the assessment.

I have a secret weapon to combat all of the stress and pressure of law school: my overgrown puppy, Lotti. She is a two year old German shepherd whose hobbies include chasing birds and eating shoes. Lotti is always energetic and full of life, and provides a welcome distraction from the high-stress law school experience.

The idea that pets are able to ease stress is nothing new. Since the 1980s, studies have supported the theory that pets provide important health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure and improving general well-being.

Law schools across America have recently jumped on the pet therapy bandwagon, implementing programs that allow students to interact with therapy dogs during stressful assessment periods.

Most importantly, Lotti helps me to keep things in perspective. Her presence reminds me everyday that there are important things away from law school that deserve my time and energy. It can sometimes be difficult to remember that law school is just a phase in ourlives, a stepping-stone to bigger and better things. Lotti helps to keep this at the forefront of my mind.

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5

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1. Lidija and Bruce; 2. Jono and Sparkles; 3. Bec and Lotti; 4. Joanna and Chloe; 5. Claire and Wellington; 6. Simone and Coco; 7. Gabi and Kevin; 8. Katerina and Toby; 9. Fiona and Buttercup

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Escape the World with Yoga1 Gabi Aloisio_

At the start of the year I travelled to a secluded yoga retreat in the mountains of Bali. Bordered by rice fields and jungle, and with little access to technology, the retreat was aptly named ‘Escape the World’, and that’s exactly what I felt like doing after my first year at law school.

Sitting on the floor of the cliff-side yoga studio where we practised yoga for 4 hours each day, I chatted with the other students. The group was mixed, with people from Japan, the Netherlands, Australia, America, men who were 60+, teenage girls, people who had never done yoga before in their lives, through to experienced yoga teachers. Eventually, the inevitable, “What do you do?” was exchanged. Lawyer, law student, banker, business executive. Coincidence? Definitely not.

Spiritual practices such as yoga have been slowly creeping into the corporate world, and some law firms have even started to run yoga and pilates classes during lunchtimes for their stressed out lawyers.

So what is it that makes all these high-achieving people feel the need to “escape the world”? For me, the first year of law school saw me lose confidence and trust in myself and I found it increasingly difficult to stop comparing myself to the people around me; everyone seemed to be doing more readings, volunteering, and getting better grades. I found myself becoming increasingly cynical and negative.

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So what does this have to do with tree pose?

Well, the ‘typical’ lifestyle of a law-student, which combines heavy workload, increasing demand and self-critical thoughts can be a challenge to maintain, let alone thrive under. Rather than suppressing feelings of inadequacy – or worse, trying to control them – yoga presented a way for me to practise building acceptance of the quo, without striving to change it or “make it better”. Now, rather than focus and obsess over why I can’t do things that other people can, I practise my ‘savasana’ breathing technique and try to cultivate an acceptance and tolerance of the way things are. Of course it doesn’t always work, but more often than not I am able to direct my attention where I choose. It really has very little to do with being flexible.

To begin a yoga practice, all you need are comfortable clothes and a yoga mat. Here are some exercises you can do at home: Begin your practice by sitting comfortably on your yoga mat, closing your eyes and paying attention to your breath. Tune into your body and mind. Set an intention for your practice and keep that with you throughout.

Cat/Cow Poses The cat/cow poses warm up your spine, release tension and help you become more aware of your body and breath. Start from your hands and knees. Place your knees directly under your hips, your hands directly under your shoulders and your toes tucked under to activate your leg muscles. Focus on your breath. As you exhale into cat pose, curve your spine upward and lower your head to look back toward your legs. As you inhale into cow pose, stretch your spine the opposite way.

Mountain Pose Stand firmly in mountain pose to find your optimal alignment, which you can use in every pose you do. Position the outsides of your feet hipwidth apart and parallel to the sides of your yoga mat. Pull your stomach in, lengthen your spine upward and relax your shoulders downward and Good Vibes 29

slightly back. Let your arms hang naturally by your sides, or you can bring your palms together in front of your heart. Hold this pose for a few breaths to settle into a solid stance and connect with your breath.

Tree Pose You develop your balance and strengthen your legs with tree pose.

Maintaining your alignment from mountain pose, lift one leg, turn your knee out to the side and press the bottom of your foot into the side of either your thigh or shin, but not on your knee. To engage your muscles and help you balance, press your thigh or shin back into your foot and press your standing foot, but not your toes, firmly into the floor. Start with your palms together and when you’re more comfortable, lift your arms over your head.

Warrior II For an effective stretch in your legs, chest and shoulders, to improve your concentration and increase stamina, practice warrior II pose. From mountain pose, step your left foot to the back of your mat at a 90-degree angle as you turn your body to the left. Bend your front knee directly over your ankle and raise your arms straight out to your sides. Turn your head to look directly over your fingers. In this position, repeat the same alignment instructions for mountain pose. Focus on your breath. Repeat on your right side.

Savasana Always finish your practice by spending at least five minutes in savasana.

Lie on your back with your legs slightly apart, arms out to the sides and palms facing upward. This open position allows your body and mind to relax and receive the benefits from your efforts during practice.

Everyone is different, but the breathing technique that works best for me in savasana is to breathe in for 4 counts, hold the breath for 4 counts, then exhale for 4 counts, and hold the breath for another 4 counts.

What

makes

Melbourne

Uni law students happy?

Nick J

Sophie

Jason

Anesti

Heather

Bill

Namaste.

Disclaimer: Gabi is not a qualified yoga instructor. So please don’t sue her.

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Skating3 Tessa Plueckhahn> My name is Tessa, I’m a second year JD student and early in the morning, before heading off to work or uni, I rise at around 5am and head to the Docklands to train at the Ice House. Two and a half years ago, after 8-10 years as a dancer and dance teacher, I took up figure skating after falling in love with the sport while on exchange in Berlin in the cold German winter. I was immediately drawn to the power and grace of the sport, and the rush you get from speeding along in the cold air, and it quickly became my main hobby. I train individually, taking lessons with a coach, and I’m part of a team of adults (I would really say ‘girls’ but we do have one guy!) who compete together at state and national level.

Being part of a team means I train with them twice a week, on and off the ice, as well as more frequently during competition season. What I love about it is that we are always encouraged and expected to keep fit through a combination of individual on-ice training, as well as general fitness and flexibility on our own time so that we keep improving. This is perfectly suited to me as a busy law student for a number of reasons. Set training times means I have no excuses. The team doesn’t care if I have exams, or if I have a stack of reading to do (which as you can imagine, is pretty much always the case); they expect me to be there. This means I can always look forward to training as my time to take my mind of things like uni, and just enjoy the exercise and the social time with my teammates.

Having a hobby like skating means I have goals that are unrelated to 32 Melbourne University Law Students’Society

academic life, that challenge my body instead of my mind, and give me something else to focus on other than study. While I believe it’s really important to do the best you can at law school and consider your career plans and aspirations carefully, it’s equally important to remember that you are a whole person. You are not your marks. If you are meaningfully invested in other areas of life that bring you pleasure, you are less likely to feel let down if you don’t get the subject score you wanted, or don’t get that job you went for, because those aren’t the only things that make you, you.

Having an active hobby that requires several training sessions a week means that I keep a cap on my study hours (even during exam time) and get a chance to de-stress with some exercise. I find that setting aside reasonable time to study, relax, and exercise allows me to make the most of my time. I don’t feel guilty putting the books down and heading off to the skating rink, because each part of my day plays an important role in helping me maintain my lifestyle. Likewise, I’m certain that my brain works better studying for a set period of time. Sitting at my desk or in the library all day or night long is nowhere near as effective as setting either a time limit or reasonable goal, then heading out, getting some exercise or socialising with friends. I highly recommend any sort of active hobby, but particularly team sports because of their social aspect, as a great way to give you some balance and perspective alongside your studies.

Good Vibes 33

Transition from university to working life8 Sheree Rubinstein_ Graduate , Allens

A giant leap for a law student The transition from university to professional life can seem like one giant leap for a law student. For those who are nearing the end of their law degree, join me on a quick journey down memory lane as we hark back to the early days when we first made the commitment to at least five years of full time study. Memorable moments (and I may be speaking solely on my behalf) include pondering over legal terms such as 'not insignificant' and 'reasonableness', dissecting the Corps Act and deliberating over whether any definitive benefits have ensued from Mabo.

During this time, we are shaped and moulded in preparation for the leap to legal professional. We refine our skills of absorbing and comprehending vast amounts of information in condensed periods of time. We acquire an acute awareness and competence in discerning whether information is relevant. We enrich our skills in analysing and deducing factual scenarios. We learn to write succinct essays that 34 Melbourne University Law Students’Society

begin by outlining its objectives. We become masters in deciphering judgements and we accept with acquiescence that any attempt to ascertain a simple, unequivocal and definitive answer is ultimately futile.

Much of our time, particularly in the penultimate year of our degree, is dedicated to achieving the ideal goal of securing a job position. We climb mountains and jump through hoops to prove ourselves on paper and in person. We work diligently and studiously. We dabble in a variety of extra curricula activities and job opportunities. We act confidently, composed and enthusiastic during clerkships though underneath shaking with nerves.

The foray into working life presents additional and novel challenges.

Gone are the days when we could make an executive decision to prioritise catching up on lost hours of sleep instead of going to that morning lecture. Gone are the days when we could strategically enrol in subjects to ensure our precious Fridays were kept available to do very little. Gone are the days when we were constantly planning the next travel adventure.

Undoubtedly, the change from law student to legal professional is a significant one. We are all well aware that the legal profession asks for perfection, and the culture is a stressful one, with long working hours.

We are often reminded that the nature of the profession lends itself to a prevalence of anxiety and depression. These are only some of the aspects and challenges to contend with when making the transition.

Nevertheless, you can learn from the triumphs and perils of those who have passed through before you. Since I have nearly reached the six month mark as a graduate at Allens, I believe I have some invaluable words of wisdom and knowledge to impart.

Step into the workforce early Practice is vastly different from university. Decent grades count, but practical experience in a professional capacity is imperative. Whether within or outside the realm of law, you can begin stacking the building blocks to your career at an early stage. For me, hospitality, marketing and event management, tutoring, paralegal work, a public sector internship, volunteering and even the dreaded telemarketing all put me in good stead to tackle the transition.

Good Vibes 35

The harmony between work and life There is life outside law and a balance between work and life is achievable. Of course your lifestyle will change once you commence full time work. It may mean that occasionally you arrive to social gatherings late, have to cancel arrangements and you are forced to implement a different exercise regime. However, the change in lifestyle is manageable. You can actively seek out opportunities to sustain a balanced life. This may include involvement in team sports, leaving the office at a reasonable hour free from guilt when you haven't been given urgent tasks, making dinner arrangements midweek and utilising your weekends to refresh and rejuvenate. Short road trips out of Melbourne, whether it be to the Dandenong Ranges to climb the "1000 steps" or indulging yourself in a winery on the Peninsular, will re-energise you for the week ahead. It is important to be focused and committed when you are working and to be completely detached when you are not. If you master healthy practices and habits at the outset, you will be able to carry this through your career.

bono work, getting involved in one of the committees, such as the wine club committee, sports committee or charity committee, or getting involved in a special interest group, like the climate change interest group or the international business obligations interest group. There are also many ongoing development training and seminars. Seizing these opportunities will diversify your work load, allow you to spread yourself across the firm and pave a path for greater responsibility in overseeing and organising events, projects and meetings.

Support networks and camaraderie in the workplace Harness support network opportunities. Buddies and mentors are a useful means to gain insight and understanding into the culture in which you work. Be proactive and request time to have casual chats about the ways in which particular senior lawyers operate, how to manage expectations and how to ease into the transition.

It is equally important to forge friendships with work colleagues, both within and outside the walls of your workplace. All our graduates managed to spend a weekend away in Rye together. These friendships permeate within the workplace and create a more productive, positive, collaborative and, dare I say, enjoyable working experience.

Commercial work and beyond

The transition from university to working life is a unique, challenging and exciting experience. There is plenty of autonomy to choose your path from law student to legal professional. If humankind made the giant leap to the moon, law students can make the giant leap to practice.

Allens encourages its graduate lawyers to get involved in work outside the sphere of commercial law. These opportunities include doing pro 36 Melbourne University Law Students’Society

Good Vibes 37

What

makes

Melbourne

Uni law students happy?

Pat

Ali

Ten tips for staying healthy and happy in Law School!

Jess Dawson-Field Here are some simple tips to stay happy and healthy at law school based on my own experience:

Antony

Andrew

1.

Eat breakfast. A proper start to the day will keep you bright eyed through even the most tedious study session. If you are pushed for time and money, those microwave porridge sachets and your friend, the level one microwave, make for a healthier and cheaper option than the sugary pastry that beckons from Porta Via. 2.

Have friends… at law school. Law school is not just about studying but also about making the networks and friendships that could support you for the rest of your life. It also makes law school much more enjoyable.

Chelsea

3.

Have friends… that are not law students. Don’t forget about those important friendships from before you were a law student! These people can keep you sane even during the madness of Swot Vac.

Charles

4.

Exercise. Try and book in set times that you can commit to exercise. Every week. Even if it is the last thing you want to do. The amount of times I have nearly not made it to yoga classes but left feeling rejuvenated and refreshed are too numerous to mention. It’s worth the effort.

Good Vibes 39

5.

Eat well. It is easy to forget about good nutrition while studying for exams but it really pays off to get some healthy fruit and veg in your diet. Relying on sugar and caffeine can also upset your sleep patterns and keep you from feeling your best.

6.

Sleep. On that note, don’t forget to sleep. Sometimes it seems like that extra hour or two at midnight spent reading is worthwhile.

Realistically, your productivity won’t be at its best after a whole day of uni and you risk impeding your concentration for the next day.

7.

Have realistic expectations. You cannot write the introduction to an essay, catch up on corps readings and research for your moot in one day. And the fact you cannot tick it off your list makes it even more depressing. So be realistic, give yourself enough time to get things done and save yourself the stress.

8.

Ask for help. If you feel overwhelmed, there are lots of services that can help. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Keep an eye on your friends too.

9.

Have fun. Although a fantastic experience, studying law can be an all consuming pursuit sometimes. Give yourself permission to take a break once in a while.

10.

Be kind to yourself. You are only human! Don’t put the weight of the world on your shoulders. Do your best and that is all anyone can ever ask of you.

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Good Vibes 41

When I was at Law School....... produced by Alison Martyn>

A wise Melbourne Law School Lecturer recently commented that when studying law, “Sometimes you feel like you’re in Narnia”.

I couldn’t have put it more perfectly.

This is just one of the classic pieces of advice I have picked up from my lecturers during my time at Melbourne Law School. While many of these gems will be of an academic nature, our lecturers are one of our best sources of information on how to navigate the ‘Narnia’ that is Law School and that scary transition into the REAL world.

Here is some tried and tested advice from those who came before us…..

Jason Bosland Life is about balance. Of course, celebrate success and achievement.

But achieving at law school at the expense of all else does not equate to success. It is more important to take care of yourself – both mentally and physically – and to nurture your relationships, whether with a significant other, your friends or your family. Also, remember that not doing as well as you want will not be as catastrophic as you think. I had a few disappointing years at university. Things really weren’t going my way in my personal life and my grades were suffering. In the end, with perseverance and with the help of a few good mentors, everything worked out okay. In fact, better than okay!

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Ian Malkin At Law School First year. First typical ‘law school-ey’ 100% exam – all hypos. Left the ‘Personal Property’ exam knowing I’d ‘aced it’. Prior to the release of marks, my lecturer told the class, ‘well, the top mark is a B+’.

Ok, I thought – I guess a B+ is fine.

He continued, ‘and the lowest we gave is a C … and an orangutan could get a C’.

I got a C. My first thought was – I’m an orangutan.

My second thought was –– ‘what an a******!’

Then I had a laugh; I knew I had no idea what I was doing; I saw the lecturer who showed me some good papers; I saw that I wrote an essay on the (um, tedious) rules on ‘finding’ instead of applying the rules on ‘finding’ to the facts; I eventually improved (albeit not right away – I needed a lot of practice.) I learnt that Law School was kind of weird, unlike anything I’d encountered before. I’d have to adjust my way of thinking, over time, but only for certain law school related purposes …

I knew that my bottom-of-the-class grade was not a reflection of who I was. It was little more than an assessment of my attempt at a particular task at a particular time, as a novice.

At Work When I applied for articles, I thought I’d like to ‘work with people’, so I got a job at a Crim Law defence firm. It didn’t take long to learn a lot about ‘working with people’: accused clients; social workers; police; magistrates; judges; prosecutors; other defence counsel; my firm. After Good Vibes 43

two years there I took leave for a year – to travel – never to return … what a relief! While I had grown enormously, learnt heaps and was pretty good at what I did, it was soul-destroying and utterly nervewracking. Eventually ... I discovered the joys of study overseas and, ultimately, teaching. It was all rather serendipitous; not particularly well planned or plotted; a few risks taken, here and there, but well worth it to be able to do something I truly (usually?) enjoy.

Pip Nicholson Finding ways to tune out…

I reflect on my time as a law student and recall how at first I regularly went running and to aerobics classes: that probably had something to do with living near Princess Park. By final year, I avoided running very effectively, but began swimming 10kms or so a week. While never really ‘sporty’ (and certainly not competitive), I find that regular exercise assists to keep everything in perspective. I love just going into the swim/ walk/ride zone and tuning out of the ‘mind’ world. I recommend it as a regular fix.

Anxiety2 The University of Melbourne Counselling & Psychological Service> Approximately 11% of people in Australia suffer from anxiety.1 Anxiety is both a psychological and physical phenomenon. Symptoms of anxiety can range from a mild sense of general uneasiness to feeling like you are having a heart attack or are floating outside of yourself. Some anxiety develops after an experience that overwhelms your psychological capacity to cope. Feelings of anxiety can occur as a result of a stressful, worrying or frightening event or can seem “free floating” – not attached to any given experience in particular. Both result in an uncomfortable and preoccupying feeling that can in itself cause further worry.

Some people talk of anxiety as being like an invisible cage that constantly demands their attention, reduces their freedom and stops or limits what they can do in the their lives. If the anxious feelings are an aftermath reaction to a stressful or frightening experience, it is very important to get help to deal with these feelings and thoughts. Whatever the history, or mystery, behind your experience of anxiety, the earlier you access help and support the better your recovery will be.

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Some people confuse anxiety with stress. Stress reactions are normal responses to common stressors, such as being late for something important or going out with your dream date for the first time. However, people who suffer from anxiety have excessive, irrational worries and avoid certain situations, which can become debilitating. For example, if your anxiety prevents you attending lectures or speaking up in tutorials, 1 Reconnexion Australia.

Good Vibes 45

that is going to greatly impact on your performance at university and your long-term quality of life.

There are lots of self help books, but nothing beats talking it over with an experienced and sympathetic counsellor. You don’t have to deal with these feelings alone. The Counselling Service can help you to understand what is happening, help you develop ways to cope and to reduce the anxiety and eventually get over it. With “free floating” anxiety there are lots of ways to reduce, manage and finally rid yourself of its hold over your life.

Make a time to speak with a counsellor at the Counselling Service for a confidential discussion of your situation.

Stop!

Relax time9 Alison Martyn_

Muscle Relaxation Exercise You’ve been sitting at your desk for four hours. Your shoulders feel like they have merged into your neck and your profile is starting to represent that of Quasimodo. You fear by the time exams come around that you may be permanently frozen with your arms in the keyboard position looking somewhat zombie like.

Sound familiar? Your muscles become tense when you are stressed or anxious which can cause aches and pains, fatigue headaches and difficultly breathing.

Here are some easy exercises to take you from hunchback to happy-face: 1. Sit in a comfortable chair in a quiet room (I like to do this lying down) 2. Put your feet flat on the floor and rest your hands in your lap 3. Close your eyes 4. Do slow controlled breathing, in through your nose and out slowly through your mouth, in a six-second cycle. Breathe in for three seconds and out for three seconds. This will produce a breathing rate of 10 breaths per minute.

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5. After three minutes of controlled breathing, start the muscle relaxation exercise below

relaxing and tensing parts of your body as you go about your daily activities. Apparently this is how Beyoncé stays in shape – added bonus.

6. Tense each of your muscle groups for 10 seconds, then relax for 10 seconds, in the following order: • Hands: clench your hands into fists, then relax • Lower arms: bend your hands up at the wrists, then relax • Upper arms: bend your arms up at the elbow, then relax • Shoulders: lift your shoulders up, then relax • Neck: stretch your neck gently to the left, then forward, then to the right, then backwards in a slow rolling motion, then relax • Forehead and scalp: raise your eyebrows, then relax • Eyes: close your eyes tightly, then relax • Jaw: clench your teeth, then relax • Chest: breathe in deeply, then breathe out and relax • Stomach: pull your tummy in, then relax • Upper back: pull your shoulders forward, then relax • Lower back: while sitting, roll your back into a smooth arch, then relax • Buttocks (!): tighten your buttocks, then relax • Thighs: push your feet firmly into the floor, then relax • Calves: lift your toes off the ground, then relax • Feet: gently curl your toes down, then relax

Check out this link to sign up for free meditation exercises emailed to you daily: http://meditation.org.au/index.asp?mobilecheck=true&fb_ source=message

7. Continue controlled breathing for five more minutes, enjoying the feeling of relaxation 8. As you become better at relaxation, it can be more interesting to combine these exercises with memories of relaxing situations e.g. lying on a beach or doing a favourite activity A proper relaxation session should take 15-20 minutes.

When you have become a pro at relaxing your muscles, start 48

These relaxation exercises were sourced from beyondblue (http://www. beyondblue.org.au/index.aspx?link_id=7.980) Sleeping Well 11PM: Time for bed. What do I have on tomorrow? So first I have uni, then work, then I have to Skype my syndicate and finish our assignment, oh and I haven’t done that reading for Contracts. eugh. contracts…

12AM: Should I go on exchange? Where would I go? Europe is nice. So is Canada. I like beavers and maple syrup. Mmmmm. Maple syrup.

1AM: Why am I doing law? Do I even like it? Yes. No. Yes. No. Yes. YES……….No? 2AM: WHY CAN’T I SLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPP????

SOMEBODY HELLLPPP MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. Trouble Sleeping? Overthinking things seems to be a common issue for Law Students which can result in irritability, lack of energy, poor concentration and a poor immune system.

Check out these 10 tips on how to turn yourself into sleeping beauty: 1. Try to get up at about the same time each morning. Hitting the snooze button may be tempting but it’s not good for your sleep pattern. Get out of bed as soon as you wake. DO NOT GO BACK TO SLEEP. Good Vibes 49

Horses & the law0

2. Spend some time out in the fresh air and try to do something physical. A walk is plenty! Exercise in the morning rather than late in the day.

3. Place a ban on napping. The nap may be tempting but come night time when you can’t sleep you will be in a state of deep regret that you caved to the temptation.

4. Don’t study in your bed as your body will then associate work with your bed rather than sleep.

5. Set aside some time for problem solving during the day so you don’t lie awake at night thinking about study/work/exchange/law/not law/ how you can pick up the babe in your torts class. If you have a busy email inbox, check it in the morning rather than at the end of the day, so you don’t have new things on your mind at bed time.

6. Avoid going to bed too early, as you won’t get a deep sleep.

7. Give yourself time to wind down before you go to bed – stop studying at least 30 minutes before sleepy time.

8. Don’t go to bed hungry. Or thirsty. Or if you really need to pee.

9. Don’t use alcohol to help you sleep. You will actually sleep less deeply and wake up more frequently. Also, avoid sleeping pills. If you do need to take them, try to take them for less than a week, as they can be addictive.

10. Finally, the law student’s worst nightmare (no pun intended): AVOID CAFFEINE. At least late in the day.

If you are having long-term trouble, keep a sleep/wake diary and review it with your doctor at each visit.

Remember, settling into these habits may take some time. So far today, I’ve hit the snooze button 3 times, had a coffee and stayed up till 12:30am writing this article in my bed. One step at a time!

Horses...

Christina McElwain_ Maddocks

I have been in awe watching the performances of the dressage riders at the Olympics. Their skill in convincing a half tonne of European warmblood to perform such intricate and demanding ballet astounds me.

There are years or work, both for horse and rider to reach and maintain the level necessary for Olympic selection. Horses need to be ridden for an hour every day in the ménage. They need to attend frequent lessons from the best instructors. Then there are the vets, the specialist farriers, the massage therapists, the chiropractors, the saddle makers and on it goes. All of this takes time and when combined with two day competitions, sometimes interstate, the time demands become extreme.

The majority of top flight international riders have no other job than to train and attend to the management of their equestrian team and facilities. and the law...

I am a first year lawyer at Maddocks working in the insolvency practice.

It is a very busy practice and, as a consequence, I have been given Good Vibes 51

the opportunity to undertake meaningful and substantial work. This includes preparation for litigation in large and complex cases. The commercial partners and senior associates at Maddocks are committed to ensuring that junior lawyers are given significant and challenging work but in the context of realistic and fair workloads. But it gets busy!

Deadlines can often lead to early mornings and late nights.

However I am also a dressage competitor-with strong aspirations to advance to the highest levels in my sport. I now compete at Prix St George and Intermediate1 levels. These are effectively one step below the Grand Prix levels of Olympic competition. My most talented horse is Jaybee Acrobat, a 16.1hh warmblood. We have had some very encouraging results with a placing in a state championship and second place on the state leader board at the end of a full year’s competition.

My horse is currently agisted with my instructor, Charlotte Pedersen, at her facility in Macedon. I go from the city to Macedon and back four times a week, after work, for lessons. I do sleep well!

Horses and the law....

My two passions – the law and equestrian sport both make great demands on scarce time resources but with a little planning and support, it is possible to fully accommodate both. Time management is obviously critical and I receive fantastic support from my instructor and my team (my mum and dad).

Maddocks has also been very supportive. The firm encourages its people to have a life outside work and is committed to ensuring that they strive for a proper Work Life Balance. Maddocks supports this sentiment with a long history of accommodating flexible work arrangements. I am heartened by the level of genuine interest that my senior colleagues have shown in my dressage advancement. There is a clear culture of support in the firm for its people to live a full life beyond work.

I wonder if Maddocks will sponsor purchase of my next horse - $250k should suffice…..

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Depression9 The University of Melbourne Counselling & Psychological Service> Depression is a prolonged and persistent negative mood which can colour and interfere with many aspects of life. It is characterised by feelings of sadness, disappointment, loneliness, worthlessness, excessive guilt, self-doubt and hopelessness. Everyone experiences feelings of depression at one time or another. Feeling “down” or “sad” is a normal part of being human.

These feelings commonly follow loss or disappointment and usually pass within a few hours or days. Depression that becomes intense, lasting for extended periods of time (2+weeks) and interfering with day to day functioning, is of a more serious nature. Help, support and treatment for depression can be found by seeing a professional such as a counsellor or a doctor.

What causes people to be depressed?

Often there are many interrelated factors associated with depression such as: • Significant loss • Loss of control over one’s life • The belief that nothing can be done to change unfortunate events in life Good Vibes 53

• Life changes (childbirth, menopause, redundancy, etc.)

• Disappointment, not reaching goals or feeling let down by others • Perceived failure associated with realistic and/or unrealistic expectations • Negative thinking which gradually becomes self-defeating • Biochemical factors (some illnesses, infections and recreational drugs can create chemical imbalances that play a significant role in depression) Signs and symptoms of depression Emotional • • • • • •

Sadness Anxiety Guilt Anger Mood swings Lack of emotional responsiveness • Helplessness Behavioural • Crying spells • Frequent self-criticism • Withdrawal from others • Self-blame • Worrying • Pessimism • Neglect of responsibilities • Impaired memory and concentration • Loss of interest in personal appearance 54 Melbourne University Law Students’Society

• • • •

Indecisiveness and confusion Loss of motivation Tendency to believe others see you in a negative light Thoughts of death and suicide

What helps?

• Identify connections • Exercise regularly • Being honest with yourself and observing changes in mood and feeling as they occur may help you to identify some of the sources of the feelings of depression • Seek professional help. Treating depression is possible.

Counsellors, doctors, social workers, psychiatrists and psychologists are trained to assist individuals with depression Physical • • • • • • •

Chronic fatigue, lack of energy Sleeping too much or too little Overeating or loss of appetite Constipation Weight loss or gain Loss of sexual desire Unexplained aches and pains

Thoughts/Perceptions • Exercising burns up tension, helps you relax, may improve sleep patterns and leads to the release of endorphins that lift your mood.

• Identify times when you feel less depressed. Working out what it is that you do when you feel less depressed can help you identify ways of lifting your mood.

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• Discussing problems and feelings with those involved, an understanding friend or a health professional (counsellor, psychologist, social worker, psychiatrist or doctor) to reach a resolution before a critical stage of depression is reached.

• Thinking about your own unique strengths, characteristics and positive accomplishments can enhance wellbeing.

Helping a friend Severely depressed individuals can be very withdrawn, lethargic, selfruminating and possibly suicidal. A concerned friend can provide valuable and possibly life saving support. Talking candidly with the individual regarding your concern for his or her well-being will often help bring the problems out into the open.

As you talk: • • • •

Share your concern and willingness to help Be supportive and patient Avoid trying to “cheer up” up the person Avoid saying “I know how you feel”

If you believe the person to be suicidal, or you hold serious concerns for his/her wellbeing, urge the person to seek professional help. If the individual resists, contact a counsellor yourself so you can discuss how best to handle the situation.

Transition from university to workplace1 Judith Dickson>

Leo Cussen Centre for Law Director Practical Legal Training Finally you are no longer a student. You have a salary, a new set of clothes suitable for the professional workplace, and a regular working day in your first job as a lawyer. You might be working in a law firm, in a government department, in a public agency, a community legal centre or in a corporate legal department. Wherever you are, those first few months present a variety of challenges as you transition into the new role.

I remember in particular, realising that I now carried personal professional responsibility for my work. Others depended on me to do a good job. It was no longer about me, but about my clients and the community.

Here are the experiences of three of our recent graduates from the Leo Cussen Practical Training Course, working in different legal environments and thoroughly enjoying their new role.

I hope you find their experiences a useful guide.

Good Vibes 57

Julia Tonkin Maddocks First year lawyer I was re-watching the first season of The West Wing recently and I was struck by a statement made by one of the characters, Sam Seaborn, who said “law school bears little relationship to the practice of law”. I must admit it feels like a century ago that I was at university, when in fact it was only last year.

My transition from The University of Melbourne to work was punctuated by a final semester spent on exchange in Denmark, followed by a semester completing my practical legal training at the Leo Cussen Centre for Law. I found the time I spent at Leo Cussen in many ways a liberating experience; I really enjoyed the practical focus of the course (which I felt law school had at times lacked) and felt it was solid training for being able to spot an issue, which is often half the battle in legal practice.

I completed my three week Leo Cussen work placement at Maddocks in their Commercial Disputes and Commercial practice groups. By luck, or good management, I was asked to stay and work as a paralegal in Commercial Disputes on a high profile class action. I had previously expressed an interest in private client work and a few months later was approached to join Maddocks’ Private Clients team, where I remain as a first year lawyer.

Main Challenges

I am currently responsible for the day to day management of the firm’s probate practice which is high volume, but exceptionally rewarding in the level of client contact that I have.

I think a challenge that we all face as young lawyers is knowing our limits and being comfortable telling our superiors when we’ve reached them. It is in nobody’s interest if you are treading water and don’t speak up. It is so important, especially when you are dealing with clients, that you are honest with them if you don’t know something. Trust between a lawyer and client is special, but it can easily slip through your fingers. I often say, “I don’t know, but I’ll find out for you.”

Satisfactions I have been very fortunate that I have landed on my feet early in a practice area that I really enjoy and where I feel I could make a career.

Having the day to day management of sixty-plus files is invigorating.

It is also all about the people that you work with - I have a really nice practice group with very approachable senior lawyers. Maddocks’ emphasise a number of core values, being integrity, stewardship, collaboration, commitment to excellence, change and innovation, respect for the individual and diversity. The core value that resonates with me particularly is stewardship. I am very lucky that I have encountered many partners who take the time to pass on their knowledge, something that I believe is vital for a self-renewing firm and confident junior lawyers.

Whilst law school at times bears little relationship to what I do now, you never know when you will be quizzed on contract law cases by a senior partner!

When I arrived in the Private Clients team, I took over the role of two people, so the volume of work was an initial unavoidable challenge which meant my time management skills had to sharpen up quickly. I admit I do work longish hours.

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Good Vibes 59

Mercia Mitchell Gadens Lawyers First Year Lawyer After many years of full time study, I have now finally entered the legal profession working as a Graduate Solicitor at Gadens Lawyers in the Property Team.

I studied Law Arts majoring in Political Science and a Diploma of Modern Languages in Indonesian at the University of Melbourne before undertaking practical legal training at Leo Cussen.

In my first class of law school, I remember being told that 50% of law students will complete the degree, and then only 50% of law graduates actually go on to practise law, and those who do only last around 5 years before burning out.

I have always been very aware that having a law degree would provide me with a broad base of general skills and open many doors outside the legal profession. However, I have always known that I wanted to be a lawyer, even though while I was at University I did not really understand what it actually meant to be lawyer.

Through my training at Leo Cussen, I had the opportunity to meet many people from the profession and hear their stories and ask questions. We had mock trials, mock files and mock client interviews. We were also expected to suit up and attend classes from 9am – 5pm, which was quite a shock to the system after having only 8 contact hours as a University student. I also developed a great group of friends with whom I catch up regularly. This has helped make the transition from University to Work-life as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

Expectations and Challenges I have been inspired by many women at Gadens who have demonstrated that it is possible to balance being a great lawyer and a great mother, and even make it to Partner and work on a part time basis.

One of the benefits of working in a large firm is that there is a lot of supervision and there is a strong support network. All the graduates have a mentor as well as a buddy at my firm. We also have regular workshops on developing our professional skills.

I have not experienced huge pressures to meet impossible billable targets. Rather, the focus has been on gaining as much experience as possible, doing a wide variety of tasks, including billable and non-billable research tasks and attending as many Continuing Legal Education seminars as possible.

So far my hours have been very reasonable. I have not had to go in to work on a weekend yet, but I have a positive attitude and I am prepared to work long hours and weekends if required. I enjoy working as a lawyer and I would much rather work longer hours being challenged in an intellectually stimulating job than work fewer hours, where I am watching the clock tick over and where time drags on.

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We all know that work life balance is important to prevent burning out. I have found that working in the city has made it quite easy to catch up with friends regularly. One of the biggest changes for me transitioning from a student to a lawyer is that I actually have proper weekends now. As a student, in the evenings and weekends there was always an assignment to work on or readings to do. In a full time job, you can actually just go home and relax, without feeling guilty.

The Nature of the Work One significant difference between the Workforce and University is that while at University you can attend lectures, submit assignments and do exams without having much contact with anyone. The reality is that in the workforce, communication skills are very important, whether it be speaking to clients, to a Partner, or delegating tasks to others.

Another difference is that at University, we develop skills analysing cases, interpreting legislation, and writing fascinating 5,000 word essays examining complicated areas of law. In practice, however, often the most efficient way to approach a challenging piece of advice or problem is simply to look for a precedent. It is much better to build upon someone else’s hard work rather than to start from scratch. We have to cut repetitive, unnecessary words to make the law as easy and accessible to clients as possible. This is the complete opposite of what we learn at University, where we try to impress our lecturers by demonstrating that we know every aspect of the law inside and out. In practice, clients do not want to pay for or read a finely polished essay. Rather, they just want to know the answer to their specific question, as quickly as possible.

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Molly McCaffrey State Ombudsman Western Australia Enquiry and Investigating Offcer I obtained my first full time role after law school with the State Ombudsman in Western Australia. I work on the front line dealing with enquiries from members of the public and investigating any one of the 300 WA Government departments and authorities in jurisdiction.

In my role I need to be ‘on’ constantly. I have no office door to close, so gone are the university days of sifting through library books and staring at one page of an essay for a silent, uninterrupted hour. I switch quickly between written files to attending meetings with aggrieved people at the drop of a hat. I very much enjoy this varied and fast paced work environment. Ending up satisfied with a job that never bores me was not entirely due to luck but instead stems from considerable preparation.

My Preparation A crucial part of a seamless transition is to choose a workplace wisely.

I very carefully examined job descriptions. I found a workplace that reflected the parts of university and extra-curricular life that excited me. It was during my time at Leo Cussen Centre for Law that such

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knowledge crystallised through practical insights to many areas of law. I cannot state enough that sometimes the content you enjoyed ‘studying’ at university is not the law you would enjoy ‘practising’ in the workplace.

In addition, while I have not started out in private practice and do not have as many funded work functions as my peers, the conditions and pay seem to me to balance out. In any case I had to be honest about what I would enjoy each day as I sat down at my desk and not get trapped into chasing job perks. I also considered how I was dealt with during the recruitment process at my new workplace, as this can often be indicative of the workplace culture and care provided.

The Transition Once in the workplace, the key to the transition was to draw on a wide range of skills. While university and internships assist in critical analysis and high-level research, I unexpectedly drew some quick decision making skills from my experience waitressing in a busy restaurant. The PTC at Leo Cussen also exposed me to professionals in all areas of law who gave me real world knowledge of ethical and strategic decisionmaking.

The most challenging aspect of work though was to shift from a student mindset focused on individual outcomes. No longer is the aim a H1, but the aim is instead to serve others, such as clients. Even at a basic level of communication this is true. The correct tone of my voice and confidence in my decisions can directly affect a client’s experience and in turn impact the office’s reputation. Serving others also includes my colleagues. While individual results are emphasised at university, it is teamwork that is critical to everyday workplace success.

My experiences transitioning from university, to practical training, to working life have all been happy ones. With the right preparation, I see no reason that this transition should be anything other than natural and positive for all university graduates.

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Being not-so Perfect5 Audrey Sam> Junior Associate Baker and McKenzie

High achieving legal practitioners, business professionals, athletes, scientists and artists all show signs of perfectionism. However, perfectionism is an especially common character trait in the legal profession. It’s our passion for excellence that drives us to go that extra mile and our legal training that has honed our ability to “spot the minute details”.

A mild degree of perfectionism is healthy. It’s noble to want to do our best in everything we pursue and it gives us the drive to achieve things we would not otherwise achieve. It can also be the motivation to persevere in the face of obstacles, make us feel worthwhile and elevate us in the eyes of our colleagues, family and friends.

Perfectionism at its extreme prevents us from being our best and obsessing to be perfect is often a recipe for disappointment. We can become less efficient and less effective. For example, even after completing a task, we linger thinking about how we can improve on it.

This so-called improvement process starts off as 5-minute task, then extends as we check, double-check and even sometimes triple-check a document! We end up spending more time on the task than required without achieving a better result. The desire to be perfect can also make us overcomplicate a task. We fuss over unfounded problems and become Good Vibes 65

obsessive to pre-empt problems. In reality, most of these problems either do not materialise or even if they did, they do not matter greatly.

When does perfectionism become a destructive character trait?

Perfectionism can be destructive too. Warning signs can be when you: • remain focussed on your mistakes; • fail to give yourself credit for your successes, no matter how small; • are dissatisfied with the outcome of your work because you perceive that there were “improvements” that could be made; • frequently criticise and find fault in others; or • have trouble adapting when circumstances change or when the situation is beyond your control.

How to be a “healthy” perfectionist?

Here are some useful tips on being a healthy perfectionist.

• Do a reality check. Are you setting unrealistic expectations? What is the end objective? Is what you are doing leading you to the overall objective? Write down your goals and refer to them to make sure what you are doing contributes to the overall objective.

• Recognise that you can learn many positive things from making mistakes. Reflect on any mistakes made and ask yourself “What can I learn from this experience?”

• Set a time limit. Parkinson’s Law tells us work will take however long we want it to take. If you gave yourself 4 hours to complete a task, you will complete it in 4 hours. If you gave yourself 3 hours, you will complete it in 3. But if you do not set a time limit, you can find yourself taking forever to complete it. There could be a million other improvements but you have to draw the line somewhere.

• Break the job down. Write a list of the tasks required to complete the job. Evaluate your success in terms of how much you enjoyed each aspect of the job and not only the final overall result.

• Take breaks when you find your productivity waning. Resting before returning to work can give you a renewed perspective.

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Footy1

In essence, playing footy is the most relaxing and rejuvenating thing I do each week. Even when it seems like an inconvenience, football is one of the most important parts of my life. It keeps me healthy, and I don’t just mean physically. The trials and tribulations of law school seem so much more manageable after a game of footy; everything is a little bit easier. If it makes me ‘well-rounded,’ that’s good too.

Jono Mc Coy At law school, we are often reminded of the importance of being ‘wellrounded’ individuals without much explanation as to what that actually means. Of course, we know what it’s supposed to mean: find something that helps you forget about law school for at least a few hours each week.

In reality, being ‘well-rounded’ can become just another thing you have to make time for – something else to worry about.

I’m ‘well-rounded’ because I play football (at least that’s what people tell me). I do not deny that there have been times when I have thought of footy as more of a chore than a recreation. We train two nights a week and spend the majority of our Saturdays (usually from about 12pm to 6pm) playing and watching footy. When your notes begin and end with the subject name and your readings are still in the plastic, you feel like you can hardly spare an hour to do other things, let alone two week nights and a whole Saturday. But it’s always worth it.

Footy has been a lifeline for me throughout my time at law school. It gives me a chance to escape all the nonsense that goes on in the law building and do something that I genuinely love doing. On the footy field, my only worry is how I’m going to get my next kick; it’s as simple as that. It also gives me a chance to hang out with a bunch of blokes who don’t care about law. Marks, clerkships, fiduciaries: seemingly big concerns at law school quickly fade to naught in the clubrooms.

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Going Healthy!

Ten Easy Steps For Law Students9

Marcus Hannah_

If there’s one thing that all law students will agree on, it’s that studying law involves a lot of work. Going to lectures, doing assignments, getting through the weekly readings – it’s often draining and eats up a lot of free time. After a long day in the law building it’s far too easy to get home and crash on the couch, gorging on whatever is in the pantry at the time.

Those Tim Tams look mighty tempting at the moment, and that jog you said you would go on seems like a distant notion that you’re happy not to think twice about.

It’s not easy to stay disciplined, but it can be done. So here’s a short list (10 items) of healthy tips that time-challenged law students can fit into their routine.

1.

Rethink the way you exercise

If you want to start getting fit, the first thing you need to do is to stop thinking of it as a chore. Rather, think of it as a reward. It’s all about mind set – if you start thinking ‘I’ve done my work today, now I get to go on a run’ rather than ‘I should go on a run now’ you are going to feel more motivated and you’re going to enjoy it more. Often people will put it off if they’re not in the ‘right mood’. Don’t wait to be in the right mood.

Take action first, and the mood will follow. It’s really not that hard to get out and exercise; however it’s the mental game where most people falter.

Get past that, and you’re half way there.

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2.

Join a casual sports team

A great way to get fit, have fun and socialise is to start a team in a casual sporting league. Is it basketball that floats your boat? How about soccer or netball? Whatever takes your fancy, there’s bound to be a league somewhere close by. Why not grab a bunch of mates and start a team?

The time commitment is low (usually about an hour a week), but it’s a great way to get some exercise and see some of your friends outside of the dreary grey halls of the law building. Plus, it gives you something to talk about the next morning that doesn’t revolve around the readings you were meant to be doing.

3.

Set a goal

A great way to get fit is to simply put on your runners and just run.

Whether you’re just going round the block, to the shops and back or along the beach, jogging is a great way to get fit and feel great. However if it was really that easy then everyone would be running marathons in no time. The problem for most people is motivation. The best way to keep you motivated and running is to set a goal – whether it be to do a 10km run, half-marathon, or just to participate in the next fun run.

Book in early and it’ll give you something to strive for.

4.

Go Green

Need that hit of caffeine? Try ditching the coffee and go with Green Tea instead. It’s still got caffeine in it to keep you buzzing (about half as much as a cup of coffee). However it’s also got a range of health benefits. Green Tea, which is rich in Catechin Polyphenols, Good Vibes

has been known to increase metabolism, decrease cholesterol and even reduce your chance of cancer. It’s no coincidence that the Chinese have been using Green Tea for over 4000 years.

5.

Blend it!

It’s hard to keep up with all of your body’s needs. Five serves of vegies; three serves of fruit; plus all those other minerals and vitamins that we need – who has time to eat all that? Well, here’s my solution, blend it! If you don’t have a blender, go out and buy one. It’s one of the best investments you’ll make. Just chuck in a mixture of apples, bananas, berries and carrots; add some leafy greens such as spinach or kale; and then top it off with some healthy supplements such as spirulina; LSA mix or protein powder. Add some water and then blend it all together and then you’ve got yourself a power-packed smoothie to start your day.

The natural sugars from the fruits will make it taste great and it’s quick to prepare and digest (perfect for when you’re running late to uni, as I usually am). It’s by far the easiest way to get all the nutrients you need!

It doesn’t just have to be for breakfasts or lunches either. If you’re feeling like a tasty snack after dinner try blending some banana, berries, coconut milk and cacao together. Just like that you’ve got yourself a healthy, guilt-free desert.

6.

Hit the gym...with a friend

Joining a gym sounds great at first. As you’re buying your new runners you can already see yourself with that six-pack you’ve always desired.

That promise to go three times a week sounds so easy to keep...until it doesn’t. Suddenly the work comes in and you’re swamped. One of the first things to go is usually the gym session you had planned. What was going to be a back and bi’s session quickly becomes a night sitting in front of your desk.

A great way to avoid this is to start going to the gym with a friend. By making a commitment to each other it will help keep you accountable.

If you start missing sessions you won’t just be letting down yourself 72 Melbourne University Law Students’Society

anymore, but them as well. It’s a good way to keep you motivated and makes it more enjoyable as well.

You don’t have to be there forever either. By super-setting your exercises (alternating between two exercises, doing one while resting for the other) or using a lot of compound exercises that work a large range of muscle (i.e. chin-ups, squats, dips) you can easily put in a good session in 40 minutes.

7.

Alkalize the system

Alright, I’m going to get technical for a minute, so bare with me. Your body is constantly striving to strike a balance of acidity and alkalinity, which is affected by what we eat, drink, breathe and even how we feel.

Nutritionists say that to keep a good balance 80% of the food we ingest should be alkaline forming and 20% acidic; however the average diet is overwhelmingly acid-forming. This is mainly due to the processed foods, sodas, coffees and dairy products we consume. Even stress adds to it. A high acidic level makes the body more susceptible to illness, inflammation and fatigue, which probably explains why we all seem to get sick around exam time.

To counter this we should try to eat as much alkaline-forming foods as we can, such as dark leafy greens, coconut, tomato, lemon and almonds.

Doing so will help maximise the immune system, aid in weight loss and promote vitamin and mineral levels. A quick and effective way to help alkalize your body is to start the morning by squeezing fresh lemon juice or adding apple cider vinegar to a glass of water.

8.

Keep stocked up on healthy foods

Most of the time we eat badly because there’s nothing else around.

When studying late at night, frequent trips to the pantry become all too frequent. And often, the only things left in there are packets of chips or biscuits. Instead, make sure to stock up on lots of healthy foods – for example keep the fruit bowl full or pick up some organic corn chips to snack on.

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It’s the same deal when out and about, whether at uni or somewhere else. There always seems to be a cafe or a cheap Chinese restaurant just around the corner, which proves to be mighty tempting when you start to feel a bit peckish. Instead, pack your own lunch. Bring a chicken sandwich, a can of tuna or bag of nuts with you, that way when you’re hungry you’ll go for that instead of the muffin from the cafe’.

9.

What

makes

Melbourne

Uni law students happy?

Allana

Nick B

Jason Bosland

Simone

Get around the lentils

Want a meal that’s quick, easy to make, very cheap, healthy and tasty?

No, this isn’t a rhetorical question; I’m talking about lentils and rice, the vegetarian’s greatest secret. Lentils are among the most nutritious legumes available. They’re high in lean protein, full of cholesterollowering fibre and high in iron, while also being low in calories. My dad spent three years working in Nepal where at least one meal a day would be lentils and rice, and he swears that he was in the best shape of his life then because of it.

Just boil the lentils in water. Then cook up some onion; add garlic, ginger and cumin (or other spices you desire), and then mix it in with the lentils when they’re ready. Serve it with rice and you’ve got yourself a great meal.

10.

Watch your mental health

While it’s very important to watch your physical health, you need to keep check on your mental health as well. While getting out and exercising will generally make you feel better mentally as well, also be sure to put some time aside to just have fun. Go to the movies; catch up with your friends; read something that isn’t prescribed by the law faculty.

Make time to do whatever it is that makes you happy.

Ben M

Ben S

Disclaimer: I’m not an accredited nutritionist, personal trainer or anything like that. These tips are things I’ve picked up from my parents, the internet, Men’s Health Magazine and Rich Roll’s new book ‘Finding Ultra’.

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! s e p i c e R “From healthy to indulgent, these recipes will cheer you up after a tough day!”

Peanut Butter & Choc Chip Cookies à la Lauren McInnes (JD 3) Ingredients (It should make 15 - if you manage to not eat the batter beforehand…): • 1/2 cup of sifted self raising flour • 1/2 cup of brown sugar, firmly packed • 1/2 cup of caster sugar • 1 egg, whisked • 1/2 cup of melted butter • 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence • 1/2 cup of peanut butter (crunchy is best!)

• 1/2 cup of roughly chopped up Lindt chocolate Method: 1. Pre-heat your oven to 160° and line a few baking trays with paper - use big trays, the cookies spread more than you think!

2. Mix together the sugar and flour in a large bowl.

In a separate smaller bowl, combine the butter & whisked egg. Pour the egg & butter into the first bowl and add the vanilla.

3. Stir in the peanut butter until the batter is smooth. Add the chocolate chunks and make sure they’re spread throughout.

4. Spoon 2-3cm balls of the mixture onto the baking trays and put in the oven for 15 minutes (take them out a minute or so beforehand if, like me, you prefer your cookies soft).

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Cherry Clafouti à la KJ Huck (JD 2) Cherry Clafouti is the easiest and most delicious thing I like to eat during study because it's delicious hot or cold.

Ingredients (Serves 4): Melted butter, to grease • 1 x 425g can stoneless black cherries, drained • 150g (2/3 cup) caster sugar • 2 eggs • 2 egg yolks • 125ml (1/2 cup) light sour cream • 2 tbs plain flour • Icing sugar, to dust • 160ml (2/3 cup) thickened cream Method: 1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Brush a 20cm (base measurement) cake pan with the melted butter to lightly grease.

Arrange the cherries in the base of the pan and sprinkle with 1 tbs of sugar.

2. Use an electric beater to beat remaining sugar, eggs and egg yolks in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Add the sour cream and beat until well combined. Sprinkle over the flour and beat until combined. Pour mixture over the cherries. Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Dust with icing sugar.

3. Meanwhile, whip the thickened cream until soft peaks form.

4. To serve, spoon among serving plates and dust with icing sugar. Serve with cream.

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Grandmother's Chocolate Pudding à la Claire Marshall (JD 2) Ok, here's my no fail exam time eat-your-feelings chocolate pudding recipe. This is my grandmother's recipe. I've eaten nothing but it on a couple of exam occasions.

Ingredients: • 120 g of butter. It doesn't matter if it's salted, or unsalted, or no-name margarine.

You're a student.

These are hard times • 1 1/2 cup of brown sugar • 2 tbsp of cocoa • 1 cup of milk • 2 tsp of vanilla • 2 cups of self-raising flour Topping: • 2 tbsp cocoa • 1 1/2 cup of brown sugar. That equals three cups of brown sugar. This further equals another frenzied, sugar driven hour of early morning study sessions. Why didn't you do all the readings during the semester?

Eat a tbsp of sugar if necessary. Add a tablespoon of cheap ground coffee to mouth. Pour milk in, swish around. Instant latte.

• 3 cups hot H20.

Method: 1. Preheat oven to 180. This could mean anywhere between 100 and surface of Mercury. Oven is at least as old as the dinosaurs. Hope for the best.

2. Heat butter and milk gently in a saucepan, stir until butter melts. Add vanilla.

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3. Sift dry ingredients into bowl. Realise share house doesn't have a sieve. Use slotted spoon before giving up and throwing unsifted dry ingredients into bowl.

4. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients.

Analyse meaning of ‘well’. Refer to Acts Interpretation Act. Decide whether author meant the ordinary trade meaning of ‘well’. Use extrinsic materials to determine depth of said well. Realise that there's still half a bottle of seven dollar red wine left in the pantry. Swear only to drink half of glass. Drink all of wine. Statute seems instantly hilarious.

5. Pour butter mixture into well. Stir until smooth.

Eat a third of the mixture with a fork because you can't be bothered to wash a spoon.

6. Grease a tin. At this stage you don't care what tin. Contemplate eating rest of mixture raw. Decide to persevere, pour rest of mixture in tin.

7. Almost forget the topping.

'Sift' the dry ingredients on top. Pour the boiling water over the top. Almost scald yourself terribly.

Lack of sleep is not good for coordination. Or sanity.

Put pudding in oven. Start crying because you're going to fail your exams and end up in hopeless debt and age terribly and never find love.

Stop crying because it's an inefficient use of energy.

8. Let the pudding cook for 45 minutes. Look over your notes and feel like the exam is going to be just fine. Who wants to work in a top tier firm anyway?

9. Pull pudding out of oven. Scoop vanilla icecream over the top. Eat with spoon out of tin. Feel ill.

Sit down with books again. It suddenly all seems achievable. Vow to go for a run in the morning. Eat rest of pudding for breakfast.

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Quinoa Tabouli Salad Aloisio (JD 2)

à la Gabi

Quinoa is my new favourite ingredient. It's high in protein, is a good source of dietary fibre and is high in magnesium and iron. It's gluten-free, easy to digest! This salad is healthy and delicious, have it on its own, or serve with grilled chicken or lamb skewers with yoghurt.

Ingredients (serves 4): • 3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice • 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil • 1/3 cup chopped fresh flatleaf parsley leaves • 1 small Lebanese cucumber, peeled, deseeded, diced Method: 1. Place quinoa and 1 1/2 cups cold water in a saucepan over high heat. Cover. Bring to the boil.

2. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until water has absorbed. Drain. Rinse. Transfer to a large bowl.

3. Place lemon juice and oil in a screw-top jar. Season with salt and pepper. Secure lid. Shake to combine.

4. Add parsley, cucumber and dressing to quinoa. Toss to combine. Serve.

Guacamole à la Victoria Draudins (JD 2) This is the guacamole recipe from a restaurant in NYC – it’s the best guacamole I have ever had!

I follow the Nigella Lawson cooking approach i.e. lazy.

So instead of cutting up chilies, I used chili paste (which works just as well).

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Ingredients • 2 Tablespoons finely chopped Cilantro leaves • 2 Teaspoon finely chopped white onion • 2 Teaspoons minced Jalapeno or Serrano (or a mix) • 1/2 Teaspoon Kosher salt • 2 Large avocados, peeled and seeded. Stark recommends California Haas avocados.

• 2 Tablespoons finely chopped plum tomato (cored and seeded) • 2 Teaspoons fresh lime juice.

Method: 1. Add 1 tablespoon of cilantro, 1 teaspoon each of onion and the minced chili, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a medium bowl or a mortar. Mash together with spoon or pestle until a paste is formed.

2. Dice avocado and gently fold into the paste, leaving some chunks.

3. Add the remaining cilantro, onions, and chilies, and continue to mix.

4. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the top. Gently fold in tomato.

5. Serve with tortilla chips.

Important Contacts1

Support is at your fingertips...

Faculty Contact Kate van Hooft

Cost: Free for Melbourne Uni students and staff Hours: Mon/Tues/Thurs/Fri: 9am – 5pm

Wed: 9am – 7pm The University of Melbourne Psychology Clinic Psychological assessment and counselling The Psychology Clinic offers low-cost psychological treatment to adults (aged over 18 years) in the general community. Counsellors at the Psychology Clinic are postgraduate students who are enrolled in Clinical Psychology Masters Programs. All counsellors are registered as provisional psychologists and their practice is supervised by fully registered, experienced practitioners.

Level 7, 14-20 Blackwood Street, North Melbourne

Student Welfare and Wellbeing Coordinator (Student welfare, special consideration, extensions, alternative exam arrangements, academic progress) Note: Kate does not provide counselling service. Please speak to her

for the abovementioned purposes.

P: 03 9035 5180 E: clinic@psych.unimelb.edu.au W: http://www.psych.unimelb.edu.au/clinic/MHterms.html Cost: Free for Melbourne Uni students (otherwise, $25 per session) Hours: Monday-Friday: 9 - 5pm

P: E:

Headspace Clinics

03 8344 3605 vank@unimleb.edu.au

Clinics

Headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation Ltd is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing under the Youth Mental Health Initiative Program.

University of Melbourne Counselling & Psychological Services

W:

Level 2, 138 Cardigan Street Carlton VIC 3053 P: W:

03 8344 6927 http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/counsel/

Mental Health Support Services Beyond Blue Information about mental illness and support.

W:

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http://www.headspace.org.au/

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The Butterfly Foundation Provides support for those dealing with eating disorders.

National Support Line: 1800 ED HOPE (4673) Support Email: support@thebutterflyfoundation.org.au Website: www.thebutterflyfoundation.org.au LifeLine 24 hour crisis line.

P: W:

Previous MULSS Health and Wellbeing Guidebooks http://www.mulss.com/health-wellbeing-seminars OR, if you just want something funny to cheer you up…

A lesson on how to dance with ‘Jazz Hands’. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuPSIbABYVU

13 11 14 www.lifeline.org.au

Tristan Jepson Memorial Foundation Foundation aims to decrease distress, disability and the causes of depression and anxiety in the legal profession.

W:

http://www.tjmf.org.au/Home/Resources/Publications

Other useful info…

ABC – The Law Report – Lawyers and Depression 5 April 2011 http://www.abc.net.au/rn/lawreport/stories/2011/3181665.htm ALSA Mental Health Guide – Defending Your Sanity http://www.alsa.net.au/images/2012/ALSA%20Mental%20Health%20 Guide.pdf Courting the Blues Attitudes towards depression in Australian law students and legal practitioners, Research Monograph of the Brain and Mind Research Institute. http://sydney.edu.au/bmri/research/mental-health-clinical-translationalprograms/lawreport.pdf 84 Melbourne University Law Students’Society

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Image Sources> http://www.flickr.com/photos/nationalmediamuseum http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_virginia http://www.flickr.com/photos/uw_digital_images http://www.flickr.com/photos/statelibraryofnsw http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhsum-commons http://www.flickr.com/photos/nationaalarchief http://www.flickr.com/photos/34121831@N00 http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasacommons http://www.flickr.com/photos/osucommon http://fredthecow-stock.deviantart.com http://commons.wikimedia.org http://lostandtaken.com

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