Keeping My Creative Heart Alive in Law School

They say law school is a battlefield. Sabi naman ng iba, it’s a marathon. But for now, I’m just someone standing at the starting line — slightly nervous, mostly curious.

I remember the moment I decided: Sige, magla-law school ako. It wasn’t a grand revelation. It was a quiet resolve, like waking up and realizing it’s time to water the plants. Slowly, gently, but intentionally.

I’m writing this before before the law school opens — before the first class, before the recits, before the late nights with codals, before the caffeine-fueled mornings. Because somewhere in between deciding and starting, there’s this in-between: anticipation, doubt, excitement, fear. And maybe, you’re here too.

Am I Ready?

Honestly, hindi ko sure.

I’ve read enough stories from upperclassmen, watched countless “What’s in my Law School Bag” vlogs, and tried to imagine what my life will look like. But deep down, I know no amount of planners or highlighters will really prepare me for what’s coming.

But here’s the thing: readiness isn’t a place you arrive at. It’s something you choose daily. I’m slowly learning that.

Pagitan: Between the Dream and the Doing

Pagitan is born from this space — between wanting and trying, between fear and courage.

Before classes start, I’m setting my tiny intentions:

• I want to study, not just to recite, but to truly understand.
• I’ll allow myself to rest, even on nights when guilt sits heavy.
• And I’ll try to be gentle with my mistakes.
• Because even in the grind of law school, I hope to keep parts of me alive — the parts that love writing, creating, and caring for my little fur baby.

The Quiet What-ifs

Of course, natatakot pa rin ako.

What if I can’t keep up? Or I disappoint my family? And what if, in chasing this dream, I lose the parts of me that love slow mornings, handwritten letters, and quiet creative projects?

They’re real fears. But so are my reasons: a childhood dream, a stubborn hope to help, and the belief that maybe, I can balance life and law. Maybe, these fears will walk beside me. Hindi ko na sila kailangang iwan, but I don’t have to let them decide everything either. I can carry them gently, and keep moving.

To Anyone Also Waiting

If you’re reading this and you’re also about to start something big — maybe law school, maybe something else — I want you to know: you’re not alone.

We don’t need to be fearless. We just need to keep choosing to show up, day by day, page by page.

Why I’m Sharing This

Maybe months from now, I’ll look back at this post and smile at how gentle I sounded, or maybe I’ll thank this version of me for giving future me permission to be human.

For now, this is my note from the in-between: a space between dreaming and doing, between fear and excitement.