In law school, success in most classes is determined by one grade: the final exam. It is generally the only test given in a semester, and it is the sole determinant of your fate in that class. Suffice to say that final exam time is stressful.
On the night before one of my exams, I was cramming in the library. This wasn't over-kill cramming. I really needed to study. I wasn't ready.
One of my friends stopped by. She was dating someone who was not a good boyfriend. Unfortunately, she had just discovered exactly how bad of a boyfriend he was.
I had a dilemma: should I keep studying, or should I take time to be with her?
I am not proud to say that this wasn't an easy question for me, but I did do the right thing. I closed my computer, stood up, and said "Let's go for a drive."
I am absolutely sure that I did not help her at all. There was nothing I could say that made it any better. I probably did say things that made it worse. I'm not really good at things like that.
On the flip side, she helped me tremendously be allowing me to be there with her in that moment. She let me make a choice to prioritize people over personal gain in a fairly low stakes environment.
That night was more important to my education than almost any other.
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