Why is everyone always so negative about studying law?
Hi,
I'm writing this question to ask if anyone could please give me some insight on the benefits/what they enjoy about studying law at university. I have my heart set on studying law and have just applied to unis!
However, I am constantly hearing awful things about studying law and it is really disheartening. I am aware of the importance of hard work and have always pushed myself and managed to stay organised but I do worry that the intensity might affect me and my mental health at times. I am primarily going to uni to learn and grow but I also want to enjoy the uni experience and not be tied completely to studying.
Not that I'll let this cloud my mind at all and I am in no doubt that the course will be challenging at times but I am wondering if someone would be able to share some positive insight of what a law degree is like. I genuinely think I will enjoy it - I love writing, reading, doing 'deep-dives' on a specific project or case study and just learning in general (especially about the world around us, which really attracts me to law because it influences every aspect of life). However, all I hear is negativity about the intense workload, confusing readings (don't get me started on what I've heard about constitutional law) and having absolutely no social life.
I would really appreciate if someone could explain what they love about law as it seems to me that everyone who has chosen it regrets and hates it hahaha.
Feel free to share any tips on how to stay of top of things too
Thanks!
I'm writing this question to ask if anyone could please give me some insight on the benefits/what they enjoy about studying law at university. I have my heart set on studying law and have just applied to unis!
However, I am constantly hearing awful things about studying law and it is really disheartening. I am aware of the importance of hard work and have always pushed myself and managed to stay organised but I do worry that the intensity might affect me and my mental health at times. I am primarily going to uni to learn and grow but I also want to enjoy the uni experience and not be tied completely to studying.
Not that I'll let this cloud my mind at all and I am in no doubt that the course will be challenging at times but I am wondering if someone would be able to share some positive insight of what a law degree is like. I genuinely think I will enjoy it - I love writing, reading, doing 'deep-dives' on a specific project or case study and just learning in general (especially about the world around us, which really attracts me to law because it influences every aspect of life). However, all I hear is negativity about the intense workload, confusing readings (don't get me started on what I've heard about constitutional law) and having absolutely no social life.
I would really appreciate if someone could explain what they love about law as it seems to me that everyone who has chosen it regrets and hates it hahaha.
Feel free to share any tips on how to stay of top of things too
Thanks!
Reply 1
Hi Shrimp,
A lot of the negativity around law comes from the fact that people tend to speak up most when they are stressed. Law also has a steep learning curve at the start, particularly with legal language and case reading, which can feel overwhelming early on and is often what gets shared online.
It's also a very popular degree, so you hear from a wide range of students, including those who genuinely do not enjoy reading, research or analytical work. That does not mean law itself is miserable, it just means it suits some people more than others. Attending in person sessions and keeping up with the reading makes a big difference, and many students who struggle have fallen behind or skipped early teaching, which makes the course feel far harder than it needs to be.
What many of us enjoy about law is exactly what you described. You get to think deeply, debate ideas, analyse real world problems and see how law shapes everyday life. There is real satisfaction in understanding a difficult case or applying legal principles confidently to practical scenarios.
The workload is busy but manageable if you stay organised.
Most law students still have part time jobs, societies and social lives, what weighs down on most law student's is finding relevant work experience while doing coursework.
I hope this helped,
Ulaw,
Alfred.
A lot of the negativity around law comes from the fact that people tend to speak up most when they are stressed. Law also has a steep learning curve at the start, particularly with legal language and case reading, which can feel overwhelming early on and is often what gets shared online.
It's also a very popular degree, so you hear from a wide range of students, including those who genuinely do not enjoy reading, research or analytical work. That does not mean law itself is miserable, it just means it suits some people more than others. Attending in person sessions and keeping up with the reading makes a big difference, and many students who struggle have fallen behind or skipped early teaching, which makes the course feel far harder than it needs to be.
What many of us enjoy about law is exactly what you described. You get to think deeply, debate ideas, analyse real world problems and see how law shapes everyday life. There is real satisfaction in understanding a difficult case or applying legal principles confidently to practical scenarios.
The workload is busy but manageable if you stay organised.
Most law students still have part time jobs, societies and social lives, what weighs down on most law student's is finding relevant work experience while doing coursework.
I hope this helped,
Ulaw,
Alfred.
(edited 1 month ago)
Reply 2
Original post
by thankful-shrimpHi,
I'm writing this question to ask if anyone could please give me some insight on the benefits/what they enjoy about studying law at university. I have my heart set on studying law and have just applied to unis!
However, I am constantly hearing awful things about studying law and it is really disheartening. I am aware of the importance of hard work and have always pushed myself and managed to stay organised but I do worry that the intensity might affect me and my mental health at times. I am primarily going to uni to learn and grow but I also want to enjoy the uni experience and not be tied completely to studying.
Not that I'll let this cloud my mind at all and I am in no doubt that the course will be challenging at times but I am wondering if someone would be able to share some positive insight of what a law degree is like. I genuinely think I will enjoy it - I love writing, reading, doing 'deep-dives' on a specific project or case study and just learning in general (especially about the world around us, which really attracts me to law because it influences every aspect of life). However, all I hear is negativity about the intense workload, confusing readings (don't get me started on what I've heard about constitutional law) and having absolutely no social life.
I would really appreciate if someone could explain what they love about law as it seems to me that everyone who has chosen it regrets and hates it hahaha.
Feel free to share any tips on how to stay of top of things too
Thanks!
I'm writing this question to ask if anyone could please give me some insight on the benefits/what they enjoy about studying law at university. I have my heart set on studying law and have just applied to unis!
However, I am constantly hearing awful things about studying law and it is really disheartening. I am aware of the importance of hard work and have always pushed myself and managed to stay organised but I do worry that the intensity might affect me and my mental health at times. I am primarily going to uni to learn and grow but I also want to enjoy the uni experience and not be tied completely to studying.
Not that I'll let this cloud my mind at all and I am in no doubt that the course will be challenging at times but I am wondering if someone would be able to share some positive insight of what a law degree is like. I genuinely think I will enjoy it - I love writing, reading, doing 'deep-dives' on a specific project or case study and just learning in general (especially about the world around us, which really attracts me to law because it influences every aspect of life). However, all I hear is negativity about the intense workload, confusing readings (don't get me started on what I've heard about constitutional law) and having absolutely no social life.
I would really appreciate if someone could explain what they love about law as it seems to me that everyone who has chosen it regrets and hates it hahaha.
Feel free to share any tips on how to stay of top of things too
Thanks!
Hiya, I have a law degree – I studied my LLB at Newcastle University and then went on to do an LLM at Durham.
A lot of people on my course and among my friends actually hated the degree but now love the job. I think many of them studied law mainly as a means to get to that point. As a degree, it does take a lot of motivation: there are relatively minimal contact hours, so you’re expected to do a lot of independent work. It can also feel quite competitive compared to other degrees, largely because of career competition between course mates.
That said, I personally loved studying law and think it’s a great degree. The workload can be heavy at times, but if you work consistently and make use of the resources available – especially speaking to academic staff – it’s very manageable. I actually found that friends on other degrees often had a harder workload. I’m happy to share some tips if that would be helpful. And yes, constitutional law is definitely an experience 😅 but like any degree, everyone has preferences for certain modules. I think a lot of us joke about how hard it is, when in reality it’s a very manageable and enjoyable degree (at least it was for me).
I love law because it’s all around us – from buying things in shops, to rental agreements, to marriage, to crime. Its intersection with so many different sectors makes it really interesting. The ethical dilemmas, political limitations and real-life implications make it a fascinating subject. Don’t get me wrong, some modules can definitely be a bit dry, but as a degree overall it’s absolutely worth it. At Newcastle, we could choose our modules from halfway through second year and really tailor the course to our interests, which I loved.
I’d also add that if you ever find the academic side a bit much or boring, doing work experience or getting involved in things like law clinics and volunteering really helps. Applying what you’re learning in practice makes the studying make much more sense.
Overall, don’t be put off – it’s an amazing degree. I really loved studying it and genuinely miss the academic side of law.
Reply 3
Original post
by thankful-shrimpHi,
I'm writing this question to ask if anyone could please give me some insight on the benefits/what they enjoy about studying law at university. I have my heart set on studying law and have just applied to unis!
However, I am constantly hearing awful things about studying law and it is really disheartening. I am aware of the importance of hard work and have always pushed myself and managed to stay organised but I do worry that the intensity might affect me and my mental health at times. I am primarily going to uni to learn and grow but I also want to enjoy the uni experience and not be tied completely to studying.
Not that I'll let this cloud my mind at all and I am in no doubt that the course will be challenging at times but I am wondering if someone would be able to share some positive insight of what a law degree is like. I genuinely think I will enjoy it - I love writing, reading, doing 'deep-dives' on a specific project or case study and just learning in general (especially about the world around us, which really attracts me to law because it influences every aspect of life). However, all I hear is negativity about the intense workload, confusing readings (don't get me started on what I've heard about constitutional law) and having absolutely no social life.
I would really appreciate if someone could explain what they love about law as it seems to me that everyone who has chosen it regrets and hates it hahaha.
Feel free to share any tips on how to stay of top of things too
Thanks!
I'm writing this question to ask if anyone could please give me some insight on the benefits/what they enjoy about studying law at university. I have my heart set on studying law and have just applied to unis!
However, I am constantly hearing awful things about studying law and it is really disheartening. I am aware of the importance of hard work and have always pushed myself and managed to stay organised but I do worry that the intensity might affect me and my mental health at times. I am primarily going to uni to learn and grow but I also want to enjoy the uni experience and not be tied completely to studying.
Not that I'll let this cloud my mind at all and I am in no doubt that the course will be challenging at times but I am wondering if someone would be able to share some positive insight of what a law degree is like. I genuinely think I will enjoy it - I love writing, reading, doing 'deep-dives' on a specific project or case study and just learning in general (especially about the world around us, which really attracts me to law because it influences every aspect of life). However, all I hear is negativity about the intense workload, confusing readings (don't get me started on what I've heard about constitutional law) and having absolutely no social life.
I would really appreciate if someone could explain what they love about law as it seems to me that everyone who has chosen it regrets and hates it hahaha.
Feel free to share any tips on how to stay of top of things too
Thanks!
Hi!
As other people have said, please don't feel too disheartened about choosing to study law, from what you have said it sounds like you would make a great fit for a law degree!
In my experience, a lot of the "bad press" that there is around doing a law degree comes from those who may have thought they liked the subject, at A-Level for example, and then found it to be a big jump or not quite what they were expecting when they get to university, but this is not representative of everybody's experience at all. I came into my degree (Law with Criminology LLB) without having done Law A-Level or any other legal type education, and I wasn't exactly sure on what to expect but I knew I loved writing essays, doing academic readings and memorising, analysing and absorbing a lot of information.
There is no doubt that law can be tough, but so can any degree, and the main thing that differentiates students who will do well and enjoy a law degree and those who won't is how they face these challenges. My best advice would be to attend contact hours as much as possible, keep super organised with weekly readings/seminar preparation/coursework and try to treat university work like a 9-5 job. Treating university like a job ensures that you can have a life aside from reading and writing about law, so you definitely can have a social life alongside studying law if you work hard during your dedicated work times.
I hope this helps ease your worries, I also have a lot of friends at different universities across the country who also do law, and whilst we may all have a few stressful moments when it comes towards deadlines, on the whole we all love our degree and the challenges it brings can be fun if you are interested in them!
(P.S- constitutional law really isn't that bad- in my experience anyway
)Beth- 2nd year Law with Criminology LLB
Reply 4
Original post
by thankful-shrimpHi,
I'm writing this question to ask if anyone could please give me some insight on the benefits/what they enjoy about studying law at university. I have my heart set on studying law and have just applied to unis!
However, I am constantly hearing awful things about studying law and it is really disheartening. I am aware of the importance of hard work and have always pushed myself and managed to stay organised but I do worry that the intensity might affect me and my mental health at times. I am primarily going to uni to learn and grow but I also want to enjoy the uni experience and not be tied completely to studying.
Not that I'll let this cloud my mind at all and I am in no doubt that the course will be challenging at times but I am wondering if someone would be able to share some positive insight of what a law degree is like. I genuinely think I will enjoy it - I love writing, reading, doing 'deep-dives' on a specific project or case study and just learning in general (especially about the world around us, which really attracts me to law because it influences every aspect of life). However, all I hear is negativity about the intense workload, confusing readings (don't get me started on what I've heard about constitutional law) and having absolutely no social life.
I would really appreciate if someone could explain what they love about law as it seems to me that everyone who has chosen it regrets and hates it hahaha.
Feel free to share any tips on how to stay of top of things too
Thanks!
I'm writing this question to ask if anyone could please give me some insight on the benefits/what they enjoy about studying law at university. I have my heart set on studying law and have just applied to unis!
However, I am constantly hearing awful things about studying law and it is really disheartening. I am aware of the importance of hard work and have always pushed myself and managed to stay organised but I do worry that the intensity might affect me and my mental health at times. I am primarily going to uni to learn and grow but I also want to enjoy the uni experience and not be tied completely to studying.
Not that I'll let this cloud my mind at all and I am in no doubt that the course will be challenging at times but I am wondering if someone would be able to share some positive insight of what a law degree is like. I genuinely think I will enjoy it - I love writing, reading, doing 'deep-dives' on a specific project or case study and just learning in general (especially about the world around us, which really attracts me to law because it influences every aspect of life). However, all I hear is negativity about the intense workload, confusing readings (don't get me started on what I've heard about constitutional law) and having absolutely no social life.
I would really appreciate if someone could explain what they love about law as it seems to me that everyone who has chosen it regrets and hates it hahaha.
Feel free to share any tips on how to stay of top of things too
Thanks!
I absolutely love studying law. dont get me wrong, it can be intense but as long as for assigments you can find a way to tailor your wotk to you interests then they become so easy. Like, I love diving into the corellation between neurodivergency and criminality so when I can, I base my assignments on that. The thing I've noticed is that making friends can be a little difficult on the course but societies and sports teams can fix that easily.
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