The big draw for many law students at schools like Columbia is the "big law" salary.

I feel like my happiness and fulfillment exists within the "big law" ecosystem.

That is, if I were to not make a sizable income, something would be wrong.

Does anyone else share these fears? Do you feel that the fears are limiting in a detrimental way?

-- NnamdiNwaezeapu - 20 Jan 2021

I agree with the fear that something is "wrong" if you're not making a sizable income. One source of pressure for me is the expectation of others, namely family and other loved ones. I feel like everyone is expecting me to make a ton of money, to put it bluntly, to either support family or just in general as a measure of my "success" as a lawyer (especially considering my impending hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans). I'm still trying to parse through how I think about these "money concerns" (to your question--are they detrimental, and if so, how?) and if perhaps the source of pressure is not only external but also almost subconsciously internal. I think one argument could be that a focus on money can be so deeply engrained that it's almost difficult to figure out if the pressures are more so external or internal. So I don't have an answer, but I think I share your fears if I'm understanding your inquiries "correctly."

-- DeborahSparks - 21 Jan 2021

I share these fears. I think, at least for me, this gets more complicated whenever I think of money not as something that will buy material things, but rather a good education, access to healthcare, and many other intangible things that have a price tag when they shouldn't. I, too, wonder whether my happiness ultimately depends on an ecosystem where money is the number one priority.

-- ValeriaFlores - 22 Jan 2021