Before graduation, I was working in a prosecutors office that had a conviction integrity unit — basically an Innocence Project unit. The grant that I was getting paid under limited me to only working on cases where there was DNA evidence involved. I was a screening a homicide case and unzipped an evidence file. I saw and heard some very gruesome things, some of the worst that I saw in my 2 years with the unit. I could have continued looking at and listening to the things I found, but I knew I had to find the DNA evidence, if there was any, and move on because there are very real people sitting in prison waiting for our team to look at their case. After I couldn’t find anything, I sent the screening form to my boss, and took a walk.

I tell you this story because there’s a bigger task here. That’s not to invalidate what you’re going through. I’m sorry that you’ve lost your offer and you’re going through a breakup, but you’re here to take the bar and get your license. I saved my feelings about the things I saw in the homicide file for my therapy session that week, and let the people who needed my help drive me. Right now, you need you, so show up for yourself once you’ve taken your “walk” and taken your moment to grieve.