Hope (Sort of) Springs Eternal: Top 10 Signs that Spring is on the Way at Louisville Law

This semester of law school has been the toughest for me in terms of workload. In the last week, for example, I've completed a 43-page law review note, a draft of a 10-page will for our Decedents' Estates class, a three-page essay for Constitutional Law, and a job application for an editorial position at the law review. Throw in the usual crushing reading assignments, and a few shifts at my part-time clerk job at a law firm, and you get the picture. Life is busy. At the same time, there are glimmers of hope in the long, dark tunnel of law school. If nothing else, the weather is warmer. With that in mind, here's Yet Another Top 10 List, this time focusing on signs of spring.

10. Yellow crocuses in my front yard (photo, at right).

9. Speaking of seeds, March Madness is almost here. The latest projections show the Cards as a 4 seed, and the Cats as a 5. Not too shabby for either team.

8. It's crunch time for 1Ls, who are finishing their briefs for Basic Legal Skills. I do not envy you. In terms of stress, my 43-page law review note was nothing compared to the dreaded first-year brief.

7. The Humana Festival of New American Plays is running at Actors Theatre in downtown Louisville.

6. The Kentucky Derby is starting to get a little buzz around town. My favorite horse so far: Mucho Macho Man. You can't go wrong with a name like that.

5. Speaking of races, we're one leg into the Triple Crown of Running, a series of three road races in Louisville before the Derby. Congratulations to all of the Student Health Law Association runners who took part in the Anthem 5k last weekend. Go Ambulance Chasers!

4. Prospective law students are freaking out about where they will attend law school next year. My best advice: don't spend too much time at this Web site. It'll drive you crazy.

3. U of L law students are wearing fancy clothes to school. Some are interviewing for summer jobs. Others are starting summer clerkships early.

2. We're less than a week away from the annual Mardi Gras party at the law school. It's a little reserved compared to the New Orleans version, but still fun.

1. We're halfway through the semester, and a skip away from spring break. That means 3L students are a ridiculous 91.7 percent of the way through law school. 2Ls are 58.3 percent of the way through, and 1Ls are 25 percent done. Prospective law students are, well, still 0L. But you're that much closer to starting.