Awkward, Revisited

While I really do appreciate the law schools having professors, alumni, etc. calling up to see if I "have any questions" I really don't enjoy the actual conversations.

The questions I managed to come up with tonight were, "Where do alumni working in the field of International Environmental Law end up practicing?" With the answer, of course, being: "All over. Our school's name is very well known." He did throw in a comment about lawyers ending up "on both sides of the aisle" which I thought was interesting. I've found on more than one occassion, after bringing up my desire to work in Environmental Law, professors or alumni make sure to drop some hints at the opportunities to work for the "other side and make real money." Hey, guys, you don't need to show me the money...Just show me the LRAP...

Anyway, so I couldn't think of any good questions, of course, so I asked another awkward one: "Do you have any advice on where to live in the city?" Of course he didn't! He's a retired lawyer, who I'm sure owns a house in a nice neighborhood somewhere. He doesn't know about where poor students should live. He went to school like 40 years ago! But he was very nice and suggested who at the school to speak with regarding housing. Of course I already have this information, but at least he didn't just hang up on me, muttering to himself, "What has happened to my alma mater that they're letting in such terribly awkward people who ask such lame questions?!"

When he asked me if I drove I was able to make him laugh when I commented that I am actually an "anti-car person." I think this caught him a little off guard and he laughed so loud right into the phone with the comment, "Well, you're coming to the right school, aren't you?" (I love when people validate my life choices!) He then told me a cute story about a judge who recently retired at the age of 60, having never gotten a driver's license, preferring to take the bus wherever she needed to go. Nice :)

So now, of course, he's having a professor call me, someone from the International Environmental Law program - to see if I "have any questions." This time I'm going to be ready, I swear.