Jodi Klagos 3L explains why wellness initiatives are important for law students.
Q: Can you describe how you became involved in UW Law’s student wellness initiatives?
A: Coming into Law School, I was passionate about wellness and was hopeful that I would be able to maintain that part of my life while also going to school. Early in the fall of my first year, I learned about the Mindfulness in Law Society (MILS) through a Student Bar Association email. MILS’s mission is to enhance well-being in the legal profession by educating it about the benefits of mindfulness meditation, yoga and other contemplative practices. I contacted MILS and became a student ambassador for their student division. I currently work with MILS to help connect students at other law schools with resources about mindfulness and other contemplative practices, and I recently attended their conference and retreat in Memphis, Tennessee.
After I found out about MILS, I learned about the UW Law School Wellness Coalition (LSWC) and attended a wellness panel they hosted, where practicing attorneys and a UW Law professor spoke about how they maintain balance in their personal and professional lives. After that, I started to think about ways I could integrate some of the practices that MILS focuses on with the activities of the LSWC.
Q: How did you do that?
A: I have had several conversations with peers, as well as with practicing lawyers, about the importance of well-being. Through a couple of different outreach initiatives, such as having a booth at the fall orientation student organization fair and sending out a wellness survey to the Law School student body, the LSWC found out that there is a large interest in wellness among law students.
Q: With such interest in this area, what sort of programming was offered to meet the needs of students?
A: This past year, the LSWC hosted an event in conjunction with the fall orientation for new law students. About 40 students hiked Picnic Point and had a campfire afterward with s’mores. This past school year, the LSWC organized an outing to a pumpkin farm and apple orchard, hosted another wellness panel, shared virtual wellness opportunities from MILS, offered a yoga class, hosted weekly meditations and organized a movie night in conjunction with Admitted Students Weekend. Additionally, in my TA position in the Law School last spring, I included 5-10 minutes of mindfulness and wellness into my weekly review sessions. Moving forward, the LSWC hopes to continue to offer more wellness opportunities for students.
Q: Why do you feel that wellness initiatives are important for yourself and your peers?
A: Because having a set of tools and resources that you can turn to can help you stay holistically healthy, including building resiliency and the ability to keep things in perspective.
For the last couple of years, I have made morning meditation a non-negotiable in my life, so I meditate for 30 minutes every morning before I start my day because it helps me to be more responsive instead of reactive. Throughout the day, as I find myself needing to feel more grounded and centered, I will try to get outside and get some fresh air. When I am on campus, my go-to spots are the Memorial Union and Bascom Hill. Both make me feel better almost immediately, especially if the sun is shining. I also write in a journal in the morning and at night, which helps me set intentions for the day, express gratitude and reflect on my day.
These practices have made a big difference in my life and have helped me to enjoy my Law School experience. My goal in my last year at UW Law is to help create a community around wellness so that students can stay healthy throughout their school experience and their legal career.
Interview by Kassandra Tuten