Guest Post & Giveaway: Three Years Down

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Today I get to introduce you to the lovely Brittany from Three Years Down.  I am fascinated with her life as a lawyer and the fact that she somehow, even with her busy career, finds time to blog about her life!  I know you will love her blog as much as I do, so please go visit her and say hello!  I asked Brittany to answer a few questions to help you readers get to know her...make sure you enter Brittany's great giveaway after you read all about her!

1. When and why did you start your blog? What are your favorite things to write about?

I started Three Years Down in 2009 as a way to procrastinate studying for exams. It began under a different name and was mostly used to track a list I had started each month – “My favorite moment of the day.” After about two months I realized that I didn’t want any of my law school friends to know about my blog. I changed the name and address, and here we are. :)

I think my favorite things to write about involve my faith.  There are so many amazing bloggers and blog readers who I have connected to in such a close and honest way through it.  This includes people who don’t share the same faith as I do.  Those posts are also pretty popular, and tend to elicit comments, thus continuing the discussion even more.  I love continued discussion!

Brittany at Law School Graduation

2.  What made you decide to become an attorney?  Was it a lifelong dream of yours? What was the biggest challenge you faced while preparing for this career?

Being an attorney was a lifelong dream of mine. However, I didn’t really know what I was getting into.  I am the first in my family to even go to college, so the entire experience has been a bit of a battle, in that I had no idea what to expect.  The biggest challenge has probably been being taken seriously.  From being a law student intern, to working at a prestigious law firm, opposing counsel has underestimated me.  I graduated from school pretty early.  That makes me a young, blonde, female attorney.  We are pretty rare, and it is still a man’s world, unfortunately.

Luckily, I think it has made me a better lawyer.  I absolutely do NOT want to lose against those chauvinists.  So I probably up my game more.

The best part about law school was definitely the friends I made. We completely have each other backs, and support each other during those "good ol' boys" moments when we are too frustrated to sit at our desks.

3.  Any advice for someone thinking about working in the law field? Any tips for those getting ready to take the Bar Exam?

The law field is very different from many others. You are in a career with people who were likely the best-of-the-best throughout their life.  I struggle with this, because in Christianity it is a valued trait to be humble and selfless.  The law does not really see it this way.  Law school was a huge eye opener to a whole different attitude of people who wanted to be number 1 at any cost.

Preparing for the Bar Exam was literally the worst three months of my life.  My advice would be to not put so much pressure on yourself.  I became a total nutcase and barely had any fun all summer.  I was terrified of failing.  I also had to start clerking immediately after graduation.  I worked 15-20 hours a week while studying.  The exam is over in a blink of an eye, and then the real torture begins – waiting 2-3 months for the results!  As it turns out, every single one of my friends passed, and NONE of them were as crazy as me.  In fact, some of them even had FUN that summer!  If you’re interested, you can read all about my bar-exam-crazy here.

4.  You have a section on your blog dedicated to 101 tasks in 1001 days...why did you decide to start this and how much have you accomplished so far?

I don’t actually remember why I started my 101 in 1001 list.  It was while I was studying for the Bar Exam though, so it was probably another procrastination method – see a pattern here?

I have completed about 40% of my 101 goals.  I don’t have much time left to finish the other 60% (February 2013), so I guess I should get busy!

Brittany being sworn in to be a lawyer

5.  What are your goals for the next year (for both your blog and your personal life)?

In the next year I hope to really find my “fit” in my career.  It seems like an easy thing to do, but in this market it has been really hard.  I am feeling pretty out of place at the moment.

For my blog, I hope to settle into my “voice.”  I want my blog to be a place of honesty and vulnerability.  I am finally getting used to the idea that people really do read what I write.  I shouldn’t waste their time with pointless, boring or useless posts.  I hope that I can also be an encouragement to those who read it.

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Doesn't Brittany seem amazing?  Well, I think she is extra amazing, because she has offered to give away a copy of the book "The Gospel According to Coco Chanel" and a Large Ad Space on her blog!  I am pretty intrigued by that book...I might just have to go out and buy it myself!  Make sure to enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.  The giveaway is only open to those with a U.S. shipping address and will be open until August 28th. You must follow both Modern Modest Beauty and Three Years down to be eligible :)

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