Mark your calendars, because “Thursday” is about to be your favorite day of the week. CSU Law students can once again look forward to gathering with their classmates near campus at the end of a long week and saying “Cheers!”
We are always grateful to catch our breath and chit-chat with a classmate over lunch. The atrium takes on a more relaxed atmosphere as we snack on our monthly sidebar pizza. Study groups in the law library certainly build comradery between students. But isn’t there something missing? A chance to truly unplug, socialize, and connect with our CSU Law family in a space unassociated with cold calls, outlines, and casebooks?
When Jake Wrege started his first semester of 1L in the Fall of 2022, he asked himself these questions. And as fate would have it, one evening his phone rang.
“A friend of mine who attends a different law school called me to catch up and see how I was enjoying life as a law student. The first question she asked me was, ‘Have you gone to bar review yet?’ I was rattled. Dean DeSantis had told me during JumpStart that every day was bar-prep day. Was I missing something? ‘No, not bar exam review’ she explained, ‘Don’t the 1Ls at your school go out for food and drinks after class at the end of the week?’ I asked her if it was some sort of student organization or club. ‘It’s unaffiliated with the school technically. But there is a social media page and flyers that are posted in the halls. It’s almost every week. I thought every law school did it. You guys don’t have a bar review?’ Something had to be done. I created an Instagram account, (csulaw_bar_review) and whipped up a logo on my computer. I made my own digital fliers and sent them out to everyone I could. I figured that it was worth a shot. I had no idea that dozens of my classmates would swing by every week. People would ask me after class or text me: ‘Hey! Is there a bar review this week? Where is it?’ The funniest thing about it is that up until now, my name has never even been formally attached to it. And that’s what makes it special. It’s not an invitation from a classmate. There is no pressure to network or show interest in any particular student organization. No RSVP. No guest list. No admission fee. The way I see it, bar review is a reminder that even if you feel lonely or isolated, you are a part of a community. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know anyone who is going. The classmates you have never spoken to, and the folks from a different cohort or section than you aren’t strangers. At Bar Review, they are just friends that you haven’t met yet. This tradition is very important to me, and I am so glad that I am able to pass the torch to someone who is also passionate about it!”
-Jake Wrege, CSU Law Bar Review “founder”
Last year, mostly 1Ls, but still a fair share of 2Ls and 3Ls alike knew to keep their eyes open for where and when the next “official” CSU Law Bar Review would be held (usually Becky’s Bar right next to campus on Thursdays). Unfortunately, one day the Instagram page fell silent, and the flyers stopped being sent. It’s true that as one progresses through law school one becomes busier and more involved with clerkships, extracurriculars, and of course a different, and arguably less fun, type of bar review. But there is always still time for friends and comradery, isn’t there? Thankfully, Annaliese Nunes, a 1L at CSU Law, recently asked herself: “So, whatever happened to Bar Review?”
“I chose to come to CSU Law because it seemed like more than a law school - it seemed like a real community full of diverse individuals with similar goals, who supported each other to reach those goals. Prior to entering 1L, I spoke with rising 2Ls who spoke about this thing called “Bar Review.” They talked about how great it was to relax and socialize with fellow classmates outside of school and how they made real friendships that carried on outside of the bar.
While Bar Review took a temporary hiatus, the 1L class still found ways to socialize outside of school but I always felt that something was missing. I heard about how Bar Review brought together both sections of the 1L class the previous year, and I wanted that for our class. When I found out that Jake was the one to start Bar Review, I made it my mission to convince him to restart it with my help. To my surprise, he trusted me to take over the Instagram account and organize the return of Bar Review. I decided that the return needed to happen ASAP, so I made a digital flier and started telling as many people as I could to show up to Becky’s on Thursday, March 7th.
The first Bar Review of 2024 had a better turnout than I expected; we had a large number of 1Ls, several 2Ls and even a 3L show up to hang out and have a good time. I know we are approaching the most dreadful time of the semester - midterms have passed, finals are quickly approaching and we’re all more busy than we can handle, but that shouldn’t stop us from taking some time to relax and enjoy time with our friends. I am hopeful that we can come together again for Bar Review before the semester comes to a close and maybe again after our finals. I want as many people as possible to have the opportunity to meet classmates they don’t know and feel included in the amazing community that we have at our school. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know anyone who is going because by the time you leave, you’ll have made friends and had a great time. Come for one beer, or stay for a few, either way Bar Review welcomes you!”
-Annaliese Nunes, CSU Law Bar Review “new proprietor”
Bar Review is completely unaffiliated in every sense of the word. You won’t find a page for it on the law school website. Your student email won’t receive any notifications regarding the date, time or location. But make no mistake, it is back. And this time, it is here to stay. And of course, all are welcome.
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