Cechao graduated from Nanyang Technological University with a second-class upper honours degree in Chemistry and Biological Chemistry. He worked seven years in the Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences, A*STAR before deciding to embark on the J.D. programme. Cechao just graduated in July 2020 and is now studying hard for his Part B exam.
This letter is addressed to his younger self 3 years ago in 2017 when he decided to join the JD Programme.
Dear Cechao,
You have worked for seven years at A*STAR. As a senior research engineer, you have experienced the ups and downs of doing scientific research in a laboratory. After having achieved some modest success, you began wondering whether you should take the leap of faith to pursue another passion you have – law.
With your savings over the past few years, you decide to enrol into SMU’s JD programme. This decision seems very daunting. Would you be able to keep up with the schoolwork, as you have not studied for so many years? Would you be able to make any friends, being older than the typical student? You went for the information session which forthrightly told you this is a rigorous programme that requires your commitment for the next three years.
A week before law school started, you are still busy handing over duties at work. Over the weekend, you crammed the long list of readings given, and wondered how you could survive the “BMT initiation phase”. For your first lesson, you are hoping that you will not be called upon by your professor. The rest of the students seem very articulated and well-prepared. In comparison, you seem like a fish out of water.
However, you will soon realise that your fears are unfounded. The professors are the exact opposite of your “BMT sergeants”, or the likes of Professor Umbridge at Hogwarts. They will sometimes call upon you, or even prompt you further in your answers, but none of them are out to humiliate you. In contrast, they are very friendly and approachable. You will soon realise that you will revel in exploring different viewpoints in a safe, encouraging learning environment.
Your JD classmates are a diverse group of people from various backgrounds who bring their real-life experiences to the mix. You will find a few close friends, and form a study group with them. Besides having fun hanging out with them, you will share the ups and downs of studying law as a mature student. Who could forget the incident of printing notes together till midnight the day before exam? From someone who is usually reserved speaking in front of the crowd, you even went to join an overseas advocacy competition with them. Viewing the sunset at Taj Mahal together was indeed an unforgettable experience!
You have tried different areas of law through internships, such as family, corporate, litigation, and intellectual property, among many others. You realise that your meticulous nature and eye for detail is more suitable for corporate work, and decided to take another leap of faith ahead.
Being mostly confined at home, as you take online classes for Part B due to Covid-19, you realise that you miss the modern facilities and great convenience that SMU law school provides in a central location. More so, the warmth and vibrancy of the SMU community is something that you will cherish deeply. Always remember to appreciate the people around you, and live life to the fullest!
From the future,
Cechao
For more details about the SMU J.D. programme, please click here.
To register for the 2021 information sessions, please click here.