Stephanie Ma first became interested in the law at a very young age. She read a John Grisham novel in junior high, which she says "captivated my attention" and made the law seem exciting. Now a first-year law student, Ma has found that while it's not quite like in the movies, the law still fascinates her.

And she has already gotten a chance to play the role of an attorney. As a member of the Society for Dispute Resolution, Ma was chosen to represent the group in a client counseling competition in which she and a classmate were paired up with mock clients.

Ma was pleased to be chosen; she didn't expect the group to allow a first-year student to compete. "The older students helped us," she says. And it worked: "When they announced us (as the winners), that was a surprise." Ma says the competition provided "useful, real-world practice" in client counseling, as well as helpful feedback from judges.

Ma was also surprised to find other students willing to help and share information. "The competitiveness is there, but there's also camaraderie." And then there's the faculty-"they're great," Ma says, open and approachable. Ma says she often sees faculty in the School of Law Center and they will sit down to chat with her.

When she's not studying, Ma says her extracurricular activities keep her sane and actually help her with time-management. "When I'm busy, I'm more productive," she says. "Doing things outside of the classroom helps."

Ma enjoys playing the piano and is involved with her church, helping out with its high school youth group. "They keep me grounded," she says.

Of course, the weeks leading up to finals can be stressful. Ma likes to escape to a local coffee shop or the town library to get away from the crowds in the law library. And sometimes she and her classmates have "study parties"--which, Ma admits, wouldn't work for everyone. "We try to make it fun, not so intense."