Update: How Things are Going

My Classes

Truth is, my classes are easy. It has been a refreshing change of pace. In some ways I miss the challenge and familiarity of ASU law, but I have had a lot more times to do other things. For example, I have been able to dedicate a lot of time to my graduate writing requirement paper. Most of my classes are interesting (looking at you International Law). I am taking two different intellectual property classes which is something I particularly enjoy. We discussed a case about Obama’s “Hope” posters and whether the artist infringes the Associated Press’ copyright by using their picture without their consent. It has been pretty chill.

My Paper

To get my JD, I have to complete two writing requirements: the Graduate Writing Requirement and the Flexible Writing Requirement. Both can be completed by taking a class or by doing an independent study. This semester I am doing an independent study and completing my Graduate Writing Requirement. It is nice because I have a lot of time to dedicate to it. My paper is on Adoption Law in Arizona and is geared for people considering adoption, amidst adoption proceedings, or thinking of giving up their child for adoption. My outline is due March 6th. Right now, I’m finishing up putting the rough draft of my outline together. This week I am going to figure out what I still need to research and finish that. We have the week off, so I will have a lot of time to do that. My paper is a little stressful, but I’m keeping on full steam ahead.

My Summer Internship

So, if you don’t know, summer internships are a really big deal for law students. Most students end up working at the same place they interned the summer before their last year when they graduate. If they don’t get a job there, that experience is invaluable for finding employment. I have an interview for an internship I really want this week (contracts law) and I just applied to my dream internship (in-house counsel for a company in Chandler). Last year I got my summer internship the last week of May, but I would love to get a placement much earlier than that.

My Novel

I wrote a Young Adult fantasy novel back in the spring of 2018 and have been editing it on and off since. One of the reasons I was excited to study abroad is that I figured I would have more time to work on it. That has only been slightly true do my graduate writing requirement, but I did just finish my second draft of my novel. I am hoping to go through 2 more drafts before I have my family review it and then a few more drafts after that before I submit it to literary agents. I am super excited about my novel. I know odds are it won’t ever get published, but I’m really enjoying writing it.

Snacks

What would a Durrett post be without food? Here are the snacks I’ve been having in Italy, some of which you cannot get in the US:

These things are the bomb. One day, in a moment or rather moments of weakness, I had a whole box of these for lunch. They taste exactly how they look.

There are a couple popular ice cream flavors in Italy. Both of the gelatos in the photos are “stracciatella” which is my favorite. It is basically chocolate chunk. Each brand does it a little different. Some (like the second one) have chocolate syrup in it too, which is not my favorite. If you are looking at the first picture and thinking it looks soft…you are right. But it isn’t soft because that’s a gelato thing. It is soft because my freezer doesn’t get super cold, so either I have to eat ice cream right away or have it a little liquidy.

Talking about gelato, this is from my favorite gelato place which is on my route from the school to my apartment. This has two flavors. I don’t remember the Italian names, but one is like a plain vanilla-ish ice cream and the other has white chocolate pieces in it.

These are pretty good. The brand has a chocolate-chocolate version which is delicious as well. The cookies here are hard and crunchy. In fact, the cookies they sell in Italy which are soft are called “American-style cookies.” I don’t usually like store bought chocolate chip cookies because I am so used to having homemade ones (thanks Mom!) but these are so different from the chocolate chip cookies I’m used to, that I don’t really mind.

This is a brand of sour gummy worms made in Italy. They are really good. They have a lot stronger fruity flavor than the Trolli gummy worms (which are also sold here) than I am used to. They are also smaller and less chewy (I don’t have to bite down hard on them! What a crazy idea).

These cookies are okay. They taste exactly like hot chocolate. If you like hot chocolate, I’d highly recommend.

Just found these delights today! They were great. The only way I would improve them would be to put some caramel in them as well. For sure a good buy.

They had this pack of lemon sorbet and I couldn’t resist. I don’t usually like lemon desserts, but lemon sorbet is sour instead of sweet, so I like it. There were four flutes in the pack and I ate them all in a few hours.

These are okay. They just taste like regular Pringles with a nondescript flavor. Not anything to write home about.

I got these because I wanted gummies. But they are not regular gummies. Instead they are soft and only a little chewy. They are also just okay. I will probably bring some home, but I’m not planning to get any more to just eat for fun.

I got these crackers because I wanted cheddar crackers and this was the closest I could get. They were…fine. They really should be eaten with cheese on them. By themselves there are just something to fill yourself up with because you were too lazy to pack lunch.

I got this from a vending machine at school. They are okay. They taste like dried blueberries, which is nice. The problem is they are super chewy and put a layer of something on your teeth which is not pleasant.