"Law and Economics" - by Trenton Kashima

I once told my friend that I would guest write one article for his blog, this is my attempt to honor that promise. I quickly read over Prof. Christensen’s article, “How Will You Measure Your Life?” between my studies. The lessons of this article cannot be understated for professionals. Much of my law school orientation dealt with how your legal career will intersect with your personal life and your ethics and values.

As I start dividing my time between my various academic commitments, I find myself asking some basic economic questions (although I didn’t recognize they were economic in nature at the time), "what are the opportunity costs of the time I spend in moot court or class or studying?" Generally the answer to these questions is simple, the opportunity costs are the things that make up the life I live. But we go without for the promises that the future may be brighter.
This is a recipe for isolation and discontent, but is it not worth it temporarily for greater professional gains in the future? This question is simple but surprising deceptive, it presumes that these losses will be temporary; they only are but investments for future gains. Often, however, they are not. The externalities of these decisions are ever present, and impossible for which to account.

Nothing illuminates these existential problems more than the ability to step away from one's life for an extended period of time. This is something that is incidental to studying abroad. It removes you from your life. You are thrown into a different culture with different people in a different place. And generally the less extensive academic and personal demands allows you to take stock of your life back home.
This is one of Maastricht's, and in part Portugal's, (with all the people I met along the way) meanings for me. It was an opportunity to take stock and re-orientate my priorities. On the other hand it was bittersweet. It also highlighted the areas of my life which I have negligence greatly, and continue to negligence. It takes great power of will to overcome the inertia for your past habits. Yet this is life, it is our regrets and follies that make us human and interesting.

So my advice to anyone mirrors those expressed in this article, be sure to allocation your energies with your personal priorities and values in mind, not just your professional goals. Don’t fall into the trap. However remember, you need not be completely successful at this task, even attempts and failures will guarantee you will become a better person.

Trent Kashima