Fresno State graduate and 1L, Savana Perez, always knew she wanted to help animals. After starting college as an Animal Science major and graduating with a degree in Economics, Savana chose another career path that would give her plenty of options to choose from, including helping animals in a different way. Learn more about Savana’s journey to and through law school, including how she’s able to balance being a mom and student, why maintaining her mental health is important and how she’s learned to focus while going to law school from home.
Tell us about yourself and your road to SJCL.
I always say I wish I was one of those people who was nine years old and knew what they wanted to do for the rest of their life, but I wasn’t. Ever since I can remember I wanted to be a veterinarian and that was actually my first career choice. I went to Fresno State and studied Animal Science with a Pre-Veterinary Emphasis because I’ve always loved animals and always wanted to help them. I ended up not being good at Chemistry, it was my worst subject, so that was tough because my dream was to be able to take care of animals. While there was a change of plans when I became pregnant with my daughter my junior year, I decided to switch my major to Economics, which I truly enjoyed and was actually good at. During my senior year before graduation, I started to think about what I was going to do for a career. I thought about being a financial advisor but that sounded boring to me. I didn’t want to be unhappy with my job or career, so I had to make sure I loved what I did. One day I randomly thought of law school and after a short time, I decided to just go for it. Now I feel like I could actually do what I originally wanted to do for animals one day, just in a different way. I may not be a veterinarian, but I could practice animal rights law or do policy work. There’s so many different paths I could take with a law degree and I love having those options.
Why did you decide to attend San Joaquin College of Law?
I was born and raised in the Fresno/Clovis area and have lived here my whole life, so the majority of my family is here as well. When I was working at a restaurant, my manager was actually going to law school at the time and he ended up graduating from San Joaquin College of Law. I reached out and told him I was thinking about going to law school and he told me “it’s going to be really hard but it’s worth it and it’s an amazing experience.” I felt really lucky to have a law school in town, so close to where I grew up because I had my daughter and I knew I could do it since my family was here too. If SJCL wasn’t here, I probably wouldn’t be able to go to law school. Plus, it’s great that they have the four-year program for moms like me who have to juggle and find that balance because it’s a lot of work.
How do you balance being a mom, law student and everything that comes with those roles?
It’s really tough and of course it has its days because it’s not always black and white. To be honest, there’s times when I’m mentally struggling because I want to be out with my daughter and spend more time with her, but I know in the long run this is all going to pay off and be worth it. I also want to show my daughter that she can be independent, and women can do anything they set their mind to. I really believe in balance for everyday life, it’s all about time management and doing what is most important by remembering what the end goal is, so I stay on track. When I first started law school I was working, but trying to juggle work, school and being a mom was too much for me. Now I’m only focused on school and my daughter and it’s still a lot, but I enjoy it. I make sure that when I’m studying, I’m spending that time studying and when I’m with my daughter, I’m focused on her. It takes sacrifices, as any law student or professor would say, but balancing being a mom and law school can be done.
What’s it like being a law student in the middle of a worldwide pandemic?
Some days are harder than others. I’m the type of student who prefers being in class, being around other students and seeing the teachers because of the energy. I had to make some adjustments to make sure I stayed focused, which is tough to do when you’re at home with so many distractions. For example, my daughter is only three, so she doesn’t understand that I have to work, study, or read. She just wants to spend time with me and I totally understand that, so I had to find ways to separate the two. Sometimes that meant me studying outside of a coffee shop if they allowed us to or have her dad take her to the park, so that I could have a few hours of time to focus at home. Luckily, she’s in daycare too, so that’s helped tremendously while I’m in class. It’s a tough balance and sometimes I have to wake up earlier or stay up later, but I do what I have to do to get it done.
What advice do you have for incoming or current students about online classes?
It’s hard to meet friends online when you’re in law school because you’re not face-to-face or next to each other in a classroom, but you can still reach out to people, exchange contact info, arrange virtual study groups and definitely reach out to your professors. The professors at SJCL are amazing, they always want to help students and they’re very friendly. You can’t do law school alone and you definitely need support from others who are doing exactly what you’re doing.
What’s the school environment like at SJCL?
Any question I ever had, no matter how small, would be answered by my professors quickly. SJCL is a smaller school and that’s such a huge benefit to the students here compared to those who go to bigger law schools. We have that one-on-one type of attention that we can get from our professors and that’s helpful. It’s definitely a supportive environment and that’s important for a great law school experience.
What advice do you have for maintaining a healthy work/school/life balance?
Write down your plan, schedule time for everything in your life, and try to keep yourself healthy. I try to workout four to five times a week because that’s really important for my own mental health and I make sure to practice self care. Make time for yourself to relax everyday too, even if it’s just for an hour because you definitely need that break. If you have kids like I do, planning the time you spend on school and with your family is important.
How important is self care while you’re in law school?
It’s very important. Law school is very stressful, and you can feel a lot of pressure to succeed and get things done, especially if you’re a parent. You need to stay on top of your mental health because if you’re lacking in that area, it can be tough to stay motivated. It’s going to be more beneficial to you if you take that hour break to go on a walk or workout because your mind will be fresh, and you’ll be able to focus better. I know because working out and having that physical outlet truly makes me productive when I’m studying and doing my schoolwork.
What’s the most challenging part about law school so far?
Law school is a mental game. Because your grade basically comes down to your whole final, it takes discipline from Day one. You can’t really slack off because it’s really hard to get back on track and not fall behind, so you really need that self-discipline to keep up with your readings, memorizing and outlining. The discipline part is definitely the hardest because we’re used to procrastinating a little more in college, but you can’t do that in law school.
Is it important to experience multiple areas of the law while you’re in school?
I haven’t done any internships yet, but I really am excited and hope I’ll have one this summer. I think it’s important to gain experience in the area of law you think you’ll enjoy working in because if it doesn’t work out, it’s good to know sooner rather than later. I always get that question from people and there’s so many types of law that you could get into, so I can’t wait to gain experience and knowledge from my classes and internships to see what I like best.
What is something you learned about going to law school that no one told you about?
This might be cheesy, but I think law school gives you a lot of strength. While it’s very tough on you mentally and can be scary and stressful, I think it’s cool how getting through law school successfully makes me feel and shows me that I’m capable of doing so many things. Everyone has that insecurity about whether they’re going to fail a class or bomb a test but, in the end, when you pass that test or get a good grade, it gives you that boost of confidence. If you can get through all those outlines and get a good grade on your toughest class, who knows what else you’re capable of when you graduate from law school and apply that knowledge in the real world. That’s the feeling I love the most.
What advice do you have for future applicants?
If you’re thinking about law school, go for it. You never know where a law degree will take you and it’s definitely worth a shot. I think my favorite quote will sum it up - “You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.” - Bob Marley.
Want to learn more about San Joaquin College of Law, attend a virtual student forum or set up an appointment to discuss your law school future? Contact our Director of Admissions, Diane Steel or Assistant Director of Admissions, Francisco "Javier" Rosas, today!