We asked students at the Law School a series of questions about what it’s really like to live and study at NYU. Here’s how they answered:

What do you wish you’d known about law school on the very first day?

It’s not going to be as terrible and stressful as people make it out to be.

Nervousness can bring out the worst in anyone. Give your classmates the benefit of the doubt—you will come to appreciate them more and more.

Try taking notes in a notebook, not on a laptop. My studying consists of transcribing my notes into the computer for an outline—that extra step helps.

Everyone has a different way of learning, and you shouldn’t adjust what works for you just because you are told that there is a "right way" to study for a law school exam.

You are about to be surrounded by the smartest people you’ve ever been around. Enjoy it.

What determines your final grade in most classes: Class participation is 0-5% while the final exam is 95-100% of your final grade.

You are never going to be publicly humiliated. No one will care if you say something stupid.

It helps to have a workout regimen by the time you get to law school.

Buy your study guides early in the semester so you understand what the subject is supposed to be about.

You won’t figure out everything for a while. And that’s okay.