Graduation

There was a scene on a recent episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race where one of the contestants (Kameron Michaels) does extremely well in the challenge, but still prepares for the elimination lip sync just in case she is in the bottom 2 that week.

The other contestants scold Kameron for not enjoying her success, but Kameron says that she’s not the type to prematurely celebrate achievements.

I’ve had the same mindset for the past year.

While the people around me celebrated finishing tests and reaching milestones, I preoccupied myself with contingency plans.

Even when I did accomplish goals, I still ran through worst-case scenarios and planned for what would come next. Passed the bar – What if I failed the MPRE? Got a job offer – What if it’s rescinded? Finished finals – What if I failed Partnership Taxation?

This summer marks an important end-point for me. I didn’t need any of contingency plans, and can actually celebrate doing the damn thing.

Here’s what happened this past year.

• Got accepted by Georgetown’s Tax LL.M. program (the top state and local tax program in the country) – and several other LL.M. programs.
• Passed the Texas Bar Exam after studying while working full-time.
• Passed the MPRE.
• Became officially licensed in Texas.
• Received the 2017 Scholarship Award from the National Association of State Bar Tax Sections (NASBTS).
• Was featured in Georgetown’s admissions podcast and social media.
• Received a job offer from Eversheds Sutherland (one of the leading state and local tax practices in the country.)
• Graduated from Georgetown’s LL.M. program with a certificate in state and local taxation.
• Had my start-date at the law firm moved up to the week immediately after finals.
• After two weeks on the job, had an article featured in Tax Notes, the leading publication in my industry. (Subscription required.)

This was all a lot of work and dumb luck (things could have easily gone awry at any stage). It feels amazing to be done with school however, and I am thankful for everyone who put up with my Kameron Michaels-like fretting during the past year.

I’m inheriting a new set of worries: navigating the first-year learning curve, impressing partners and clients, waiving into the D.C. bar, and a million things that I haven’t even thought of.

However, this weekend I’m going to just breathe and enjoy brunch.