Graduate high school at 18. Work on a vineyard as a farm hand with exclusively middle aged Hispanic men for a year. Went to Europe for a month with money saved by living in a large shed. Return to the States and attend university studying mathematics. Decide math isn’t the route for me. Transfer to another university and study horticulture, winemaking, and vineyard management. While studying, got a job at a hazelnut farm. Worked there for 1.5 years while finishing degree. Decide farming isn’t quite right for me. Decide to try law school. Take LSAT. Score well enough. Apply and obtain scholarship at a law school a few hours away. Move to new city and do law school. While in law school, worked at several firms and distric attorney offices. Graduate and study for the bar exam. Pass bar exam. Work full time as solo attorney. Very stressful, not very much money (was making around $40,000/yr). Decide to try district attorney office. Get job offer for $80,000. Move closer to new job. Now been working at DA office for two years and am making $106,000. Much less stressed. Really good support from colleagues and staff. In line for promotion. Life is pretty good. In the future, looking to potentially become a professor/law professor as long term career to hopefully have even better work/life balance.
Graduate high school at 18. Work on a vineyard as a farm hand with exclusively middle aged Hispanic men for a year. Went to Europe for a month with money saved by living in a large shed. Return to the States and attend university studying mathematics. Decide math isn’t the route for me. Transfer to another university and study horticulture, winemaking, and vineyard management. While studying, got a job at a hazelnut farm. Worked there for 1.5 years while finishing degree. Decide farming isn’t quite right for me. Decide to try law school. Take LSAT. Score well enough. Apply and obtain scholarship at a law school a few hours away. Move to new city and do law school. While in law school, worked at several firms and distric attorney offices. Graduate and study for the bar exam. Pass bar exam. Work full time as solo attorney. Very stressful, not very much money (was making around $40,000/yr). Decide to try district attorney office. Get job offer for $80,000. Move closer to new job. Now been working at DA office for two years and am making $106,000. Much less stressed. Really good support from colleagues and staff. In line for promotion. Life is pretty good. In the future, looking to potentially become a professor/law professor as long term career to hopefully have even better work/life balance.