I am two months away from reaching my one-year mark as a candidate attorney and I still cannot believe it; it feels like just yesterday when I started on this journey. I am currently out of office and busy with my practical vocational training.

I have prepared a list of things that I have learned during my journey thus far:

• The Magistrate will never forget your name once you have had two or more appearances before them so try to remember their names.
• Make sure to order your food fifteen minutes before lunch so that your lunch hour feels longer than an hour.
• Always make sure you have your card or money with you when travelling to a different town because you can never be sure you when you might need money.
• Always let your client know what is happening on their file, even if it’s just a letter that you are sending out.
• Be part of a group chat with other candidate attorneys so that you can share tips on how to not feel like everything is a mess.
• Read the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000 if you have a guilty plea that is connected to something violent, you’ll thank me later.

As much as I am shocked that I am about to reach my one-year mark, I also feel like so much has happened this year. It feels like I’ve lived about 10 years in one. I guess you just realize that being an attorney is a lifetime of learning. The law manages to affect everything and studying it, gives you the freedom to develop your interest in almost everything. It doesn’t stop after school, and it won’t end ever but I think that’s the best part.