Ten Random Things I’ve Learned During Court Reporting School:

1. The admissions department flat out lies when it comes to telling students how long it will take to get through school.

2. They strategically overlook the 95% failure rate too. (But in their defense, I probably would have never enrolled had I known that little tidbit of info.)

3. I will never again have long nails.

4. A caffeine addiction is essential to a healthy work – school balance. It is widely rumored that Starbucks is now listed as my emergency contact at work.

5. Taking care of my body with regular massages and exercise is time and money well spent. Never underestimate the value of good hand and finger exercises either.

6. Never head to a depo without an extension cord, cough drops, energy bar, and some extra cash (for that rare occasion when a law firm doesn’t validate). You never know when you might need one of these valuable items. Trust me…mooching money off a court reporter you are interning with so you can get out of the parking garage is the last thing you want to have to do (hypothetically speaking, of course).

7. You can meet a fellow court reporter or student and be instant friends in 2.5 seconds flat.

8. Anytime someone finds out you’re a court reporter the response will ALWAYS be the same…”Oh, so you are the person that types on that funny little machine.” This is usually followed up with “so you must type really fast.” If only I had a dollar for every time I heard that.

9. Two things: You can’t trust spell check! Attitude is everything!

10. Court reporting school is probably the single most difficult thing I’ve ever done in my life, but it is also the one thing that has shown me just how strong, disciplined, determined, and successful I can really be.