Meet ECL and history double major Tyson Weeks! Weeks is currently a Deputy Student Attorney General within the UNC Honor System and is planning on attending law school this coming fall.
Weeks decided to major in English and Comparative Literature toward the end of his junior year. After taking a few courses within the department and a friend “spoke highly of the department and the classes that she had taken,” Weeks felt compelled to take more classes and add the major.
ENGL 308 (Gram-O-Rama) and ENGL 473 (The Changing Coasts of Carolina) are among Weeks’ favorite ECL courses. He explains:
“ENGL 473 was about the changing coasts of Carolina, and not only did I get to come to class and learn about interesting coastal issues, but we also took two weekend trips to the coast which created some of the highlights of my fall semester. ENGL 308 on the other hand was Gram-O-Rama where we spent the semester writing mostly comedic sketches about different aspects of grammar. This ended in a public performance where I had the opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and embarrass myself in front of some of my closest friends.”
In addition to some fun courses, the ECL has been a big part of how Weeks has prepared for law school applications:
“I would have to say that the most valuable skill that I have gained from taking classes in the ECL department is the ability clearly articulate my arguments…One of the biggest ways that my ECL major has prepared me for the application process is the ability to create a narrative. Through your essays and application material, you are creating a story that tells admissions offices why they should accept you…My experiences in class also helped me become better at articulating my points which were key skills when it came to the interviews that I have done so far this cycle.”
Although adding an ECL major came years into Weeks’ time at UNC, he always knew he planned to go to law school. This dream is rooted in his experience growing up in rural North Carolina:
“I’m from a small rural town in Southeastern North Carolina where I both saw and faced significant hardship. Through it all, however, my community was there to support me in ways that will forever remain etched in my memory. I knew that I wanted to go into a profession where I could give back to disadvantaged communities like my own and my interest in cases and legal research made law a perfect match.”
Weeks’s primary advice for students considering applying for law school includes researching ahead of time and finding a support group that are also applying/applying to similar programs:
“The law school admissions process is extremely competitive and stressful, but I have found that the best way to combat that is to talk with others. I have two friends also going through this process who I text with in a group chat almost daily about helpful links we have found, decisions whether good or bad, as well as stuff separate from the process. I get just as much joy hearing that one of them got into a school or got an amazing scholarship as when something positive happens to me, and that makes the process that much better for me. As far as research…little details can play such a big role in the process so doing everything you can to get those little advantages will pay off in the long run. Online forums like Reddit who have thousands of people who are and have been in your exact position is more useful than you could ever imagine.”
For fellow ECL majors interested in law–on February 9th at 5:30 in Greenlaw 301, join Dr. Lithgow and a panel of legal professionals, current UNC law school students, and ECL majors applying to law school to learn more about this career path and get advice on applications!
