...law school is killing me

and maybe my new jaws.

I used to do what my doctor called "cheating" w/ my jaw, sticking it as far out as I could to try to look normal/see if my teeth were going to come together.  And maybe stress is making me do that again.  I'm wasting energy being stressed out w/ my legal writing assignments and not understanding my casebook readings and just general 1L angst.  Despite the fact that I know that I'm doing this, I continue...and I noticed something last night.

My front teeth were hurting and I couldn't figure it out.  and I think it's stress-related.  I think I'm pushing my lower jaw forward, not b/c I need to, but b/c it's what I used to do to deal w/ stress before my surgery.  Before surgery, my front teeth never had a chance at touching so my teeth never hurt, but since almost all my teeth touch now (yipee!!!!) my lower teeth back up straight into my upper teeth and by my pushing my jaw forward, the pressure makes my teeth hurt.  I was actually a little excited at first, thinking that all of a sudden my wires got tight in my mouth and my braces were working really hard to that final push to debracification.  But no.  I'm pretty sure all my old dealing w/ stress tricks are now causing auxiliary issues now.

Great. so law school is causing damage to my spankin' new jaws.  Awesome, just awesome, isn't it?  I'm hoping really, really, really hard that I don't start grinding my teeth again b/c that'll be the worst case scenario, b/c I really don't want to go back to splints and mouth guards.

But this too, shall pass.  As will my 1L year and all of law school...in 3 years if I'm good and follow the plan.  ugh.  following plans suck.

But debrcification is cool!!!!  One more month and I'll see my buttery sheens (which will be turned back into bright bites in due time) all naked!  :)  I'll miss 'em rubber bands, but won't miss these metal clunkers.  ...okay, focus on notes and class now. :)