For many out there, 2011 will be remembered as the year of taking the LSAT. It’s an exciting and terrifying proposition: on one hand, you’re starting a new and exciting phase of your life; on the other, you’re starting a new and terrifying phase of your life.

For those done with the LSAT, however, 2012 brings new challenges. Law school acceptances. Law school rejections. Law school, for that matter. And that requires a new approach.

So here are the top 8 New Year’s Resolutions for prospective law students; some serious, some not so much.

Prospective Law School Student New Year’s Resolution No. 8: Spend a lot of time with your friends and family over the next year

While my experience at law school was much closer to Legally Blonde than The Paper Chase, it still involved a lot of late nights.

It also involved some holidays where I spent most of my time studying (thank you, schedule placing finals after Christmas break), phone calls that needed to be cut short, and missed reunion weekends.

So get your time in with everyone now; you’ll be able to see everyone you care about if you schedule it, but it won’t be as easy.

Prospective Law School Student New Year’s Resolution No. 7: Work on your tolerance

Law school is a place where the free liquor flows like wine. It’s hard to avoid the functions with free booze. So it’s time to up your game. Pretend you’re studying for the LSAT, only spend that time doing shots.

Sure, your liver will probably become mottled and gray. But you’re going to be a lawyer – you can afford a new one.

Prospective Law School Student New Year’s Resolution No. 6: Shower more

I spent time with a lot of you. While studying for the LSAT, you started to smell.

Prospective Law School Student New Year’s Resolution No. 5: Reintroduce yourself to sunlight

After spending that much time inside, bent over an LSAT book, you’ve lost most of the pigmentation in your skin. That leaves you open to UV-A and UV-B rays when you leave the shadows of your apartments for the sun.

Don’t overdo it. A little bit at a time. Maybe make a drinking game out of it with all your other pasty friends.

Prospective Law School Student New Year’s Resolution No. 4: Read that pile of books you’ve always meant to read

Like I said before, you will be able to have free time in law school.

But it’s like being a gynecologist. After doing that all day, you probably don’t want to have the maritals with the wife when you get home.

With all the reading you’ll be doing in law school, you won’t feel like doing much of it after hours. Get your pleasure reading in now.

Prospective Law School Student New Year’s Resolution No. 3: Please, for the love of God, brush up on some grammar

I’m not going to call anyone out in particular here, but I work with dozens of students every year on their personal statements. You all need to brush up on writing. It will make you stand out from everyone else who can’t use commas properly.

Prospective Law School Student New Year’s Resolution No. 2: DON’T do anything to get ready for law school

I know many people out there want to read a few cases, or look over some outlines and notes about the classes they’re about to take.

Don’t.

While it is a bit of a grind, there’s plenty of time to do that in law school. Additionally, your professors will have their own set of cases and their own slant on the material. Enjoy this summer; leave the law schooling to law school.

Prospective Law School Student New Year’s Resolution No. 1: Get excited

Yes, it’s a lot of work. Yes, it’s terrifying. Yes, you’re almost an adult (you can’t really convince anyone that you should do more school after law school).

But it’s a great three years. You’ll be challenged. You’ll meet people who you’ll be friends with for the rest of your lives. You’ll have professors like you’ve never had before.

So get excited. Law school should be a great time, not a terrible one. Don’t pay attention to the horror stories, because if you do law school right, it doesn’t have to be that way.