Mark Graff '26
Online Editor
I’ve always been a birthday person. As a kid, going to school on my birthday meant the excitement of entering the classroom to birthday wishes and extra attention. As I’ve gotten older, this desire has remained, yet its social acceptability has seemingly dwindled. Luckily, as a 1L at UVA Law, fellow birthday lovers once again receive that special designation from their section reps, typically in the form of store-bought treats prior to a doctrinal. As a section rep myself, I enjoy making the trips to Harris Teeter to pick out the best-looking cupcakes for my classmates. However, after receiving homemade cookies on my birthday from my longtime friend Will Chambers ’26, I learned that his section honors birthdays with a more personal touch than the rest.
In Section C, all birthdays are celebrated with homemade desserts and flowers courtesy of their section reps. The idea seems to echo the same youthful desire that I (and I suspect many others) have missed as I’ve gotten older. “I don’t remember exactly how we settled on it, but Steve Kim [’26] and I just wanted to do stuff a little out of the ordinary for the birthdays in our section, get flowers and have like a handmade treat for folks. It’s a little rough as you get older and you’re not getting necessarily the birthday attention and wishes you might’ve had before law school, so we figured why not do something to make sure everyone’s special day still feels special,” said Will.
Each time there’s a Section C birthday, the process of baking treats involves an hour or two of labor, all intended to make their section mates feel special on their big day. For Will, the time investment is a source of personal satisfaction and a way to unwind, as he turns off his phone and gets lost in the process of making delicious birthday gifts. “I’d say most are less than two hours of total work time, and it’s really just a favorite activity of mine for decompression—turn off my phone, listen to some music, and make something tasty,” said Will. Though 1Ls have little time to spare, Will makes sure each treat is prepared with care, no matter the extra time commitment. “It could go faster if I used a stand or hand mixer, but most of the time, baking is about just getting ingredients together in the right proportions and adding your own spin on flavors and forms of the final product,” said Will.
Though Section C may now be used to the standard their reps have set, people seem to enjoy the fruits of their labor each time, “It’s less of a surprise for folks now than it was the first dozen or so times but because we try to switch it up for each person specifically it’s still fun to see people react to a treat they maybe haven’t had in a while.” Will and Steve’s aim embodies UVA Law collegiality™, with the goal of making someone’s day one birthday at a time. “Ultimately, it’s a small gesture that helps brighten folks’ time together in this stressful place. We won’t be in our sections beyond this year so it’s nice to do something for the folks you see day in and day out during 1L.”
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mg2dja@virginia.edu