Loyola Tough. Recent Grad Goes Into Labor During Bar Exam. Gave Birth, Then Finished Exam.
NBC Chicago- A Loyola University graduate took part of her bar exam while in labor, gave birth, and then finished her test.
Brianna Hill knew she'd be pregnant while taking her final test toward becoming a lawyer, but when the coronavirus pandemic changed the timing, she suddenly realized just how pregnant she would be.
"It was supposed to be in July," she said.
That date was then moved to October.
Hill knew she'd be taking the test remotely in her home, but that there would be technology used to watch test takers and keep them from cheating.
On Monday, a very pregnant Hill sat down at her desk to take the first part of the exam.
"I was ready to go - confident," she said.
But minutes into her test, she went into labor.
"I didn't think about it because I was in the test," she said.
Hill completed the first portion of her exam and several hours later, gave birth to a healthy son, Cassius Phillip, at West Suburban Hospital in Oakpark, Illinois.
But there was still another day of test-taking to go. Determined to finish what she started, Hill, still in the hospital, spent the following day taking the final leg of the exam.
"I woke up and they set up a spare room for me," she said. "They put a 'Do not enter' sign on there."
She breastfed during breaks and eventually completed her exam.
Hill said she experienced pre-term labor while studying for her test, which helped prepare her for what she would ultimately go through.
"Definitely a little crazy," she said.
Hill doesn't know yet if she passed the exam, but she is set to find out in early December.
There's a saying around Chicago that goes being "Loyola tough". (There isn't but I'm hoping it catches on)
It comes with enduring 4 or more years on a campus in Rogers Park, where you pay through the nose for tuition (talking shadow Ivy price tag) but live a very state school lifestyle.
Living your freshman year in Mertz Hall.
An urban prison building with the finest amenities.
Including nightly fire alarms pulled by some hayseed from rural Indiana who gets off on watching 2,000 people march outside in their pajamas and stand around freezing their asses off.
It comes from having to bob and weave between homeless people AND social justice warriors of every faction imaginable on your way to class.
From having zero football team to root for. (This needs to change so badly)
But from having very awesome basketball and volleyball programs to follow through the winters.
From next to zero Greek life.
And house parties being next to impossible to throw without the school punishing you and your first born.
This college experience isn't for the meek or timid. Like those pussies in Lincoln Park at Depaul.
And Brianna Hill is just another testament to that.
She was hardened by the blustery winter winds off the lake.
Chiseled by the lake effect snow.
We're talking throwback Jesuit self-flagellation here.
Which is why when any Loyola grad heard this story, we barely batted an eye.
"Labor during the bar?"
"That'll make a great story to tell at Pumping Company (R.I.P.) at her next reunion"
In all seriousness though this is such a boss move.
Not only could I never begin to imagine enduring a fraction of this scenario.
(I was too big of a pussy to take the bar exam)
I could never ever ever ever go through the entire ordeal of carrying a child for 9 months and going through labor.
Chicks might bitch and moan about a lot of stupid stuff but any women that gives birth is a million times tougher than 99.9% of men.
Congrats to mom and dad and baby.
p.s. - I joke about the Loyola campus and experience only because the school, and both Lakeshore and Downtown campuses were so drastically different when I was there, and now. The buildings, landscaping, and campuses in general look like the Taj Mahal compared to back in the day. I am actually very proud to say I went there today.
p.p.s. - I can totally see Kate pulling something like this off. No pressure though.