End of the Semester

Well the semester’s over.  No more finals, no more research papers, no more homework.  I can’t believe how quickly this semester went by and now I only have a few more days until I go home.  It is a little sad that I have to say goodbye to all my friends, but tonight my roommates and I are going to the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the White House, so it should be a fun one last get together. 

I’m graduating this semester after all my grades are turned in.  Next semester I am going to grad school at George Washington University in their master’s degree program in Political Management.  I am also interning at the Heritage Foundation.  I am pretty excited, but I’m a little nervous because my internship doesn’t start until after my schooling starts, so I have to find temporary housing for a while.  

In addition to housing, I have to find a place to store my things for a few weeks and figure out how I’m going to move all my things in and out of housing.  Plus look for ways to pay for grad school.  So looks like even though the semester is over I still have a lot of work ahead of me. 

Well, it has been a fun semester and I have learned a lot.  Now, I’m off to grad school.  A few weeks of relaxation, then back to the grindstone for me.  Hope you all enjoyed hearing about my semester in DC.  And I hope it helped you understand DC a little better.  If you are interested and have the chance, I recommend coming out here and see our nation’s Capital for yourself.  Have fun.   

WASSA dance

So, WASSA’s last event was Friday.  We had a dance on the Tenley campus.  It was pretty fun.  It started out kind of slow, but by the end, it wasn’t bad.  A lot of people moved in and out and since everyone was studying for finals, most people didn’t stay too long.

We had a DJ, a chocolate fountain, and lots of food.  The piggy in me loved it.  I’m pretty sure I ate my weight in chocolate.  We also set up a backdrop and had someone taking pictures, so people could have some photos to remember from the night.  Our WASSA group took one big group photo. It was a fun last night memento.   

Before the dance we paired up with Tenley Hall Council and put on a talent show.  It had a really good turnout.  The acts were good to.  It’s surprising to see how good people are and notice talents in those you never thought could belt out those notes or dance that well.  There were even prizes at the end for the top three winners. 

After the talent show, we took a short break and broke down all the chairs and set up for the dance. Taking the break is what kind of deterred more people from coming because once they left, they didn’t think about coming back.  But it was still pretty fun. 

So, now WASSA is over, come Monday my classes will be done, and I will be moving out.  It’s really sad to think I may not see some of these people again.

But at least I was able to have fun while it lasted.  I met some great people, had a great time, and was able to have an experience I’ll never forget.

Now off to study.  Final here I come… 

Leadership Institute

I went to a conference at the Leadership Institute today.  It was really interesting and informative.  The conference was about getting a job on Capitol Hill and had multiple guest speakers, each with a different topic.  They all had a lot of unique ideas about how to make your resume stand out, how to differentiate yourself at an interview, and how to network.

The Leadership Institute is an organization that teaches people how to make it into politics.  The institution holds classes that anyone can attend from college students to experienced workers, but it is conservatively focused.  All the schools they hold have different topics, such as the one I went to about how to get a job on Capitol Hill, but some of the other schools also include how to handle yourself in public speaking, blogging, and campaign managing.  Usually the schools provide meals and some include housing for those who need it. 

The Leadership Schools cost money, but my internship supervisor told me about the school and got me in the program for free.  That is one of the things that I really love about my internship I get to do projects, but my supervisor always informs me of conferences, luncheons, and other socializing events on the hill.  It really is a unique experience.

That is one thing I would say about interning here in DC; make sure you get an internship that works for you.  My internship is working with a woman in a small business she started herself.  But even though I work at a small company I have been able to receive a lot more attention and opportunities than other people do at their internships.  I think that has a lot to do with the fact that I do work in a small company.  So just to let you know, don’t think you have to go to a big company to get a great experience, you can get just as great of an experience at a smaller firm.  Do what you think will be best for you.              

Back in DC

Back in DC and back to school.  Last week was a nice break, but now it’s time to get back to work.  It is really hard to believe, but I only have one week left here.  This semester flew by.  Now one more week to study for finals, finish a research paper, and say goodbye to all the people I met here.  One week is not nearly long enough.

On a fun note, though, WASSA is doing an end of the year dance, which is nice because it allows everyone to have one last bang before we have to go home.  The dance is done every year, so everyone who has gone to the Washington Semester before me experienced it. It is really helpful when organizing the event that it is done every year.  All our other WASSA events we had to figure everything out by ourselves, but this one we have an idea of what to expect, which is very helpful.

So to do list: study, write my paper, plan dance, and ENJOY MY LAST WEEK!

I’m glad I’m back; it’s nice, but now time to get to work.  

Thanksgiving

Home for the holidays.  I took a flight out from Reagan National Airport.  I must say, while I do my far share of complaining about the metro, (the cost, inefficiency, ect.) it is convenient to hop on for a ride at eight o’clock on a Saturday morning.  The flight itself was short.  I hopped on the flight (oh yeah, really peaceful going through airport security) and slept for the hour and forty minutes it took to get home.

Then I stepped back in Illinois.  My parents came, picked me up, and drove me home.  Funny, the drive from the airport to my home took longer than the flight from DC. 

When I got home, I walked into a house full of baked goods.  My mom made chocolate cake, three different types of tarts, and three kinds of muffins.  Yeah, if I was hoping to watch what I was eating, it walked out the door as soon as I got home. 

Being home is really nice though.  It is so relaxing.  What I love the most is being able to drive.  Even if I had a car in DC, driving would have been much different than it is in rural Illinois.  But now, back in Illinois, I can hop in my car, turn on the radio, and just drive.

Thanksgiving was good to.  I went to both my mom’s and my dad’s family, so in one day I had two Thanksgiving dinners.  It was really nice to see my family after so long.  I got to talk to everyone and answer the same question over and over again, “How are things in DC?”  (Just to answer: “it is doing fine, I really love the city.”)       

But, now, it’s time to go back to DC.  It’s my last night at home and I have to wake up super early in the morning, fly back, and get back to school and working.  Well, I guess a relaxing week must end one day, and that day is tomorrow, seven days later, who would have known?  Back to the old grindstone.  

Classes

So my first day of class was so overwhelming.  I received my first syllabus (all eleven pages of it), my nine book booklist, and my first assignment: to come up with and research the topic I want to write a 35-60 page paper on.  Oh, and I had to make up my mind in five days.  I thought, "yeah, I'm hopping on a plane and going back to Illinois, because I can't handle this." And then I remembered that it was my choice to come here and my pride forced me to suck it up.

The research project is optional for a lot of schools, including mine.  (Yeah, I'm one of the fools doing it voluntarily.)  What it asks is for students to conduct original research using resources unique to DC, such as interviewing lobbyist or congressional staff members.  Things that we couldn't do at our home schools.  I thought this sounded like a great opportunity, so I agreed to do it, but its going to be a lot of work.

Anyway, so I found out all the work I had to do and it seemed like a lot.  Then classes started, which I know I run the risk of sounding like a nerd when I say this, but they were actually pretty cool.  Yesterday I had two guest speakers, who were both really awesome.  The coolest part is that everything the speakers say is "off the record" so it really feels like your getting the inside scoop.  It was a pretty good intro to DC living.

And then today was cool to because we went to the newseum.  For class.  The newseum is really awesome and I would totally recommend it.  It is a museum of news.  But wait, before you judge me and think I'm lame, let me explain it.  It has everything.  From history to current events.  And it talks about every event in the US's past.  The best part is this one room lined with old newspapers ranging from before the revolutionary war to today.  And I mean the real newspapers, what they looked like back when they were published.  Ok maybe I am a nerd.  But still, it was a really cool museum and that was what we got to do for class.

So maybe I can handle this.  Maybe class won't be that bad and I can do it.  Well let's see.  I will wait it out and give it a chance.

But if I could give advise to anyone going into this program (at least as much advice as someone's who's been here a week can give) it would be to wait it out.  When you get here, it will be overwhelming and it will seem like a lot to handle, but stick it out.  Don't assume that you can't do it, just make sure you stay on top of everything you have to do.  And have fun.  That's what I'm trying to do.

First Week

Hello everyone.

I am a senior from Monmouth College in Illinois.  I'm interested in political campaigning and I hope to some day run a political campaign of my own.  That is why I choose to come to DC during the midterm elections and participate in the American Politics section at American.

I chose to live in WISH housing, which in near Capitol Hill.  Seriously, the capitol is right outside my door, about a block down.  The idea is pretty cool, jogging to the Washington monument everyday (well, let's see how long that lasts).  It is cool, but I'm from a super small town in rural midwest, so this was a major culture shock.  It's much different from what I'm used to.  The metro, the busses, the traffic lights.  All very different.  (And the stoplights here aren't only for the cars, people have traffic lights to!)

But have no fear small towners, you can adjust.  Just learn how to shift.  It will feel like it takes a long time to get anywhere and the cost of living is higher, but there is a flip side: FREE ENTERTAINMENT!!!  There is so much to see here (at times it can get very overwhelming), but it is super nice to take a walk and decide to go see the original U.S. constitution, to spend a day at ONE of the Smithsonian museums, or just to stop by a Chicago style pizza joint and enjoy a little slice of home.

And in all honestly I can't do much complaining, hey I live in a three story town house (fully stocked from pots and pans to a TV, thank you WISH housing) a block away from the heart of the city, I'm young, and I am in DC during the midterm election season.

That being said, this is a blog, and as I understand it, that means that I get to write about my time here. This includes all the papers, the mishaps (always make sure you get on the right metro, don't think just because you've been riding for a week you're an expert.  They have signs for a reason), and those awesome times when I have to stand back and just say, yeah this is awesome and I'm a part of it.  I get to write about all that.  So here it is, my time in DC at American.

Here we go....

Harry Potter 7.1!!!

So, did you all see Harry Potter?  I did.  Midnight showing.  Yup, I’m that big of a nerd.  Last night I went down to Chinatown where the theatre is in DC.  First, I got something to eat, then walked across the street to the theatre.  I thought there would be a line, but it wasn’t too bad.  Then I got into the theatre, one of five showing the movie, and there was not a seat open.  I ended up having to sit in the front row, which was not comfortable.

Then, I sat. And waited for an hour and half for the movie to start.  But, then the movie finally started, and it was worth it.  I don’t want to ruin it for those of you who only watch the movies and don’t read the books, thus don’t know how it ends.  But it was really good. Trust me go, it will be worth it. 

Unfortunately, though, going to the midnight showing on a weekday meant I didn’t get to take the metro back.  So it was a delightful 30-minute walk back to the Capitol at 2:30 in the morning. 

Oh, but don’t get the wrong idea.  You really shouldn’t be walking around the city by yourself.  I wasn’t.  Come on, I didn’t go to the movie by myself.  I mean I may love Harry Potter, but I’m not a total nerd.  

White House Christmas Tree

Every year the White House does a Christmas tree lighting ceremony and the public can get tickets.  In order to get tickets you have to sign up for a lottery online.  There are two different types of tickets you can get.  There is a seating section and a standing section.  When you sign up for the lottery, you can try and sign up for five tickets at the most. 

I, of course, signed up for the lottery. And I tried to get five tickets.  I signed up and waited.  Well the wait is now over and come December 9^th, I will be going to the White House to see the Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

The tickets I got are in the standing, not seated section, which is to bad, but it’s still cool.  The standing section is close, but it does not have a view of the stage.  However there are screens sets up to view the stage.  And I will still be able to see the tree light up on the White House lawn.  Plus I get to take 4 of my friends.

But wait, that’s not all, my roommate got five tickets to, so she gets to bring four more people.  This is will the perfect way to wrap up the semester, going and doing something fun (and cold) with all of us.  Something that is unique to DC.  An event that all of us who meet here can all enjoy together before we go home to our separate lives.  

Supreme Court Justices

Went to the Supreme Court today. I know what you’re thinking; “again?”  No silly, not to see another case.  I went today to meet a Supreme Court Justice.  My class met with Justice Alito. 

We got there pretty early, so we had time to wonder around the Supreme Court and see the building before we all made our way into a small, extremely hot room.  Then the Justice came in. 

It was really cool to meet a justice.  I know the court doesn’t get as much attention as the other branches of Government, but honestly, there are only nine of them.  Nine and they are in office until retirement. 

Justice Alito was really nice.  He was laid back and told our class what it was like to work as a justice.  He told us about how even though the court may not be in session, it does not mean they are not working.  Actually it is the times they are not in the public view that they do the most work because they must read briefings and prepare for court.  Justice Alito told our class that while court ends in April, May and June are usually the busiest times of the year, because the Justices are trying to wrap up and come to conclusions on cases. 

After speaking with us for a short time, Justice Alito allowed for us to ask him questions.  He answered several questions from our class and then he let us take pictures with him before he left.

It was an awesome experience to go to the Supreme Court and have the change to sit in on a case, but meeting a Justice was humbling.  

My Sister's Visit

My sister was here this past weekend.  It was really fun.  She came on Thursday and we walked from Chinatown down to my house.  I showed her around Capital Hill, which is beautiful at night. 

I had my internship on Friday, so she saw all the sights and monuments on her own.  Then I took her to Good Stuff for dinner.  Good Stuff is a burger joint, but it’s not a typical burger joint.  The burgers are specialty burgers, which my sister was not prepared for.  She was so overwhelmed; she ended up ordering a salad.  Typical small town girl in a big city just can’t handle the pressure of ordering a crazy burger.  (I hope you enjoy that Cassie.)

Then on Saturday we went to Old Town in Alexandria.  We walked around and saw a few neat shops.  There was a really cool used bookstore I liked.  I also took her down to the waterfront and we got homemade ice cream.  Then we got dinner down in Alexandria in an Italian restaurant.     

She left on Sunday though, unfortunately early in the morning.  I had to wake up super early and see her off at Union Station.  But it’s not too bad, because I will get to see my whole family when I go home next weekend.  I like DC, but I can’t wait to go home for Thanksgiving. 

Supreme Court Visit

I went to see the Supreme Court on Wednesday.  It was really cool.  Literally, cold.  We had to get up super early and dress up.  Then I walked the two blocks to the Supreme Court and had to wait outside in line.  And wait I did.  I got there at 6 in the morning.  They moved us into a stricter line at 7:00 and then at 7:30, gave us all tickets.  Yup, I waited in line for an hour and a half to get into the Supreme Court.  Waiting in line would not of been bad was I wearing clothes (we had to dress up, so no warm clothes for me) and the weather was not so cool outside.

Once, I had my ticket though, we walked to a local coffee shop, the Firehook, to grab breakfast and coffee.  (Side note-Firehook is really good and well reasonably priced, if your looking for coffee of a good breakfast place, this would be it).  Also, the coffee shop had the most important quality: it was warm. But alas, come 8:15, I had to head back into the cool, cool weather and wait in line again.

Finally, it came to the time when we were let into the building.  Let in only to go through two more security detectors.  Finally I got inside the Supreme Court courtroom.  It was worth it.  Well, originally I was stuck in a seat in the back and couldn’t see anything, but once I was able to move to a better seat, it was worth it. 

The case I saw was on taxation of the railroads in Alabama.  If you ever have the chance, I suggest you go to the Supreme Court.  It is really neat to see how the justices interact with each other.  They will ask the lawyer arguing the case all types of questions and talk to each other through the questions they ask. 

I suggest going.  It was a unique experience and it is amazing to see how the laws of our country are being defended, upheld, and dismissed.  Just make sure you get there early.  You don’t want to wait outside for two hours and not be allowed in.  You have to be one of the first 50 people.  Good luck.       

DC luck

Ah, so I just finished the rough draft of my research paper.  I feel so relived.

What is really amazing about DC is the way things can happed here.  My research project is in regards to Head Start.  Yesterday, my class had a guest speaker who mentioned in passing that he was the coordinator of a Head Start program.  So I emailed him and asked if I could meet up and ask him a few questions.  Today he responded and I was able to interview him, just in time to add his information to my rough draft.     

It is strange, but it seems like DC is very much of the whole, being in the right place at the right time.  And I love that I can randomly run into someone who can answer exactly what I am looking for. 

DC is definitely the city of luck.  And if you have it, you can really get a lot done.  But then again, what is luck but the ability to exploit accidents?

Ok, so the rough draft is done, but alas, it is pretty rough.  So I guess I should get back to the editing process.  So much fun.  Really though, I do think this is the best part. 

Just had to tell you all about my little bit of luck.  Now back to the grindstone.  

Conservative Women's Luncheon November

The most wonderful time of the month.  Yes it was again the time of the Conservative Women’s Network Luncheon.  I am not even kidding; this luncheon is my favorite by far.  And it’s not only because the food is amazing, which it is.

The Conservative Women’s Luncheon is held once a month at the Heritage Foundation and sponsored by the Clair Booth Luce foundation.  The women I intern for invites me, which is how I always am able to go. 

 

This month’s luncheon was a panel discussion about the election and women’s roles within it.  The panel discussed current issues and addressed if and how much of an effect they would have on the upcoming 2012 election.

The first speaker began with a few statistics, which I was surprised about.  She explained how women in this election flipped significantly, from voting heavily democratic to republican.

The second speaker address the role healthcare played in the election and furthered the previous speakers comments, building by stating that not only had women flipped, but elderly women have moved substantially from the democratic ticket to become republican voters.  She commented the reason for this switch being the healthcare bill and elderly women realizing the great impact it will have on them.

The discussion also led to women leaders, those who were elected and those not.  This part of the discussion focused on what the election of new women in Congress and governor positions will mean in terms of women playing a more prominent role in our government. 

The luncheon was very interesting and informative.  I must tell you, it is a good way to spend a Friday lunch break: hearing amazing women discuss important issues, followed by delicious food.  

King's St.

So if you are looking for a fun, easy, one day trip. I suggest taking the metro to King’s Street to Virginia’s “old town.”  There is a waterfront and lots of little shops and restaurants to window shop at or grab a delicious bit to eat. 

I went there and we went to this really good oyster restaurant, which had, of course good oysters, but other kinds of good fish as well.  They also had this cool promotion that many of the restaurants in DC have going on.  All you have to do is agree to have a portion of your bill go to a local charity and you get a cookbook with a recipe from every participating restaurant.  The recipes look so good and if I can make the food half as good as the oyster bar made it, I will be happy.

We also walked down to the waterfront and got homemade ice cream, which was amazing.  The waterfront was beautiful too.  You could see the skyline and there were street performers who created much entertainment. 

The waterfront is about a 20-block walk from the metro, which is not bad when talking your leisurely time to walk down, enjoying all the shops, but if you want a quick way back, you are in luck.  There is a free trolley that goes every fifteen minutes from the waterfront up to the metro.     

It is a nice way to spend a leisurely, easy day.  So if you looking to sightsee, I suggest King’s St.

Halloween Weekend

So Halloween weekend.  It was very eventful.  On Friday I went to a costume party.  I was a M&M.  I made my costume myself and I must say for no sewing machine and being forced to hand stitch the whole thing in two day it looked pretty good. 

Good for all of you to know: want a cheap costume?  Go for the M&M.  The fabric was $3. (But no I am not counting the backbreaking hours put into the sewing the processed or all the needle pricks, or the fear that the hand stitch would come apart in the middle of the night.)

Anyway, then Saturday morning I went to the Steven Colbert and Jon Stewart rallies.  That is the beauty of DC.  I wasn’t that dead set on going to the rallies, but they were literally three blocks from my house, so I went with a group.  We walked around, saw all the crazy signs and the mass amounts of people. I must say, for an effort to restore sanity, it was not to sane.  There was so many people and there was no order. 

By the time we got to the actual really, which took us half and hour to get to (yup that’s right, 30 minutes for 3 blocks), we couldn’t see a thing.  We stayed for a while, then walked down to Good Stuff to eat burgers and watch the really from a better view: a television set. 

Saturday night, I must say, people in DC do celebrate Halloween.  I rode the metro and it was an interesting sight.  I didn’t realize how many “where’s Waldos,” Snookies, or peacocks there are in the DC area.

But it is Sunday and all my fun is over.  Now it’s time to do all that homework that I put off.  Oh, what a fun night.   

Oktoberfest

So Oktoberfest was really fun.  That was the International Week event we did yesterday.  And I’m not only saying it because I was in charge of it.  We had pumpkin carving that anyone who wanted to could participate in.  I made an elephant.  It was awesome and looked super cool.  It was really messy, but it’s not pumpkin carving if you don’t dirty.  I'm still washing the pumpkin feeling off my hands.    

We also had music, a popcorn machine (with delicious popcorn), and candy apples.  I had an apple with dark chocolate and it was so good.  Sorry, I just needed to add that.  

And then we had a pie-eating contest.  Of course I was participated.  I didn’t win though, I came in second.  My roommate won, so I can accept defeat.  However, let me explain the loss.  I had an entire meal, including fruit, salad, meat, two side dishes, and two desserts (I like to eat).  She however, hadn’t had anything to eat. But she did dominate, I can’t take that away from her. 

I must also say, I have seen pie-eating contests, but I didn’t realize how messy they were.  I had pie all over my face and I couldn’t breath because it was going in my nose.  It was not pleasant, not that I expected consuming an entire pie would be. 

And of course, I must comment, the food was good.  Our event was Oktoberfest, but the caf made European food with different counties featured.  They had the most amazing crepes.  I had to remind myself I entered into a pie-eating contest to refrain from consuming more.      

Ok, so writing a blog about how much I ate yesterday makes me realize that I need to go for a run, so I’m going to go be active.  National mall here I come.  Maybe a few times.  

Latin/South American Day

So International week started today.  Today’s theme was Latin/South America.  And of course I am going to lead off with this comment.  The food was really good.  Now, I know what you’re thinking.  “Laurel, this is cafeteria food.  Come on.”  But I must say, they make good black bean tacos.  And I don’t know what they were, but the little corn muffin things=delicious. 

We originally wanted to have salsa dancing for our activity, but a change in the dates created a conflict and we ended up doing piñatas instead.  Which I must say works well on multiple levels. 1) It’s that time of year when all you papers are getting due and the semester’s winding down and you must decide you future.  Or in other words, it’s a perfect time to whack inanimate objects for entertainment.  2) Once you whack to your hearts content, you are rewarded with candy.  And anyone who has been keeping up with this blog should know, I’m not about to snub candy.   

We also put up a map, so students could mark where they are from and at the end of the week we can see all the different countries represented on our campus.  I marked my spot, right in Illinois.   

The cafeteria wasn’t quite set up the way we planed it because none of the decorations we ordered came in yet.  But they should be here by tomorrow and we can make it look like the United Nations on steroids.  (Not that I encourage drug use, that was strictly metaphorical.)

But I should go now, and prepare myself for more WASSA filled international fun.   

International Week

So WASSA is preparing for international week.  It will be the last week of October and we have a lot of really fun things planned.  I know this sounds silly, but I am pretty excited about what we have lined up, even though it will take a lot of time, but oh well, I can sleep when I’m back home.

We are making everyday a different continent or country and we are doing events like salsa dancing, international trivia, Oktoberfest, and an awareness movie.  We are also working with the caf and they are making menus with food that coincides with that country’s dish.    

I am in charge of the day we are doing Oktoberfest.  We are mixing it with fall and Halloween, so we actually have a lot planed for that day.  We are doing pumpkin carving, bobbing for apples, and a pie-eating contest.  We are actually giving a prize for the best pumpkin carved.  The prize is a $20 metro pass, which trust me, everyone wants.  Metro credit is like gold.

Ok, so I have to go plan, but I’m getting ready for some awesome international excitement. 

FALL

Fall is in the air.  Being from the Midwest fall is my favorite time of year.  It is the time for hayrack rides, corn mazes, and HALLOWEEN!  Of course, corn mazes and bonfires are not an option here in DC, but I discovered a different kind of fall (one that still includes Halloween, I’m not giving that one up). 

In DC, fall is different.  You can walk down brick sidewalks and check out small little shops selling hot chocolate and warm pie.  You can walk down the national mall and see the beautiful view of the leaves turning colors in front of Capital Hill.  And you can still enjoy the pleasant, crisp air when you go for a morning run.  I know I sound cheesy, but fall is my favorite season, and I love that I can enjoy it, just in different ways. 

Fall in DC is all about the end of one time and the beginning of another.  Maybe that is why I love it so much, because it’s much like what I am going through now.  It is only October, but I know that in a few weeks my time here will be done and I will be moving on to something else.  I have felt like I have been here so long, but now, the time is changing and my experience here is winding down.  I have greatly enjoyed it, but I am equally loving the time now.  Now, when I know my roommates, understand the metro, and am used to DC grocery shopping. 

Fall is the time for change, to move onto new things.  I’m really excited to see what those things are, but don’t worry, I’m not calling it quits yet.  I still plan to fully enjoy my next month and a half here.  And I will fully celebrate Halloween, so get ready for that.  

Sudan Freedom Walk

So, as I have mentioned, I am a member of WASSA and I have talked about how the group does events and organizes the student community.  However, WASSA also does philanthropic work as well.  Last week WASSA was a sponsor of a Sudan Freedom walk.

The Sudan freedom walk was a metaphorical walk for freedom that represented a walk that Sudanese men and women have been doing all their lives throughout the 55 year war.

This walk was a two-day event.  The first night included a panel discussion and the second night was the walk itself.  The walk reached from American’s Tenley campus to Capitol Hill, a distance of almost 7 miles.  Those part of the walk made their way though Massachusetts Ave, by the Embassies, down through Dupont Circle, and even stopped in front of the White House.  Once arriving on Capital Hill, there was a greeting of the people who participated in the walk.  There was also music, including a freedom song.

This freedom walk was truly inspirational and even resulted in onlookers spontaneously joining the walk, abandoning their schedules for the day and participating in the cause.  Sonia Groff, a Washington Semester student and one of my fellow WASSA members participated in the walk.  She said it was an amazing experience and she only wished others could have had to chance to participate like she was able to.      

I know I write a lot about the fun stuff to do in DC and how I like getting to be part of the action, but I think I forget sometimes that the action can be meaningful as well.  That is the great thing about DC; you can keep yourself busy no matter what you are interested in.  If you love history, it's here.  If you want to be a part of government, check.  If you want to be a part of something amazing and spend a day walking for the freedom of every man and women in the world, well, there is a chance for that as well.   

Fall Break

So, American University provides a fall break for all its students and it just so happened that that fall break was today. It is kind of cool, because a lot of my roommates are taking advantage of that break and invited some friends from their home schools to come visit them, because conveniently for them it was their fall break too.

Now, I know what you're thinking, or at least what I was thinking when my roommates mentioned they were coming.  Where are they staying?  But no, luckily, they all got hotel rooms.  My sanity and the sanity of my oppressive compulsive side thanks you.

It is pretty cool though, because while I do not know them it is always nice to see new people.  And I don't know if I mentioned this before or not, but about half my house is from the same school, so I kind of feel like I do them from how much I hear about them.

And the best part of it all?  They are pi phis, just like me.  Pi Beta Phi is my sorority, and one of my housemates is one to.  (It's cool to see how we are all connected.)  So when her friends come to visit her, that means I get to meet even more pi phis.  I'm really excited to hear about what different things they do in their chapter and what we all do the same.

Ok, I'm going to let you go now, because I have to go enjoy my FALL BREAK!  Have fun.

Transformers Fans?

So, I know I just wrote a post, but that is the beauty of DC, you never know when something new is going to happen.

So, I'm chilling in my room.  Typical Tuesday night.  Then my roommate comes in and asks me if I want to go walk to the capital because Transformers 3 is being filmed there.  Yeah, no big deal, I just live a few blocks from a movie set.  So I throw on a pair of jeans and we walk the two blocks to the capital and wonder to the bright lights.

I have never seen a movie being made before so that was pretty cool.  A huge section of the road was closed down and there were about four cranes with huge overhead lights in the air, projecting lights for the scene.

But I must say there is a lot of standing around.  Maybe not for those involved, but definitely for those watching.  What was really cool was when this guy on the film crew came up to me and said, "you should be in film" and he let me and my friend go past the gate into the actual filming area.  (Ok, no that last part was total lie, but the rest was totally true.  I actually just stood on the outside, with all the rest of the onlookers, barricaded by a fence on my tiptoes trying to get a glimpse of the action.  

Spoiler alert: there is a scene with four cars driving down a street and at least one cop car gets dented.  I mean, I hope I didn't spoil the ending for anyone, but just thought I should throw that out there.

I Love Globalization

So I am an American Politics student here at American, but that does not mean that is all I care about.  I actually always knew I loved international culture.  I have traveled to Europe and Asia.  And I even spent a summer in Eastern Europe, studying in Estonia, Ukraine, and Russia.  What I'm really saying is this program is pretty diverse, even if you pick a topic such as American Politics.

While globalization does sometimes get a negative connotation, I cannot hate it, because it is because of globalization that I have been exposed to more than I ever could be before.  And I personally believe that my culture has been enhanced, not lessened because of it.  I am basically saying this because the past few days I have been talking more to international students and I love them.  My roommate for one.  Ok, so I always talk to her, but she is the sweetest person I have ever met.  And I am not bias because she's my roommate, everyone who knows her says that.  (Disclaimer: I love my other roommate to, especially when she can't get out of her top bunk.)

So I always knew she was awesome, but then this weekend I was hanging out with people from my housemates' classes and they are the funniest people I have ever met.  At least, in the past few weeks.  One boy was from Germany and he and my roommate were debating which part of Germany is better: Berlin or Hamburg.  If you are ever privy to this debate, pay attention, it will create much entertainment.

Then yesterday, I was sitting outside my professor's office waiting to meet with him and I started talking to an international student from my class.  She was so funny and open.  I'm actually disappointed with myself for not talking more to her before.  We were discussing simple differences between our countries, and she started telling me about how different exams are in the United States than her country.  Apparently, we have to know more details.  She said, "back where I'm from you have to know concepts, but dates and number?  Oh now, this is ridiculous."  

I know it may seem silly, but do you know how simple interactions can just make you think.  I was actually debating studying international relations, but I love campaigning and knew I just couldn't stop myself from learning more about it while in DC.  (Yeah, I'm a nerd.)  But the program you are in should be focused on what you are interested in because you will be able to have all the interactions you want.

Like I said, or should have said if I haven't already, you get out of DC what you put into it.  If you stay in every day and don't explore, you will get an education.  But if you explore, talk to people who have different ideas or cultures from you, go to the extra conference on a Friday, or merely ears-drop on an international debate, you will so much more of an education that any school could give you.

Best Thing I Ever Consumed

Ok, I have accepted it.  I am OBSESSED with food.  Now I am sorry if you get bored with these rants, but READ THIS.  It will be well worth your while.

So we all know how midterms are.  You're super stressed out.  You're tired.  And you just want junk food. Well I had my midterm yesterday and today was the day to be fat and lazy.  I of course needed to feed my sweet-tooth.  Now, I have been craving M&Ms for a week, so my roommates and I decided to walk to the super market down the block, buy candy, then walk to the Washington Monument to work off the fattiness we were consuming.

HOWEVER, on the way to the market I had the best idea of my life, and that was to skip the walk and instead make cookies.  I wanted to make M&M cookies (of course, my craving).  My roommate though cannot eat chocolate (I know, her life sucks).  So we made peanut butter cookies and after we made plain ones for her, I threw in M&Ms and made the best peanut butter M&M cookies ever.

*Disclaimer: the market only had dark chocolate M&Ms (I know, who doesn't have original?) so we had even richer chocolatiness.  

I am not saying this to toot my own horn, but they were perfect and so hit the spot.  I mean, just out of the oven, still hot, chocolate peanut buttery goodness.

Now I am not blogging about cookies to brag.  I am simply doing so to spread the word to all because I know that I am not the only person in this world who sits at home, writing paper after paper, studying for midterms and needs a pick me up.  I'm telling you, cookies defiantly the way to go.  You kill two birds with one stone.  You get a break from homework.  Get to socialize while baking.  And are left with a delicious, rich treat that you can share with everyone.

All you have to do is go online and find a good peanut butter cookie recipe that you like (Joey's peanut butter cookies on Allrecipes.com) and throw some M&Ms in there.  Totally worth it.

Oh, and you should mad share them because you don't want these cookies sitting in your house.  Make sure you can give them away.  Or hope you have more will power than me.  I don't even want to disclose how many cookies I consumed in the last two hours.

Wow, I can't believe I just wrote a blog about cookies.  I am such a fatty.  Oh well, you only live once, might as well live large!

MIDTERMS!!!!!

Break time.  From what you ask?  No, of course you don't have to ask, just look at the title.  So it is midterm week.  For me at least because my midterms are a week earlier than everyone else.  I have a midterm on Wednesday and then I get to spend the weekend writing a paper, which is due on Tuesday.

But I think it might be worst for some other people, people who don't have time to take breaks.  I, in all my years at institutions of higher education will never understand how people can cram for exams and papers the day before.  My brain does not work that way.  I must take my time.  Studying for short periods of time, plenty of time in advance.

This is one of those times when I will send out my advice to all of you.  Do NOT procrastinate.  This is DC you are going to want to go out and do things.  So you do not want to be stuck inside for two days studying and miss the first two days when the weather cools down and the leaves start to change colors.  I suggest taking an hour during the week to organize yourself and go over your notes.  I know this sounds lame, but trust me, you don't want to be like me.  Stuck inside studying on a perfectly good Tuesday night, or Friday night or next Friday night.  I may not have been miss Susie on the ball, but I have learned my lesson and now I am warning you.  And I'm not even as bad as some other people I know.  Trust me stress levels are high (myself included) and that is never fun during midterms.

Advice: be smart, have fun, and manage your time wisely.  You will thank yourself when you can sit on your couch watching Mad Men and eating ice cream and your roommates are reading three books in one day.

Ok, now I will take my superior advice and get back to studying.  FUN TIMES!!!!! (Ok, I know, excessive, but I need to have some excitement in my life and shift 1 is that excitement tonight.)

Flag Football

So WASSA had its flag football event yesterday.  It was pretty fun; however I expected it to be a fun, carefree game of flag football.  This was not the same idea that the team of marines had when they showed up and found out that they had to have at least one girl on their team.  That team of course won, but I like to think that my playing gave them some opposition.  There was that one time when I blocked them. (And yes by block I mean accidentally aimlessly wander in front of them and then screaming at the fact that they were running towards me.)

The game was fun though and for those who actually knew how to play football it probably was more so.  For me it included running around the field acting like I had an idea of what I was suppose to do.  I got to play quarterback once, but after I threw the ball to the wrong team, which resulted in the other team scoring a touchdown, I was demoted to center and my only job was to hike the ball to the quarterback and just stand there afterwards.

We ended up playing two games and I lost both times.  Oh, well.  Not that surprised, although I do think that my team deserved a handicap for having me on it.  The winning team ended up getting bags, which is fine by me because I already have several of those.  Speaking of which were was mine?

Oh, that's right, I left my bag in the office of our advisor who left and thus locked my bag away, with my ID, wallet, and money in it.  Actually it wasn't too bad though.  I just called pubic safety, verified that I was indeed who I said I was and they let me in within half an hour.  I was actually surprised at how fast they were and they totally helped me out because otherwise I would have been chilling at Tenley until Monday.      

WASSA Flagfootball

Hello everyone!  So I, as mentioned, am the event planner for WASSA and we have an event coming up this weekend.  It's a flag football event and any Tenley student can sign up.  I'm really excited for this event because I feel that it'll be a lot of fun.

One of the other members of our group is in charge of this event, so that is really nice that other people can take leadership roles and I can just deal with the background stuff while this other girls handles everything up front.  It's really helpful to me that I can take a breather.

To get people to come to the event, we passed out sign up sheets for people to sign up for a team, each team being a different color, and then the people playing will wear the color shirt of the team they signed up for.  WASSA students will be the refs and keep score.

The event is on a Saturday, so it will definitely be a great way to get out and take a break from homework.

So, if you're a Tenley student, you should sign up and come out this Saturday to flag football because you'll have an awesome time.

See ya there.

DC Grocery Shopping

Some of you may wonder why it is that I eat out so often, thus being able to provide the thorough list from my previous post.  Well the reason for that is simple; DC grocery shopping is a nightmare.

Being from a small town, this is how I am used to grocery shopping: I wait till all the food in my house is gone and then I make a long list of everything I could possibly need for as long as I think it will last.  Then I get in my car and DRIVE to the grocery store.  Get my food, check out, and the cashier puts my purchases into plastic bags, which I then load into my car, drive home and unload.  This seemed like a simple and usual task for me.

Not so in DC, because DC is a city.  Grocery shopping here is very different.  I dread the day I run out of milk or bread because that means that I have to get on the metro and take at least a twenty minute ride to the nearest store.  I pick up a few things that I am able to carry and get in the checkout line.  While I am waiting I think (and trust me there is plenty of time to think because the wait is always long), and I think, "man I hope I remembered to bring reusable bags."  Why do I have to think about this?  Because if I did not bring reusable bags I have to either attempt to pack everything I just picked up into my purse or purchase a disposable bag.  Yes, you have to buy a plastic bag here.

While this may seem like a journey in itself, it is nothing.  No, the true journey is the metro ride back, where you hope that there is an empty seat and you don't have to carry your bag all the way back on the metro.  No your lucky if you get to put your heavy bag on your lap, hoping that your milk lasts the twenty minute ride back.

Once you get off the metro, lucky you, you get to walk ten minutes from the station back to your house, and pray that you don't have eggs, because you know those bags you got.  The bags you had to pay for. Yeah, those will, not may, WILL break on your walk back.  For it is not truly a DC grocery shopping trip until that happens.

So pay attention to my last post, eating out, the way to go.  So much less stress and it tastes to good.  Order good portions and your leftovers can second for groceries.  Because everything I just told you is true, and that is DC shopping.

DC Food

Ok, so I know that writing an entire blog about food, does make me sound like a fatty, but I can't help it there are so many places that deserve shout-outs, and if your coming here, you should know about them.


1. Taylor Gourmet:  This is a deli place and it is fabulous.  Located in several places throughout the DC area, the food is reasonably priced (for DC) and the sandwiches are huge. I got a 12 inch and it was enough food for four meals.  But this isn't just quantity, we're talking quality as well.  I used to be a picky eater, but with this sandwich, load it all on, the tomatoes, the onions, the vinegar oil.  Everything, totally worth it.  And this is so not one of your over the counter, throw at you sandwich, they cut their own meat and make the sandwich tailored to you.    


2.  If a good old fashion burger is what you're looking for, you have a few options.  If classic is what your looking for, I suggest Five Guys, which is, yes fast food and a chain, but it is cheap and tastes like a real burger, yes, a real, made from meat burger.  And you get to pick your own toppings, which are real as well.  Trust me, worth it.  Oh, but a bit of advice, do not, and I repeat do not order a large order of fries.  I ordered a large fry and three people tried to split it, we didn't make a dent in them.  Save your money and order a small.
a) Another good burger joint is Good Stuff (Capital Hill).  Now this is not for classical burger taste.  This is a burger with a modern twist, so definitely fit more for those adventurous types.  And if you go, order fries, they are not what you typically expect, but you need to try them at least once.   


3.  Milkshakes.  Now I have a sweet-tooth like nobody's business, so trust me I know my milkshakes.  Z-Burger at Tenley Campus is amazing.  It is just a little burger joint, but they have the craziest varieties of shakes.  I had a rocky road milkshake and I'm pretty sure I was drinking heaven in a glass.


4.  All college students need to know about a good pizza joint.  Armand's Pizza (located in Tenley and Capital Hill) is definitely the way to go.  It is thick crust, Chicago style pizza, with still a reasonable price.  You can get a classic cheese and meat, but they also have crazy varieties as well, if you're feeling adventurous.  


5.  If non American food is what your looking for, I suggest Mings in Chinatown.  I went there and had really good sushi.  Now I am no sushi expert (it was actually my first time) but the people I went with said it was good and they were no first-timers.  So this joint I think is good for all around, whether you are a beginner and want to try some basic sushi or whether you are looking to spice it up a bit more.  

6. Dr. Granville Moore's Brickyard on H street is great for some chill atmosphere.  I had their muscles and they were so good.  There have several different flavors, so I suggest getting a crazy kind that you've never heard of before because you won't be disappointed.  However, the serving sizes are huge.  Two people can defiantly split one serving and in DC you can't take seafood home with you, so don't plan on getting more than you can eat.  It's all or nothing.

7. If cheap Indian food is to your liking I will suggest Mayur Kabab House on K street.  The food is really good and spicy and inexpensive.  It cost $10 for the buffet, which includes two types of meat, two types of veggies and bread.  This is a lot of food.  Two people could split this no question.      

Ok, now that I have completely eliminated all doubt that I am obsessed with food and fattiness, I will let you go.  But trust me, I will keep you posted on the best places to eat in DC, because if you're anything like me, a good meal can make or break your love affair with a place.  Trust me DC eating will not disappoint.

2nd Free Lunch

So I went to another luncheon today through my internship, which was cool because it was free and had the most delicious chocolate chip cookies and deli sandwiches.

But more important than that was the discussion.  The luncheon was about the Tea Party and their effect (whether it was positive or negative) on the Republican party.  The topic was really interesting and there consisted of a panel of three individuals.  The first speaker, Matt Louis, was interesting and he spoke from the viewpoint that the tea party created many possible concerns for the Republican Party.  Some of his concerns included a lack of respect among the tea party for government organizations; the idea that some tea party goers are more concerned with fiscal conservation and less focused on social conservation; that they created an anti-intellectual movement; and conservative feminism, which is putting women on the front line, but having women play the "victim card" rather then a strong conservative card.

The next two speakers where very different from the first one, claiming that the tea party is the new movement, the new members of the organization and the Republican party much be accepting to these individuals and allow them to step up into the party.  The second speaker highlighted a large issue in the current midterm elections, stating that in the current elections, tea party candidates who lost in the primary supported the winning Republican candidate, yet in every election in which a tea party member won over a Republican, the Republican candidate was trying to defeat the tea party member.  He concluded his speech with the fact that tea party members are the new Republicans and current partly members cannot hope to get the tea party vote, while simultaneously not let them "disrupt the club."

The third panelist summed up the topic, claiming that the tea party movement was the third wave of the Republican party, adding a new dimension to it.  He added that the tea party is working to elect a new administration, not happy with the current one, yet he warned that if the tea party elects a stagnate Republican party, the tea party would rebel against then and go after them just as hard as they are going against the current administration.  

The panel was then opened for questions and the audience was able to have their (at times unhappy) opinions shared.  The panel did a good job of collectively answering all the questions asked.  At the end of the luncheon, the leadership institute gave away one free schooling pass and everyone received a discount on their lessons.

This was an interesting luncheon to go to because it not only focused on a current issue, but as a student, it was unique to see how people within the system felt about the issue and how they hoped to understand and react to it.

I know this blog was really heavy, but the panel was good and it covered an interesting topic.  As stated before, I suggest going to everything you can, whenever you have the opportunity to.  You may get more than a free lunch...

Congressional Hearings

For class today we had to go to a congressional hearing.  I went to one on Filibuster reform.  It was really interesting.  And it was super easy to go.  All I had to do was look up what hearings where going on that day and find one that was interesting to me at a time that worked for me.  I then walked one block up the street (yeah living on Capital Hill), went through the basic security check that it seems one has to go through in ever DC building, and walk up to the third floor.

It would seem that it would take more to get the chance to see a Congressional hearing, but really it wasn't bad at all.  My professor told me that there would be a super long line, so I got there an hour early and I ended up sitting out there for an hour.  Alone.

But once it was time to go in, it was worth the wait.  I walked into a room with huge windows covered with light blue curtains and gold trimming around the walls.  There was a stage set for the panel and a smaller table for the witnesses.  I made my way to the audience chairs and must I say that for audience chairs, they were mighty comfortable.

I looked around and saw all the cameras and hoped that I wouldn't get captured on one of them and shown on the most popular CSPAN.

It does make me laugh thinking about it, as I remember the staff putting out the Congressmen's water-glasses and opening their water bottles for them, so the seal would be broken already when they went to drink from them.

The hearing itself was really interesting.  It was formal, but had a light feeling.  There was an into from the chairman, then the two Senators presenting bills spoke, then everyone on the panel had a chance to voice their opinions.  Finally witnesses where asked to give testimony and then answer questions from the panel.  Everyone was allowed five minutes to state their case, which may not seem like a long time, but boy could they get their opinions in.

If your ever in the DC area and have some time I highly suggest going to a hearing.  I know that it may sound boring, but you learn a lot and it is very easy to go.  You get to see Senators up close and personal, hear what they really think (of issues and each other), and learn about issues that could become new laws.  Overall a well worth it experience.

Congressional Love

So DC weather is just fab.  This morning it was beautiful, on my walk to class; all I needed was a light cardigan and I was perfect.  Then an hour later on the walk back, I was really hot, so when I changed to go back to campus, I decided to wear a skirt and light top, no jacket.  Which I must say was a perfect fit for the weather, until I had to walk back to the metro about two hours later.  No, the perfect summer outfit I was wearing (with no jacket, real shoes, or umbrella) was no mach for the cool, cool rainy weather that I endured on my trek back to Capitol Hill.  That was just lovely, thank you DC.

But clothes and weather aside, I have been having a good past week. My American Politics class was able to meet several very interesting speakers, including Congressmen.  Yesterday and today we were able to meet Representatives, one Democratic and one Republican.

Of course these two had very different views on almost everything, but one thing that they both agree upon, was above all else, attitude and ethics.  I thought this was very interesting.  Both mentioned that there has been an unpleasant tension and unworkable atmosphere in this Congress.

What I found the most interesting about this was the fact that both parties, the majority and minority, both not only noticed and acknowledged this uncomfortable setting, but both want it to change so that Congress can begin to work together again.  Both guest speakers also mentioned how compromise is needed in order to run a government effectively and pass any type of legislation.

This was the most interesting because while the economy was what both mentioned as the biggest issue to be tackled, and neither agreed on how to tackle that issue, what they seemed the most concerned about was this issue of respect for fellow members of Congress.  And on that issue, they both claimed the same way to fix it: compromise.

So, what lesson have I learned from my guest speakers, to listen to others.  To understand other's views.  And to realize that many, just many, there are bigger issues in DC than the weather.  Maybe if we stop focusing on our own misfortune, we can ban together and find a solution to our similar problems.  Ones that actually need to be focused on.
 

Luau

Wassa had it's first event  on Sunday.  It was suppose to be a luau, but it of course had to rain on Sunday, so we had to take it all inside.  This meant that all the decorations we planned on putting up had to get the ax and we had an hour to turn a classroom into a Hawaiian setting.  Thanks to the other (and more creative) members of WASSA it ended up looking pretty good.  It had a really fun atmosphere.  

The cafeteria even helped us with the event and coordinated Hawaiian food and decorations in the caf.  It was pretty cool and nice of them.  And of course their decorations where much nicer than our posters and lights hanging on the wall, but it was fine.  The caf did look really good and they passed out Hawaiian leis, which really gave the Hawaiian mood.  They also had really good food, which I thoroughly and gluttonously enjoyed.

The event itself was pretty good itself.  Considering the fact that no one knew where it was being held at (because of the inside change) the turnout was pretty good.  The time frame we had set up was a little to long though, so by the end it was pretty dead, but in the middle we did have quite a few people who came to check it out.

In order to let people know about the event since it was moved we went dorm storming.  What this means is that we went around to all the dorm rooms, knocked on them and told everyone what was going on.  It was a very sophisticated process.  It was really beneficial though, because it enabled us to promote our next event, which will be flag football.  

For our first event, it went well.  We learned what works and what doesn't.  And now everyone is ready for our next event and it will be even better.  Flag football here we come.

Nationals Game

For WISH housing, our coordinator set up for us to all go to a Nationals game, and like in a previous post, I expressed my love for baseball.  And the best part is that it was free!  Like a said in my last post free stuff is always better.  It was a really nice event to put on.  It got us all to get together and get to know each other.    

Getting to the game was eventful as well.  Trying to herd seven people together on a Friday night, is difficult and then ensure that no one is completely sure of where they are going and you will have a great time trying to make a bus.  By the time we found the bus stop it was approaching the stop and we were like, "oh no," and decided that we had to run the last block to make it.  But we made it, so it was ok.  And then, when we got to the stadium me and one of the girls I was with got separated and it took us a good ten minutes to find our seats.  (By the way, if you are lost in a stadium, just hope you find your way because every employee we asked for directions from told us to go different ways.  All wrong.)

The game was good too.  We were sitting on the opposite side of the stadium this time, so it was neat to see the field from another angle.  But the Nationals lost this time, which was too bad, especially because everyone I was with was rooting for the Marlins.  Actually the game was pretty close, other than the two runs the Nationals gave away at in the beginning of the first inning.  At the end of the game the Marlins made a few errors, so that was good to watch and point out to my company.

It was really cute though, because there was this family in front of us and one little boy had his 6th birthday, so all his little friends were lined up in the seat in front of us.  Like I said, all the people I was with were rooting for the other team, and one little boy turned around and told them they were cheering for the wrong team and they needed to stop.  

What was really cool was that at the end of game there were fireworks and apparently they do that every Friday.  I love fireworks, it's like I'm a little kid again and I'm back in my Grandma's backyard on the Fourth of July.  The fireworks were really good to, they were long and there were a ton of the big ones that just pop, which is what real fireworks are.    

On the way back, we decided that we didn't need to take the bus because we were only half a mile away.  Looking back now, it might not have been the best idea, but it wasn't bad.  Actually, it was pretty nice to go for a long walk after a baseball game.  A good end to the night.

Woman's Conservative Luncheon

My internship boss sent me an email inviting me to the September Woman's Conservative Luncheon at the Heritage Foundation.  I thought it seemed like a fun idea, so I RVSPed and went today.

I am so glad I did because it was really cool.  Amanda Carpenter was the speaker and she was so interesting.  She spoke about her career and how she worked her way through school and worked to become a journalist and eventually the Senior Communication Advisor and Speechwriter to Senator Jim Demint.  She was a really good speaker, very engaging and funny.

I got to the speech early and I had the chance to speak to Amanda for a short while and she was so nice and really personable.  (Advise when going somewhere, also go early, you never know who you'll have the chance to meet and talk to.)

After the speech though was a free lunch, which was sweet.  There was so much food.  I feasted on sandwiches, pasta, salads, and cookies.  (Don't judge me, I'm a college student in DC, I was eating for the day.)  It was actually a networking luncheon, so I met quiet a few women, which was very great because I enjoyed meeting these women.

New lesson I learned here in DC: have no fear.  Go to everything and do everything you are invited to.  Networking is well worth it and even if you don't meet anyone, free meal.  And in DC take all the free stuff you can get, especially food.

Going to social events were never my thing, I have always been a really shy person, but here, you have to be outgoing.  If you go to an event and sit in the corner, you never get anything out of them, you need to introduce yourself to everyone and find out who they are.

Well, that was my little preaching moment.  Back to normal.  I'll just say good speaker + free food= awesome time.    

More WASSA shenanigans

So in an attempt to do some good old fashion bonding time with our WASSA organization, we all went out for dinner after one of our meetings. Now most places on Tenley campus are good eateries, and most are pretty cheap too, so we figured we'll take a shot and go to a certain restaurant that shall remain nameless and that it would be pretty much the same thing.

Well, it was not.  We get there, and not a one of us had the sense to call ahead, so naturally our group of 15 had to split up (understandably) and go to two different tables. As we sat down and looked at the menu, we realized that this place might be little different when we looked at the menu and the prices were pretty steep from the food that was being served there.

But whatever, it won't be that bad, we'll just order, whatever, maybe the food was just really good here.  Was the food good there?  I don't know, we could have asked the other table that was split from us because they were served before us.  But that's not a big deal.  But then they were done eating and we still hadn't been served yet.  Forty-five minutes later, still nothing.    It wasn't until we started complaining and asking to speak with someone (well, not me, definitely let our supervisor fight that battle for me.  I just looked innocently from over my water glass) that our food was "on its way."  

Ten minutes after that, still no food.  No, it wasn't until we looked at each other and the one rebel of our group convinced us to be BAs and just leave.  Finally, we all were irritated enough to agree.  That is when our food came.  Of course. 

Was the food worth the wait?  Of course not!  We did get a discount though, thank you very much for those who spoke my mind for me.  At least we were all able to bond over the crummy service and come together against a common enemy.  And I learned one place that I will not be returning to.   

Electricity

So, putting ten girls into a house together with a fuse that can blow when a hair dryer is used causes great adventures.

The women in charge of our housing sends all of us an email warning us to make sure we know where the fuse box is and tells us to make sure that we aren't overusing the energy because it will, and yes she told us that hairdryers will, blow a fuse.  Did I heed that warning?  Of course not.  Did I look for the fuse box?  No.  Did I have electricity when I came home last might and tried to get ready for bed?  I think you can see where this is going.

Lesson learned, when you are warned about your house, make sure you listen, these people are here for a reason, to make sure you aren't in a situation like I was.

The really bad part about it is that I forgot, well didn't really think about the fact that our upstairs had no  electricity, but didn't worry about it because we have these nice huge windows that brighten my room and bathroom all day.  And since I spent most of the evening in my downstairs living room, it didn't occur to me that no electricity upstairs meant for a very dark shower.  So about a half hour ago I decided to find our fuse box and not be stupid.  The only clue I had was that it was behind a hidden door in my downstairs.  That helps.  Yes helps me look like a fool pushing on every wall in my downstairs hoping it would pop out.  So when my roommate came out and looked at me, I admit I most likely looked mildly foolish.  And what did she tell me?  Well, the fuse box that I had been looking for for the past 2 days was behind a bookshelf.  Of course she knew where it was and of course it didn't occur to me to ask her.  Ok, maybe I was foolish, not to look for it before hand, but behind a bookshelf?  I never would have guessed that.

So fuse box found.  All that was left was playing the game of "which switch do I flip now?" leaving me flipping one and then running up three flights of stairs to see if it worked.  Four attempts and one kick butt workout later, my roommates and I have awesome electricity.

You know, you truly take advantage of what you have until you can no longer plug in your computer and listen to music.  And straightening your hair, forget it.  Yeah, I used photobooth on my computer for that one (no mirrors downstairs).  Necessity is the mother of invention.      

But all is good now, we figured out our first living-on-our-own-have-to-maintain-a-house-and-not-blow- out-a-fuse adventure.  Now onto figure out how to make endnotes into numerical order instead of roman numeral.  Oh, Washington adventures, I feel like such an adult now.

Catching Up

Wow, so a lot has been going on, including a few technical difficulties, sorry in the delay of posts.   Anyway, so school is definitely getting under way and I need to remind myself that I am a student again and that summer is over, a sad fact of reality that I'm not ready to admit yet.  And writing this blog is me telling myself that I am doing some form of work, while actually not doing schoolwork.  All my textbooks showed up so I have to start actually reading them, no longer using the excuse of, I don't have them, oh well.  And the assignments that I've been putting off are actually becoming due, so I need to stop procrastinating.

But the good thing about all that, is that while school stuff is underway, so is the fun part.  WASSA is officially putting on its first event on Sunday the 13th and I get to plan it, with the help of everyone in the lovely organization.  Our event, like I mentioned earlier, is a luau and there will be Hawaiian food, courtesy of the cafeteria staff, and a volleyball tournament, not to mention lights, music, and a luau atmosphere.  It should be a fun time.  We also have a head start on a lot of other projects we are working on, such as a football tournament later in the month and promoting a bike tour.

However, my favorite part of things getting under way is the internship.  Now, my suggestion to you is to apply for everything, because you never know what will turn up. And follow up, even if you think that you  have the perfect one already, go to a few other interviews, just to practice, and maybe they will remember you in the future.  But really the internship is an awesome experience.  

For mine I am working on a fundraising project and I am at the entry level of researching prospective contributors.  Seriously, I had no idea what all that entailed until I had to do it.  I feel like I'm a spy, finding out anything and everything I can about people.  It may sound strange, but it is really cool.  That's the best part about an internship, because you think you want to do something and then you get into in and find out that that job is really all about, and hopefully you are pleasantly surprised.

But, alas, I suppose I should be getting around to being productive and doing schoolwork, but don't worry, I'm sure I'll have many more procrastinating moments, so the entries will keep coming.  

Weekend

Well, it's Monday again.  Which I guess has to happen, but the weekend went by too fast, which also tends to happen.

Saturday I went for a run, just to relax, but alas relax did not find me.  Why?  Because thousands of people were lining up outside my apartment to go to the Washington Monument.  Now, don't think I'm ignorant, I knew that a rally was going on, but being from small town USA I had no idea it would be that insane.  And it hadn't even started yet.  No, I was there early, running in the opposite direction from everyone else.  And as I was running I felt like I was going the wrong way in a stampede because I am pretty sure that everyone, and I mean everyone in DC was going to gather at the rally, whether they were supporting it, protesting it, or just checking it out from a neutral standpoint.

But I guess if I haven't learned by now, then it's my fault.  This is DC, and in DC everywhere is flooded with everyone.  It isn't really a bad thing.  Actually it isn't a bad thing at all because while it may be strange to go running and see more people than the total population of my city, it is amazing (in some strange sort of way) at the same time.  (Even if I was going against the crowd and had to dodge them all in a human version of frogger.)  

Once I finally did get to the other side of the street, I was able to relax with some good old fashion political  research. Oh, was that nice.

One paper outline and an annotated bibliography later, it was finally Saturday night and it was a pretty good night if I say so myself.  My housemates and I had a Mexican fiesta night.  Basically I stood by and watched my awesome roomates make delicious, super spicy Mexican food and then we all took it and ate outside on our back patio, lined with mini candles.  That was perfect.  You don't get much better than good food and a nice cool night.    Now, while it is hot here in DC, it does make for perfect nights, and even though I live in the middle of the city, you still can see a few stars, which, for me, is imperative for a night to be classified as complete.

The next day was good to though.  I went out to the Nationals/Cardinals baseball game, and it was pretty sweet.  The game only costed $5 dollars to get into and the seats were pretty decent for that price (and in the shade).  I would highly suggest going to a game, because it was totally worth it.  The stadium is really nice and while I know that the Nationals may not be a major team on many people's list to go see, they can still beat the Cards, so they can't be that bad.  (Sorry, but I'm from Illinois.)  Besides, what better way to enjoy the nation's capital then sitting back with a hot dog watching America's past time.  

One last quick thing, on my way back I learned one very important lesson about DC; say anything you want about the metro system here, after a baseball game, they know what they are doing.  They had the metro ready and waiting for all us baseball fans and loaded that thing up to full capacity.  Rush hour, yes you may experience delays or unexpected stops, but go to use that form of public transportation after a game, and it will be efficient.  Mark my words.

But alas, the weekend is over and it is Monday, so I guess time for me to stop procrastinating and actually get some things done.  One memorandum coming up...