Week 10: Reflections

I have exactly one day left here in DC. And it is with great satisfaction that I prepare for my departure. I came here with a very limited idea of what I wanted for myself in the future. After nearly three months of feeling my way around the city, I’m leaving with so much more direction and certainty about exactly where it is I’m going in life and I think that’s monumental. I’ve learned some of the most invaluable lessons on the importance of professionalism and personal growth. As I pack up to leave, and go back home, I feel as though I’m embarking on a new journey in adulthood, and I’m so looking forward to everything it has to bring. I’m confident that I made the right choice in interning with The Washington Center, and given the chance to do it all over again I would make only minor changes, as the organization has definitely played an integral role in helping to equip me with some of the necessary tools to realize my career goals. For that I am forever grateful.

If I had to pick out the single most important lesson learned through this experience it would probably have to be one that was echoed in nearly every single speech I have heard since I got here; and that's the importance of being open to wherever life may lead. I have heard so many people say that when they were twenty-something they knew exactly what they wanted to do with their life, but because they walking through open doors as they came along, these people have been able to put themselves in good positions doing things they love. Had they been narrow-minded and inflexible they could have very well missed their chances. Success isn’t always the first place you would think to look, and there is something to be learned in every situation, because no matter what nobody knows everything there is to know. So take a second and think about what it is you may stand to benefit even when circumstances aren’t ideal.

In conclusion, goodbye for now, DC, and hello to a new adult world… Here I come!

Week 9: What I wish I'd known

This is my ninth week here in Washington, DC and time has gone by so fast, it’s really unbelievable. There are so many opportunities for many unique experiences but it seems to me that sometimes you have to know where to look. Constantly I find myself learning about things and places and wishing I had known that place was there in the beginning. So I thought it would be cool if for the next to last week of my blog I blogged about some things I wish I had known about the first week I was here. There are also some things that are unique to the city, so given the chance to come here you should take advantage of them.

1. One of the best things about being in DC is its proximity to other cities. Surprisingly it’s really easy to find cheap bus tickets to great place like Philadelphia, Boston and New York. I’m really excited as this weekend I’m headed to New York on a bus line called Tony Coach, and I only paid like thirty bucks for round trip tickets. On websites like megabus.com you can even tickets as cheap as $5.

2. I’ve been here since the beginning of June and it was just a couple of weeks ago that I realized that this place called Au Bon Pain has half-off baked goods after five o’clock. It’s like carb lovers' heaven, there are pastries, brownies and literally every baked treat imaginable. They make an awesome “confetti cookie,” which is my personal favorite but if you’re looking for something a little more healthy they also have some great bagels and breads. Locals actually call it “ABP;” apparently DC doesn’t have enough government acronyms, restaurants have to have abbreviations too. Getting half price pastries is actually pretty competitive downtown, but it seems there is one on almost every corner. There are seriously like four in very close walking to distance to where I work.

3. The National Mall of course is here in the Nation’s capital. It’s normally just like a huge yard with the Capitol building and the Washington Monument on either side. This summer there have been festivals on it. In the beginning of July there was the Folk Life Festival. There were people everywhere with song and dance from various countries around the world. I went the day after Fourth of July and they had tons of venders with ethnic foods and drinks to try. Of course it was million degrees outside but the mall is right in the middle of the Smithsonian museums, so when I was ready to take a break my friends and I cooled off in the Natural History Museum while we checked out the hope diamond all for free.

4. Conferences are a great idea to participate in while here in the city, and there is certainly an abundance of them. I get an email inviting me to conference every other day. There are conferences for young people, old people, liberals, conservatives, or those interested in globalization policies. You name it—somebody in DC will hold a conference for it. Pick the ones that you’re interested in and they are normally really informative and enlightening. Not only you will feel smarter, but they usually have food for participants, which is a lifesaver for those of us living on an “intern budget.” Not only do they feed you, but they are a great way to network. Join “listservs” to stay in the loop of these kinds of events.

Again these are just a few things I wish I had known more about in the beginning. Hope someone finds them helpful.

Week 8: Whirlwind Schedule

As the summer winds down it seems like the world around me is in a whirlwind. The end is approaching so there are lots of last minute things to take care of as I try to stay on top of assignments and whatnot. This past week was a procrastinator’s worst nightmare! Since Monday I have had a paper due for somebody every time I turn around. I think I owe everybody in Washington, DC metropolitan area a paper. I’m actually exaggerating quite a bit, it wasn’t really that much work to do it was simply a matter of sitting down and making myself complete the work. I’ve found that many of the writing assignments help me to organize my thoughts and reflect on what exactly I learned from many of my experiences here.

Anyone interning through The Washington Center will soon find out that all interns are expected to complete two informational interviews. The interviews are supposed to be with people you find interesting and you get the chance to learn about what it is they do, and how they got there. The idea is that you are able to explore some companies, and through meeting new people begin to build your own network. So this week I got to meet with the executive director of D.C. LEARNs. The visit was very informative and an all-around great experience.

I thought I was going to come to D.C. and relax and enjoy myself. I’ve definitely enjoyed myself but the relaxing I thought I would do was a fantasy as my datebook is working overtime. That’s okay though, I have come to the conclusion that staying busy makes for a more interesting life. Every day brings a new adventure and a different place to be or event. I’m literally booked for weeks! I feel like I need “people” and a personal assistant to help me keep an agenda. So for now it’s off to class, then home to prepare a presentation, and then the Arsalyn conference in the morning.

Week 7: Meridian at Courthouse

On my way here I was seriously worried about what my living arrangements would be like. Admittedly, the idea of sharing a two bedroom apartment with three other people nearly made me nauseous. But I must say that worry was unwarranted because things actually turned out a million times better than I could have ever expected. I definitely lucked out all the way around. My roommates are nearly as beautiful as the apartment we live in. While all four of us are from completely different walks of life, I’ve found that I genuinely enjoy the company of all of them. I don’t think I could have done better if I had hand-picked them myself.

My bedroom

Our living room

Having roommates can have the effect of seriously limiting alone time, but the apartment building has that covered too. There is a clubhouse on the building’s top fourteenth floor that not only has a beautiful view, but has a flat screen television, pool table, and sitting areas. The clubhouse has been a lifesaver for me, it’s got a great wireless internet network and when I need to I sneak up there with my computer and work on projects and assignments, or read. I thought it would have been really loud, but most of the time I go there I’m actually the only one there and usually if I’m not there aren’t more than a handful of people and they generally have the same idea I do.

View of the courtyard

And of the pool...

If for some reason I’m feeling athletic, there is gym with a really nice variety of equipment. I think it’s cool because it stays open all night, so I can go downstairs and workout anytime. It’s been really convenient at the end of the day right before bed when I seemed to need a brisk walk on the treadmill before bed.

Fitness center

The other side of the fitness center...

There is also a convenience store on the first floor. They carry a lot of things that really come in handy when you need last minute items to finish dinner. The store even has dry cleaning and shoe repair. You can also have sandwiches made.

The apartment is located in Arlington, VA and we live so close to Arlington Cemetery that we can actually hear the trumpets playing their salutes through the night is you listen closely. I work in the District and door to door my commute is only about twenty-five to thirty minutes, and best of all the Metro is only about a block and a half away from our building.

Our apartment building offers a 24-hour concierge, plus it’s pretty hard for non-residents to get in the apartment if they don’t have a key fob that allows only residents access to the building, and if that’s not enough, we are almost directly across the street from the police station.

The front lobby

Since everything I could ever possibly need is already in my apartment building I never want to leave. But when I get a hint of cabin fever, there is plenty to do that’s in close walking distance. All I have I do is walk a block or so over to Wilson Boulevard and there are bars and restaurants lining the street. Up a few blocks in either direction there are grocery stores.

It’s official…. I love it at the Meridian at Courthouse!

N. Taft and 15th Streets!!!

Week 6: A Love Affair

After about six weeks of casual visiting and sightseeing here and there, on the fourth day of July as I gazed out of the floor length window of the club house room on the fourteenth floor of my apartment building watching fireworks in the Nation’s capital, in the shadow of the Washington Monument, the glistening Potomac and city lights…it happened. I fell in love with Washington, DC. Infatuated, I watched the dark blue sky fill over and over again with random bursts of color above this beautiful city as the orchestra played. And once the fireworks approached the Grand Finale, I knew at that moment that there wasn’t a single place in the world I’d rather be. I realized then that I could live here forever and make this place my home.

It’s like we were meant to be together, DC and I. Admittedly, we got off to a rocky start and I actually considered walking out, but once we adjusted to each other things began to fall in place as everything came full circle. We finally began to understand each other, and it was the beginning of pure bliss. Initially I was looking forward to going back home and enjoying the comforts and familiarity it would bring. Now, every day I live with the saddening reality that we only have a few more weeks together. So I lay awake at night plotting of ways that I can get back here and spend more time with DC when my internship is over. I’m thinking about weekend visits or spring break trips because I just don’t know if I can quit the District cold turkey!

I had a lot of fun writing this blog, but I have to share my inspiration. A couple of days ago I was shopping and lady in the same store was talking on the phone about the weekend she fell in love with DC, and I thought to myself...I think I’ve got the bug too. So I decided to blog about the moment DC tripped me and made me fall head over heels.

Week 5: The Upside of a Summer Class

When I made the decision to come to Washington, DC and intern for the summer my main goal was to explore a career in a nonprofit organization. Participating in The Washington Center’s program requires that all interns take a class that meets once a week, so before coming I scoured the course catalog for an appropriate class. Last week I blogged about the organization I’m interning with, and to complement my internship placement I chose to take the Nonprofit Management course offered by The Washington Center. The course is taught by a professor named Dr. Anita Plotinsky, who has over twenty years experience being a leader in the nonprofit world. Previously Dr. Plotinsky served as the Director for The Foundation Center here in Washington, DC for eight years. The Foundation Center exists as a resource to nonprofit organizations by housing research libraries and in house assistance for individuals interested in founding nonprofits. It is this type of real world experience that Dr. Anita Plotinsky brings to class every Thursday night at The Washington Center.

Last week marked the beginning of the three-part series in which great leaders from various divisions of the nonprofit sector come and speak to the class about issues relevant to the service arena. Our first speaker was a man by the name of Dr. Alan Abramson who spoke to the class about the importance of nonprofits and the role they play in our society and in relation to our government. This week there is another speaker scheduled for the beginning of class…and then...what better way to kick off Fourth of July weekend than a test? There is a mid-term exam marking the halfway point of the class. The class is also gearing up for the final project, in which we all will have to analyze an organization that we have chosen to be in contact with throughout the term.

So far we have spent time finding resources that nonprofit organizations may use in their everyday operations. Also, we learn about the aspects that separate nonprofits from other types of businesses. For instance, I didn’t know that all nonprofits have a board of directors who are legally responsible for all actions of the organization. This class is great and seems to focus on how organizations exist to meet needs with which our government might not necessarily be willing to get involved. So while it’s a bummer to be taking a class in the summer, it’s a really cool class and I’m excited about what I’m learning.

Week 4: Mobilize.org

This summer I am working at Mobilize.org, formerly ‘Mobilizing America’s Youth’ the organization is an “all partisan” organization that focuses on encouraging those included in the Millennial Generation to become involved in political and civic engagement. I’m definitely a little partial, but I seriously think I have absolutely the best, coolest internship placement. Seriously, these people literally wrote the book on grassroots mobilizing, in which they outline the steps of rallying around an issue and ways in which Millennials can have impact on issues of importance to them.

I was expecting to work in a very conventional office, where everyone worked 9-5, with the girls in heels and business suits and guys wearing ties...so I was pleasantly surprised to find everyone in the office wears blue jeans, tank tops, flip-flops, and shorts. My day starts when I get to work at about ten and ends at five thirty or when I’m done with my work for the day...whichever comes first. So what is it that I actually do? Well, officially my title is Communications Program Associate, and that means that I am helping out with the communications of Mobilize.org--for instance, I compile information for the press list so that the organization can have an effective communication model, have spent a lot of time preparing for a Money In Politics Grant Summit that’s scheduled to happen here in DC during September.

Normally I spend time everyday browsing internet news sites and blogs to find out what kinds of research is being conducted on the Millennial Generation. My favorite thing to do at work is check Facebook, which I must do frequently because we use the site for a great deal of networking and event planning. I know a lot of people who sneak onto Facebook at work, but how many people can actually say that Facebook is included in their job description? And as if that’s not cool enough, in the next couple of weeks we are moving to share an office space with THE Facebook! I’m really looking forward to that.

On my way to DC for this internship, I was already really excited about the work of my organization, but the description I was given over the phone and from the website could not even begin to scratch the surface of everything the organization actually has a hand in. Almost weekly, I attend conferences of our partner organizations, during which I have opportunities to sit in on some amazing panel discussions with people who have led distinguished and successful lives and careers. These leaders talk about ways in which individuals can be effective in impacting policy and ways to hold people in power accountable. I’m really excited, because I think it’s so important that people our age wake up and realize that we are the future of our government. “We are the leaders we’ve been waiting for,” as a discussion panelist phrased it. Mobilize.org is incredibly innovative--any time they think of idea that hasn’t been thought of before and it has no name, they just make up their own.

Outside of the office building

About to go to work

At my desk working

One of our offices