I’ve been amazed at how fast the semester has flown by. With just over a month left, I’m feeling the pressure to take advantage of my time left in DC. But looking back, the last two months have been packed with work and class, and I’m impressed that I have managed to do as much as I have outside of that.
I’ve gone to several museums, including the African American History Museum. In my opinion, it’s the best Smithsonian. I saw the Barack and Michelle Obama Portraits at the National Portrait Gallery two times, because they were so majestic! I’ve dined at DC classics, like Le Diplomate, Busboys and Poets, Zaytinya, and Il Canale. I’ve gone on many sunset runs around the Lincoln Memorial and the Tidal Basin, and I am beyond excited for the cherry trees to bloom so I can see them along my run.
I’ve spent my days at the DCCC in meetings and events with members of congress, talking to candidates and fundraising for the midterm elections. Getting to work at two very different organizations has been stressful at times, but also an incredible opportunity to see the inner-workings of the groups and what I enjoy. Helping to plan Amnesty’s 2018 Lobby Day, where over 300 activists stormed the hill to lobby for human rights defenders and Rohingya refugees, was extremely rewarding.
I’ve met so many incredible people here in DC, from fellow UCDC students to my colleagues, to people I’ve been introduced through and found common passions. It’s true that DC is a city built on networking, and there are many people here who love to give advice to young people. I’m looking forward to what the last month has in store!