By Lyrica Gee
The purpose of the Washington, D.C. study away program is to prepare its students for their future careers through readiness programming, internships, and supplementary weekly classes, but in my experience, making the most of your time depends on finding friends who will bring you out of your comfort zone to explore every corner of the nation’s capital.
I got the privilege of having an internship that I was passionate about, but didn’t demand too much of me, so I was able to have free time to be with my friends in the evenings and roam the city as much as we could. The Washington Center (TWC) centered us at the perfect point from which to explore.
TWC’s apartment building is situated in the heart of the NoMa–North of Massachusetts Avenue–neighborhood, known for its delicious and diverse food spots in the immediate area. It is only blocks from a stop on the D.C. Metro’s Red Line, which made sure I was able to quickly make trips to other parts of the city.
The biggest transition to and from the city came in the form of public transportation. I have always had a car out of necessity, but I despise driving. Though it was a learning curve, once I got the hang of the D.C. Metro system, I fell in love. After hearing from others who have lived in big cities and been through transit systems like it, I find that D.C.’s is considered one of the cleanest, most well kept, and easiest to navigate. Suddenly, the whole city was available to me without having to get behind the wheel.
The evening class–which runs from 6pm to 9pm–only takes up one night per week, so I made the most of the rest of my time. On weekdays, that meant walking to East City Bookshop or meeting my friends at the National Mall after work to read out on the grass. I found that this was the best way to go about my time studying away. Yes, I wanted to learn and expand my understanding of my career interests, but I also wanted to test my personal boundaries and take the time to make the city mine.
From Sundays at Eastern Market for cheap empanadas and vintage clothes sellers to playing cornhole at Union Market’s rooftop bar, there was always something going on in D.C.
When there wasn’t, being in the nation’s capitol means there are plenty of free things to do in the heart of the city. I have never been to so many museums in a few months, several of them requiring multiple trips because a few hour excursion would only get us through one floor.
In short, the D.C. program did help me narrow down what it is I want to do with my future and provide me with a myriad of networking opportunities. But their real strength lies in how they facilitate exploration of one of the most beautiful cities in the country.
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