I have returned! There was no way that I had the time or the energy to update this week. I had two papers due- one 15 pager and one 5 pager. Yikes!
If you know me, you know that I hate papers. I can write well, but writing papers is just so monotonous and exhausting. Plus, I end up going three days before I realize that I haven't showered. In college, that is acceptable. However, I don't think that is acceptable in a professional internship. I know that everyone else in the world thinks filth is wonderful, but for some reason professionals haven't gotten that memo yet. Haha. :) Just kidding, for the record.
I turned in my last paper at 11 last night, showered, and felt like my life could finally start. I did not want to go to bed, which made for a difficult morning. I have been extra hungry today, and I do believe that is due to my lack of sleep. Does that happen to you all when you don't get enough sleep? I feel like I could eat an entire Large Supreme pizza on my own. Nom nom nom.
Last weekend wasn't that exciting, so I won't bore you with it. But, I might just give you an update later.. In microsoft paint form. Just think about the possibilities!
:)
Friday, June 24, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Weekend Numero Dos in DC
This weekend was a lot of fun, but kept me very busy! Friday I met up with some of the girls at Metro Center to do some shopping at Forever 21. Now, I know that I am from Oklahoma, but this was the biggest Forever 21 I have ever seen in my life. Too big. We walked in and I thought, "wow-- this is too much to handle." Then I found out that there were two other floors. I didn't know what to do. By default and because it didn't look overwhelming, I started at the jewelery. Unfortunately, that section is just the same size as at any store. After that section, I was forced to face the horror. Forever 21, if you don't shop there, doesn't know how to organize their clothes. They attempt having "themes" in certain areas, but really-- it is all over the place. In a normal sized store, you have to be in the right mindset to shop there. If you aren't ready for it, you won't find anything because you won't know where to start. You can have to frames of mind: 1- "I know exactly what I am looking for." Or 2- "I don't care how much I have to try on, I just want really cute clothes to make me feel like I am cute and trendy and make myself seem like an awesome person."
Well, I didn't have either of these mindsets. I wandered around aimlessly. Up the Escalator. Down the Escalator. Around the corner. Under the iron beam (really). Did you know that Forever 21 makes children's clothing? Did you know they make maternity clothing? Yeah, I didn't either. And of course, in F-21 style, there are no signs to tell you this. You just walk into a doorway and BAM. Clothing for toddlers that belongs on the front of InStyle Magazine. It was crazy. I tried on the least amount I have ever tried on at a F-21. That is just how overwhelmed I was.
When we got back, I was in a really wierd mood. My mind was in shock. Denise (one of my roommates) and I went to get dinner, and I wanted to choose the place with the least options possible. I felt bad because she had recommended Whole Foods. I just couldn't handle that many options. Forever 21 had ruined options in my brain. We went to this italian restaurant down the road, and I had Spaghetti and Meatballs. It was really tasty and comforting. Later that night, over half of us (there are 55 total) went out. It was a lot of fun to dance around and have fun with my new friends. I followed the night by a beautiful round of sleeping in on Saturday morning.
After I woke up Saturday, 3 of the guys and I went to the National Museum of Natural History. We weren't really into the museum thing, and were pretty silent the whole time. It was neat stuff, but we were all worn out from the whole week. After that we hung out in Adam's Morgan a bit, and then headed home. We ended up losing one of the guys when we all stopped for a bathroom break at McDonalds. We thought he died; he thought we left him. It all ended up fine though! While walking back to the dorms, I was plotting getting food, when we ran into two girls who were doing just that. I joined them and we went to "Steak n' Egg." It was a really small breakfast diner. The kind that only have room to sit at the bar, where you can watch them cook. It was so delicious, and I really would not mind eating there every single day. No lie. But, then again, I love breakfast. Apparently they also have really good philly cheese steaks, which I will definitely be trying! When we returned to the dorms, I joined yet another group to go see the movie "Super 8." It was pretty good, but not life-changing like I expected. Then it was bed time fo' real.
Sunday I woke up late once again, and was loving it. I found out really sad news about a family friend's murder in Tulsa last week. We used to spend a lot of time with their family, because their son's were the same age as Blake and I. I remember baseball games and randomly visiting their house, and all around really good memories of them growing up. It is a sad loss, and another reminder that we are not guaranteed every day. To lift up my spirits, I joined 3 of the guys (I guess I was all about hanging out with the guys this weekend) on a journey to a Taco Bell. It was truly a journey- about 20 minutes on the metro. It was worth it though. It was in Union Station, which had more places to eat than any mall ever (reminiscent of my F-21 visit two days prior). I knew what I wanted though, and the Taco Bell was just what my tastebuds missed. :)
The rest of the day was spent relaxing and at an emotionally draining group meeting about self-awareness. Lots of self-reflection. We were drained. I went to get pad thai to-go, ate it in our room, and pretty much laid in bed the rest of the night. It felt lovely.
:)
Well, I didn't have either of these mindsets. I wandered around aimlessly. Up the Escalator. Down the Escalator. Around the corner. Under the iron beam (really). Did you know that Forever 21 makes children's clothing? Did you know they make maternity clothing? Yeah, I didn't either. And of course, in F-21 style, there are no signs to tell you this. You just walk into a doorway and BAM. Clothing for toddlers that belongs on the front of InStyle Magazine. It was crazy. I tried on the least amount I have ever tried on at a F-21. That is just how overwhelmed I was.
When we got back, I was in a really wierd mood. My mind was in shock. Denise (one of my roommates) and I went to get dinner, and I wanted to choose the place with the least options possible. I felt bad because she had recommended Whole Foods. I just couldn't handle that many options. Forever 21 had ruined options in my brain. We went to this italian restaurant down the road, and I had Spaghetti and Meatballs. It was really tasty and comforting. Later that night, over half of us (there are 55 total) went out. It was a lot of fun to dance around and have fun with my new friends. I followed the night by a beautiful round of sleeping in on Saturday morning.
After I woke up Saturday, 3 of the guys and I went to the National Museum of Natural History. We weren't really into the museum thing, and were pretty silent the whole time. It was neat stuff, but we were all worn out from the whole week. After that we hung out in Adam's Morgan a bit, and then headed home. We ended up losing one of the guys when we all stopped for a bathroom break at McDonalds. We thought he died; he thought we left him. It all ended up fine though! While walking back to the dorms, I was plotting getting food, when we ran into two girls who were doing just that. I joined them and we went to "Steak n' Egg." It was a really small breakfast diner. The kind that only have room to sit at the bar, where you can watch them cook. It was so delicious, and I really would not mind eating there every single day. No lie. But, then again, I love breakfast. Apparently they also have really good philly cheese steaks, which I will definitely be trying! When we returned to the dorms, I joined yet another group to go see the movie "Super 8." It was pretty good, but not life-changing like I expected. Then it was bed time fo' real.
Sunday I woke up late once again, and was loving it. I found out really sad news about a family friend's murder in Tulsa last week. We used to spend a lot of time with their family, because their son's were the same age as Blake and I. I remember baseball games and randomly visiting their house, and all around really good memories of them growing up. It is a sad loss, and another reminder that we are not guaranteed every day. To lift up my spirits, I joined 3 of the guys (I guess I was all about hanging out with the guys this weekend) on a journey to a Taco Bell. It was truly a journey- about 20 minutes on the metro. It was worth it though. It was in Union Station, which had more places to eat than any mall ever (reminiscent of my F-21 visit two days prior). I knew what I wanted though, and the Taco Bell was just what my tastebuds missed. :)
The rest of the day was spent relaxing and at an emotionally draining group meeting about self-awareness. Lots of self-reflection. We were drained. I went to get pad thai to-go, ate it in our room, and pretty much laid in bed the rest of the night. It felt lovely.
:)
Monday, June 13, 2011
The Daily Grind
The rest of the week of work went much smoother. On Tuesday I received everything I needed and was able to get to work. I was completely unsure of what to do. My job for now is to work Help Desk and answer technical support calls. At first, I really didn't know what I was doing. As the week went on, though, I was able to get into the swing of things. On Friday, I answered multiple calls without getting help from anybody. I was so proud of myself! There are still lots of things I don't know, but since I have only been here a week and have never seen a lot of the systems being used, it is okay. If I knew everything at this point I would probably be smart enough to conquer the world. Luckily, I don't know everything and have no desire to be responsible for the welfare of our planet.
Class last week made life a little bit intense. Tuesday and Thursday nights, I have my Formation of Federal Indian Policy class. The teacher seems pretty cool, but he also loves the idea of 20 minute breaks in class. That I am not a big fan of, especially since on Thursday we didn't get out of class until 9:45 pm. Eek. Hopefully it will get better though. Wednesday I have my Internship/Leadership class, and I am not quite sure what we are doing in there. We talked a lot about what a good student is- between bookworm or someone who isn't as grade smart but is really involved in school. I am not quite sure the direction this class is going to go in. However, this class let out early, which made me happy. Our time is so limited that each minute is precious.
On Tuesday and Thursday night, I tried out our cafeteria. Frankly, it was wierd. The food wasn't good and the cafeteria reminded me of high school. There are other places to eat farther on campus, so I might have to start trying those out. Though, with limited time I will have to be careful planning that out. I will keep eating it, though, because we get 50 meals for the summer that you can only use at the cafeteria. Womp womp. OU's cafeteria and other food places really spoiled me. ...I feel like my posts keep talking about how OU has spoiled me. That just means life there is oh-so-great. :)
Wednesday night I got to meet my "cousin" Alice in Dupont Circle. She was here for a few days, so we went to get dinner after I got off work and before class. We went to a burger joint for the sole reason that it had milkshakes. It was SO HOT that day. I was dying. I also wasn't very hungry, so I probably shouldn't have chosen this burger place. But the milkshake was so worth it.
On Friday, work was very enjoyable. Since I was answering calls on my own and wasn't asking for help as much, it felt great. Also, the woman I met on Monday who had the cute puppy brought us pizza for lunch. It was from Whole Foods, and was actually pretty good. The slices were HUGE, so I only had one. I have been having pretty small meals all week, too. I think my stomach is shrinking. It is going to be really interesting to see what all this small meal-eating and lots of walking does to me over the summer. Now, if I can just find an outdoor swimming pool....
:)
Class last week made life a little bit intense. Tuesday and Thursday nights, I have my Formation of Federal Indian Policy class. The teacher seems pretty cool, but he also loves the idea of 20 minute breaks in class. That I am not a big fan of, especially since on Thursday we didn't get out of class until 9:45 pm. Eek. Hopefully it will get better though. Wednesday I have my Internship/Leadership class, and I am not quite sure what we are doing in there. We talked a lot about what a good student is- between bookworm or someone who isn't as grade smart but is really involved in school. I am not quite sure the direction this class is going to go in. However, this class let out early, which made me happy. Our time is so limited that each minute is precious.
On Tuesday and Thursday night, I tried out our cafeteria. Frankly, it was wierd. The food wasn't good and the cafeteria reminded me of high school. There are other places to eat farther on campus, so I might have to start trying those out. Though, with limited time I will have to be careful planning that out. I will keep eating it, though, because we get 50 meals for the summer that you can only use at the cafeteria. Womp womp. OU's cafeteria and other food places really spoiled me. ...I feel like my posts keep talking about how OU has spoiled me. That just means life there is oh-so-great. :)
Wednesday night I got to meet my "cousin" Alice in Dupont Circle. She was here for a few days, so we went to get dinner after I got off work and before class. We went to a burger joint for the sole reason that it had milkshakes. It was SO HOT that day. I was dying. I also wasn't very hungry, so I probably shouldn't have chosen this burger place. But the milkshake was so worth it.
On Friday, work was very enjoyable. Since I was answering calls on my own and wasn't asking for help as much, it felt great. Also, the woman I met on Monday who had the cute puppy brought us pizza for lunch. It was from Whole Foods, and was actually pretty good. The slices were HUGE, so I only had one. I have been having pretty small meals all week, too. I think my stomach is shrinking. It is going to be really interesting to see what all this small meal-eating and lots of walking does to me over the summer. Now, if I can just find an outdoor swimming pool....
:)
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
If I Were One of the Seven Dwarves..
...then on my first day of work I would have been Sleepy.
I had a rough time getting to sleep on Sunday night, which was no surprise since anticipation was starting to creep in. I left a little after 6:30 am to get to work to ensure my timely arrival. Timely was supposed to mean a couple minutes early. Timely ended up meaning 45 minutes early. I had brought pop tarts and juice for breakfast, since I figured I would be a little early. However, since I had so much time I stopped at a store and got a muffin and a banana. I ate as slowly as possible and attempted to look to my phone to keep me busy. However, the rest of my world just isn't awake and willing to entertain at 7:30 am Eastern Time. I went to find my building, and did very quickly. That was not what I intended, once again. I sat outside the building staring at my phone for a while. The guard saw me (and recognized me later- just my luck), as well as a lot of other people going to work in my building, so I felt a little awkward. When it was close enough to the time I was to show up, I went inside and checked in. I sat for quite a while, and eventually the lady got a phone call and asked where I was interning. I never really got that information, so I wasn't much help. Someone who was overseeing another intern took me under his wing, and also was able to track down who my supervisor is. I was taught about the agency and what they do. I was right that they are just like the FDIC, but for Credit Unions. They are much smaller than the FDIC as well, but that makes sense.
The morning was spent with my supervisor showing me around and me getting acquainted with my desk. HR wasn't able to process my paperwork yet, so I wasn't able to get started on work. The worker in the next cubicle decided to teach me about what I would be doing. He was really nice and helpful. For lunch I went nearby to a mediterranean place and had a gyro. It was no comparison to Greek House in Norman, but then again it is hard to beat Greek House. After lunch I got to sit with another woman in my department to watch her do some of the things I will be doing. We talked a lot about our lives and she showed me pictures of her family and really cute puppy. I like her a lot, but unfortunately for me she works from home a couple days a week. That's okay though because everyone here seems really nice and fun. After I sat with her, I was finally able to get my ID and we could get started on getting my computer ready. I sat with another woman in my office, and she was getting all the intern computers ready at one time. After that, there wasn't much for me to do. I had a lot of downtime today, simply because it took time to get everything ready. Luckily, I had a book to read, and so it wasn't bad at all. Not bad aside from the fact I was trying to stay awake the whole day. I definitely don't know if I can take the advice of "not worrying about sleep," because it was very difficult.
I got off about 4:30, and ended up seeing Blake (OSU friend in the program) on the subway. We shared about our days and made it back to campus. We were going to eat, but my phone needed to be charged badly, so I decided to eat dinner with some of the girls who were to get in later. Unfortunately, that didn't work out. I didn't know what was going on, and I was so tired so I just laid down and slept. I set an alarm for our floor meeting at 8:30. When I woke up, the room was dark. I found my phone, and it was off. I couldn't turn it on. Plugging it in didn't help either. I turned on my computer, and it was 8:50. Now, if you know what I am like when I wake up, you can just imagine how I must have seemed trying to understand why my phone wasn't working and why I was alone in a dark room. It was surely entertaining. I crawled down and sat on top (yes, on top) of my desk and got to work on my phone. I ended up getting it to work after taking out the battery. I thought it had died, but was wrong because it had plenty of battery when it turned back on. I think I must have done something crazy to it in my sleep (when I woke up it was underneath my back). Me and sleepiness just do some crazy things. I eventually woke up enough to realize I was still hungry. I went down to Whole Foods and picked up some things that I could eat for breakfast and for snacks. I was disappointed with their selection of things that don't need to be refrigerated, so I went to CVS. I ended up buying a lean cuisine meal for dinner.
Sleepy day was just all around a strange day. I was hoping I would be able to get some blogging in that night, but obviously there just wasn't time. I had a realization that real jobs truly take most of your time. You go to work in the morning. Get home in the evening. Eat. Shower. Then you need sleep. There really isn't time for much else-- just on the weekend really. It is crazy. And tuesday/wednesday/thursday I have class at night. I know I won't be doing those classes when I get a real "big kid" job, but it is still a sad though. In high school, I was used to that kind of schedule. But now? College has spoiled me, big time. I am really happy that I still have one more year of my beautiful, flexible, schedule.
:)
I had a rough time getting to sleep on Sunday night, which was no surprise since anticipation was starting to creep in. I left a little after 6:30 am to get to work to ensure my timely arrival. Timely was supposed to mean a couple minutes early. Timely ended up meaning 45 minutes early. I had brought pop tarts and juice for breakfast, since I figured I would be a little early. However, since I had so much time I stopped at a store and got a muffin and a banana. I ate as slowly as possible and attempted to look to my phone to keep me busy. However, the rest of my world just isn't awake and willing to entertain at 7:30 am Eastern Time. I went to find my building, and did very quickly. That was not what I intended, once again. I sat outside the building staring at my phone for a while. The guard saw me (and recognized me later- just my luck), as well as a lot of other people going to work in my building, so I felt a little awkward. When it was close enough to the time I was to show up, I went inside and checked in. I sat for quite a while, and eventually the lady got a phone call and asked where I was interning. I never really got that information, so I wasn't much help. Someone who was overseeing another intern took me under his wing, and also was able to track down who my supervisor is. I was taught about the agency and what they do. I was right that they are just like the FDIC, but for Credit Unions. They are much smaller than the FDIC as well, but that makes sense.
The morning was spent with my supervisor showing me around and me getting acquainted with my desk. HR wasn't able to process my paperwork yet, so I wasn't able to get started on work. The worker in the next cubicle decided to teach me about what I would be doing. He was really nice and helpful. For lunch I went nearby to a mediterranean place and had a gyro. It was no comparison to Greek House in Norman, but then again it is hard to beat Greek House. After lunch I got to sit with another woman in my department to watch her do some of the things I will be doing. We talked a lot about our lives and she showed me pictures of her family and really cute puppy. I like her a lot, but unfortunately for me she works from home a couple days a week. That's okay though because everyone here seems really nice and fun. After I sat with her, I was finally able to get my ID and we could get started on getting my computer ready. I sat with another woman in my office, and she was getting all the intern computers ready at one time. After that, there wasn't much for me to do. I had a lot of downtime today, simply because it took time to get everything ready. Luckily, I had a book to read, and so it wasn't bad at all. Not bad aside from the fact I was trying to stay awake the whole day. I definitely don't know if I can take the advice of "not worrying about sleep," because it was very difficult.
I got off about 4:30, and ended up seeing Blake (OSU friend in the program) on the subway. We shared about our days and made it back to campus. We were going to eat, but my phone needed to be charged badly, so I decided to eat dinner with some of the girls who were to get in later. Unfortunately, that didn't work out. I didn't know what was going on, and I was so tired so I just laid down and slept. I set an alarm for our floor meeting at 8:30. When I woke up, the room was dark. I found my phone, and it was off. I couldn't turn it on. Plugging it in didn't help either. I turned on my computer, and it was 8:50. Now, if you know what I am like when I wake up, you can just imagine how I must have seemed trying to understand why my phone wasn't working and why I was alone in a dark room. It was surely entertaining. I crawled down and sat on top (yes, on top) of my desk and got to work on my phone. I ended up getting it to work after taking out the battery. I thought it had died, but was wrong because it had plenty of battery when it turned back on. I think I must have done something crazy to it in my sleep (when I woke up it was underneath my back). Me and sleepiness just do some crazy things. I eventually woke up enough to realize I was still hungry. I went down to Whole Foods and picked up some things that I could eat for breakfast and for snacks. I was disappointed with their selection of things that don't need to be refrigerated, so I went to CVS. I ended up buying a lean cuisine meal for dinner.
Sleepy day was just all around a strange day. I was hoping I would be able to get some blogging in that night, but obviously there just wasn't time. I had a realization that real jobs truly take most of your time. You go to work in the morning. Get home in the evening. Eat. Shower. Then you need sleep. There really isn't time for much else-- just on the weekend really. It is crazy. And tuesday/wednesday/thursday I have class at night. I know I won't be doing those classes when I get a real "big kid" job, but it is still a sad though. In high school, I was used to that kind of schedule. But now? College has spoiled me, big time. I am really happy that I still have one more year of my beautiful, flexible, schedule.
:)
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
It's my Birthday and I'll cry if I want to!
So, on my first day here I had a moment of sadness where I just had to cry. Coming to DC was hard because I wanted so badly to be home this summer, since I have no clue where next year will take me. I was alone in my room, but as soon as I was with people- happiness arrived!
When I got home from hanging out with boyfriend on Saturday night, I was having trouble finding people that I could go out with at Midnight, when I turned 21. People wanted to the night before, but after everyone's long day around DC, everyone was too tired. Also, everyone was out getting ice cream/watching movies/who knows what, so I was alone when the clock struck 12. Call me lame, but I kind of might have sung happy birthday to myself. I also wasn't getting any messages or calls, which confused me because there are always those few that roll in right at midnight. I was really sad, and had only bf tell me happy birthday. When I told him that nobody wanted to go out, he decided he would take me. So he came back and took me to a club that his cousin was at. They played a lot of African music, and I was able to get my birthday drink (I wasn't sure I would be able to later since we had work the next day). Also, I had forgotten that I am in a different timezone from everyone else. After we got off the subway, I had many text messages and a voicemail from my big, who had been trying to call me but I didn't have service. My night had turned around. :)
In the morning, I was able to wake up without an alarm for the first time since arriving in DC. It felt wonderful. I laid in bed for a while until I decided I should get some food and get ready for the day. Last week I volunteered to be a part of a group that is getting extra professional development training, and we met for the first time that afternoon. After that meeting, our groups presented about our Saturday adventures and how it related to Community. The word our group had chosen was "Acceptance." We were given a 3 minute limit, but most people took much longer. Our group was determined to make it, so we did. It was fast and entertaining. We made it into the top 3, but didn't get the popular vote to be the winner. That's okay though, because we accomplished what we wanted! After the presentations we all ate pizza, and some alumns of the program gave advice for this summer. Most said to not worry about sleeping. I am normally pretty good at not getting much sleep, but that is a skill that is fading. We shall see!
That day, some of the girls decided that we had to do something for my birthday. It made me happy that people cared enough even though I just met them! A group of 9 of us headed to a Cheesecake Factory nearby. Since we had already eaten, we focused on the desert menu (and me the drinks menu, of course). I ordered the Dutch Apple Streusal cheescake, which was perfect in every way. The waiters sang happy birthday to me while deliverying my plate, which had "Happy Birthday To You" written on it. I even got a candle! Based off of our waitresses suggestions, I ordered a Mai Tai and (I think) Georgia Peach. They were both delicious.
That was it for the night, as well all had big days the next day. All in all, it was a great birthday. I very much appreciate all the messages I got, and I especially appreciate everyone who helped me to spend a great birthday in DC.
When I got home from hanging out with boyfriend on Saturday night, I was having trouble finding people that I could go out with at Midnight, when I turned 21. People wanted to the night before, but after everyone's long day around DC, everyone was too tired. Also, everyone was out getting ice cream/watching movies/who knows what, so I was alone when the clock struck 12. Call me lame, but I kind of might have sung happy birthday to myself. I also wasn't getting any messages or calls, which confused me because there are always those few that roll in right at midnight. I was really sad, and had only bf tell me happy birthday. When I told him that nobody wanted to go out, he decided he would take me. So he came back and took me to a club that his cousin was at. They played a lot of African music, and I was able to get my birthday drink (I wasn't sure I would be able to later since we had work the next day). Also, I had forgotten that I am in a different timezone from everyone else. After we got off the subway, I had many text messages and a voicemail from my big, who had been trying to call me but I didn't have service. My night had turned around. :)
In the morning, I was able to wake up without an alarm for the first time since arriving in DC. It felt wonderful. I laid in bed for a while until I decided I should get some food and get ready for the day. Last week I volunteered to be a part of a group that is getting extra professional development training, and we met for the first time that afternoon. After that meeting, our groups presented about our Saturday adventures and how it related to Community. The word our group had chosen was "Acceptance." We were given a 3 minute limit, but most people took much longer. Our group was determined to make it, so we did. It was fast and entertaining. We made it into the top 3, but didn't get the popular vote to be the winner. That's okay though, because we accomplished what we wanted! After the presentations we all ate pizza, and some alumns of the program gave advice for this summer. Most said to not worry about sleeping. I am normally pretty good at not getting much sleep, but that is a skill that is fading. We shall see!
That day, some of the girls decided that we had to do something for my birthday. It made me happy that people cared enough even though I just met them! A group of 9 of us headed to a Cheesecake Factory nearby. Since we had already eaten, we focused on the desert menu (and me the drinks menu, of course). I ordered the Dutch Apple Streusal cheescake, which was perfect in every way. The waiters sang happy birthday to me while deliverying my plate, which had "Happy Birthday To You" written on it. I even got a candle! Based off of our waitresses suggestions, I ordered a Mai Tai and (I think) Georgia Peach. They were both delicious.
That was it for the night, as well all had big days the next day. All in all, it was a great birthday. I very much appreciate all the messages I got, and I especially appreciate everyone who helped me to spend a great birthday in DC.
Orientation, Workshops, and DC Adventures
The next few of my days in DC were filled with more orienation and workshops. Things regarding the school's services, policies, professional development, and conflict resolution. Much of it seemed repetitive and some I already knew from OU, but it wasn't too bad. One of the presenters was fun and had us watch The Office- how could I not enjoy that? Also, she and I are birthday twins! She makes the third person ever that I have met who has my birthday(I thought she was the second, but I forgot about a girl I met in college Freshman year--thanks facebook!). Over the weekend, more people arrived for our program, and we have yet another OU person! OU is taking over DC. :) And there is still just one from OSU.. victory! Friday night we ended the day of orientation with a barbecue, which was delicious. Summer would be entirely incomplete without some BBQ. Later that night, a lot of us travelled down to the National Mall to see the monuments at night. I have driven by them before at night, but this was much prettier! Surprisingly, the reflecting pool is gone. I am sure it will be back for July 4th- at least it better. I realized that I haven't ever actually seend the reflecting pool in person. I am not quite sure how I managed to do that- but it is a good little ways from the Washington Monument.
During this adventure, we all slowly broke apart. I was with mostly Oklahoma people, with one whom was made an honorary Oklahoman. After we hung out with Lincoln for a while, we decided to walk to a different metro stop and find some food on the way. THERE WAS NOTHING. We picked the wrong street, apparently. We went through GWU (which has apartment complex-style sororities/fraternities that looked legit), and asked someone where food was. They said, "7-11 behind me, TGI Fridays that way." So- TGI Fridays it was! After all, it was Friday! We got there and were immediately segregated into our own room all alone. It was fine, aside from the fact that there was an old picture (those oval kind with the rounded glass-like a tv almost) of a boy that was really creepy. It is unfortunate, because I am sure at one point that was a fabulous picture. But, it's eyes followed us, and it was just not okay. I sat facing it. At dinner, there was a sign for a free desert on your birthday if you text a number. I thought I might be able to swing that since I was just 24 hours away. So I did. Unfortunately, they sent one back saying something along the lines of, "Great! I know you are eating right now, and really want the desert right now, but you can't get it until we send you the coupon code on your birthday. That way, you can come back and eat here again for your birthday. Because I know you like to eat the same thing for dinner every night." Actually, that isn't what it said- but that is how I interpreted it. :) And you know what? I never got my text message on my birthday. Jerks. After dinner I didn't want to sleep, and neither did my friend from OSU. So he and I stayed up talking for a while about life and whatnot. Both of us are in the same boat about not wanting to make these big life decisions this next year. Womp womp.
Waking up Saturday came way too early. We had a group activity for the day. We thought it would be a scavenger hunt, but it was actually a day for us to explore the city and do the things we wanted to do in DC as a group. Our group went to Georgetown first. Boyfriend suggested a coffee shop, but unfortunately it was closed. When I told him, he was upset with DC for a quick moment, because things tend to open and close often. We walked around and found another coffee shop that also served breakfast/lunch sandwiches. They looked delicious! I had some fruit that I forced a friend to share with me because it was a very large serving. We then walked through the neighborhood to Georgetown University. The first thing we saw was a large building that we decided is a castle. We were all IN LOVE with this campus. It was gorgeous and huge. They had cemetaries even, which was kind of creepy but cool at the same time. We wondered how much money you had to donate to be buried there. ;) Really though, it was cool just how historical it was. They were having a Reunion that day, so it was fun to see the activities they had going on. We went to their gift store and I bought a t-shirt. I also asked Mom and Dad to put the house up for sale so that I could transfer schools. I love OU- but this place was truly that amazing! If only...
After that we headed down to Georgetown Cupcakes (the company of the show, DC Cupcakes, on TLC). On the way we stopped by North Face, and I found the greatest Raincoat ever. I want it, but didn't feel like spending 200 dollars on a raincoat. We shall see how much money I have left after summer ends, haha! When we arrived at the cupcake store, there was a line, but not too bad. We got there at the right time, because the line got much longer while we waited. I had a White Chocolate Raspberry, which was the special that day. It wasn't quite a Sara Sara cupcake, but it was still amazing! Definitely worth the wait! Our next stop was the White House. We tried to find a bus, but all the bus stops in Georgetown come without maps. A girl who runs track for Georgetown told us it wasn't a bad walk. After about 15 minutes and little progress, we finally found a map, a bus, and soon the White House. We took pictures outside and got to listen about a man rapping/singing about Jesus. He was actually a little creepy because after every sentence he let out a really creepy laugh. We then went to the White House gift shop. I was disappointed with the keychains, which i desperately needed for our dorm keys. Another girl found lanyards that say "White House Staff" on them, with a removable keychain part. So, I got one as well. We also got to take some great pictures at the store. I don't want to ruin them, so I will just let you see later.
After all of that, we were super tired. We headed back to campus and felt pretty dead. I laid down for a bit, but then went to hang out with boyfriend while I still could. He took me to a suburb area to a mall so I could go to an H&M. I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS STORE. I could do very dangerous things there. I was good though, and only got 3 things. Well, they actually ended up being birthday presents, so it was even better! I will definitely have to find another H&M before I leave in July. I am not even kidding- it is my new favorite store and Oklahoma needs one stat. We then went to eat at (yet another) ethiopian restaurant. Bf is obsessed, but that is okay because I love it too! The area we went to was on U Street, and it was this really jazzy district and it was fun to be in. I want to go back, but bf warned me that it is next to the really bad part of town, so probably not. Then it was time to split ways so I could go figure out plans for the very beginning of my birthday!
During this adventure, we all slowly broke apart. I was with mostly Oklahoma people, with one whom was made an honorary Oklahoman. After we hung out with Lincoln for a while, we decided to walk to a different metro stop and find some food on the way. THERE WAS NOTHING. We picked the wrong street, apparently. We went through GWU (which has apartment complex-style sororities/fraternities that looked legit), and asked someone where food was. They said, "7-11 behind me, TGI Fridays that way." So- TGI Fridays it was! After all, it was Friday! We got there and were immediately segregated into our own room all alone. It was fine, aside from the fact that there was an old picture (those oval kind with the rounded glass-like a tv almost) of a boy that was really creepy. It is unfortunate, because I am sure at one point that was a fabulous picture. But, it's eyes followed us, and it was just not okay. I sat facing it. At dinner, there was a sign for a free desert on your birthday if you text a number. I thought I might be able to swing that since I was just 24 hours away. So I did. Unfortunately, they sent one back saying something along the lines of, "Great! I know you are eating right now, and really want the desert right now, but you can't get it until we send you the coupon code on your birthday. That way, you can come back and eat here again for your birthday. Because I know you like to eat the same thing for dinner every night." Actually, that isn't what it said- but that is how I interpreted it. :) And you know what? I never got my text message on my birthday. Jerks. After dinner I didn't want to sleep, and neither did my friend from OSU. So he and I stayed up talking for a while about life and whatnot. Both of us are in the same boat about not wanting to make these big life decisions this next year. Womp womp.
Waking up Saturday came way too early. We had a group activity for the day. We thought it would be a scavenger hunt, but it was actually a day for us to explore the city and do the things we wanted to do in DC as a group. Our group went to Georgetown first. Boyfriend suggested a coffee shop, but unfortunately it was closed. When I told him, he was upset with DC for a quick moment, because things tend to open and close often. We walked around and found another coffee shop that also served breakfast/lunch sandwiches. They looked delicious! I had some fruit that I forced a friend to share with me because it was a very large serving. We then walked through the neighborhood to Georgetown University. The first thing we saw was a large building that we decided is a castle. We were all IN LOVE with this campus. It was gorgeous and huge. They had cemetaries even, which was kind of creepy but cool at the same time. We wondered how much money you had to donate to be buried there. ;) Really though, it was cool just how historical it was. They were having a Reunion that day, so it was fun to see the activities they had going on. We went to their gift store and I bought a t-shirt. I also asked Mom and Dad to put the house up for sale so that I could transfer schools. I love OU- but this place was truly that amazing! If only...
After that we headed down to Georgetown Cupcakes (the company of the show, DC Cupcakes, on TLC). On the way we stopped by North Face, and I found the greatest Raincoat ever. I want it, but didn't feel like spending 200 dollars on a raincoat. We shall see how much money I have left after summer ends, haha! When we arrived at the cupcake store, there was a line, but not too bad. We got there at the right time, because the line got much longer while we waited. I had a White Chocolate Raspberry, which was the special that day. It wasn't quite a Sara Sara cupcake, but it was still amazing! Definitely worth the wait! Our next stop was the White House. We tried to find a bus, but all the bus stops in Georgetown come without maps. A girl who runs track for Georgetown told us it wasn't a bad walk. After about 15 minutes and little progress, we finally found a map, a bus, and soon the White House. We took pictures outside and got to listen about a man rapping/singing about Jesus. He was actually a little creepy because after every sentence he let out a really creepy laugh. We then went to the White House gift shop. I was disappointed with the keychains, which i desperately needed for our dorm keys. Another girl found lanyards that say "White House Staff" on them, with a removable keychain part. So, I got one as well. We also got to take some great pictures at the store. I don't want to ruin them, so I will just let you see later.
After all of that, we were super tired. We headed back to campus and felt pretty dead. I laid down for a bit, but then went to hang out with boyfriend while I still could. He took me to a suburb area to a mall so I could go to an H&M. I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS STORE. I could do very dangerous things there. I was good though, and only got 3 things. Well, they actually ended up being birthday presents, so it was even better! I will definitely have to find another H&M before I leave in July. I am not even kidding- it is my new favorite store and Oklahoma needs one stat. We then went to eat at (yet another) ethiopian restaurant. Bf is obsessed, but that is okay because I love it too! The area we went to was on U Street, and it was this really jazzy district and it was fun to be in. I want to go back, but bf warned me that it is next to the really bad part of town, so probably not. Then it was time to split ways so I could go figure out plans for the very beginning of my birthday!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
KT in DC
Hola from Washington D.C.!
I have almost finished my second full day here, and I must say that I am having a great time! When I got here, we went to our dorms, got our room, and then got our AU id cards. I have gotten to know the area a bit after wandering around yesterday. Some of us gathered for snacks downstairs, so I got to meet some other people in the program. There are 4/5 of us from OU!! And a lot from Oklahoma. A lot of the people in the group grew up on reservations, which I think is super legit. I am Cherokee and have only been to pow-wows and been involved in student clubs. So many of these men and women are truly passionate about their tribes and even speak the languages. I am impressed, and inspired to learn more/get more involved with my tribe. It is something I have always wanted to be more involved in, but my family isn't and so it doesn't come second nature! Hopefully through this I will get to learn more and feel more connected.
Some of us went to Whole Foods last night with Lisa, our CA(basically our RA but for our program) and I had a blast. We talked, laughed, and were just plain silly. I loved it! I can really get along with these people, and am sure I will make some great friends!
My roommates are also really great. One is from Alaska/Massachusetts, and the other is from Arizona- shout out to Erika! Our room is really awkward- three people in a size meant for two. We tried many ways of rearranging it, and ended up with one of the beds diagonal underneath my lofted bed. I am up high, which is fine, but they didn't give a latter! So, I use my desk to climb up. When moving one of the other desks, we found that the top wasn't attached to the bottom. Luckily, I think the one I have been climbing on is attached fully. We shall see! Hopefully I don't hurt myself! I tend to be pretty good at avoiding injuries though. Unless it involves coughing or sneezing (see: Bruised Rib).
Today began with bagels and the beginning of our Orientation. We learned a lot more about campus then I think I learned at OU's freshman orientation. We learned about police, the gym, counselling, and more. Some of us went to Subway for lunch, and I was really excited to try one of the new AVOCADO sandwiches, but the avocado "wasn't ready." I don't get what they mean by that! Silly Subway. It just wasn't meant to be today. We did some activities to get to know each other and went over some professional development things.
After orientation, I got to see boyfriend! He is here for a couple days, and they let us out early. I was very happy. :) He met me at my Metro stop and we went into the city to eat some Ethiopian food at Meskerem. Apparently it is Zagat Rated, so if you live in DC you should check it out in the Adams Morgan area! I got Zilzil Tibbs, which I already knew I liked from the restaurant Queen of Sheeba in OKC. I have a horrible habit of always ordering the same thing... what can I say? I like what I like! I feel no shame! :) This restaurant was really cool because it was set up with a low "table" which I discovered was actually a basket! They bring a really big plate out that goes in the basket, and they put all the food on it. It was delicious, and not very busy for dinner time which made me happy! Afterward, boyfriend had time to kill and came to see where I am living and met my roommates. Unfortunately, it was then time to go to our first class meeting. Little did I know, I actually missed the first one because I didn't realize I had two meetings today. I wasn't the only one that did so though, so that makes me feel better!
All in all, it was a great day! I think I will like it here, very much!
:)
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