There are only three days left until the semester ends! It
has been such an incredible experience and one which I will always cherish.
Here are some final tips before the program finishes.
I concluded my internship last week and was lucky enough to
have my parents visit me on the weekend. Although I’m taking a quick trip home in
a week, it was wonderful to see them and take them on a tour of the White House
before I left. In my last few weeks I was able to take on more responsibility
and form closer relationships with some of my supervisors and the principals;
I’m very glad my parents were able to meet some of the people for whom I’d
developed such admiration.
West Wing tour with my family
In all honesty, I was extremely sad to end my internship. I
have had such an amazing time there and built so many wonderful relationships,
so the idea of no longer having the same access to that environment is
upsetting. It is also very hard to leave a place where you can run into the
Vice President in the hallway on one day and Julia Louis-Dreyfus on the next!
I know that I speak for many of my fellow classmates when I
say that in your short time here, you quickly begin to gain confidence in your
work, form bonds that you would like to develop and build a life that you could
foresee transforming into a permanent state. Thus, it is extremely important to
maintain the connections you have made and further those relationships you
found meaningful after you leave. The first tip I have for the conclusion of
your internship is to stay in touch! Don’t bother your supervisors within the
first week after leaving, but certainly reach out after a month. It is also
always good to convey a purpose for contacting them – whether it be about an application on which you’d like them to
advise you or a news article regarding the fruition of program you contributed
to while with the organization.
Although we are in DC and working full-time, this is still
an academic program and we have final exams and papers. Having said that, here
are some recommendations for managing the academic obligations at the end of
the program.
First, both Sarah and I highly advise putting a sufficient
amount of effort into your literature review. This work will make up almost
half of your final research paper and will be a critical foundation for your
research and conclusions. Not only does it guide your research, but it also can
significantly lighten your workload if done well.
Second, you should
not leave your paper until the last couple of weeks. I know how busy and
stressed you will be throughout the semester and this pressure will only
increase as you get closer to the end. I was fortunate in that I had a few days
in between the conclusion of my internship and the submission of my paper to
devote to revising and editing, but many of my classmates were not so lucky.
Third, work with your classmates during the studying process
and manage your time so you aren’t cramming the day before an exam. This is a
general tip, applicable to any college course; however, it is especially
important in this setting where you work full-time and likely won’t have the
benefit of living next door to a classmate.
With that, I will leave you with some photos from my last weeks in the program. In addition to
being one of my best college experiences, it truly has been one of the most
memorable times of my life. I encourage you to make the most of your time here
and take advantage of all the amazing opportunities this place has to offer – and
don’t forget to document all your great experiences!
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| Volunteering at the Corcoran Ball |
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| Going to hear oral argument at the Supreme Court (where I'll be working this summer) |
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| Cherry blossoms |
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| The White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn |
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The National Cathedral
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| Early Mother's Day brunch with my family at Blue Duck Tavern |
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| Coming home from a wonderful dinner at Dr. Spalding's house |
