.png)
This summer, I had the opportunity to complete an internship with the United States Senate in Washington D.C. Being on Capitol Hill for 6 weeks taught me so much about the inner workings of the legislative branch, how to work in a professional environment, and most importantly, it gave me a new perspective on being truly independent and living on my own.
Although I was in D.C. for only a short period of time, I do feel as though I developed a better insight into “the district” and was proud to consider myself a local for the time that I was there. In 6 weeks, I was overloaded with information and was quickly forced to adapt to all of the things that our nation’s capital has to offer, both good and bad.
Looking back now, I do think that I would have greatly benefitted from someone giving me some idea of what to expect before moving to a new city completely on my own; therefore, that is what I want to do for you, whether you may be traveling to D.C. soon, are moving there to work, or may just want to know more about what it is like living there out of curiosity. So, without further ado, here are Mary Catherine’s 7 tips about living/working in D.C.:
- It gets HOT! Actually, it may just be that the extreme humidity magnifies the heat. Either way, it gets so hot up there that I eventually began calling it the armpit of the east coast. Now this is coming from a Kentucky girl, and I’ve dealt with humid summers by whole life, but KY doesn’t come close to touching D.C. on the humidity scale. Pair that humidity with walking 5 blocks each morning in a full suit, and you’ll see what I mean.
- If you are a D.C. intern, be PROUD of yourself! One thing I noticed while working in the capital city is that it is an extremely competitive environment, especially for young interns all trying to work their way up the podium. It can be very easy to get wrapped up in that competition and forget to give yourself due credit; however, keep in mind that plenty of people would love to be standing in your shoes. You’ve made it this far, and that is something to be so proud of!
- The public transportation system in the best. I was raised in a town in which you have to drive everywhere, and my college city is not much different. One of the first things I learned in D.C. is that your metro card will be your new best friend. The metro system is your cheapest bet, it spans basically the entire city, and it is much cleaner than other places that I have visited. Don’t always bet on it being right on time, though.
- Brunch is a big deal. This was one of my favorite parts of living in D.C., as “brunching” is one of my favorite hobbies. It is the perfect way to catch up with your friends after a long week, and D.C. has some of the best brunch menus that I’ve ever seen. As a matter of fact, I am still dreaming about the day that I will get to eat another cinnamon roll from Ted Bulletin’s.
- It is expensive. I hope this doesn’t come as a shock to you, as D.C. has been on the list for top 10 most expensive places to live in the U.S. for quite some time now. With this, it is just best to prepare yourself and expect your cost of living to be much more expensive. Back home, I can easily get by spending $40 a week on groceries, but in D.C., that may get you only half of what you need. Honestly, it’s a broke college kid’s nightmare!
- Take advantage of the free perks. You know, maybe the absurd cost of living is just there to balance out all of the free benefits of the city. All of the Smithsonian museums are free, as well as a trip to Arlington National Cemetery. Not to mention, the breathtaking monuments and natural beauty that surround the entire city are free to view as well. Many of the other popular museums, such as the Holocaust Museum, cost only $1. So, after dropping $30 on an extravagant brunch on the weekends, be sure to follow up with these free activities.
- Be patient. If you begin living in D.C. and are immediately fed up with the tourists, then it may not be the place for you. You must remember you were a tourist once too, and the monuments you see every day on your walk to work may be much more special to someone seeing it for the first time. It’s just a part of living in D.C.: you’re constantly surrounding by history of all sorts, and of course you can expect that others want to experience that for themselves.
I am sure that I’m missing all sorts of other important things, but these were just a few of my key takeaways from my short time living and working in D.C. 6 weeks gives you more time than you’d think to adjust to living somewhere completely new! I hope that you found these tips helpful, and I do highly recommend either visiting or working in D.C. if you ever get the chance. It is truly an exceptionally beautiful city with so much to offer. As I like to say, you must experience the armpit at least once in your life!
Mary Catherine Medley, of Springfield, Ky., is a member of the McConnell Scholar Class of 2024 at the University of Louisville. She plans to study criminal justice and political science.