2008 Woodie Awards
Semester in D.C. is recommended
Stacy Lipschutz
Issue date: 12/2/04 Section: Op/Ed
- Page 1 of 1
I have to chuckle when I try to convince myself that I am studying abroad. It is more appropriate to say that I am "studying away."
We have all been here on high school field trips and family vacations. We have all read about it in history books. We all know the important people in American history who have lived and governed from this city.
Now I want you all to know how spectacular this city really is.
Experiencing Washington D.C., the District, as a college student, living the life of a "real person" without paying for rent or utilities, does not really seem possible. That is if the thought has even crossed your mind at all.
The Lutheran College Washington Semester is unlike any abroad program offered by the College. Where else can you pay your regular tuition bill, but instead of living in a dorm, live in a penthouse apartment overlooking the Potomac River, the Kennedy Center and out in the distance, the Washington Monument?
As a Junior Political Science major and Jewish Studies minor, this is my push for those of you thinking about studying abroad. With the recent election and all of the social, fiscal and international challenges facing our nation in the coming weeks and months, I can not think of a better way to get up close to the action.
People in the program are interning at the Holocaust Museum, for United States Senators, at Smithsonian museums and in many other fields. Tack on a couple of night classes a week and you have a complete four-credit semester away in the District.
I have spent every weekend exploring the District; visiting the monuments at night, making my way through museums and, of course, spending time at the White House and in the Capitol.
In fact, through my internship at the U. S. Attorney's Office, I have even been able to go up in a military helicopter to take crime scene photos of the city.
Being up in a helicopter overlooking Washington was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I have also had the opportunity to go to protests and eat lunch with the United States attorney. But most importantly I have met numerous contacts and prominent figures.
Growing up and going to college in Allentown, Pa. speaks for itself. Although it has been fun, this semester has turned me into a "city girl." I take the Metro everywhere. In fact, within an hour I can get to anything of interest in the D.C. Metro Area.
The greatest experience of all has been working 9-5 and learning what it takes to be in the "real world." I am responsible for my own cooking (there is no meal plan), cleaning and keeping my life in order.
Not to say that early mornings aren't hard, but the excitement that my internship brings supercedes any notion of staying in bed.
Who knows what each day will bring, whether it be helicopter rides, private tours of the Capitol, playing detective on a case or gaining greater insight into the rumor that "Big Brother" really is watching.
This semester has been an amazing experience thus far. I hope other students are as fortunate as I have been in their study abroad experiences.
We have all been here on high school field trips and family vacations. We have all read about it in history books. We all know the important people in American history who have lived and governed from this city.
Now I want you all to know how spectacular this city really is.
Experiencing Washington D.C., the District, as a college student, living the life of a "real person" without paying for rent or utilities, does not really seem possible. That is if the thought has even crossed your mind at all.
The Lutheran College Washington Semester is unlike any abroad program offered by the College. Where else can you pay your regular tuition bill, but instead of living in a dorm, live in a penthouse apartment overlooking the Potomac River, the Kennedy Center and out in the distance, the Washington Monument?
As a Junior Political Science major and Jewish Studies minor, this is my push for those of you thinking about studying abroad. With the recent election and all of the social, fiscal and international challenges facing our nation in the coming weeks and months, I can not think of a better way to get up close to the action.
People in the program are interning at the Holocaust Museum, for United States Senators, at Smithsonian museums and in many other fields. Tack on a couple of night classes a week and you have a complete four-credit semester away in the District.
I have spent every weekend exploring the District; visiting the monuments at night, making my way through museums and, of course, spending time at the White House and in the Capitol.
In fact, through my internship at the U. S. Attorney's Office, I have even been able to go up in a military helicopter to take crime scene photos of the city.
Being up in a helicopter overlooking Washington was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I have also had the opportunity to go to protests and eat lunch with the United States attorney. But most importantly I have met numerous contacts and prominent figures.
Growing up and going to college in Allentown, Pa. speaks for itself. Although it has been fun, this semester has turned me into a "city girl." I take the Metro everywhere. In fact, within an hour I can get to anything of interest in the D.C. Metro Area.
The greatest experience of all has been working 9-5 and learning what it takes to be in the "real world." I am responsible for my own cooking (there is no meal plan), cleaning and keeping my life in order.
Not to say that early mornings aren't hard, but the excitement that my internship brings supercedes any notion of staying in bed.
Who knows what each day will bring, whether it be helicopter rides, private tours of the Capitol, playing detective on a case or gaining greater insight into the rumor that "Big Brother" really is watching.
This semester has been an amazing experience thus far. I hope other students are as fortunate as I have been in their study abroad experiences.