Useful Tips for Seniors

Like many students in The Washington Center program, I am preparing for a career in law. If you are a current TWC student looking to go into this field, you are definitely not alone, and if you are a perspective student and reading this, then you should know that D.C. and The Washington Center has resources to assist you with what is a very time consuming process. Aside from putting numerous hours into studying for the LSAT while here in Washington, I have taken advantage of being near several law schools in the immediate area. During my first month here, I attended a law school fair at George Washington University that was attended by numerous representatives from law schools throughout the region.

The Student Life Office has been a great asset to those of us preparing for graduate studies, in addition to helping seniors looking to go straight into the working world with resumes and interview skills. I have taken part in the George Washington University Law School Tour and the American University Washington College of Law Open House/Tour, which were both organized by the Student Life. I was also able to sit-in on a Criminal Law class at GWU Law that I found to be a great representation of a teaching method used in law schools.

These types of services are especially important for seniors like me who are far away from the network and career/graduate fairs offered at their respective campuses. I think it is always important to take advantage of all of the resources you have. If you are one of my fellow students and never realized that The Washington Center offered such resources, don’t worry, you still have the opportunity to attend Get Ready for the LSAT coming up this Friday and the Georgetown Law School Tour on December 5.

Although you are busy studying for the LSAT or putting together that personal statement or application, I think you should not forget that you are in DC to have a great experience. Here are some side notes for those of you seniors that are preparing for LSAT or other graduate assessment tests:

1. Do not lock yourself in the room for 24-hours. You will become claustrophobic and people will wonder whatever happened to you.

2. Do not avoid human beings. This includes your roommates, family and friends who may start to believe that you hate them. Give them at least 15 minutes of your time, whether it’s a phone call or face-to-face conversation. They will appreciate it and you won’t feel guilty. And remember you are in DC to network, right?

3. Do take breaks and do something you enjoy. I know the LSAT is so exciting that you won’t be able to put the book down. But let’s get real; your brain can’t study for five hours straight. Do something fun or relaxing… go dancing, watch a favorite show, or go to the gym. If you are one of those that like to keep your mind stimulated, go to a museum. DC has several free museums.

4. Don’t forget to eat! Food is great and helps your mind stay energized. I definitely forgot to go grocery shopping for weeks until I realized cereal was becoming my most common meal. Basically, cereal and coffee is not a meal.

5. And lastly, take care of yourself…Sleep, shower, groom, etc. You don’t want to become that person who comes in late to work with puffy eyes and is wearing a stained blouse.

Being in DC for an historic election

Unlike past Washington Center participants, the students in TWC for the fall got to experience an historic election in Washington, DC, a city that lives and breathes politics. Each student has a different story to tell about their experience on November 4. Many students from the Washington Center went to John Hopkins University, where a big screen was set up for them to watch the election results while enjoying free pizza and beer. Quite a great deal...however, I decided to watch the election with a group of friends from Grosvenor. It was very exciting to switch from network to network and to find the latest poll results, especially as more and more states turned blue. The excitement continued to grow until 9 pm, when several students insisted that they knew the winner. I remained skeptical throughout because we've all witnessed past elections that ended with shocking results. Once Obama was announced as the next president for the United States, the room was filled with cheers and laughs. It was exciting to get phone calls from family and friends at home and from other parts of the world sharing the good news.

I was especially happy to take part in history by taking advantage of my first chance to vote and by canvassing in Loudoun County, Virginia. Both made a difference. This was the first time that the youth vote reached 18%, which surpasses the amount of older individuals who voted. And this was also the first time in decades that Loudoun County elected a Democrat and the first time in 44 years that Virginia went blue. I am glad I did not have to arrive at work until 12 pm the next day, although this resulted in never having the opportunity to buy a newspaper. I was not surprised that the newspapers were already sold out. This election was definitely an historic one that cannot be forgotten. Who knows, maybe I will return to DC on January 20th for the inauguration speech. This is where students deciding to come to The Washington Center for the upcoming spring semester will benefit.

The next day in my Intercultural Communication class, the professor brought in a speaker who works for the government to generate discussions about the elections. We talked about any questions and concerns we had about the election and what we expect for the future. It was interesting to have the discussion because people have different expectations for the newly elected president and it is important to understand that it will take time to implement many of the changes discussed during the campaign. I thought it would have been interesting to have at least one Republican or McCain supporter in the class just to hear a different perspective because the discussion was quite one-sided.

Diversity at International Fair

In addition, to the election frenzy the Washington Center held an International Fair this past week. The Washington Center Program takes pride in the diversity of students that come from all over the world. This was a great opportunity to learn about the different cultures represented in the Washington Center program. Among the participants were Mexico, South Korea, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Russia, Brazil and India. There were numerous flags spread throughout the area and tables with crafts, food, and drinks from each country represented. I enjoyed going to the tables and learning something about each country. Further into the program there was a buffet of food from different countries, videos, performances by TWC students, and music. Overall, I enjoyed the event and there was a very good turn out. This was the perfect way to end such a hectic week.

Mexico table at International Fair

Nigeria table!

A friend wearing tradtional Indian attire

The Countdown is Coming to an End

A day of canvassing in Loudon County

One more day until the election! I urge everyone to make their voice heard and get out and vote, especially since many of the issues addressed in this election will affect young voters. I must say, this week was quite productive. Last Monday the International Affairs Program had a panel of representatives speaking on US-Korea Relations. The panel consisted of three speakers (from the Department of State, Korean Embassy, and John Hopkins University) who had a tremendous amount of knowledge about the United States' relationship with Korea. The panelists not only addressed the history of US-Korea relations but also engaged students about ways they could get involved in international affairs in Washington, DC. Both approaches were important in capturing the diverse interest of students in the audience. The panel definitely freshened up my knowledge about US-Korea relations. I enjoyed the breadth of knowledge of each speaker, especially since they clearly answered the questions presented by the students in the program.

For those of us who celebrate Halloween, this weekend was quite exciting. On Halloween night many of us headed to the streets of Dupont and Georgetown for some excitement. Earlier in the week, I happened to stubble upon the High Heel Drag Race in Dupont Circle on my way home from a coffee shop. It is a tradition in Washington, DC to have the Drag Race a few days before Halloween. Despite the low thirty degree temperature, the crowd was quite thrilled to watch men in glamorous costumes and male cheerleaders strut and dance through the streets of Dupont as if it were the red carpet in Hollywood. I found it amusing especially since it reminds me of the traditions of my home town. I must say, the most popular costume of the night was Sarah Palin. I found it typical of DC to have an incredible amount of political costumes. But this is a very historic election that has gained the attention of people who have never had interest in politics.

Cheerleaders in the streets of Dupont

Glamorous Marilyn Monroe

Furthermore, I had the opportunity this weekend to canvass in Loudon County, Virginia, one of the most conservative areas in Virginia. It was very exciting to campaign for Obama in a swing state, especially since I believe he has a strong chance of winning over sporadic and prior Republican voters. Despite the extensive banners for McCain and Palin seen on the drive into Loudon County there was a tremendous amount of support for Obama when knocking on doors of individual homes. Many individuals were responsive and have been or were looking to volunteer for the Obama campaign. I felt accomplished to cover over 60 homes in the county and to see signs for Obama throughout the lawns of residents. I am looking forward to the end of the count down and am excited to be in Washington, D.C. for the end results.

Afterward tourists were taking pictures of us because we were holding Obama signs.