Devon King

in Spring 2015, Student's Blog, Washington, DC
May 4th, 2015

DC Do’s and Don’ts

By Devon King
Spring 2015

DC has a lot of rules, so which ones should you follow? Here’s a list of 19 do’s and don’ts to make your time in DC more enjoyable and make it seem like you’re a local.

1. Don’t: stand on the left of the escalator. Seriously. People will shove you or talk badly about you.
   Do: walk on the left, stand on the right.
2. Don’t: eat on the Metro. It’s actually against the law, and you can be fined. You really can wait 20 minutes to eat your bag of chips.
   Do: buy your snacks and drinks once you get to your destination.

3. Don’t: get drunk at happy hour. DC is small and everyone knows everyone. Your reputation as the person who gets drunk at 5 pm will follow you around.
   Do: go to happy hour and enjoy one or two cocktails—it’s a great way to socialize.
4. Don’t: date a co-worker. Yes, you’re only here for a few months, but you don’t want that reputation at work, even if they’re an intern as well.
   Do: be friends with your co-workers. It’s always good to make friends outside of the program!
5. Don’t: eat out all the time. DC has some amazing restaurants and a plethora of fast food, but it will add up quickly to your wallet and waist line.
   Do: learn some basic recipes or even get frozen dinners and you will save a lot of money.

6. Don’t: take the Metro everywhere. Some places are closer than you think, so you’re just wasting money.
   Do: The best way to get to a city is by walking it, so save the fare and walk there instead.
7. Don’t: visit BU too much. Boston is close and the flights aren’t too expensive, but you’re only here for a semester. If you decide to go up for a visit or two that’s fine, but remember, this is an abroad program.
   Do: take advantage of your time in DC. Visit surrounding neighborhoods.
8. Don’t: show too much skin at work. Even if it’s warm you will be titled a “skintern,” and it is not professional.
   Do: dress business casual at most times. You can easily tell tourists from locals based on how they dress.
9. Don’t: stay in your neighborhood. DC has over 100 unique neighborhoods, way more than Woodley Park, Dupont Circle, and Adams Morgan.
   Do: explore the city. Try everything. Jump on the Metro and go somewhere random.

9. Don’t: ignore your schoolwork. You’re here for an academic program, so you really need to focus on time management so you can go out and have fun, but also get your readings and papers done.
   Do: keep a calendar of all upcoming assignments so you know to start early rather than procrastinating.
10. Don’t: use social media at work. You might have a lot of down time, but your internet use is monitored, and you will look unprofessional.
    Do: promote your job on social media. If you work for an organization, retweet them and share the information they’re trying to get out.
11. Don’t: skip out on work unless you’re sick. If you need to lessen your days talk to your supervisor, but taking the occasional day off because you’re tired looks unprofessional.
    Do: let your supervisor know ASAP if you will be missing a day or forced to come in late.
12. Don’t: buy a completely new wardrobe. You really only need the basics to have business attire. You can buy them cheaply at stores like H&M, and you can repeat pieces; no one will notice if you repeat outfits.
    Do: have your basics prepared with accessories or special pieces to show off your personal style.

14. Don’t: be fake. Networking and socializing are a huge part of DC culture, but don’t be fake with people, they will see right through it.
    Do: Be yourself while making connections.
15. Don’t: forget to take time for yourself and your hygiene.
    Do: shower, exercise, get a manicure, and take some “me” time so you don’t get too overwhelmed.
16. Don’t: sleep through your weekends. You will be tired after a long week of work and school, but your weekends are a time to get academic work done.
    Do: explore DC further, don’t waste that free time.
17. Don’t: think of D.C. like it is on TV. You will get excited recognizing places from shows like House of Cards and Scandal, and even though some of these situations happen here, most of DC isn’t like TV.
    Do: watch these TV shows. They’re entertaining and give you great glimpses of what the city physically looks like.

18. Don’t: give up. Some days at work will frustrate you either from boredom or anger, but keep going. This internship will help you in the long run, so just remember that your experience will get better.
    Do: ask for help if you need it – physically, mentally, academically, etc.
19. Don’t: forget to have fun. You only have one semester here, so enjoy it while you can.
    Do: Enjoy.

Devon is a senior in the spring 2015 semester, majoring in American Studies and History. She is interning at the U.S. Department of Education.