Boris Kong
How was your first month of your semester in Washington DC? How does it compare to the first few weeks of a semester on campus?
By Boris Kong
Summer 2014
The Washington DC summer program is one that will accelerate rapidly and end in a flash, which is why one should be carefully allocate one’s time while here. During the first couple weeks in the nation’s capital, most of our time was predominately spent exploring the city and understanding the areas around us. On the first day, even the area around Woodley Park, where the Residence Hall is located, seemed confusing. The first priority we needed to figure out was the location of restaurants, supermarkets, and pharmacies in the nearby area. As the week progressed with orientation, we began to take the metro and Circulator bus out to other neighborhoods within the city. We learned to use the local public transportation pretty quickly and that allowed us to further expand beyond our local setting and truly get to know the city. Even getting to the BU office in DuPont Circle at first seemed like a hike, but as time passed, the entire area surrounding DuPont became somewhat of an extension of our territory in Woodley Park. In addition to improving our navigation skills in Washington, we had to quickly get acquainted with our work and academic schedules. The first week of orientation was filled with group events and we were given plenty of spare time to rest and relax. However, as our internships and classes began, our schedules started to rapidly fill up. While here, we’re tasked with working full-time Monday through Thursday during the day, while we take two courses at night meeting two-three times per week which leaves us with few nights off. The standard work schedule often runs from 9 am to 5 pm, with classes running from 6 to 9 pm. Making time to have dinner is a challenge, given the schedule—any free time is then taken up by focusing on one’s assignments and/or getting much needed rest at the end of every working day.
I took this photo of a Blackhawk helicopter flying low to the ground on a recent trip to the Kennedy Center with the BU Washington program.
The advice usually passed on around these parts is for one to spend one’s time wisely, and utilizing that time to network or explore the city. That is difficult in most cases throughout the weekdays as the remaining time from work and class is not sufficient for those activities, leaving most people to opt for more rest. As the weekends approach, people are given more breathing room. Fridays are a lot more similar to the first week of orientation, when the pace was much slower and the general atmosphere was much more relaxed given that what we focus on are tourist-type events and other ways to get to know the city. The Friday trips that take place also allow everyone in the program to catch up as a group, as people are often too caught up during their workweek to do so. Overall, the first month here in Washington has moved at a much faster pace than on campus during an average semester back home in Boston.
Boris is a Finance Major interning at the Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities.
