The Start of My Journey

My Amazing Moving Helpers!

Welcome to Maryland!

                The drive from Birmingham, AL to Silver Spring, MD took around 15 hours - lunch, dinner, and snack breaks included. Never did a hotel roll out bed feel so comfortable. My mom and sisters drove me up and helped move me in! 

                My first few days were... interesting? Rough? I'm searching for the diplomatic way to express the frustrations and anxiety that led to an eventual change of rooms and roommates. (In fact, I as of yet, have no suitemates or roommates; they arrive tomorrow.) Let's just say that courtesy and common sense are not universal norms - I was accused of a couple uncomplimentary things. To justify my roommate change request, I was challenged, mocked, and interrogated. But through that entire unfortunate experience, my family was amazing - they let me crash in their hotel room, moved me in, out, and in again! All during their vacation in DC!

                On the weekend, after my orientations, we toured the National Zoo, the Natural History Museum, the American History Museum, and enjoyed some pretty amazing meals! I discovered this incredible place with free, endless sourdough bread - La Madeleine! Although all the tourism was incredibly fun, it was all pretty rough on my poor feet and I made a large investment in blister band-aids after the fact.  Saying goodbye to my amazing sisters and mom for the summer was not easy - I've never been away from home for an entire summer!

Living in the DC Metro Area: Let's Get Real.

• They have a grocery bag tax. It arose in an effort to prevent river pollution from plastic bags, protect the environment, and raise the government some nice cold cash. I hate it. A nickel per plastic baggy to Uncle Sam? Nope. On the up side, I get to haul my groceries around in this cute little purple wheely thing!
• There is so much walking. It's not so much the walking itself, as it is the complete lack of alternative. (I live and work in Silver Spring, so the metro is no avail.) It's a time sucking, hot, boring affair

  

  Where I Sit Writing This

  
  
  
• My apartment is absolutely incredible. Like wow. I feel like I'm living in a hotel! (See: The Suite Life of Zach and Cody)
  
  
• The Metro seems insanely complicated, until you realize it's actually extremely simple - the only complications being that the trains absolutely never run "on time." On a dark note, sometimes people (who probably work 9-5 desk jobs) throw themselves in front of the trains. Unfortunately not kidding on that one - it's already happened twice on the red line since I've been here. As far as I can tell, they have no prevention method for such tragedies.
• There are a lot of solitary down times - be it sitting on the metro to go to class, waiting around for the metro, or even some lunch breaks. I don't go anywhere without my ear buds and my Robert Jordan book on tape!
  
  
• Nobody knows what Milo's Sweet Tea is. They have never even heard of it in passing. And don't even bother trying to order sweet tea at a restaurant - they don't have it.

Bye Bye Bacon(?!)

               

                Healthy living is not only extremely popular, it's extremely viable here! Everywhere you go has the calories listed next to it and fried chicken is not a thing. It's actually pretty awesome, because I can be just as lazy but automatically be healthier.

                In fact, I've pretty much cut out fast food, junk food, and meat out of my diet. I eat a lot of tofu, tomato soup, caesar salads and mushrooms. It's actually pretty incredible. Not to say that I've become a vegetarian, just that - if there is a yummy looking vegetarian option, I will almost always pick it. It's cheaper and I feel healthier. My junk food exception? Sugary drinks! I love me some Arizona Green Tea and Lipton Citrus Tea (hello high fructose corn syrup!)

Let's "Rap" it Up

                To end this post, I thought I'd share a few micro opinions and mini reflections on my week and a half in DC.

My Sisters and I Outside my Apartment

                First, if you are listening to rap music on your earbuds in the metro and have the volume turned all the way up, please realize that everyone can hear it and that everyone hates you and your music. Turn it down or turn it off. Yes I did only include this micro opinion so that I could title this section with a play on words.

                 Second, I do not like living by myself in an apartment (my first time!) - the creaks and squeaks you can normally blame on your roommate or family suddenly get a whole lot creepier. I admit that I wake up every time the AC turns on/off and might get up a couple times a night to go make sure the deadbolt is still locked.

                 Lastly, I miss my family and friends. I know this is a growing experience, and I'm so grateful to everyone who is providing me with this opportunity, but I miss y'all. I want to end on an up note, but the simple fact is - I'm homesick. Write me letters.

Keep an Eye out for My Next Blog Post!

 My Life Interning as a Legal Assistant:

Why I Do Not Want to Be an Attorney