I've Had The Time Of My Life...

Hey y'all, and greetings from Georgia! 

 I adore my family. #homesweethome

I must say, after nine weeks of being away from home, it sure does feel good to be back. I'm currently chilling at home with my family and watching this Hard Knocks marathon with my love--my nephew, Trey! But I sure am going to miss life on the Hill. Waking up Monday morning with no place to go sure will be strange. I guess I better enjoy this free time before it's back to the Athens grind. 

The end of my time in D.C. also means that I am nearing the end of this diary. First of all, I appreciate everyone who has supported me and kept up with all of experiences. I have gotten numerous emails and words of encouragement from so many family members and friends; I cannot say thank you enough for your support. It means the world. To wrap up all of the wonderful memories I made, I decided to come up with this list of awards for the top experiences I had. Of course, it's almost impossible to capture everything I loved/learned in D.C. in just a short list. But I did my best!

And the awards go to....

• Favorite Moment: I had so many memorable moments in D.C, so it's hard to settle on just one. But nothing can quite top June 26th--the day the Supreme Court struck down Don't Ask, Don't Tell. This ruling is probably the closest thing to a landmark civil rights decision that my generation has witnessed. And to witness it firsthand made it that much sweeter. I'll never forget the moment when the victorious petitioners in the Prop 8 case--along with their attorneys--made their way down the courthouse steps to a crowd of supporters. I am incredibly grateful that my office allowed me and the other interns to be a part of history.

• Least Favorite Moment: Remember when I said the Metro almost always had my back? Well, there's an emphasis on the almost for a reason! My least favorite moment had to be when I got stuck on the metro after work one evening. A trip back to my apartment from the Capitol usually only takes me 20 minutes; but with this delay, it took me an hour and thirty minutes! To say I was NOT happy would be an understatement. But hey, I guess you can't have too many good memories without having some bad ones as well! It's all a part of the D.C. experience.

• Most Unique Place I Visited in D.C: I'd have to go with the Eastern Market on this one. Before I even got to D.C, I had no idea that such a place existed! When I visited Eastern Market for the first time with my friend Kayla, I was in awe of the amount of vendors and artists. Additionally, almost everything was handmade and authentic. Not to mention the fresh fruits and vegetables Eastern Market had as well. I enjoyed getting to speak with some of the artists and vendors, some of whom had been selling in Eastern Market for over ten years! I found a couple of nice gifts for myself and my family in the market too.

• Coolest Thing I Saw in D.C: Vice President Biden, of course! Perhaps the thing that made his appearance so memorable to me was the fact that it was so unexpected. One minute, I'm sitting in the Senate Gallery explaining to our constituents the ins and outs of the Senate. And the next, the Vice President walks out and swears in the new Senator from New Jersey! It all happened so fast. I wish I could have gotten a picture--no cameras are allowed in the chambers--but that is an image that will be forever embedded in my mind!  

• Most Interesting Person I Met: My Honors in Washington mentor, Aqsa. It was so nice getting to meet and speak with someone who had been in my very shoes just a short while ago. She gave me a lot of insight on law school and life in D.C. in general. I wish I had gotten to spend more time with her, but I definitely anticipate future visits the next time I'm in D.C. She's a pretty busy person, so I'm grateful she made the time to speak with me at all.

• Funniest Person I Met: One of my tougher awards, but I got to give it to Janae! I'm so lucky I got a chance to meet this girl and spend so much time with her. She is hilarious, y'all! I mean, she would have me in tears when we'd be working. I hated having to say goodbye to her so early, but best believe I will be visiting her at Georgia Southern come the beginning of this school year. An honorary award has to go to my partner in crime, Adam, as well. Our love/hate, crazy relationship kept me alive and upbeat at work. I sure am going to miss my little Dallas boy!

• Most Famous Person I Met: It was an honor and privilege to get to meet Congressman John Lewis. The last remaining member of the Civil Rights' Big Six, John Lewis is a living legend. Democrats and Republicans alike have an incredible amount of respect for him, which speaks volume about the kind of man he is. I found the Congressman to be soft-spoken, kind, and extremely generous with his time. Getting the opportunity to hear him speak and shake his hand is a memory that will be with me forever.

• Most Beautiful Place in D.C: Georgetown! From the second I set foot into Georgetown, I knew it was a place I could potentially call home in the future. I love everything about it! It's lively and colorful yet quiet and off the beaten path. It's expensive and elegant, yet cozy and quaint. Of course, the shopping is on point and the food is to die for! I mean, both the Kennedy's and the Clinton's chose to call Georgetown home so you know this neighborhood must be great. I'm already staking out my future territory now; watch out world!

• Best Part About Being A Congressional Intern: While the free receptions were definitely a plus, I think the best part about being an intern was getting the chance to attend congressional hearings. It was pretty special getting to witness lawmakers coming together and discussing legislation that could potentially become a law. Personally, I found the SAFE Act markup--concerning immigration and border security--to be the most fascinating and intense. Overall, the access to the Capitol in general as an intern was pretty astonishing. As long as we had our intern badge, we could go any and everywhere! Pretty neat, huh?

• What I'll Miss The Most About D.C: The people in my office. I could have never imagined that I could grow so close to so many people in such a short period of time. I absolutely ADORED all of the other interns I worked with--Adam, Janae, Beatrice, Heather, Chinasa, and Hannah. But I am going to miss the entire office so much. Not only are the brilliant and hardworking, but they also know how to have a good time! I can't wait to visit them sometime in the future. Who knows....maybe I'll get the chance to work on the Congressman's reelection campaign?!

• What I Won't Miss At All About D.C: This is an easy one....the cost of living! Like a lot of big cities, D.C. is an expensive place to live! Between housing, food, and transportation, this summer was definitely not kind to my wallet. Fortunately, the stipend that UGA Honors so graciously provided for me covered a lot of my expenses. I would recommend that anyone pondering a summer internship in D.C. find a program that will pay for some of your larger expenses (ex. housing, transportation, etc.). As for the rest of the things I indulged in, I have no regrets. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity! But be prepared to drop some serious dough if you live in D.C. for an extended period of time.

• Best Food I Had While in D.C: Georgetown Cupcakes. Hands down, this was the best cupcake I've had in my life. I don't know what it is about the ingredients they used! Of course, I have to give a special shout-out to Ben's Chili Bowl as well. If you ever go to D.C., both of these places are a must!  

• Weirdest Thing I Did While In D.C: I never thought I would pet a chincilla or a baby rabbit in the Capitol, but that's exactly what I did at one of the several receptions I went to! And how could I forget about my picture with my love, Elmo? The reception was a lot of fun; the food and drinks were on point! The icing on the cake was the bonding time I had with my fellow interns. I don't know if I'll ever get the chance to hold a hare again, but I'm glad I got one last opportunity!

• Favorite Monument in D.C: I'm going to give the award to the Jefferson Monument for a couple of different reasons. For one thing, the Jefferson was easily the least crowded of all the major monuments. This, of course, could be due to the fact that I went at night and the monument is a little more secluded from mainstream D.C. Second, the Jefferson Monument has the most beautiful view overlooking the water. And lastly, it's simplicity and breathtaking architecture is superior to all the other monuments I saw.

• Greatest Pinch Me! Moment: It's not everyday that you get to treated to free drinks and delicious food in the exclusive Diamond Club at the Nationals Park. Thus, the Congressional Baseball reception--as well as the game--takes the cake for being the greatest pinch me! moment. And when I say we got the royal treatment, I mean just that! Not only was everything free, but we had a terrific view of the game where we got to watch the Democrats beat up on those poor Republicans! Plus, we got a ton of free stuff as well. It'll probably be a long time before I'm ever invited to the Diamond Club again; that's what makes this so sweet!

• Something I Wish I Did But I Didn't Have Time To Do: I absolutely hate that I wasn't able to visit Mount Vernon--the plantation where President George Washington grew up. Unfortunately, being that I was at work from 9-5 P.M. each day, I didn't have time to do everything that I wanted. Additionally, I wish I could have spent more time on Georgetown's campus (especially since I want to go to law school there). I guess that leaves more new things to do next time I'm in D.C. 

• What I Missed Most About Home (Family Not Included): This one has several answers. It's so nice to have all of my favorite television channels back, especially NFL Network! Finally I can catch up on my Packers and see how training camp is going. I missed being five minutes away from Chick-Fil-A and Waffle House. I missed having my own room with my own bathroom. And finally, I missed having my own room and my own space! Man, it's good to be home.

• Best Thing I Learned/Took Away From My Internship: Be flexible, hard-working, and willing to take on anything at anytime. Interns have a range of different responsibilities. One minute, you could be loading lists into Excel; and the next, you could be giving a tour of the Capitol to one of your constituents. The work varies, but I learned to be flexible and willing to switch tasks at any moment. Additionally, I had to be reliable and hardworking so that the staff always knew that they could count on me.

• Best Piece of Advice I Can Offer: You can sleep when you're at home; enjoy D.C. to the fullest! But really, I can't stress this enough. There's is too much to do in D.C. to be bored. Further, don't do the same things you can do in Athens or at home. Challenge yourself a little and explore areas you wouldn't otherwise get to see. I visited a range of different places, from Columbia Heights to Georgetown to Dupont Circle. While I can't say that I did everything I wanted, I can say that I left D.C. with absolutely no regrets whatsoever. 

Needless to say, throughout the good, the bad, and the downright weird, I had the time of my life....