Friday, October 13, 2017

3 Tips on how to get the most out of your WAIP experience!

3 Tips on how to get the most out of your WAIP experience!
By: Mycheala Holley

Although I am only 6 weeks into my WAIP experience I would like to share 3 things that I either wish I would have done before I arrived to D.C. or things that I have learned during my time here in D.C.. 

1. Research Before You Arrive!
Research Research Research! That is one thing that I wish I would have done more of before arriving to D.C.. I wish that I would have researched different organizations, other than the organizations that I had applied to intern with, who also have a common interest and passion in the career paths that I am interested in. Throughout my time here in D.C. I have been pleasantly surprised by how nice and supportive everyone in this city has been. If I had known how willing everyone here would be to meet with me and to help me in any way that they could I would have done a lot more research and prepared a list of people who I definitely wanted to meet with during my time here.


2. Get to know the other interns!

At the start of my WAIP semester I was very focused on meeting and networking with people who were already established in the fields that I am interested in. Then, a few weeks into the program I realized that I was overlooking the very people that I spent most of my time with. Whether that had been my fellow WAIP members or the interns within my division at work; I had failed to see the importance of getting to know them as well. I am very happy that I realized that I can learn just as much from them as I can learn from anyone else throughout this experience. During this program you will be surrounded by incredibly smart and passionate people and I encourage you to take the time to get to know them and to keep in touch with them just as you would with someone who is established in your related career field. You all are undoubtedly going to be very successful and you all have more in common than you may originally think. I urge you to take full advantage of networking with them as well during your time here!



3. Manage your time effectively but don't kill yourself!
My final piece of advice would be to manage your time efficiently. As you may know, D.C. is a very fast paced environment and you may at times feel incredibly overwhelmed but everything will be okay! There are so many things to do here and so many people that you may want to meet but you have to find a balance. Fortunately, D.C. is really great for having events where you can do both of these things! I had the opportunity to attend the Congressional Black Caucuses Annual Legislative Conference and it was absolutely amazing! I was able to attend informational panels and discussions during the day, mostly hosted by U.S. Senators, and at night they had networking happy hours and events such as bowling, skating, dinners, etc. This was a fantastic way for me to not only expand my network but also to enjoy myself and relax! Furthermore, if you are a home person like me, being able to network and have fun with friends at the same time gave me more time to relax at home in my bed! 

Me at a networking event at the Lucky Strike Bowling Ally
Hosted by the Black Professional Homecoming



As you can see, it does not take a long time for D.C. to make a dramatic impact on your life. Whether this city impacts your life personally, professionally, mentally, physically or all of the above, I honestly don't see how anyone could ever regret this amazing experience. I have only lived in D.C. for 6 weeks and I have already learned and developed so much. I am very excited to see what the next 8 weeks will bring me!

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