A Great WAIP Weekend in Annapolis

With all the busyness that comes with living in Washington D.C. for a semester, it can be easy to forget that other great opportunities lie outside of the District. With only a few weeks left, some of my fellow fellows and I decided that we needed to make at least one big trip outside of the beltway and really explore what else the East Coast has to offer. Having already visited Baltimore in early July thanks a study tour arranged by our supervisor, Katy, we chose to visit another nearby city: Annapolis, the capital of Maryland. Annapolis offers a unique glimpse into the early history of our nation, (given that it was the capital of the United States for about a year,) is home to the United States Naval Academy, and is a gateway to some top-notch east coast beaches.

First, we stopped by The Statehouse and the Old Treasury Building that is immediately beside it. Given the fact that they were both constructed in the 1700s, they make you feel as if you’re looking directly into history. Getting a daily firsthand look at the United States Capitol, I couldn’t believe that the old building is still being used as a legislature today. Nearby is the expansive Naval Academy. Although the Ohio State campus is near and dear to my heart, the layout and the buildings of the Naval Academy are on another level. The proud history and tradition of the midshipmen is showcased in various statues, decorations, and monuments. Although the Naval Academy’s colors closely resemble those of our rival Michigan, I couldn’t help but buy a coffee mug with the academy’s alma mater written on the back.

After being shoved into the back seat of the car for a few hours trying to find an alternative to Sandy Point State Park, we finally arrived at the Northbeach, Maryland beach. Who would’ve guessed that Northbeach, Maryland is home to a beach? Even though we had to wait for a few hours for the beach to clear out a little bit, we still had a great time throwing a frisbee and discussing the highlights of our summer in Washington. And to top it all off we went to the greatest fast food restaurant of all time, Chick-Fil-A, to close out the day.

In closing, fellow WAIPer Tom Donadio already offered some great advice to future Washington Academic Internship Program students in this awesome blog post, but I will offer my own piece of advice to add to the list. Even though it is easy and tempting to sit around on the weekend and completely recharge from the exhausting week you’ve already had interning and going on study tours, take advantage of as many opportunities as you can while you’re here for the semester.  I never considered taking a trip to Annapolis until I was living a mere 45 minutes away from it, and it will forever be one of the highlights of my Washington experience.

Pictures from the United States Naval Academy

Post by: Andy Krupin