Don’t Worry, Everything Is Going To Be All Right

As I write this blog post, I currently have 7 days left in DC. SEVEN! Where did the time go? I am not one to reflect on my experiences, but as my time here comes to end that’s all I seem to be doing. At the beginning of the summer, I had so many expectations. I wondered what this entire experience would be like. How were the other students? Would I like my internship? Was the heat as really bad as people were saying? Could I learn to ride the metro? I mean I was literally so worried about what this journey would be like, and little did I know that everything was going to be all right.

Everyone here in DC is moving with a purpose. Everyone has dreams to change the world, and while I spoke about that being overwhelming in my last blog post, I definitely wouldn’t have it any other way. Although class was sometimes hard and I didn’t do half the things I wanted to do while I was here, it all worked out. My fellow WAIPers and I came here to be one step closer to accomplishing our career goals. How could we propel ourselves to the next phase of our lives? Network a little harder. Read a little more. While I agree DC was the perfect place to be for this, some times the best thing to do is to just sit back and not worry. Everything is going to be all right.

I would say the informational interviews and study tours were my absolute favorite part of the program. I always learned something new even when I didn’t think I was going to. The one thing I took away from every informational interview and every study tour was as long as you follow your dreams for something you are truly passionate about, everything is going to be all right.

I know the feeling of feeling like your behind and need to get your life in order.. that is totally me! Beyond a doubt! However, what I heard a lot in my informational interviews was that I was doing everything that I needed to do and I was well on my way to success. As high achieving young adults that we WAIPers are, we rarely take time to appreciate how far we’ve come. As my time here in DC is coming to an end, I am just simply appreciating how far I have come in just 12 weeks. My advice to future WAIPers would be, just continue what you have been doing. Continue to have new hopes and dreams. Stay ambitious! You’ve made it this far for a reason so don’t give up. Just know in the end, everything is going to be all right.

Here’s just a few of my favorite moments from this summer.

Outside of the White House. 

View of the National Mall from the Washington Monument

Singing Carmen with new incoming Buckeyes at the DC Alumni Club Summer Send-off. 

Just a photo with the best roomies and the best view in DC at the Excellence in Public Service Event.

--Kierra Ross