While
we have begun our experience in Washington D.C something amazing was going on
from my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. The CAVS have made in the NBA finals and
this has led to bonding experiences with a majority of the WAIP group. While
these experiences haven't involved much of the DC area or any of our organized
events they have allowed us to get to know one another and spend a lot of fun
time together. During the early rounds as the CAVS played the Chicago
Bulls and the Atlanta Hawks, and we had some friendly rivalries since a few of
the WAIP students are from those states. As the CAVS reached the finals all of
the Cleveland and Ohio students really bonded (even those who root for the
warriors) as we watched the games in bars throughout DC and also just at home.
As we have gotten busy with work and all of the homework and activities we have
to complete that only leaves a little time for the majority of us to spend
together. These games give us the opportunity to enjoy each other’s company. We
watch the game, and have conversations about many things going on in our lives
and just have a lot of fun. I have really enjoyed this time and hope we
continue to do things together after the Cleveland Cavaliers become the
national champions. J
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Olivia Nejedlik's Blog
D.C. is expensive. It is by far the most expensive city I have ever lived in, and one of the most expensive cities I've been to (Paris, one day, you're next). And while it is expensive, I have determined that everything I spend money on in this city is a worthwhile expense. As my mom says "You're only live in D.C. once", and even while I hope she's wrong about that, I am attempting to live by that philosophy.
The first, and arguably most important expense I have to talk about is the food. While people are awesome, there isn't much that can make you feel better than a donut from Astros. Emma and I have begun a tradition of getting a donut every Friday, and while my thighs don't like it, my soul certainly does. I also love the cool health food places that seem to thrive in this city, and how making healthy food taste good is a treasured skill. Thus far I have been impressed, and will be extremely disappointed without my weekly Eastern Market runs back in Columbus.
Second, the metro. It might be kind of gross, unreliable, and always tests positive for a small amount of Bubonic plague (thanks for that fact Katy), I love it. Taking the metro every morning makes me feel like a real functioning adult, which I'm not, but no one else riding the metro with me has to know that (:P). While childish, its fun to ride the metro, and think deeply about my life during my solitary rides to the office in the morning.
But D.C. has also made me realize something else. That the best things in life are free. Which is super cheesy, but super true. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what I had for lunch, but the people I had lunch with. D.C. is awesome, but this program, the people, and the experiences we are having together make it incredible. Today, we went to the Congressional baseball game, which was fun. But the best part of my day was after. Some of us went to a fountain that shoots water in the fair, stripped off our shoes, and ran in. We got soaked through our clothes, and walked home smelling of chlorine. While that might not seem exciting, it was carefree, fun, and full of friends. And that is what I love most about D.C.
D.C. is expensive. It is by far the most expensive city I have ever lived in, and one of the most expensive cities I've been to (Paris, one day, you're next). And while it is expensive, I have determined that everything I spend money on in this city is a worthwhile expense. As my mom says "You're only live in D.C. once", and even while I hope she's wrong about that, I am attempting to live by that philosophy.
The first, and arguably most important expense I have to talk about is the food. While people are awesome, there isn't much that can make you feel better than a donut from Astros. Emma and I have begun a tradition of getting a donut every Friday, and while my thighs don't like it, my soul certainly does. I also love the cool health food places that seem to thrive in this city, and how making healthy food taste good is a treasured skill. Thus far I have been impressed, and will be extremely disappointed without my weekly Eastern Market runs back in Columbus.
Second, the metro. It might be kind of gross, unreliable, and always tests positive for a small amount of Bubonic plague (thanks for that fact Katy), I love it. Taking the metro every morning makes me feel like a real functioning adult, which I'm not, but no one else riding the metro with me has to know that (:P). While childish, its fun to ride the metro, and think deeply about my life during my solitary rides to the office in the morning.
But D.C. has also made me realize something else. That the best things in life are free. Which is super cheesy, but super true. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what I had for lunch, but the people I had lunch with. D.C. is awesome, but this program, the people, and the experiences we are having together make it incredible. Today, we went to the Congressional baseball game, which was fun. But the best part of my day was after. Some of us went to a fountain that shoots water in the fair, stripped off our shoes, and ran in. We got soaked through our clothes, and walked home smelling of chlorine. While that might not seem exciting, it was carefree, fun, and full of friends. And that is what I love most about D.C.
The Next Presidential Monument
Post by: Andy Krupin
No trip to Washington, D.C. is complete without a tour of
presidential monuments. From the stoic obelisk that is the Washington Monument
to the grand and powerful Lincoln Memorial, these testaments remind us of some
of our nation’s greatest leaders in our most difficult times. They inspire awe
and are a major drawing point for visitors from around the globe.
With the power and prestige associated with a presidential
monument, sometimes I wonder: who is next? Which history-maker should we honor
next with an immortal reminder of his time in office? Here are my top three choices
for the next presidential monument.
3. Andrew Jackson
Although Old Hickory’s presidency was mired with controversy, particularly in relation to his treatment of the Native American population, Jackson was still an incredibly influential figure in early American history. A war hero from the War of 1812, Jackson brought grit and toughness to the presidency, and successfully disputed South Carolina’s claim that they could nullify federal laws. Although this eventually boiled over into the Civil War, Jackson quieted the southerners and prevented an outright rebellion in the early 1800s.
Although Old Hickory’s presidency was mired with controversy, particularly in relation to his treatment of the Native American population, Jackson was still an incredibly influential figure in early American history. A war hero from the War of 1812, Jackson brought grit and toughness to the presidency, and successfully disputed South Carolina’s claim that they could nullify federal laws. Although this eventually boiled over into the Civil War, Jackson quieted the southerners and prevented an outright rebellion in the early 1800s.
2. John F. Kennedy
President Kennedy may have been assassinated before the conclusion of his term, but the legacy he left is still well-remembered today. Kennedy was able to avert nuclear destruction that would have come about as a result of the Cuban Missile Crisis, arguably the hottest that the Cold War ever got. While serving as the president, Kennedy was also a outspoken proponent of space travel, and his speech on reaching the moon would eventually be realized in one of the greatest achievements in human history. Finally, JFK continued to support the civil rights that first began to take shape during the Eisenhower Administration and created a platform for the sweeping reforms signed into law by President Johnson.
While some would count his grave site at Arlington National Cemetery as a pseudo-monument, it serves more to remind us of the sacrifice he made as Commander-in-Chief that fateful November day. In my opinion, something a little more charismatic is in order, to reflect both his personality and time in office.
President Kennedy may have been assassinated before the conclusion of his term, but the legacy he left is still well-remembered today. Kennedy was able to avert nuclear destruction that would have come about as a result of the Cuban Missile Crisis, arguably the hottest that the Cold War ever got. While serving as the president, Kennedy was also a outspoken proponent of space travel, and his speech on reaching the moon would eventually be realized in one of the greatest achievements in human history. Finally, JFK continued to support the civil rights that first began to take shape during the Eisenhower Administration and created a platform for the sweeping reforms signed into law by President Johnson.
While some would count his grave site at Arlington National Cemetery as a pseudo-monument, it serves more to remind us of the sacrifice he made as Commander-in-Chief that fateful November day. In my opinion, something a little more charismatic is in order, to reflect both his personality and time in office.
1. Dwight D.
Eisenhower
Think about it… everybody likes Ike! Eisenhower played a monumental role in winning the war and saving the world by serving as Supreme Allied Commander during World War II. Although it was ultimately the Russians who stormed Berlin which led to the Nazi surrender, Allied success wouldn’t have been possible unless the Americans and the British successfully invaded France.
As President of the United States, Eisenhower’s greatest success is arguably linking the entire country together through the modern highway system, which revolutionized American transportation. Eisenhower was arguably one of the most influential men of the 20th century, and a memorial of him will soon reflect our recognition of all he did for our nation. Even if a memorial wasn’t already in the works, he would still be an unquestionable #1.
Think about it… everybody likes Ike! Eisenhower played a monumental role in winning the war and saving the world by serving as Supreme Allied Commander during World War II. Although it was ultimately the Russians who stormed Berlin which led to the Nazi surrender, Allied success wouldn’t have been possible unless the Americans and the British successfully invaded France.
As President of the United States, Eisenhower’s greatest success is arguably linking the entire country together through the modern highway system, which revolutionized American transportation. Eisenhower was arguably one of the most influential men of the 20th century, and a memorial of him will soon reflect our recognition of all he did for our nation. Even if a memorial wasn’t already in the works, he would still be an unquestionable #1.
To learn more about the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial,
visit: eisenhowermemorial.gov
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
My first month in DC
We’ve been in DC for
a month! The time has gone by so quickly. Over the past month I have worked at
my internship, gone to class, attended policy salons and study tours, and taken
the LSAT. I would like to take this opportunity to reflect upon the first month
of my WAIP experience.
I am an intern at the Federal
Judicial Center (FJC) in the Education Division in the Probation and Pretrial
Services (P&P) group. The FJC is located in the Thurgood Marshall Federal
Judiciary Building, pictured here. I
have been the only intern in my group since I started, but the second P&P
intern starts tomorrow! The office is fairly quiet and I work independently on
a lot of my projects, which has been pretty nice. Everyone in the office has
been extremely kind and helpful so far! In the next week or two, the interns
from the Education Division will all have the opportunity to attend the reading
of an opinion at the SCOTUS, which I am very much looking forward to!
The study tours have all been great
experiences thus far and have been one of the highlights of my first month in
DC. So far, we have toured the Library of Congress, the DEA Museum, Lockheed
Martin, the Newseum, the Pentagon, the National Archives, and the Air and Space
Museum. I’ve really enjoyed all of the tours so far, but I especially enjoyed
the National Archives. It was amazing to see the documents that we have learned
about in school for so many years, documents that have shaped the country’s
formation and history. One of my favorite details of the Archives tour was the
silhouette of Abraham Lincoln in the painting devoted to the Declaration of
Independence. It shows how the painter was able to subtly include his opinion
about the importance of Abraham Lincoln in relation to a document and event
that happened many years before his time.
Life in DC is more fast-paced than
Columbus, and definitely much more so than Centerville. When I’m on OSU’s campus,
I feel like I am always the person trying to walk around the people on the way
to class so that I can walk faster (and make it to class on time), but here in
DC, I feel like I’m in the exact opposite position. One piece of advice that
everyone offers when you first move to DC is “walk left, stand right” referring
to the acceptable ways to use the escalators in the metro stations, and I’ve even
seen people get pushed out of the way for standing left because it is such a
societal norm here. As our professor told us on the first day of class, “people
in DC aren’t out of money; they’re out of time.” I think I’ve seen this play
out in the first third of my summer here in DC just in the fact that it’s
already a third of the way over! I’m looking forward to the rest of the summer
and all of the experiences that will come with it.
--Megan Hurd
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