#hilltern

10/02/2023

I totally thought I was going to be on furlough today and double-booked myself. Therefore, I spent half my day working in Capitol Hill and the other half "working" in Georgetown. Technically, I was working although not really. I just needed to fill out paperwork for my new weekend job at Abercrombie. Speaking of which, I can tell I'm going to have a hard time fitting in with my peers at the store. Obviously, I can't make any assumptions since I hardly know them, but everyone was just so naturally pretty and their hair was perfectly tamed. Oh well. I'll get there someday.

After about an hour at Abercrombie, I roamed around Georgetown and window shopped as I usually do. I enjoyed a soup and sandwich from maman and people watched until I got bored and made my way home. My day was almost over... until I had the most peculiar interaction with a stranger on the bus.

10/01/2023

I've survived one month alone in DC. Surviving alone. I always thought I knew what that felt like, but it's a different kind of loneliness and a different kind of living. The hustle here is nonstop and one can go days without genuine conversation. It makes me feel nostalgic for the idleness back home in Texas. Life was slow and the days were long...

Hi everyone! Long time, no blog. My name is Harper Melnick and I am an International Affairs student at Georgia Tech. I spent my summer living out my dream of interning on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. This experience exceeded all expectations! Here are the key lessons I learned from my time as a Hilltern:

1. Talk with anyone, and everyone -  D.C. is full of so many people from so many different walks of life, all coming together to discuss how they believe we can better our country. While there is plenty of political discourse, there is also lots of unexpected friendship and room to learn from people who have a different background from yourself. Whether it was a fellow intern, roommate, or even a member of Congress, I loved getting to learn about different people and what drew them to a career in politics.

2. Explore!!!! - This is arguably my biggest tip of all. While housing in D.C. is quite pricey, the city more than makes up for this with its ample number of free/cheap events. I made the most of my weekends by exploring different neighborhoods and attending different summer events. Some of my personal favorites include Jazz in the Garden, a free jazz concert hosted every Friday in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Pavilion, and visiting the National Portrait Gallery (yes, President Obama’s portrait is even more spectacular in person). 

3. Connect with GT Alumni - This was another one of my favorite parts of interning in D.C.! By connecting myself with the GT alumni group in D.C. I was able to meet with so many alums with careers I envied, who were more than happy to give me advice and encouragement for my time in D.C. as well as after I graduate. They were all so helpful and kind, and it was great to talk with people who understood what being a Georgia Tech student really means. As an added bonus, at one GT alumni event, I had the opportunity to meet the Civil Rights Movement leader Congressman John Lewis. 

Today was amazing. I don’t really know what else to say. Everything was what I wanted and more. The office was nice, my job had me busy and I was immersed in government. I learned more in one day than I had for an entire semester. 

Taking politics is something I have always enjoyed. I love hearing both sides argue and hash out policy. I love knowing that people are intelligent and informed. And in the past I have always considered myself one of those people.

If I sit quietly it was because I was listening and learning. If I debated it was because I believed in what I was saying. If I had an opinion it was because I researched and supported a side. Tonight I was lost, couldn't form an opinion and was stunned.

There is this guy who lives on the floor below me. Let’s call him...MegaMind. Never in my life have I felt so behind. He knew names and strategies and policies and examples and then he also had his own opinions. By the time it was my turn to respond I was too stunned to figure out a sentence let alone have a well stated opinion.

It’s safe to say I embarrassed myself horribly. I DO know the Governor of my state and the state I go to school in and never in my life have I gotten them confused...until tonight.

I was feeling really down on myself and about to go read every newspaper known to man until my roommate, who is quickly becoming my friend gave me some great advice:

In the grand scheme of things we are doing alright. MegaMind is going to be MegaMind, it doesn't change you.