By Lindsey Nichols

There’s a sharp learning curve in the intern world, that’s for sure. Especially working at the United States Capitol.

To start off the year, we had a snow day that shut down the entire D.C. metro area, on top of being in the midst of the longest shutdown in U.S. history (35 days). What a great time to be in the nation’s capital.

The good news for congressional interns was that partial government shutdowns don’t affect the legislative branch, so the House and Senate were still in business. I’m interning for a Republican Texas Representative in the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, which has been full of exciting legislation and political conflict just one month into the 116th Congress.

As a congressional intern, you sort of feel out of place. Here are all these full-time staffers, these career politicians, these people who spend their lives on Capitol Hill, and you walk in as this bright-eyed and bushy-tailed college kid who knows literally nothing. Even if you think you know what you’re doing, odds are you don’t. For some offices, having a perfectly fine-tuned routine and incorporating an intern into the mix is like throwing a wrench into all their plans and processes.

A wrench who will receive instructions, likely mess up what they were told and so their work must be undone and then redone, all costing the staff assistant or legislative aide in charge of them time and energy in fixing the mistakes. In all honesty, it would probably have been easier for them to just do it rather than explain it to the wrench.

But the good news is the folks in my office are incredibly understanding, patient, and supportive. They want to see me succeed in both the goals of the Congressman’s office and my own professional life, which makes it all a worthwhile experience.

In addition, there are over 500 congressmen on the hill, and each has at least one intern in their office. So even if I feel out of place sometimes, I know that there are hundreds of other interns going through the exact same trial and errors.

On my first day in the office, I was most excited about answering phones and speaking with constituents. I’m a huge people person, and I also just love those old-school phones with 75 buttons and flashing lights.

I was so excited to answer my first constituent phone call, in fact, that I put them on hold, jumped out of my chair and proudly told the press secretary that he had a call on line 2.

“Okay… but who is it? And what do they want?” he replied.

Rookie mistake.

Since then I’ve answered upwards of 500 phone calls, from the angriest to the kindest of folks from the Deep East Texas.

Everyone asks why I’m working for a Texan as a Colorado girl—why aren’t I working in one of the Rocky Mountain offices?

Truthfully, I identified most strongly with Congressman Babin and his platforms, and the hospitality I felt from his staff was absolutely unparalleled. His district is replete with American farmers, a demographic I can find common ground with. As a first-generation college student from a combined line of Colorado wheat-farming cattle ranchers + world-traveling Southern Californians, I was brought up with a wealth of experiences that have shaped my diverse worldview. From studying abroad and traveling the world, I’ve had quite a journey throughout college. This internship is another exciting part of that journey, and I’m loving every minute of it (almost).

What I Hate

1. Being more harm than help.

It’s difficult not to succumb to feeling useless, in the way, or burdensome to the staff sometimes. I’m eager to learn and help out in any way I can, but it’s often at the expense of the other staffers’ time.

2. Full-time staffers have different relationships with each other that seem exclusive since they’ve lived and worked here together for 3+ years.

As a sufferer of perpetual FOMO, this was a tough pill to swallow. Interns can be friendly with full-time staffers, but they’re still just that… interns. From staffer engagement parties to exclusive receptions to concerts, karaoke and trivia nights–I’m learning to live vicariously through my co-workers, but still… it’s rough.

3. WAKING UP EARLY.

I’m not a morning person in the slightest. Think somewhere between Night of the Living dead and a bear being woken up from hibernation early. I’ve also never had a full-time job before, so juggling that with three classes during the week and trying to go out and have a social life is exhausting.

And when that alarm goes off each morning…

What I Love

1. Being busy. And doing stuff that matters.

The high-energy, fast-paced, deadline-driven work that results in tangible change in Congress is awesome. There’s always hundreds of phone calls to answer, Capitol tours to be given, and documents to be delivered. One of the main reasons I love politics is that there’s always something new happening–there’s some new story you can be reading or some new policy you can be researching. I live for the hustle and bustle, and there’s no place that has that quite like Capitol Hill.

2. The people.

The staffers in my office are some of the most amazing folks I’ve ever met, and so is the congressman. They’re kind, successful, and driven, yet also light-hearted–they know when they need to be getting things done but also when to stop and have a nerf gun war from time to time to keep things lively.

3. The opportunities.

I love communicating with people, and this internship is largely self-driven. You have to go out and network and communicate with others if you want to get somewhere, and there are so many receptions and meetings that open the door for that.

It truly is an internship based on the principle of, “You get out of it what you put into it,” and I absolutely love that.

What I’ve Learned

1. Politics is all about deflecting.

Saying less is always more. And while I believe it’s not good to lie, I’m learning the art of giving a general answer and turning it around into a question for the other person. Put the ball in their court, and if they want to press for more information, you can be strategic about it.

In addition, politics is a balancing act, and we’re here to represent hundreds of thousands of people in our home district. I do everything in my power to help the constituents who call in and give them the best customer service they’ve ever received. While their opinions matter most to us, I’ve learned you can’t always please everyone.

2. Treat the janitors like the CEO (or congressmen).

Seriously. This is a value my grandma always taught me, but it’s being constantly reaffirmed on Capitol Hill. D.C. truly is a small town and everyone knows someone, so being rude, entitled, or lazy can ruin future job opportunities. Treat every single person you meet with respect, because you never know who you’re talking to or what type of impression you’re leaving.

I saw this firsthand with another intern who was joking around with a man in the hallway and made some questionable remarks, later to find out that was actually a congressman and not just a young staffer like she had assumed.

You hate to see it.

3. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

I suck at asking questions. I don’t want to appear ignorant or bother anyone, but I’ve learned that’s actually more dangerous because I may do something incorrect and cost the office something huge.

I’m actively working on improving it everyday and asking for help or instruction when I need it. Because at the end of the day, everyone in our office is on the same team and it’s always better when we can all communicate effectively and help each other succeed.

When I first began on Capitol Hill, it seemed surreal that I was actually there. Like living in a postcard, or in this fairytale land you see on the news with all these fictional characters who I often forget are real people.

It often feels just like working at the Colorado State Capitol, except I passed Nancy Pelosi while running an errand and there are about 50 armed and ready-to-fire capitol police watching me on my walk to work each morning. It’s quite reassuring, actually.

I’m still getting used to the confusing tunnels underneath the Capitol, and keeping up with the news 24/7, but those are things I’ll master over time. I’m trying to make the most of my 16 weeks here and put as much effort into this internship as possible, because they took a chance on me and I want to show them it was the right decision.

Hopefully this time will help me contemplate my career aspirations and open doors for a future in politics and beyond. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a small town, first generation college girl like me, and I’m so grateful to be here.

Ultimately, as a young, politically-driven and incredibly patriotic American living in the heart of our nation’s highly-charged political climate, there’s truly no place I’d rather be.

By Aliza Gray

When you hear the phrase “The Roaring Twenties”, more than likely you conjure up images of all things Gatsby, namely sequined-studded flapper dresses and lavish parties. Yes of course the phrase aptly describes the outrageous and brash heyday of our great-grandparents, but in my opinion, that’s not its only definition.

We are all in our own personal Roaring Twenties. As college students or recent graduates, our lives are bold and unpredictable. Being twenty-something means living in a state of constant excitement, harboring a tendency towards impulsivity, and facing no shortage of parties. Being in your “roaring twenties” is incredible. It’s also impossibly stressful.

With so much freedom comes and equal measure of instability. The pressure to carve out a niche for yourself professionally while leading a full social life often feels overwhelming. My advice to mitigate this stress is to embrace some of the behaviors not typically associated with being young. Mirror the behaviors of your parents, your bosses, your professors. Make them habits. Their sensible practices bring a much-needed sense of calm to our otherwise hectic lives. Here are some tried and true examples.

Wake up early

Throughout high school I was a big proponent of sleeping as late as I possibly could. I had it worked it out to the exact minute I needed to roll out of bed, setting my alarm early enough to allow myself the luxury of hitting snooze several times. The trend persisted into college, but a heavier workload often necessitated my waking up early to finish up assignments. Flashforward to junior year, and I find myself setting my alarm early not out of necessity, but by choice. Slowly but surely I’ve molded myself into a morning person, a small change that has had an immense impact on my overall wellbeing. Mornings are now a time of peace rather than stress. I revel in my quiet routine, enjoying breakfast and catching the day’s headlines, it allows me to clear my head and focus on the day ahead. The extra sleep just isn’t worth the extra stress.

Don’t Neglect Your Fitness

Feeling pressed for time is a given in your twenties. Between balancing a professional life, academics and a social life, pockets of free time are few and far between. It’s no wonder that a chance to free up a bit of our time, like by ordering takeout for dinner or skipping our run, to just veg seems so appealing. The only problem is, those shortcuts don’t erase stress, just increase it. Prioritizing your health and fitness go a long way in easing the mind and bringing inner peace. A good workout, whether it be weight lifting, cardio or yoga, energizes the body and lifts your mood through a natural rush of endorphins. A home cooked meal not only saves money, but is likely to be far more nutritious than any take-out. What’s more, investing in your own health and well-being can only serve to build self-confidence, create a strong sense of accomplishment and foster a feeling of inner-strength. I’d never advocate for totally abandoning takeout (I DEFINITELY would be stressed without the occasional trip to Cava) and sometimes it’s totally necessary to skip the gym in favor of nap. What I am advocating for is putting yourself, and your health, first.

Read

When I was young, I associated reading with being in trouble. When my parents would send me to my room after some trouble I’d caused, their parting words were “read a book, tell me about what you read when you’re finished”. This parenting choice undoubtedly stemmed out of my parents love of reading, a love I’m sure they were hoping I’d learn to share. It wasn’t a successful plan however. Although I no longer considered reading a form of penance, during my childhood and teen years I hardly considered myself a “reader”. I’d enjoy a book here and there, usually whatever the most popular YA novel at the time was, but a book was not my first choice as a leisure activity. In fact, it probably didn’t even crack the top ten until recently. Within the last few months I’ve found myself flying through books, and I can finally see what the fuss is about. Reading for me has become a major stress-reliever. It has proven capable of holding my attention longer than a TV show or movie generally can, and with an endless variety at my fingertips it’s the perfect escape. Whether I have an hour or just a few minutes, reading has become a reliable way to unwind.

Your twenties are exhilarating, rapturous and fun. They’re also exhausting, confusing and stress-ridden. Balance is key. So, for every party that you attend, for every all nighter that you pull and for large pizza you devour, have a low key night in featuring a home cooked meal and a good book, and thank me later.

By Kody Murphy

I’m a small-town guy. Where I grew up in Michigan you had to drive close to 45 minutes to the nearest Walmart for your monthly grocery shopping trip. I grew up in a place where you are surrounded by trees in every direction. My graduating class was just under a hundred people. I know just about everyone in my town, and where they live.

Yeah. It is that small.

The moment I stepped out of the car in front of my new living space in DC, I was mesmerized. I have never seen such a big and busy place in my whole life. You would think it would take me time to adjust to being tossed into a new and very different , but it took me almost no time at all to become acclimated. Still, the three biggest things that surprised me were the insane traffic, the diverse culture, and the sheer amount of amazing food within walking distance.

The Traffic

Never have I seen so much traffic in my life, and the aggressiveness of it at that. Horns blaring all the time, it’s quite intimidating for someone like me. I’m used to hopping in my car and just going. No traffic jams, no “stop ‘n go”. It was all open roads. At a certain point, my job was 60 miles away and I could get there in just under 50 minutes. Now it takes me 40 minutes to walk to my interview that is two miles away.

The Diversity

Another huge difference is the cultural diversity here. There are so many people of different backgrounds, different religions, different ethnicities. It is super fascinating to someone like me who was raised and surrounded by white Christians for twenty years. It is a huge eye opener. I pass this Hispanic family and their market stand in Adams Morgan every day and they always have something new and interesting to sell. Since coming to DC, I have gained a huge appreciation for the diversity of this world, and how massive it is.

The Food

The food. Oh my god, the food. I had one diner in my town. Now, I can take one step outside and see at least four restaurants. My wallet has been angry since day one in Washington. Lebanese, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Brunch spots, Ramen shops, Pizzerias… everything you can imagine, you can find it here. I’m one who always loves trying new food, and I am in heaven in this city.

DC is the exact opposite of what I am used to, but I am loving it. I do miss my small town sometimes, and I can’t wait for the day I get to go back and see all my family and friends. I can’t wait to play fetch with my dog in my big yard. I can’t wait to be able to drive my car again, just for the hell of it. I may not be a city boy forever, but for the moment, I am soaking it all in.