I'll be the first to admit that, while I don't easily crack under pressure, I don't always handle it with as much poise as I would like to someday. In the last couple of weeks another intern, Audrey, and I had been hard at work on our summer project of creating a Women's Career Development workshop. Audrey was chosen to work on the project because gender studies is part of her major and I hopped on board because of my event planning aspirations. At any rate, we began with research.

I would be surprised if I never mentioned this before but just to let you know, I'm not a fan of politics and I know very little about the subject! Of course, I know the identities of the President and the Vice President. I even know who's representing the Republican party in the upcoming elections but that's about the extent of my knowledge (Oh -- and also I'm a Democrat because I support their social stances more often than not).

If you're anything like me, you get a little bit tired of the city sometimes. All the hustle and bustle, the crowds and heat, and various strange smells one encounters walking around can be tiring! Sometimes you just want to get away from it all and what better way to escape a concrete jungle than a complete change of scenery?  

I have no shame in saying I love my mother. Although I am from the south, she, as a Northerner, has never been comfortable with the title of “mama.” Thus, my sister and I affectionately call her mother, or even more affectionately, mumsy. I had the pleasure of a short visit with my mum (yes mum, not mom) a few weekends ago and we had a great time. Funny enough, even weeks before her visit I would talk about her upcoming visit to friends and co-workers with great enthusiasm that I believe they found puzzling.  

Ever since I was a youngster, my mother always took my siblings and I to museums. We’d go to art museums, history museums, and any other museum you could think of. Perhaps she took us in the hopes that she would raise thoughtful, creative, cultured individuals (and I must say that I think she did an excellent job).

For today’s blog I’ve decided to share something very personal with you readers: my cooking journey (I swear its relevant just bear with me)! It begins in the suburbs of North Carolina. I would watch my mother in the kitchen acting as her sous chef by completing simple tasks like chopping onions and peeling potatoes. She did all of the heavy lifting as she created delicious dishes with everything (down to the sauces and gravies) made completely from scratch.

This past weekend one of my best friends from school, Noozhat, visited me and we had a lovely time! For those of you who don’t know, living in the Residential and Academic Facility (RAF), we are allowed to have overnight guests but each roommate must agree to your guest staying in the apartment. Otherwise, they have to find their own accommodations. Thankfully, all were agreeable and Noozhat stayed with me while in D.C.

Since my arrival to D.C., I’ve been hearing a lot about the importance of networking; how it's crucial to make contacts and stay in contact with the people you meet in order to succeed because you never know who can help you out in the future!  

This past week at my internship, I've learned a bit more about the functions of the Department of the Interior. To be honest, before I began working there, I had absolutely no idea about the inner workings of the agency. Some friends actually asked if I would be doing something with interior design!  

Hi everyone! My name is Jasmine Harris and I'm a rising senior at Wake Forest University. I'm majoring in Communications and I'm interested in pursuing a career in Public Relations. I really enjoy traveling and socializing and I love exploring the world around me by meeting new people and trying new things. Although I've always lived in the suburbs of North Carolina as well as Georgia, I think city life is definitely a better fit because there's so much more to experience, especially here in D.C.