Tuesday morning I threw a small tantrum because I didn’t feel like getting dressed up for work. The office where I have my internship requires business casual attire every day except for “casual Friday.” My roommate laughed at me as I rolled around on my bed whining with the blanket pulled up over my head, “I don’t wanna wear a dress!” By 8:25a.m., I decided that showing up in my pajamas would definitely not be acceptable, so I pulled on some nice pants and a blouse, tossed my PB&J in my purse, and walked out the door.

In this first short month, I have come to the important conclusion that the ‘9-5 life’ is not for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love working at my internship; I am learning a lot and enjoy the people in my office. However, sitting in front of a computer during the sunniest, warmest parts of the day is something I find intolerable for the long term. I’m a great believer that figuring myself out includes not only what I like, but also what I don’t like. So me disliking working from 9a.m.-5p.m. Monday through Friday… good to know! I crave the flexible and busy schedule of a special event planner, but with the freedom to wear paint-splattered jeans, old T-shirts, and bare feet. Working in an office is simply not my calling.

On the other hand, I am finding that I don’t mind living in a city as much as I thought. My vision of living in the city consisted of stony-faced business people hurrying through a thick smog of pollution and negativity while carrying bags of overpriced groceries. And while I do find the groceries to be overpriced, the people that I see day-to-day are really very nice. Just the other morning after my outburst in my apartment, I arrived at Metro Center Station and was greeted by a cheerful woman at the top of the escalators, serenading the groggy Metro riders with a chorus of ‘hellos’ and ‘good mornings.’ It turned my attitude around, and I was smiling by the time I reached street level. My expectations of people being cold and unfriendly are frequently diminished after small talk on the street corner or long conversations with a taxi driver about how proud he is of his son beginning his freshmen year at George Washington University.

I had dismissed the idea that Washington D.C. could ever be considered a community before I’d even packed my bags for the semester. But I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. There are approximately 600,000 people living in Washington D.C. But fun, local news sites like dcist and washingtonian.com keep D.C.ers connected to their vibrant and enormous community. There is so much happening in our nation’s capital; it’s easy to get sucked into our own little, 68.3 square mile, world. We provide a community center for our entire country; it’s like America’s neighborhood Park & Rec. This is a place where people come to hang out in ‘America’s Front Yard’ and check out events like the Library of Congress’ Book Festival. The Book Festival took place the weekend of September 22nd-23rd where authors from across the country were invited to come speak and sign books. I loved walking around and the seeing hundreds of captivated fans listening wordlessly to their favorite authors present.

The National Book Festival took over the National Mall.

D.C. does a great job of engaging its own community as well. September 21st was PARK(ing) Day. This day is dedicated to reclaiming outdoor space from vehicles. When I got off at Metro Center Station for work last Friday morning, I came across an impromptu park taking up two parking spaces on 12th St. The spaces were lined with potted plants, small trees, a picnic table, and a big jar of lemonade. I snapped a few pictures and before I left, I asked the two guys standing there if they were feeding the meter all day for the spots. They just smiled and told me that they had a permit.

A small park emerged on the street near Metro Center last Friday.

Small events like PARK(ing) day brighten my day and give me a reason to smile. But I was practically beaming when I arrived at the Latin American Festival: Fiesta D.C. 2012 this past Sunday. Walking down the hill on 13th St, Pennsylvania Avenue was erupting in front of me with noise and color. Smoke billowed up from meat laden grills. Music blared from five different stages and people literally danced in the street which was completely shut down from 9th to 14th Street. We watched a vibrant parade of people dressed in traditional clothing from their countries. The amount of diversity was so foreign to me; I was embarrassed to admit it to my friends. Only eight percent of the student body at the University of New Hampshire is considered to be a minority…eight percent! And the town I grew up in is not much different.

Below: Photos from Fiesta D.C. 2012

D.C. is the second “youngest city” in America (second only to Los Angeles, CA) with the average age being 33 years old. It seems to me that just about everyone here has a passion, and everyone here has a story. Networking events, elevator conversations, or ‘good mornings’ on the subway is what keeps this city connected. It’s this feeling of community that gets me to swipe on some mascara in the morning and go out and be a part of it all. The connections that I am making in my office and the hands-on experience that I am gaining is truly so valuable. I am definitely going to be able to tough it out for the semester, it is completely worth it. One should never forget though, fluorescent lighting is never a proper substitute for sunshine.