If you are or ever have been a college student, then you must know that the end of any semester is absolutely insane. You have final projects, final exams, and final goodbyes to attend to. It really can be madness. However, it can be even more hectic if one is considering a summer in Washington D.C. Where am I going to live? What am I going to do? How do I even make this happen? Add these questions along with a few others to the list of a semester's conclusion and you are probably going to be pushed to the edge. Although if you study political science like me, then I think you are ready for almost any headache-inducing, caffeine-requiring situation.

Well, I decided to avoid some stress right off the bat. This past February, I decided to apply to The Washington Center's (TWC) Political Leadership Program. I had heard about the program through a friend who had done it previously and thought it sounded amazing. I filled that application out meticulously, combed it over too many times to count, had peers give me tips, and then finally submitted. Within a month, I was accepted into the program. What a feeling it was! I knew I was going to D.C. and I was in good professional hands.

Much of the stress of getting a summer internship was immediately taken off my hands, as TWC set about placing me somewhere. Well low and behold, around the end of March, I was placed into...wait for it...the United States Senate! Yes, that's right folks! The United States Senate would be my summer home. I cried. I jumped. I screamed. And this was only the actions of the first five minutes upon receiving confirmation. I simply couldn't believe what I had achieved and how TWC had gotten me there. It was like a lifetime of birthdays in one day.

Now I won't sugar-coat the whole thing for you. After this, there was a lot of work on my end. You can't just move to D.C. and expect to survive without a job or any source of income. I know, ludicrous right? Well, I set about to fix that little problem and started searching for funding wherever I could. Turned out, TWC had a bunch of scholarships for me and so did my school. Not to mention, there was some pretty decent financial aid outside of scholarships. I thought at times that D.C. wasn't going to be my summer destination. But, I kept on pushing and pulling until that money showed itself. It's all about perseverance, folks! And tons of it!

I'll spare you all the gory details, but by early May I was ready to go. I had my money. I had my internship all set up. I had an apartment not far from the city. Everything was glorious and D.C. was calling my name. Now, I wish D.C. had been just a bit closer; but you can't have everything I suppose. The 400-mile, 8-hour drive here was a bit of a test for my friend and me. Something about torrential rain and rush-hour in New York City can really sour a mood. Note to you readers from far away who are thinking of driving: bring snacks and a lengthy playlist.

Well now, the push for money and drive across New England is over. I am sitting comfortably in D.C. I have so many people to thank, including the staff at TWC, that it's probably best to leave that to imagination. You know who you are! As I get settled here and start working, I plan on keeping all of you heavily informed and entertained. Believe me, we'll be learning the city together. It promises to be the summer of summers, so let's go!