Tagged: Spring 2015
Becca Saran
Interning on Capitol Hill: Do’s and Don’t’s
By Becca Saran
Spring 2015
Congratulations! If you are reading this, you most likely have landed an internship at the center of the American political system. You should first of all be extremely proud of yourself for getting this far—getting an internship and working on the Hill is no easy feat and I am sure many college students would like to be in your shoes. The next few months will be some of the most stressful but ultimately rewarding months of your life. You will walk the same halls as past presidents and use the same cafeteria as future candidates.
I decided to put together a list of Do’s and Don’t’s for interning on Capitol Hill so that you don’t feel lost in the mix of interns and hopefully find it helpful during your first few weeks on the job!
Meghan Durfee
Living as an Apolitical Hill Intern
By Meghan Durfee
Spring 2015
As a business student with zero interest in American politics (or anything politics-related really), you might think it bizarre that I chose to study abroad in Washington, DC. You might also be puzzled to learn that I intern on Capitol Hill for a congressman from my home state. Hopefully by the end of this post you will have a better understanding my motivations for doing so.
Keith Drucker
Two Quick & Easy Meals for Culinary Rookies
By Keith Drucker
Spring 2015
If you asked my floor mates, they would probably tell you that I was the least likely person to write a blog about cooking.
Coming into the Spring 2015 DC program as a second semester sophomore, I have never lived off campus nor considered getting food from anywhere other than the campus dining hall. Needless to say I’m someone who makes the most of my unlimited dining plan. This semester has been a trial-by-fire in planning, preparing and actually cooking meals of my own. So I thought I would include two recipes for quick, easy, inexpensive, and relatively healthy meals that helped me survive the semester.
Camila Rivera-Garcia
Five Reasons Why You Should Work for a Start-Up Company
By Camila Rivera-Garcia
Spring 2015
Are you struggling to decide between working for a start-up or an established company? This can certainly be a tough decision. Here are five reasons why you should consider working for a start-up company.
- You will make a difference.
All the work that you do shapes how the company develops. Whether they assign you a huge project or a small task, this can help the company be more successful. As an intern, you will help the company grow. This is not the experience that most inters have on established companies.
Alejandro Herreria
3 Tips While Applying to Internships
By Alejandro Herreria
Spring 2015
Coming into this program, I had recently switched majors two semesters prior and I really had not had much experience with anything other than a clinical-type internship, so I knew that whatever internship I got into, it would be different than anything I had ever experienced. Not only that, but I was leaving my Boston University home and adapting to a completely new schedule, along with a new city. I’m happy to say that everything turned out okay, as I ended up interning at a mid-sized healthcare nonprofit just north of DC in Silver Spring, Maryland. Chelsea and the rest of the team here at BU Washington, DC will do an excellent job aiding you in finding an internship, but I just wanted to create a quick list of things to remember while applying for internships.
Paula Garcia
3 Versatile Meals for Students on the Go
By Paula Garcia
Spring 2015
The Salad Combo:
Begin with a simple base of either: lettuce, spinach or kale (whichever you prefer). Make sure to cut the base into small strips/chunks. For a single person, use about a cup or one handful of the chosen leafy vegetable.
Decide your dressing: Avocado or Greek Yogurt (I would use the yogurt mainly with spinach)
Avocado Dressing: Add tomatoes, cucumbers, onions—basically whatever veggies you like. Cut avocado in half and spoon out the avocado into a bowl, add veggies, and mix well. Add a pinch of salt and lemon for added taste. Note: for a single person, use only about ½ cup of additional veggies combine.

Avocado salad with cheese quesadilla and meatballs. Photo by Paula Garcia.
Alyssa Lodge
Music to My Ears
By Alyssa Lodge
Spring 2015
I love music—it is so special because it has the ability to evoke an indescribable feeling of inspiration, emotion, and hope that you can’t find in anything else. Recently, one of my hobbies has been finding singer/songwriter artists that have a lot of talent and not much recognition—I have found that some of the best artists are not those whose name appears in lights outside of a stadium.
Lucky for me, I have spent the semester in DC where one of its “claims to fame” is the music scene and I have been fortunate enough to stumble upon several wonderful artists while I have been here. The music and the atmosphere of the venues that I have come across compliment one another and make for quite the experience.
Hibba Meraay
The Cool Realities of Living in the Nation’s Capital
By Hibba Meraay
Spring 2015
Although I’ve made a few trips down to DC over the years, this semester was my first true DC emersion experience. As any diligent list maker would do, I set out to make a DC bucket list early in January. I included all the trademark tourist sites and activities like the monuments, Smithsonian museums, and Cherry Blossom festival, but as I checked more and more items off my list I realized that there are some intangible DC experiences that can’t be captured in a list. Here are two things about living in DC that you might not anticipate but I believe are an integral part of the DC experience.
Devon King
DC Do's and Don'ts
By Devon King
Spring 2015
DC has a lot of rules, so which ones should you follow? Here’s a list of 19 do’s and don’ts to make your time in DC more enjoyable and make it seem like you’re a local.
- Don’t: stand on the left of the escalator. Seriously. People will shove you or talk badly about you.
Do: walk on the left, stand on the right. - Don’t: eat on the Metro. It’s actually against the law, and you can be fined. You really can wait 20 minutes to eat your bag of chips.
Do: buy your snacks and drinks once you get to your destination. More
Alyssa Lodge
Get in on LinkedIn
By Alyssa Lodge
Spring 2015
The greatest lesson taught in DC is the power of professionalism. From building a network to perfecting a handshake, learning the steps towards a professional career is essential and valuable. DC is the ideal city in which to master these skills based on its production of highly successful politicians, business people, and scholars.
The BUDC program in particular has focused on networking, acquiring the motivation to pursue a career path, getting involved in the DC community, and being conscious of a professional online presence. The latter is the point I’m going to address. On the topic of professionalism, there is no better online social media to talk about than LinkedIn—it can be a powerful tool if you know how to make the most of it.