Maiden Voyage

So I've joined the masses to post my first blog. I knew this time was coming, I just didn't know when. So far this summer,I've watched my beloved Flyers get knocked out AGAIN in the first round of the playoffs, watched France almost shock the workld with a World Cup win (Zizou, c'mon!) gotten downright political with protesting for thepassage of the Voing Rights Act, and now have seen the Middle East go up in flames. I wonder what August has in store. But here are 5 Lessons I've Learned:

5. Dead-End Jobs get you nowhere.

I ended up taking a summer class, and to help pay for it, I took on job as a photo technician at a local drugstore which shall not be named. Big mistake. Long hours, rude customers, and coworkers so vicious that the breakroom should have doubled as a boxing ring. These people were jealous of me from the minute I walked in there, because I was actually going to school and preparing to graduate on time and not be stuck in a dead-end job my entire life. Bottom line: Work with people who share your life goals and interests, life is only harder when you don't.

4. If you want less stress, take a summer class.

They're shorter, easier, and tend to have fewer people, giving one individualized attention. Also, the professor will usually have some sort of big research project that he/she cares more about than actually teaching undergrads, he/shewill be trying to teach as little as possible to you. Also, your TA will stink and not even care, because he/she will perobably be out partying the night before and be hungover and none of the labs will be done right. But if you can sit there and persist throughout all of these obstacles, you are all but guaranteed an A.

3. The DC Metro Sucks.

It is inefficient, packed, and while base fare is tolerable (1.25 on buses, 1.35 on trains), the Smart Trip cards are a horrible idea. Unlike in New York and Philly, where you pay a set amount (say 70 dollars) for an unlimited amount of rides for a given month, DC makes you pay a set amount (70 dollars again) and DEBITS that money from the card everytime you get on a bus or a train (plus a 5 dollar activation fee.) Oh yes, and you can only pay to park in the Metro parking lot. If you commmute from the suburbs, or do a lot of line-switching downtown, you could be spending 10 dollars a day on Metro. Just another way to suck all the money out of us.

2. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington....

Is packed with Bad A** kids. These kids make your suburban ADD friends from middle-school look like angels. They can't sit down for one second, literally. When you turn your head to write something on the chalkboard or whiteboard, they are up, trying to get at the pool table or on the computers. Now I can't put all the blame on the kids. I blame the parents, they don't instill any home training into these kids from an early age, therefore the kids think that they can act wild inside and outside the home. Also, the schools don't care about them at all. The only thing that's important to the D.C. public schools is the # of kids passing onto the next grade, not if they've actually learned anything. Plus they cut the recess, the gym time, art, and music. There's nothing for them to do, so they go off the walls. Just another reason why we need to close the education gap.

And the #1 thing I've learned living in D.C.:

Get out and enjoy the free Smithsonian museums. A perfect way to spend a lazy summer day, especially in the heatwave. And please, when you go out, do not look a hot mess. Sandals and socks, big no-no. Manpris? NO. Bad weaves? You need to fire your stylist. And PLEASE remember, spandex is a privilege, not a right.