Every day around 5 PM, sometimes much later, I left the Cannon House Office Building from the exit that faced the Capitol Dome. I am enamored with this Monument. Every time I saw it either coming to or leaving work, it served as 288 feet of marble motivation. It reminded me of the immense privilege it was to be invited to a space of such significance and importance. It fueled me with the energy I needed to complete an 8-hour workday, a 3-hour class, and a few miscellaneous hours for homework and making a phone call home.
On my last day after I turned in my badge, returned my government-issued computer, and left the Cannon House Office Building from my favorite exit, the sight of the Capitol Dome reinforced the weight of my internship’s conclusion. I began to process that I was no longer invited (or even had access) to this space as before. I was no longer the Capitol “insider” I prided myself on being for the last four months to my friends and family. At that moment, I became a visitor again.
I sincerely miss all the friendly faces and the pleasant office environments that I was honored to be part of. One of the greatest parts about being in Washington is the community that you build and the extraordinary people that you meet. I was immersed in a fast-paced environment, constantly being inspired by my community of young, ambitious, and talented peers. I learned invaluable lessons from my supervisors and fellow interns during coffee breaks and lunches that I couldn’t have learned without escaping my comfort zone and forcing myself into a completely new environment.
While I sincerely miss everyone I had grown close to and the home I was beginning to make myself in Washington D.C., this experience has made me appreciative of the life I have created for myself in Berkeley. It makes me value the time I have left much more and motivates me to make the most of my last year. I have realized the dramatic changes only four months can bring, and I feel more determined to seek every opportunity possible to make the most of my senior year.
As the only Communications Intern in the office, the level of engagement my role afforded quickly revealed my love for policy work. I completely fell in love with this space, constantly buzzing with conversations of policy changes and strategies to uplift the district the Congressman served. Whether or not my path leads me back to Washington, I am confident that it will be a space similar to the one I had been part of — one with authentically kind people and one that truly seeks to uplift the communities in need.