Urbane

DC has astonished me - almost more so than NYC did. While New York was amazing, I realize that DC is probably a much better city for me, for my future and for my studies. Today at GWU I met a graduating Senior who was exceptional and living the life I want to live. He was like my ideal image of myself. From Puyallup of all places he has interned with Solar Energy groups, studied in New Zealand, and is working in Green Corps thanks to the opportunities he has found in DC. His life changed through his decision to go to GWU instead of the typical state school, UW.

While I would love to make that leap, make that jump, I just don't know what to do. I feel like going off to L.A., San Francisco, or DC will help me so much to really grow and mature. It will force me to become the great person I want to become. Yet I also don't want to make such a burden on my family or myself through all the debt I will incur going to these expensive schools.

In the end, I think that GWU worked for this Puyallup kid. He was devoted to it and loved the city. I think I could easily come here to Foggy Bottom and make a great life for myself. Obviously four years in DC are far more exciting than four years in Seattle. But I can still make a huge difference in Seattle. I know what to expect at UW. I will push myself to live and thrive in my little Pacific Northwest metropolis. I will take adventures around the world. I will double major. I will make many new friends. I will get to know my professors and build strong relationships with them. At UW I will force myself to be brave. I will conquer the big classes. I will conquer my hatred of cold, wet winters. I will be free.

It just comes down to who I want to be. I am not so sure I want to live the life of the cool Puyallup kid I met yet. I think I want to do some more soul searching. UW is perfect for that. It just is not worth the cost to set myself down this track in DC at such a high price. There is that chance I am successful. There is that possibility that it changes my life for the better. But at least at UW I know can find success and make an impact, without the misery of all that debt.

DC is impressive. The steps of the Supreme Court blinded me. The Library of Congress awed me. The Capitol building and the views of the mall left me speechless. This city is so fascinating. I stood at the check in for the attorneys who stand in front of the Supreme Court! (And that court is way smaller than imagined btw...)
Maybe grad school here? We'll just wait and see. Tomorrow I'll visit American and my last campus tour for a long time hopefully. By the end of this week I will have a deposit down somewhere. In a week I will know where the next four years of my life will be, what track I am taking for much of the rest of my life. It's crazy, but in a week so much is being decided.

I'm excited!

"When It Rains" - Paramore ft. Andrew McMahon