Hoyasaxa? Yes!

Modeling at the White House

At the WWII Memorial

This morning we all met at the lobby around 7:50 AM, waiting for our shuttle to arrive to bring us to the National Mall. I was in awe to see the many sightseeing buildings that were in the National Mall, such as the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. It was truly an amazing day, as we also toured the Holocaust Museum. The Holocaust Museum was eyeopening, inspirational, and touching. It was interesting to start from the top floor and work our way down, a unique way to organize the museum. But the sightseeing isn't what I'm not here, it's because of Georgetown University, 

To be honest, I don’t like Georgetown, I LOVE it. This is my second day at Washington D.C., and it is my favorite so far. 

Our tour today was at Georgetown University, in the heart of the city; and it was breathtaking. The beautiful campus filled with amazing architecture and stunning landscapes drew me in, like an attraction I never knew. The tour started promptly at 12:30 PM in a beautiful building with marvelous details. I enjoyed listening to the informational session, but it was similar to the one in Atlanta, Georgia. Studying abroad, financial aid, the application process, the session was comparable to Emory University’s. I acquired more information about Georgetown University through our tour guide, Yijin. She discussed the many traditions of Georgetown; for instance, stepping on the seal will bring forth bad luck to an individual, depending if it’s a current student, a visiting student, or a parent. She also told us about how we are in Georgetown’s community when we go to the university. It seemed as if we were truly living the life as a Georgetown resident. In addition, Georgetown University has an impressive library which has five levels for studying, except the second floor which is the social floor. It really shows how much Georgetown students study, as Yijin mentioned. When I heard about how the intensity of concentration increases as the level increases, I was intimidated by the atmosphere. I also felt overwhelmed by the fact that 2% of schools’ ranks are the average of the current pupils. However, that anxiety soon disappeared as I spoke to the Georgetown alums, students, and president at tonight’s dinner.

Tonight’s dinner was held at the City Tavern, a place filled with rich history. When arriving at the tavern, we were greeted by Georgetown alums and students. The atmosphere was friendly and welcoming as I felt comfortable speaking to them about our day. They were interested in our conversations and provided us with a more explicit experience of the school; something that I wouldn’t personally get when going on a college tour. This is why I love going to these necessary dinners. It’s not only because of the great food, but mainly because there’s more of an opportunity to reach out and ask questions that we wouldn’t primarily ask to the tour guides, or admission offices.  I enjoyed socializing with the majority of the invited guests, because it truly felt as if I was talking to a college friend.

This evening, I had the opportunity to chat with Sean Redmond, Connor Rohan, Abbey McNaughton, and Joe. I primarily talked to Sean Redmond and Connor Rohan at the beginning of the dinner, since we were sitting in close proximity. Connor was sitting to my left, so I began to start my conversation with him. My first impression of him was that he is a funny, friendly person who made me feel as if I was his friend already. I had amusing moments with him, one to be the splitting of the crab cake. He nonchalantly asked me to split the crab cake, and I felt flattered that he requested to do so. To be honest, I really wanted to try the crab cake at the City Tavern, hearing that it was delicious, but I didn’t order it because I thought my stomach would not handle the appetizer and the entre. However, Connor requested to share it with me, and I immediately said “yes!” This is an irreplaceable memory that I will cherish and remember about Georgetown. I also spoke with Sean, president of the City Tavern. My first impression of him was that he was very welcoming and informational; I truly felt at home. He was interesting, funny, you name it.  Unfortunately, we did not share a crab cake, but conversing with him was the icing on the cake. It was truly an honor to speak to both of them.

I gained so much information about Georgetown that has made me interested in applying this upcoming school year. When I first heard about Georgetown being a Catholic and Jesuit school, I was not attracted to the university. But after talking to the Georgetown alums and students tonight, I realized that religion is not a major factor. Georgetown University has religious toleration towards all of their students, something that I admire. At the dinner, I was able to ask, “What don’t you like about Georgetown University?” I got an interesting answer, “the administration.” The reason is that the majority of the money goes into unnecessary admin, but not to necessary renovations. Connor had a really horrible time at his dorm. Splinters from his closet, unusable drawers, and flooding showers are what he had to live through. But as the conversation continued, this answer led to a fiery debate between capitalism and socialism, between Sean and Connor. To be honest, it was really heated as each side hypnotized a “what if” situation, such as the idea of clubs and organizations on campus. Would it be fair for clubs to keep the money that they earned, besides equally sharing it to their department, or vice versa? It all depends on the point of view, and I realized that by equally sharing the money, clubs and organizations are still able to be alive and active. It was interesting to listen to their conversation, but I soon began to shift my attention to the other students and alums.

Left to Right, Top to Bottom: Kevin Sullivan, Connor Rohan , Abbey McNaughton, Joe, Alfredo Chan-Law, Sean Redmond

Stephen Fong, Justic delos Santos, Julie Lum, Thao Le Hoang(Me), Helen Gilbert-Snyder,  Shanti Shrestha & Bebe Albornoz

As the dinner came to a closure, Sean offered us a tour of the City Tavern. We went up the stairs as he continued to show us around and give us history of the place. It truly is amazing to see how much the tavern has developed over the many decades and centuries, how much history was made. The night came to an end, as we all head back to our hotel. Walking up the steep hill, we chattered about how the dinner sealed the deal of Georgetown. The dinner really revealed the friendly and welcoming environment of Georgetown, something that I did not actually grasp during the college tour. Georgetown, as prestigious as it may be, is truly a university full of encouragement and friendship. 

The Washington Monument