Our Final Destination

After yesterday’s packed schedule, waking up at 6 o’clock in the morning was difficult. I woke up to the sound of Julie’s alarm and the knocks of the door. I suddenly checked the time to see that it was around 6:20 AM, and then I swiftly packed all of my belongings and did my morning routine. When I was done with the bathroom, Julie went in and did her morning routine. We quickly packed the remaining items into our luggage and double-checked the room to be certain that we had everything. We left our room at 6:45 AM and headed down the lobby. In the lobby we waited for the shuttle to arrive at 7:10 AM. We received our Cornell schedule for Saturday and Sunday that explicitly stated times and events. I can’t believe that it has been a solid four days since I left my home. It feels as if I have been traveling with the Cornell cohort for at least a month, but it has been four days. I never knew how much I would be able to see and accomplish in one day, but this trip has showed me what I am able to do. After we got into our shuttles, we headed toward the Amtrak station. 

When arriving at the station, I realized how massive the station really is. Furthermore, the exterior is not as impressive as the interior. It was beautiful with high glass ceilings, sculptures, and tiles. It was gorgeous.

We boarded the train at 8:45 AM. Eager to get on the train and to hopefully talk to an interesting person, similar to last years’ experience, we went into the quiet car. I didn’t know that this car was part of the train, but the purpose of the car is obvious. An old lady had the audacity to implicitly tell us to stay quiet. In the end, I didn’t really have the “guts” to have a conversation with the guy next to me because I didn’t want to be “that” person. But I liked the experience. I think the silence is something that I appreciate, especially when looking at the scenery and listening to classical music. The scenery at the East Coast is a view that everyone should see because it is so rich in nature. Tall trees, full flowers, flowing rivers, and big bugs, they are all here. The train ride was about an hour and thirty minutes from Washington, D.C. to Philadelphia.

When departing from the station we headed toward White Dog, the destination where we would be meeting the University of Pennsylvania students. It was a twenty minute ride from the 30^th Street Station, but once arriving at the restaurant, I fell in love with the street. The street is so adorable, with color-coded wooden buildings and delightful plants and flowers. We had to wait for the restaurant to open up at 11:30 AM, so we decided to stay outside of the restaurant before two UPenn students, Dyana So and Kahaari Kenyatta, arrived. Dyana is a former ILCer, so she knew the program. Plus, she has done the ILC for two years at Cornell University and Yale University. 

Talking to the current students at White Dog was more informational than the actual college tour. It was a shame that one person couldn’t show up, but it was fun talking to Briana Williams, Dyana So, and Kahaari Kenyatta. I sat next to Briana on my right, Kahaari in front of me, and Dyana to the left at an angle.

I mainly talked to Briana, who is majoring in criminology and minoring in the psychology of Koreans, because I heard that she traveled to Seoul for a study abroad program. I’ve always wanted to go to South Korea to taste all the good food, and experience the culture. I was primarily interested when I watched Eat Your Kimchi, a YouTube channel that features places and foods in South Korea. I wanted to venture out and go to the more local places that Martina and Simon, the stars, revealed in their videos. I was charmed by South Korea. Coincidentally, Briana knows them as well and had the chance to take a picture with them. I was surprised and amazed that she took a picture with famous YouTube stars. I can now say that I have a friend who took a picture with a celebrity. On the topic of Korea, we bonded over Korean dramas and had a blast with the conversation.

I also had the opportunity to talk to Kahaari Kenyatta. Kahaari is the coolest person. He and I bonded over music. When we went around the table to talk about our grade, course, and interests, Kahaari snapped his fingers when I mentioned that I wanted to major in music. I felt a spark that lit. It’s been awhile since someone has connected with me. This is because he is part of the performing arts program at UPenn. I felt more confident with my major, but I also included that I want to be an engineer as well. Kahaari majors in public health and has a minor in chemistry. He also studied abroad while earning credit. He traveled all over the place. I truly admire that aspect of him, because I would love to study abroad. He is a charismatic person, and I had a fun time talking to him.

To reflect on the lunch, I learned a lot more from all of them. One thing that they told me about UPenn was the competitive atmosphere. The application process is already competitive, and probably a bit intimidating. But they mentioned how it’s not necessary to be super competitive. During this lunch, I realized how much I love UPenn. Dyana, Kahaari, and Briana revealed their amazing experiences at UPenn, and I became attracted to the university. I wish that we didn’t go to the tour because I had a blast talking to them, and I gained a lot of information just from that lunch.

Left to Right, Top to Bottom: Kahaari Kenyatta, Stephen Fong, Justice delos Santos, Helen GIlbert-Snyder, Alfredo Chan-Law, Thao Le Hoang(Me), Briana Williams, Julie Lum, Shanti Shrestha, Dyana So

After leaving and saying our good-byes, we headed to the campus tour. Walking into an amazing building, with unique design, my heart skipped a beat. I believe we entered a concert hall, and it was packed with people. I didn’t know that so many people would be touring today, so I was surprised. 

The informational session was similar to the other universities. Studying abroad, financial aid, and the common application process were discussed throughout the session. I was astonished to hear many music related questions. It really showed me how popular the music program at UPenn really is.

We finished the informational session at 2 o’clock to transition to the campus tour. At this point, I knew what to expect because it seemed to follow a similar pattern as the previous college tours. Our tour guide was Stefanie Kligman. The feature that I liked about the tour was how there was shade and seats wherever we went. I appreciated it because with about four hours of sleep, I needed to take a rest. UPenn has beautiful architecture and numerous trees. I never once realized how many different species of trees there are until going on this tour.

Afterwards, I thought about applying to UPenn. UPenn has stunning buildings, especially the hall we were in, and I believed that I would be able to study music and engineering. But the competitive atmosphere and environment has made me uneasy and intimidated. I want to be in a campus that is not to intense, though challenging. Even with the competitiveness, meeting up with Dyana, Kahaari, and Briana provided more exposure to what UPenn students are actually like.

Our Plane to Ithaca

As the day comes to an end, we still have one more travel to do; one more flight. The plane ride to Ithaca, New York is home to Cornell University, our last destination. This is truly the end of our traveling days, and I will truly miss talking to the college alums and students. I never had so much of a connection with distant people in a long time, and I’m glad to be able to experience this for the last time.

The plane ride leaves Philadelphia at 9:42 PM, and we are expected to land in Ithaca at 10:38 PM. We land close to that time, get our luggage, and head to our next home for the month. I watch the scenery go by, absorbing as much of the scenery that I could gather. “I will be attending here,” I thought, “at an Ivy League College.” 

When I step on the campus, I am nervous; nervous to meet my roommate, nervous to meet my resident adviser, and nervous to see my room.  However, when I entered my room, I see that I have no roommate.  

3 States in 1 Day

The inside of the Business Quiet Car on Amtrak

Each day consistently we wake up early in the  morning and have a long day. Today, both Justice and I awoke and walked down to Starbucks, returning at 6:40 AM. Still 10 minutes early, we ran back up to our room, packed, and met everyone in the lobby. Still only half awake, we called for a taxi and were dropped off at the Amtrak station. The stone building reinforced the fact that Washington D.C is an amazing architectural city.


Once inside, we found a nice quiet table and we went to order food. After yesterday’s experience with the delicious sandwiches at Potbelly Sandwich Works, we found yet another one at the station. Since we were too lazy to putt around the train station, we ordered our breakfast here. Train stations are much easier to get around then airports. We quickly located our gate and patiently waited until boarding. Being seated in the Business Quiet Car, we were not able to mingle or introduce ourselves to new people. However, I was able to squeeze a quick nap in.


Outside doorway of White Dog

The train ride was very quick and relaxing. We arrived in Philadelphia at 11 AM and hastily checked in our luggage, for we had a lunch with University of Pennsylvania alumni at 11:30. Surprisingly, we entered the front doors of the White Dog with 15 minutes to spare. Instead of waiting inside, we all sat on the sidewalk in the cool shade. Just a few minutes before 11:30, a young woman and a tall man walked past and asked, "Is there any chance that you guys are in the ILC?" It was two of the UPenn alumni. We quickly made introductions. The young woman was named Dyana So and the tall man was Kahaari Kenyatta. A few minutes later, another woman walked up and introduced herself as Briana Williams. After mingling outside for a few minutes, we walked into the restaurant and were seated in a private back room. 

Still waiting on one more alum, we sipped our waters and got to know each other. I sat directly next to Briana who was very sweet and funny. Briana studied abroad in Seoul, South Korea studying criminology. Even though Dyana sat on the other side of the table, we were still able to mingle and we found out that we both played the clarinet in marching band. Kahaari is in Public Health and minors in chemistry. Due to lack of time, we had to leave for our tour of University of Pennsylvania.  Saying our good-byes were brief, but contact info was exchanged in case we had any more questions left.

University of Pennsylvania engineering banner

As we made our way to UPenn, we realized we were late, so we quickly walked our way into the auditorium. The auditorium was packed with students and parents in every seat. Luckily, we were able to catch half of the speech. Some interesting facts about UPenn is that they are the number one college when it comes to sending students to study abroad. Also, due to my interest in business, I found myself listening very closely about the Wharton School of Business. Wharton is one of the top business schools that focuses on students going right into the work force after graduating. Following the information tour, we were given a campus tour by Stephanie. We were able to see the majority of UPenn. Something that surprised me was that I did not know UPenn's campus was so old style looking. Similar to Georgetown's buildings, UPenn had tall, brick worked buildings. I enjoyed the University of Pennsylvania, mainly because of their outstanding business school.

Food court in gate F18

The cohort headed straight to the bookstore after the campus tour. After a refreshment stop at Starbucks, we looked around the store and read some of their available books. An hour passed and we eventually got ourselves out without buying too many items. Still 2 hours early before our airport shuttle arrived, we strolled back to the Amtrak station and got our luggage from the Amtrak baggage check-in.

US Airways Express airplane

6 o'clock rolled around and we piled into the airport shuttle. 30 minutes later we arrived at the airport. We checked in our bags, got through security, and took a shuttle to gate F18. Upon our arrival, we settled in the dining hall and blogged for 45 minutes. Eventually, our hunger got to us, so we took a break from blogging and ate dinner in the dining hall. Our flight left at 9:30 PM, so we had plenty of time to eat, blog, and mingle. The only difference was that tonight we flew US Airways instead of Southwest to Cornell, located in Ithaca, New York. This was the first time I flew in an airplane during the night time. The view was amazing. Seeing all the stars shining and the shadows of the clouds took my breath away. The flight from Pennsylvania to Ithaca was shorter than our previous ones and we landed in 45

minutes.

Chan-Law went to rent a van while the Cornell cohort waited for the luggage. The baggage finally emerged and we packed the back of the van exactly the way Holiday Inn drivers pack their shuttles. We arrived at the South Balch building and unloaded the ladies luggage and brought to the front lobby for them. Chan-Law then drove Justice and I to the Mary Donlon building. The atmosphere and the personality of the college helpers were very positive. My RA's are Jake, Rak, and Josh. All very helpful young men, who have great attitudes toward younger students.

“Give the Kids a Break!"

It’s well after midnight in Ithaca and our Cornellians just arrived and got checked into their dorms.

They’ve been in three cities, two states and DC in a 12 hour period and I understand that their Wi-Fi in their new dorm rooms may not be working as well as it should.

I’ve checked the statutes in New York and apparently it’c considered child abuse to require them to blog after that so I’ve given them a pass for the night so when they awaken on Saturday (later in the morning) their minds will be fresh and they’ll be able to draft some super blogs.

I know I’m looking forward to what they have to write about their day at Penn, meeting the Amazing Dyana So and then seeing Cornell for the first time.  And from the past couple of days I think we can also expect some very nice photos--because they all know how much I like a pretty picture.

Hectic Days No Longer - Welcome to Cornell

The Philadelphia Amtrak Station

Four days, three cities, two restaurants, one basketball game, and countless memories later, the Cornell cohort and I finally wrapped up our college tours at Emory University, Georgetown University, and University of Pennsylvania and have now arrived at our home for the next three weeks, Cornell University.  After wrapping up at two in the morning, I woke up at around 6:20, 30 minutes before we had to be in the lobby, to grab some Starbucks with Stephen and fuel up for the day ahead of me.  At around 7:05, two taxis picked up our squad and brought us to the Washington D.C. Amtrak Station, where we caught a train to Philadelphia.  At 9:00 AM, the train left the station and by 10:30, we were in Philly.  The train ride went smoothly and gave me an opportunity to get a little extra rest.  We departed from the train, checked our luggage into the Philadelphia Amtrak Station, and walked to the White Dog Café for our lunch with current students from the University of Pennsylvania.  

Panoramic of the block of the White Dog Cafe

We arrived at the White Dog Café around 11:15 AM, about 15 minutes before the restaurant opened up.  While waiting outside, we were able to meet Dyana So and Kahaari Kenyatta, both of whom were rising seniors.  They were both incredibly friendly and outgoing, which made it easy to break the ice.  Upon entering the restaurant, the Cornell cohort made small talk about last night’s dinner and our adventures in blogging late into the night. 

Dyana is from Pinole Valley High School and actually participated in the Ivy League Connection twice during her tenure in high school.  Kahaari and Briana Williams, a rising senior did not know what the Ivy League Connection was all about, so we explained to him, along with Briana Williams, another friendly rising senior who walked greeted us right as we entered the restaurant.  Throughout the duration of the lunch, the conversations were incredibly free-flowing.  No one ever seemed secluded from the conversation and the Penn students did a wonderful job of describing what their school was all about.  For most of my lunch, I spoke with Dyana with Shanti and Julie, where we all exchanged questions and answers.  Dyana gave us advice within her experiences at the college and in general going forward.  She also told me personally she knew people within Penn’s student newspaper, and to contact her later on.  At around 1:00 PM, everyone said their goodbyes, and we headed off to Penn for our tour of the school.

The Theatre

The presentation just began by the time we arrived at the college.  The initial presentation took place in Penn’s majestic theatre, where at least 500 students and parents all ready to tour the campus.  The presentation was pretty standard considering what I had seen in the two days prior.  The list of topics discussed included Need Blind, the application process and what the college looks.  What I noticed is that the presentation shied away from talking about student life and student involvement with the school.  I found this odd because Emory and Georgetown put such a great emphasis on their students and how all of their students created a family, not just a student body. 

While at Penn, I didn’t quite feel the same vibe as the former.  Following the presentation, twelve students at Penn broke up the massive crowd amongst themselves.  Our student tour guide was Stefanie Kligman.  In short, the tour wasn’t as quite immersive as the prior two colleges.  In long, the tour felt a little too cookie cutter.  It was apparent early that Stefanie was new because she did not speak with the same degree of confidence as her fellow students, who I heard when I passed them.  Our group also ended up making an unnecessary circle around the school, wasting a lot of our energy in the baking sun.  Nevertheless, I made an effort to appreciate the school while I could.  The architecture was fabulous and I loved how the school implemented trees and greenery at nearly every corner. 

I also had an interest in the student body’s traditions, which let me know that a strong student body did exist.  All in all, it was a very mixed experience.  I would have to say that the extra walking took my attention away from the tour and more on my lack of physical energy, which I wished did not happen.  I am interested in the school, but I feel as though I’d have to do more personal research to make up for the tour.

University of Pennsylvania 

At around 3:30 PM, the tour ended.  Our group took a brief visit to Penn’s bookstore, then headed back to Philadelphia’s Amtrak Station.  At the station, we were finally able to get our first real break outside of sleep.  We arrived at the station at around 5 PM, a full hour before we were supposed to be picked up.  The second I hit the benches, I was knocked out.  According to Shanti, I only slept for about 30 minutes, but to me, it might as well have been a full eight hours.  At 6 PM, the shuttle picked us up from the station and dropped us off at the airport about twenty minutes later.  There, we would run through the repetitive bag check-ins and security checkpoints.  By 9:30 PM, we were up in the air, on our way to Cornell University.  

We arrived at Cornell at around 11:30 PM.  Upon entrance, we were greeted by a multitude of students and RA’s.  After signing in, I was introduced to my three RA’s, Jake, Josh, and Rak.  They were all incredibly helpful in moving me into my dorm and helping me battle a couple of nerves that I had coming into the university.  I did not get my Cornell ID, nor did I get the key to the lock to my door.  I will be receiving these two items tomorrow at the orientation.  This past week has been no easy journey; we’ve had to take three planes, flag down countless taxis, adapt to the heat and humidity, and cram as much of the east into our trip as humanly possible, all while sticking to the itinerary and juggling time constraint after time constraint.  Now that I’m here, it’s time to get working (and maybe for tonight a little extra sleep).  

All things Historical

My head rested on the passenger seat window as I tugged at my hair. I was making one of the toughest decision of my thirteen year life span. My middle school would offer seventh and eighth grade students a week long tour around the state capital every other year. It was a tradition that my older sister got to enjoy and this year was my turn. My ride was bumpier than my sisters. The week that the school planned to hold the trip, our dance group would be holding our annual showcase. It wasn't just any showcase. Our June show was always our biggest, complete with a two days of full houses. I smacked my head on the window as my mom returned from her shopping, knowing that she expected the long awaited answer.

I chose dance in the end.

I don't regret my decision, but I feel left out when my peers discuss the grand Lincoln Memorial or the reknown White House. My days of idly kicking my legs while staring at the ground are behind me now.

We started our morning bright and early at 8, stocking up on calories in a downtown for our long tour of the monuments. I felt like we were in an episode of Amazing Race. Our group hopped across the town to visit the monuments, each visit requiring either a feet aching jog or a rushed taxi adventure. Upon our arrival to the site, our team sprinted into action, weaving through crowds and snapping pictures for five minutes before leaving the site. In the course of four hours, we managed to fit in the Washington Memorial, World War II Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, and Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. I'd say it was not bad for the first time in the city.

One of many pretty pictures!

We arrived Georgetown for our 12 o'clock tour. My heart fell to my stomach the moment our taxi stopped at the curb. I wouldn't be surprised if I found a magic talking hat in the dining quarters

Hogwarts in disguise.

because this school looked like Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Tall ancient building stretched toward the sky, each column complete with a triangular cap, garnished with metal crosses. The little Potterhead inside me fainted. Just like Emory University, our session began with a lecture lead by Kelly Young. I was starting to see a pattern with these college tours. Kelly informed us about the technical details— university statistics, tuition information, as well as key admission information. Her seminar was shortly followed by three guides who entered the room and guided us into the blazing sun.

Our group paired ourselves with the rising college junior, Yijin Yang. We were lead out to the front

Yijin in the beautiful Theology building.

gates where everyone met a statue of a man. Yijin revealed the man’s identity as the Roman Catholic Archbishop John Carroll. Sweat trickled down my temple at the mention that the school was the largest Catholic and Jesuit institute. I wouldn’t consider myself heavily religious influenced. I go to church twice a year, once for the annual Thanksgiving Fundraiser and once during the summer to check in on the church. The thought of a school founded on faith made me queasy, but apparently I wasn’t the only one. A parent questioned whether religion is heavily practiced amongst the student body on campus and Yijin reassured everyone that practicing religion on campus is a choice of the student. She admitted that she was troubled that the school was religious when she first applied, but after attending the school, she realized that religion is not an important factor for the college. I nodded in relief. Before Georgetown, I had an irrational fear of attending religious colleges. I’m glad that’s over.

Just like Emory, Georgetown is a college with rich culture and history. The customs on campus are, however, very intriguing. From saving John Carroll from a toilet seat to sealing the clock hands of the sky high tower, students on campus have compiled a unique set of traditions to be handed down.

Heading to where Obama was!

Yijin gave our group a chance to experience one of the customs when we exited the site where Barack Obama gave a speech the previous year. Before we left the area, a ghostly air of mischief surrounded Yijin’s smile as she warned us against stepping on the seal. Suddenly my mind flashed. I remember Shanti joking with her friend Chiamaka about trampling on a seal despite a warning from the guide. Although I managed to avoid the stamp, Stephen hopped on the mark and Chan-Law trampled it. Once we gathered, Yijin explained that stepping on the seal would bring misfortune. In our case, Stephen wouldn’t be admitted to the college and Chan-Law wouldn’t be seeing any financial aid in the future. Our cohort will pray for their loss in the monastery.

Although many of the buildings are traditionally styled, the university has a collection of high-tech

Beautiful and modern

buildings as well. Healey’s Family Room is one of the edifices which balance out the old and new. The structure is complete with a bar, study stations and a large room intended for studying. Similarly, the large flat screen hanging from the top of the room makes for a popular socializing area. I was particularly impressed with green architecture which made use of the outdoor rainwater to sustain a wall of vines growing indoors.

After our visit to the Emory and Georgetown, I realized how much West coast lacks in history compared to the East. AP American History teaches us that American history started in the East and slowly began stretching out into Western territory, making it a logical deduction that the East is richer in history. Aside from fascinating social study fanatics, Georgetown is close to the United State capital. That’s pretty cool in itself. Students interested in politics are five blocks away from the home of American politics.

After the tour, our group continued our picture snapping montage, catching a taxi to the White House for the media before heading to the Holocaust museum.

Photos of a few who were lost.

The thought of visiting the museum having a German dinner the previous night was ironic. We walked into the building with sweat and smiles but exited with tight lips and dark eyes. It was hard to get through the exhibit. Everyone has a gist of the horrors the Jews experienced, but the museum brought the experience to life using a five floor building to tell the story. Each exhibit is accompanied by an informational video, picture or artifact regarding the era of horror. Tourists are transformed into prisoners as they take a passport of a Jew who lived in the concentration camps. After each floor, the individual is allowed to flip one page to reveal their life story. The floor goes in chronological order, the top explaining how the mass genocide erupted and the bottom showing the aftermath. Everyone quietly made their way from one exhibit to another, aside from the occasional “excuse me” or “sorry.” We were reading a piece regarding the Holocaust in our English textbooks, and our teacher thought The Boy in the Striped Pajamas would be the perfect accompanying piece. Our class was mortified by what we saw. Spoiler alert: Our class had to turn their faces when the two boys were led into the oven. I thought that would be the worst experience I could have with witnessing the terror of the holocaust. Getting through this museum was like watching this movie and then putting the death scene on loop. I met the cohort outside, each of us looking the other direction and commenting about their experience with their eyes on the floor tiles. There was a lot to take in from the museum.

Our day didn’t end with sulking in pillows. Our cohort took a taxi back to the hotel and freshened up for our Georgetown Dinner at the City Tavern Club. Chan-Law gave some background about the eatery, but I wasn’t prepared for what was to come. Each ILC member had a student or Alum of Georgetown at their side and vice versa so everyone was seated next to someone new. I had the pleasure of sitting next to, Sean Redmond, my new crab cake companion, and the gracious and outgoing Abbey McNaughton. Thao sat directly in front of me, Conner Rohan sitting at her left and Joe on her right. Once again, dinner turns out to be my favorite part of the day, and this dinner in particular stands above all others. We had amusing conversation which ranged from studying abroad to least favorite aspects of the school to the existence of aliens. Everyone at the table clicked and the meeting was super fun and friendly.

Following our dinner, my CCC (Crab Cake Companion) led into a room where John Adams patiently waited for his photo to be taken. Of course, every picture needs some bombing so we threw ourselves in there to spice things up for John.

Picture from left to right Sean (CCC and BFF), Thao, Julie, Shanti 

Later, Sean gave us a tour of the building, taking us to see all four floors and explaining the function of each room during its time, earning an awe from everyone. By the time we made it to the top floor, it was 10 PM! Time flies when you’re having fun. 

Georgetown for the Win!

Today our day started early at 7:45 AM. We left the hotel around 8:00 AM to go to National Mall. Before we went to see the National Mall’s monuments, we stopped by the Holocaust Museum to get tickets. From there we started to visit the breath taking monuments. These included Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, the World War II Memorial, and the Martin Luther King Memorial. When it got around 11:30 AM, we tried to call for cabs to take us to Georgetown University for our 12:30 PM tour.

World War II Memorial

Beautiful View from the Lincoln Memorial

MLK standing strong and tall. 

Around 12:30 PM, we were brought into this classroom where the assistant director of admissions, Kelly Young, gave us an information session about the school. Throughout the session, I saw that Georgetown University was an exceptional school. It’s a school that wants to see their students succeed and uses every resource they can, to do so. For example, the advisers and the professors of the university, make personal connections with their students as well as use their connection with different companies and firms to guide them into the workforce. In addition, most students have the opportunity to intern somewhere connected to their career path because the school is in close proximity of companies and firms that want students from Georgetown to work for them. These companies vary from all fields from medical to law, which gives all the students an opportunity to get work experience. The companies and firm include various law firms, The Red Cross, and certain business companies. Not only are there opportunities within the city of D.C, but there are also many opportunities to study abroad. Students can take a semester abroad to more than forty(and counting) countries all around the world.

During the information session, I also learned certain admission information retaining applications, acceptance, and financial aid. I was a bit surprised to hear that Georgetown did not follow common application for college admission. Instead they had their own application that gives the university more incite about the applicant's personal life. The school also required three SAT subject tests instead of two. They also require the subject tests to correlates with the educational path that is being taken. In addition, one thing that I appreciated was that Georgetown was “need blind” with applications. This simply means the university does not look at financial statuses when reviewing the applicant. Need blind takes away any possibility of discrimination in the admission process due to financial status.

During the tour, our tour guide took us throughout Georgetown to see what facilities, buildings, and sites they offer to students. Although it was terribly hot and humid, the heat never took away any attention from the schools beauty and environment. She first took us to the main and most popular building which included the admission office and the building for theology. Throughout the school, the old building were kept in mint condition with a beautiful glow. These building were full of history and it amazed me how much history is encapsulated in one school. From there we went to the buildings of the different dorm rooms/housing and top notch facilities that the science students use. We also visited the many common rooms that the school built to create a more communicative society.

From the information session and tour guide, I realized the differences from our local colleges in the West Coast compared to colleges like Georgetown in the East. To start off our local colleges are very large compared to Georgetown. Although this may seem like a great aspect to a school, it’s also a disadvantage.  With a large campus students are often sectioned off and they don’t really get the same chances of socializing that a small college does. Georgetown makes efficient ways to make socializing easier and more prevalent. For example only having one commons hall, allows more interaction between the classes and students from different schools. In addition, the student to teacher ratio is a lot different from a regular college. At UC Davis it may be 50:1 where as in Georgetown its 9:1. This gives students a chance to gain a better and more personal relationship with their professors. With better connections, comes better opportunities. Georgetown also has a lot of great resources for students. Although our local colleges in California have great resources as well, Georgetown takes it a step further by getting students involved in the new development of building common rooms as well as facilities for research and studying.  Georgetown definitely won the battle between local colleges V.S. Georgetown.

Later on in the day we revisited the Holocaust Museum. This was my second time visiting the museum and it was just as moving and beautiful as my first visit. Throughout the whole museum, I learned new things and spotted things that I missed my last visit. Throughout all the museums I’ve seen, the Holocaust Museum by for is that most touching and inspiring museum yet. Through the videos, artifacts, and quotes, the audience understand the treacherous toll that the Holocaust has affected on minorities like the Jews and Gypsies.

My Delicious Entree for the Night

During the evening, we had the most wonderful time in the City Tavern Club in Washington D.C with some of the students from Georgetown. The dinner was marvelous and to top it off we had amazing guests to accompany us. I had the opportunity to sit next to two astounding women who are alumni. To my right, I had Bebe Albornoz, who now works at a law firm, and Gabriela Perla, which I believe works in international policy field. I was able to get useful incite about Georgetown that the tour guide didn’t mention. For example, Gabriela talked about some of the school’s traditions Bebe talked about some of the things she thought the school could improve on. They also gave me advice about how it is being in Georgetown. For example, how to deal with a competitive community and how to have confidence in one own ability. Gabriela discusses how the college makes students for aware of rejection, need for self-determination, and confidence. Bebe and Gabriela helped me understand no matter what college I go to, I need to be confident in myself and with my education. I need to worry about my own progress rather than others and focus on my goals. They taught me always being persistent and determined is how what will take me far. As long as I’m confident and determined, I can accomplish anything. 

Georgetown Dreams

I have been at a loss for words for the past hour about the day that I just experienced.  In a day where I had no expectations of Washington D.C. or Georgetown University, I was simply blown away.  I expected to have an great, but not mind-boggling, time at both Georgetown and at Washington D.C.'s National Mall.  What I got instead was what I could easily call one of the best days I have ever experienced.  Ironically, I didn't get off to such a great start.  Because of a deadly combination of jet lag and a lack of a full eight hour sleep, I woke up a little late this morning and was forced to rush to get ready, rather than at my leisure.  After going through my morning routine, I quickly went downstairs, where I was greeted by Mr. Chan-Law, who had a devilishly-handsome grin on his face.  He told me to get up earlier and that tomorrow we would have to wake up even earlier to travel to Philadelphia.  The perfect blend of elements for recalibrating an already broken sleeping schedule.  

At around nine in the morning, our shuttle brought us to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the first in many destinations this group had in its sight.  The museum didn't open up until ten in the morning, so we wandered around until we found Potbelly Sandwich Shop, a place that made delicious breakfast sandwiches.  We quickly ate and headed back to the Museum, only to be greeted with an incredibly long line that stretched far to the building parallel to the museum.  We waited in the line for about 10 minutes, only to find out that we wouldn't be able to go into the museum until 11 o'clock.  Being ten o'clock at the moment, we decided that we would head back at 3:30 after the visit to Georgetown and explore the National Mall until the Georgetown tour at 12:30.

WWII Monument

Although we had to modify our plans, we nevertheless had a wonderful time visiting the National Mall.  We started off by visiting the high standing Washington Memorial, then the World War II memorial, which had 54 Memorial Columns in memory of the 48 states and the six territories that America occupied at the time of the war.  Following the visit the the World War II Memorial, we took a long road that passed the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool until we reached the actual Lincoln Memorial, which was all the more spectacular.  To finish our trip at the National Mall, shagged some ice cream and walked to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, where we snapped photos and took a brief recess under the shade that was provided.  All of the memorials that we visited were absolutely stunning to see in real life.  It's one thing to see them on a screen or in a pamphlet  but it's another to be right there and see a piece of history.  While standing on top of the Lincoln Memorial, I got a really nice view of all the Washington Memorial and the Pool, which was breathtaking to say the least.  When I first saw each memorial, I had to stop everything I was doing and just observe it for a while.  No pictures, no videos, just admiration.  We wrapped up our visit in the National Mall by playing "Flag Down a Taxi" for about 10 frustrating minutes before we were able to get two four-person taxis to take us to Georgetown University.  I was in the first car with Shanti and Thao while Julie, Stephen, Helen, and Mr. Chan-Law took the second cab.  Our cab driver was incredibly friendly, pointing out the Watergate Complex, as well as the stairs where a scene from the movie "Insidious" was shot.  

The building dedicated to Theology

Right when I stepped out of the cab at our destination, I looked to my right and saw a place that looked straight out of a Harry Potter movie.  I realized that the collection of mammoth buildings I was looking at was Georgetown University.  Immediately, I was in awe of what I was looking at.  The buildings stood high and mighty, unlike anything I had ever seen before.  Similar to the memorials at the National Mall, all I could do was state in admiration.  To say that the campus was beautiful would be an understatement and would do injustice to the people who presumably spent years constructing these beautiful works of art.  Again, I came into the visit with very little expectations of Georgetown.  The only bit of information I knew about the college was that former number one draft pick and Hall of Fame basketball player Patrick Ewing was an alum of the school and brought the basketball team great success.  The glamorous campus was a great start.  

Georgetown's Chapel

At 12:30 in the afternoon, we walked into the admissions building, checked in, filmed out a form, and then were led into a presentation room.  Kelly Young, Assistant Director of Administration, introduced herself to the students and parents that were in the presentation room and began to run through the basics of Georgetown University.  She started off with a brief history of Georgetown, then went into facts and statistics about the school, such as its population, majors, and class sizes.  According to Young, Georgetown University is broken into four undergraduate schools, Georgetown University, School of Nursing and Health Studies, Walsh School of Foreign Service, and McDonough School of Business.  Following her description of these undergraduate schools, Young talked about the notable guest speakers that have spoken at Georgetown, such as Hillary and Bill Clinton, Barrack Obama, Tony Blair, and Warren Buffet, internship opportunities, studying abroad, admission information, and the Georgetown community.  One of my favorite aspects of the presentation was when they talked about Jugg, the school's student club that created their own burger recipe and sells them on the lawn during the spring.  It may have been because I was a little hungry, but to me, this was a personification of the fantastic student body as a whole, which made me eager for the tour that lie ahead. 

After about 30 minutes, the presentation ended and three students from Georgetown University greeted us as the tour guides for the day.  We joined the group of Yijin Yang, a junior that was a copywriter for the student run newspaper, the host of an hour long radio show on Saturdays, and an employee at Georgetown Cupcakes.  She immediately caught my attention when she said she worked for the newspaper.  Being editor-in-chief of my school's newspaper, I immediately thought this would be a great opportunity to learn from Yang and her experience with working to the school's student-run newspaper.  Yang also stated she was open to answer questions after the tou

r, so I knew I had to talk with her when all was said and done.

The dorms & Yijin (on the right)

The tour of Georgetown was both a memorable and very informative experience.  The more and more we walked about the school, the more I fell in love with it.  Just based off of my memory, I saw the  building of theology, the business school, the family room known as "Healey Hall," the stadium, their rooftop, the tavern, and the cafeteria.  A majority of the buildings were constructed with bricks, but they were modern on the inside, which I found very unique and pleasing to the eye.  Yang was an excellent tour guide as well, making the entire experience memorable.  She went in depth to nearly every item that was briefly covered in Young's presentation while being incredibly friendly at the same time and willing to answer questions at a moment's notice.  Her love for the school seemed authentic as well because she had a genuine appreciation for the school and wanted to cram as much information into the little time she had with the group.  When the tour ended, I was able to exchange information with her regarding journalism and she was more than willing to help.  I believe the her attitude during and after the tour was a proper representation of what Georgetown was all about, and what set it aside from different colleges.  Although I was sad to leave after the presentation, I was able to snag a hoodie at their bookstore so I would always have a piece of Georgetown with me.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Our cohort made the most of the little time we had before the Georgetown Dinner at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.  At the very beginning of the tour, we were given an identification card with one person, male or female depending on the card that was drawn.  I chose a man named Peter Philipps, born in Essen, Germany.  According to Shanti, I was to read one page of his ID per floor, then read the last page upon finishing.  We headed up the elevator and were dropped off on the fourth floor, which progressively went into the history of Antisemitism and the rise of the Nazi Party. This floor spanned from about 1930-1940, and talked about the beginning of Jewish persecution and the rise of Hitler.  Julie and I watched a 14 minute film on the the history of Anti-Semitism, which dated back to the days of Jesus Christ.  After finishing up on the fourth floor, we made our way down to the third floor, which went into the how Jews were persecuted.  The second and final floor went into the end of the Nazi regime and how Jews revolted.  We didn't have time to get the full experience of the museum, but the material that I did get to cover was incredibly powerful stuff.  In my opinion, the museum perfectly depicted what occurred during the tragic events of the Holocaust.  Upon exiting the Holocaust Museum at 5:30, we jumped around like madmen to find a taxi, went back to our Holiday Inn, and quickly prepared for the Georgetown dinner.  

The City Tavern Club

We arrived at the City Tavern Club around 7:15.  At first, I didn't recognize the place, mostly because I was expecting some high-end, modern restaurant similar to One Market in San Francisco.  We walked inside the Tavern, down the stairs to the restaurant, and were greeted by Sean Redmond, Kevin Sullivan, Bebe Albornoz, Gabriela Perla, Connor Rohan, and Abbey McNaughton.  They all had smiles on their faces and gladly introduced themselves.  We all engaged in a little bit of small talk, then sat down at our respective table.  I sat next to Kevin, Abbey, Connor, and Helen.  The conversation started off with Kevin, Abbey, and Connor asking us about our backgrounds, but the conversation shifted in the opposite direction as we started to ask them about their experiences at Georgetown, what they liked, what they didn't like as much, and their advice moving forward.  Somewhere along the lines of the dinner, Kevin and I engaged in a really strong conversation about school, sports, and journalism.  He was incredibly friendly and I opened up like a book, telling him all about my experiences in all three subjects.  My favorite conversation topic was when we talked about how sports goes beyond the realm of the field or the court and extends into the cities and communities they plan in.  

While I was talking about journalism, Kevin mentioned that he knew a former Georgetown alum that owned a Washington sports team that could possibly donate money to my school's journalism club in order to produce a printed newspaper.  When I heard this, I was absolutely shocked.  Just a little background, my school's journalism club is currently experiencing a little bit of economic troubles and we are forced to produce content only over the internet.  Internally, Julie, fellow editor-in-chief, and I discussed ways to fundraise money just to try and print a newspaper every once-in-a-while.  When Kevin told me that he could possibly support a printed paper, I almost cried tears of joy because I was so happy.  It was at this moment that I realized Georgetown was more than an average college.  This wasn't just a place to spend four years to get a degree.  No, to me, this place was a family, a tight knit community of people from all across the United States that are all about something more than themselves.  While Sean described the upper levels of the tavern club, all I could think about was how Georgetown could change my life, even though I didn't actually attend the college.  I fell in love with this school, and hopefully one day we can reunite.

The Georgetown Dinner - 2015

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