When I landed a spot as an undergraduate auditor this summer with a federal agency, I was ecstatic and as someone who just wrapped up their sophomore year, pleasantly surprised. As a somewhat small town girl taking on the nation’s capital, I entered this internship with an open mind about coworkers, a can of mace and the full understanding that I would get lost ... multiple times.

At least two of three of those preparations proved fruitful, and I am glad the mace was not necessary in the end.

1. During my first week of a two-hour morning commute, I wound up on the wrong commuter bus and had to hop off on the opposite end of DC and mount the metro. I was only 15 minutes late, and I could not have been more proud.

2. Out of the 14 interns, only three of us were under 21 for most of the summer … Cue water glasses at happy hour.

3. Somebody in an elevator with me asked if I was visiting a family member … “No, I am a summer intern.” Awkward head nod and silence.

4. A fellow intern left a meeting with a supervisor and began to search for his cube in a sea of similar cubes. He ran back into his supervisor during the quest and asked for directions.

5. In case you saw the national news, one day a metro derailed, injuring two people. I missed boarding that very metro by a mere two minutes because my little legs could not carry me fast enough that Friday morning. Words you never want to hear from a metro conductor: “Uhhh … there has been a derailment up ahead … and they do not know when it will be cleared.” Instant prayer and praise is all I have got to say.

6. I never thought going 20 above the posted speed limit to be acceptable until I started driving in Northern Virginia. Y'all kids are crazy in the cars. When I get a speeding ticket, I am blaming it on my summer in “the NoVa.”

7. I made friends from all over the United States because this was an internship for a federal agency after all. I met a Texan who thought the DC heat was not heat, a Floridian with a strong passion for webinars and even some fellow Virginians, including an awesome Air Force veteran and a charming guy who amused us all by cutting out the wacky local articles to display when we had downtime.

8. I learned that as auditors, we do often meet the stereotype of lacking social skills, but by golly better office conversations have never been had!

9. As a team, with a certificate to prove it, we quickly learned that changing an ink cartridge is no easy feat. It took three of us and about 25 minutes. May I never know that struggle again. No ink cartridge should be the size of a regular size printer. Just...

10. DC has some of the best restaurants in the world. If you’re looking for a great breakfast, lunch or dinner, you need to wander DC. From delicious burgers to food trucks and a homestyle breakfast with super sweet waiters exist in the heart of downtown. My waistline and my bank account can confirm.

11. Gas is so much more expensive. I would pay about $6 more to fill up in NoVa than when I made it back to my little world at the end of the summer.

Ouch, pockets, ouch.

12. When people tell you that you should always wash your hands after leaving metro, they have good reason. Take it from the girl who took risks and usually forgot to: I left DC on my last day with the beginnings of corneal conjunctivitis (pink eye on a whole new level). Heed my warnings, kids. Unless you want to use steroid infused eye drops and be damned to wear the glasses you never wear for a week. Me, bitter? Ha.

All in all, it was a great summer, and even if the commute was crap and I did twiddle my thumbs sometimes, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. I sure am glad I jumped and submitted an application for something I barely met the requirements on (let that be a lesson to just go for it). Shout out to the new friends who made it exceptionally worth my while. Enjoy your last years and have wonderful careers!