A Week in Washington For DC College Students | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics

A Week in Washington For DC College Students

What a time

32
A Week in Washington For DC College Students

On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in 2017 my friends and I walked to the national mall to see our city being transformed into the center-stage for the inauguration of president-elect Donald Trump. I was struck by how incredibly different everything looked. The steps of the Lincoln were covered by a stage that features moving walls that are most likely inspired by the “Build the Wall” movement that was so central to Trump’s astonishing victory.

As we walked through the tunnels under the stage to get to the top of the stairs, I glanced around me and thought about how much everything in this city and the world is going to change on the 20th of January. When I got to the top, I saw a different view than the one I have visited dozens of time over the last year and a half. The stage is covering almost the entire entrance to the Lincoln, including the inscription where Dr. King gave his “I have a dream” speech was covered by this stand; I thought this was ironic given the day.

As we walked away from the center of the mall and over towards the MLK memorial, things became more normal. People were there paying respect to an iconic American leader, they were laying wreaths, shooting interviews and taking photos by the statue and the tidal basin. We did the same, standing there and taking pictures with our friends.

We moved on, walking back towards the Washington monument and wondering how we never noticed a weirdly shaped tree that was there before. We reflected on how lucky we are to live in and go to school in the District. How even though this may not be how we imagined it, we are about to witness so much history in the coming days and months.

As those words came out of my mouth we heard the sirens to indicate the Obama’s motorcade, returning from their annual service trip to commemorate Dr. King. We watched the line of SUV’s, police cars, armored vans and an ambulance (pro tip: the presidential motorcade is the only one that has an ambulance with it), drive past the African American Culture Museum and up onto Pennsylvania avenue to the South Lawn for what will be one of the last times.

Our group split up and my two best friends and I slowly made our way to the White House. We talked about how everything was changing again, we talked about what Trump’s presidency will mean to us, to our friends and to our families. We talked about whether we should be scared or not, and we talked about how none of this has happened before.

On the morning of Friday January 20, 2017, my friends and I again made our way down to the mall; this time to witness the inauguration of the 45th president of the United States. We got there late in the morning, but wound up nearly as close to the inauguration as you could get without having tickets. It was a somber, quiet environment and we all left with a feeling of dismay as to what the future would hold as a series of controversial protests kicked off around us.

However, the following day, I felt a sense of pride in the United States that I have never felt before. The Women’s March on Washington was one of the most profoundly inspiring events I have ever attended. I saw men, women, children and everyone in between there to stand for what is right. If day one was any indication, the new administration is in for a wild ride.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Gilmore Girls
Hypable

In honor of Mother’s Day, I have been thinking of all the things my mom does for my family and me. Although I couldn’t write nearly all of them, here are a few things that moms do for us.

They find that shirt that’s right in front of you, but just you can’t seem to find.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

10 Reasons To Thank Your Best Friend

Take the time to thank that one friend in your life you will never let go of.

2050
Thank You on wooden blocks

1. Thank you for being the one I can always count on to be honest.

A true friend will tell you if the shirt is ugly, or at least ask to borrow it and "accidentally" burn it.

2. Thank you for accepting me for who I am.

A best friend will love you regardless of the stale french fries you left on the floor of your car, or when you had lice in 8th grade and no one wanted to talk to you.

Keep Reading...Show less
sick student
StableDiffusion

Everybody gets sick once in a while, but getting sick while in college is the absolute worst. You're away from home and your mom who can take care of you and all you really want to do is just be in your own bed. You feel like you will have never-ending classwork to catch up on if you miss class, so you end up going sick and then it just takes longer to get better. Being sick in college is really tough and definitely not a fun experience. Here are the 15 stages that everyone ends up going through when they are sick at college.

Keep Reading...Show less
kid
Janko Ferlic
Do as I say, not as I do.

Your eyes widen in horror as you stare at your phone. Beads of sweat begin to saturate your palm as your fingers tremble in fear. The illuminated screen reads, "Missed Call: Mom."

Growing up with strict parents, you learn that a few things go unsaid. Manners are everything. Never talk back. Do as you're told without question. Most importantly, you develop a system and catch on to these quirks that strict parents have so that you can play their game and do what you want.

Keep Reading...Show less
friends
tv.com

"Friends" maybe didn’t have everything right or realistic all the time, but they did have enough episodes to create countless reaction GIFs and enough awesomeness to create, well, the legacy they did. Something else that is timeless, a little rough, but memorable? Living away from the comforts of home. Whether you have an apartment, a dorm, your first house, or some sort of residence that is not the house you grew up in, I’m sure you can relate to most of these!

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments