University of Wisconsin–Madison

USA: Hope Karnopp (Daily Life in Washington, D.C.)

My weekly schedule in D.C. is a little different than most other students in the program. Because I work Sunday mornings, I have Monday and Tuesday free to explore D.C., catch up on homework, network with new people, or attend events in the area.

Two people sit with laptops open on a brick patio and smile for the camera.
We have a nice patio area by our apartment, where we sit to do homework when the weather is nice out.

My Monday started with coffee (of course) and a few readings for my classes. Later in the morning, I took the bus to DuPont Circle, a neighborhood that I had not seen before. I attended an event on environmental policy at the Brookings Institution. We find a few policy events to attend as part of our Organizations and Professional Development class. One of my favorite parts of D.C. is how easy it is to find free events and things to do.

After the event, I headed to Pret A Manger for lunch, which I had never had before. It’s fun to try new chains and local restaurants in D.C. There, I wrote a quick memo on the event to submit for my class. There are so many coffee shops to explore in the city, where our cohort can hang out while getting our work done.

From there, I took the Metro and walked home from the Eastern Market station. The walk is about twenty minutes, but it’s worth it to watch the different trees and plants bloom in the neighborhood. The weather has been beautiful, so a few friends and I sat outside to do some work. To unwind, we cooked burgers, watched TV, and did yoga to end the night.

Hope smiles wearing an orange sweater in front of a blurred tree.

Hope Karnopp

Hometown: Green Bay, Wisconsin

Major: Journalism

Program: Wisconsin in Washington