Everyone always tells students who choose to study abroad to prepare for some type of culture shock, varying depending on the destination. However, this is not a tip given to those who choose to study in a different part of the country. A year and a half ago, I made the leap from Austin, TX to Washington, D.C. to study at AU, a change I knew would be dramatic, but not necessarily something that would be associated with a change in culture, since I was not leaving the country. As it turns out, moving to a new region can be rather jarring too. While I’m now a sophomore and feel that I am fairly well-adjusted, it is still easy to remember a few of stark differences I found between D.C. and Texas, and have compiled a list of some of these changes in order to give students moving to D.C. from elsewhere in the country a little bit of a heads up.
1. It’s colder (and I don’t mean just the weather)
While it is obvious that D.C. is generally colder than Texas, or many other parts of the country, that is not what I mean when I say it’s colder here. No, I am referring to the general mentality of the people on the streets or strangers sitting on the bus or waiting in line in front of you for coffee. Where I am from, it’s normal to at the very least smile at a person walking by, even if you have never seen them in your life or they look less than friendly. In D.C., it’s a little different. Walking down the street is a solitary activity, and in my experience, it seems that even acknowledging the existence of another person on the planet, let alone someone who is right in front of you, marks you down as crazy. Thus, it’s not always the most welcoming of cities, and the people are little prickly.
2. Everyone (and I mean everyone) is always well dressed
I remember in high school, people used to wear t-shirts and Nike shorts to class on almost a daily basis, making an effort to look nice maybe once or twice a week, with a few nice outfits for special occasions. In D.C., the general cloud of business suits and professional dark attire make this seem almost like leaving the house without pants. Even at AU it is rare to see someone come to class wearing anything less than a cute, fully put-together outfit, with t-shirts reserved for working out and sleeping. It can be nice to feel more put-together on occasion, but sometimes this is a little much. Lighten up, people.
3. Public transportation
Okay, this is an amazing change, but still quite a difference. The bus system in Austin is one that few people take, mostly because it is unreliable and generally not all that safe. D.C. on the other hand, not only has a well developed, dependable bus system, but also a clean metro rail that goes all over the city with only a few exceptions (I’m looking at you, Georgetown). Coming from the land of highways and Hummers, where if you don’t have a car it is difficult to get anywhere, not having to depend on a gas-guzzling car is really nice, not to mention a lot cheaper than paying for that gas in question.
4. The small(ish) size of the city
Washington, D.C. is a major city, don’t get me wrong, it has to be since it’s the nations capital, but having lived here for a year now, it feels like a much smaller city than it may be seen as internationally. It is easy to bike across it, and even easier to find yourself in either Virginia or Maryland in a matter of minutes. In Austin, it took at least seven-nine hours driving in any direction to leave the state, so it’s certainly a change.
5. The opportunities available
Again, this is a really great difference. If you are interested in politics, law, journalism, business, or many other fields, D.C. is the place to be. The world is literally at your fingertips, with the embassies opening their doors on a weekly basis, internships available on the Hill, and the vice president’s helicopter flying over campus a common occurrence. While Austin, and I’m sure many other places in the United States, was an amazing place to grow up (don’t get any ideas of moving there though, there are already way too many people doing that), D.C. is everything I heard and more. It’s an amazing city, and I’m so blessed to go to school here, even with all its differences from home. It’s a place that I have a feeling will continue to hold a warm spot in my heart, prickly well-dressed people and all, for many years to come.