So you’re a student at American University. You live down the street from embassies, you can now say that you dwell in the capital of the United States, and President Obama lives roughly a half hour away from you. It is all very exciting. Your friends consider every moment tweet-worthy, every view Insta-worthy, and you… well… you just sit back and chuckle.
If you are among the minority of American University population who has grown up in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) area, this may sound like you. Have you gone to the monuments more for the sake of joining your friends than because you were actually dying to see them again? Is passing by the White House no big deal to you? Are there other aspects of DC that you perceive as simply “the norm?” These, and the following, may be signs that you are certainly from the DMV:
When new students pass the White House during Welcome Week…
…you react more like this.
Your friends want to try all this new and supposedly cool “DC cuisine,” and you’re just like…
People place their trust in you when figuring out how to navigate the city, but then again…
This is you in the Georgetown Cupcake line:
And during any event about “getting to know DC:”
And when you tell people that you are from the DMV, you have to explain that no, you are not from the Department of Motor Vehicles:
(For those who do not know, locals usually use the “DMV” term as an abbreviation for the “DC, Maryland, Virginia” tri-state area.)
People assume that you want to go home to your parents every weekend, but you have other ideas.
So of course, there are some downsides of having to deal as an American University student who is from the area. However, there are some positives as well.
For example: You get to react like this when your friend stands to the left of the metro escalator and is essentially shunned by everyone else:
While running into people you know from the past can be daunting, it is also extremely empowering.
And while others get accustomed to walking through a crowded city…
…you’re just owning the streets the way you have for the past decade.
Yes, there few challenges of being one of the few AU students who is not very new to Washington. However, when you think about it, being native to a city that everyone else is dying to see is pretty cool. Also, though you may think you have seen all there is to see in DC, think again. There is an overabundance of of new sights and events in the capital of the country, so keep your eyes open and explore! Take a walk down a stree that looks appealing, go back to a museum you haven’t visited since childhood, and scope out new and unique venues in the city. There is so much to do, and don’t limit yourself because you think you’ve already “been there, and done that.”
In the meantime, embrace it all that you know about the area, and flaunt your DMV pride!
Sources (GIFs): 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Opening photo: 1