White House Discussions and Meetings

It was our first Friday at Columbia today! The week has been going fast but slow at the same time. I feel as though I have been here for weeks now, not just one week.  I feel like I have lived in this dorm, ate this food, and been friends with these people for weeks upon weeks. We have all opened up so much and it's so surprising how living together can do this to someone.  This makes me really excited to actually go to a college where I will dorm in and meet all those new people as well.  I think meeting new people is a really daunting task but it's also a whole lot of fun! 

Today we met someone new in my American Presidential Powers course.  Our professor invited a former White House employee to speak to us about life in politics.  He covered topics like presidential campaigns, advertising, and also working in the White House. I never would have thought there were so many different aspects of politics. I mean, I knew that there was but no one really gives any thought to it.  I actually find all these aspects of presidential campaigns very interesting.  There are so many details that go into forming campaigns and making advertisements that the average person does not notice or think of. 

Once classes were over, we went to meet with the director of the high school summer program at Columbia! We were able to speak to him about ourselves, our classes and what we were doing right now. It was really nice to meet him because I doubt I would ever meet him otherwise. He a very nice man, but I know he can be strict as well since he does deal with expulsions.  After the meeting we had a short meeting with Mrs. L about our tour of NYU and then we were off to our dorms. Some of the cohort went to the Met, while the rest of us lounged around the campus. 

 I had originally planned to go to Soho but we decided to take it easy and walk around the campus.  We sat in the grass even though it was humid and sticky.  All of my hall mates are so easy to talk to, and we talk about the most random things.  We talk about different countries, accents, and we bond over these things. I feel like I have known every one here for so long even though it has been less than a week.  I have met people from France, Russia, Poland, Hong Kong, Korea, Sweden, Colombia, and so many other countries! They all have special places in my heart already and they have made me more comfortable talking to others.  We all started off as strangers but now we are the closest of friends!