Hi! My name is Katie Anderson and this is me (on the right side with the pink headband), circa 2013:
This picture was taken almost seven years ago during my freshman year of high school on a choir tour to Washington D.C. During our four days in Washington D.C., we went to museums, performed in churches and schools, walked around the city, and spent a lot of time trying to find the best cupcake in Washington D.C. As our plane took off to come home, I remember thinking something along these lines,
“I came, I saw, I did Washington D.C.”
And seven years later, I’m back – this time for an entire month. This time, I’m not a high school freshman on a choir tour, but I’m a senior at St. Olaf College majoring in English and Music with a Management Studies concentration. I work in the St. Olaf Admissions Office and Piper Center for Vocation and Career, sing in the Chapel Choir and Agnes Acapella, participate in as much musical theater as I can find, and, as a native Minnesotan, try to figure out the best way to layer clothing for maximum warmth. I also find every excuse I can to snuggle with my best pal, my dog Rosie. (Yes, we know she has a very sloppy sit. No, we are doing nothing to change it because it’s adorable.)
While my love of dogs has stayed the same, I’ve changed a lot in the last seven years since my first Washington D.C. experience, and I’m coming into this program with completely different skills. I’m coming in with skills I learned from studying abroad in Copenhagen last fall, skills such as embracing independence, finding balance, and navigating unfamiliar Metro systems. I’m coming in with three years of college down and some better walking shoes. I’m coming in as a more confident writer and researcher. I’m coming in with what I hope is a larger appreciation and hopefully understanding for not just the famous monuments around me, but the geographical and racial nuances that make Washington D.C. what it is today.
However, I’m also coming into this program nervous, in some ways clueless, and less politically informed that I would like to admit. A month away from my traditional schedule, away from my friends, going to sites I may know nothing about – all these things make me nervous. I am a planner…I like to look at my calendar and have my daily schedule down and have it be unchanging. This month will be completely different, as each day is a new, unique experience and schedule – something that scares me a bit. While I am interested in politics, I don’t know as much about them as I would like to admit. I get duties of branches confused, I honestly don’t know many political leaders, and I should really start reading the news more.
Despite the nerves and cluelessness, I’m beyond excited to be here. A little fun fact: I was actually supposed to do this program last interim! As you can guess, based on the fact that I have technically applied for this interim program twice, I am incredibly interested in the material and course goals. Another fun fact: I was a Political Science major for a bit during my First Year here at St. Olaf! I decided to switch majors after doing an internship at the Minnesota DFL, and decided that I didn’t want a political career. While my internship helped me discern that I didn’t want to pursue a career directly in politics, it did not stifle my interest in the political world. I am passionate about specifically music, dance, and theater, and am so curious to see how we can investigate the arts in the political world of Washington D.C.
So, here’s to a month of learning, exploring, and quoting “National Treasure” as much as possible!