as good a time as any

...to make my first blog post! With the PP55 application date approaching, I thought I would make a quick plug for the program and explain a little about what my experience has been like. The rest of the site explains the components of the PP55 program -- the monthly seminar series, the mentorship program, the social events, the meaningful job placements -- but I want to hereby testify that it really is everything they say it is. I've learned about green architecture while sipping wine on a Wednesday night, rubbed shoulders with successful and generous "old timers," one of whom mailed me tickets to a Picasso opening a few days after we first met, and learned so much about my own skills and interests through challenging tasks at work. I work at the Association to Benefit Children in the Programs and Contracts office -- so, along with my fellow fellows, I write grants, manage our contracts with the government, and balance the many other things we have to do in order to keep our programs running. It's a big mix of writing, researching, working with numbers, people-managing, organizing, event coordinating, and a little bit of reviving my 10th grade Spanish skills. I work on a different project every day. I don't feel overworked, but I am constantly busy and challenged. And learning. And I think a lot of the fellowships are like that. I feel really important, too -- if I didn't submit a big contract the other day, we wouldn't have received a $10,000 city council grant. Just because these are one-year stints doesn't mean we aren't crucial to our organizations! If you're thinking of applying to PP55, I really recommend getting in touch with a current fellow to learn more about the program and get a sense for the different fellowship placements. It's a really cool way to start your career and continue to take advantage of Princeton's incredible resources post-graduation. And giving back to the community is great karma!!

Thoughts on Networking

I have a confession to make: before I started my fellowship, I was pretty skeptical about the concept of networking.  Despite the fact that numerous successful people in my life--from my parents to AlumniCorps staff--had emphasized how important networking can be, I wasn't convinced.  To me, networking seemed like a mix between sucking up and begging, and I wasn't comfortable with the idea of building connections with people based upon the hope that they might employ me at some point in the future. 

However, I have another confession to make: I was wrong.  I have seen the light.  Networking is a huge part of being an out-of-college adult.  It's so important to develop connections with people because life after college in the nation's capital is not the same as life on Princeton's campus.  I don't run into my thesis advisor in the gym or my friends around campus anymore.  I no longer receive a billion emails a day from campus groups, nor do I attend classes with others who share my interests.  Instead, I meet people at happy hours, Princeton Club of Washington events, Project 55 seminars, or other organized, often one-time activities.  If I don't work to build and maintain relationships with the people I meet, they will most likely forget about me.  So, in that sense, networking is practical. 

But I've also come to see networking as much more than a practical way to stay in touch with people.  I think one could fairly call networking a PG version of being friends with benefits.  It's not just a process of sucking up to people--it's building relationships with people who share your own interests.  Being connected to people who share your passion and can support your pursuits, goals, and dreams is so crucial!  Networking is so much more than just looking for a job: it's surrounding yourself with people who care about what you care about and are interested in working toward similar goals. 

My thoughts about networking were confirmed at this morning's monthly Project 55 seminar.  We went to the Department of Justice(!) for a panel discussion on "Public Service and the Environment." We heard from a panel of accomplished public servants: Elizabeth Prescott, Georgetown University; Jeffrey Prieto, US Department of Justice, Environment Division; Robert Winterbottom, World Resources Institute; and Justin Smith, US Department of Justice, Environment Division.  They had all been in fellowships at some point in time and noted that these were life- and career-altering experiences.  Why?  Largely because of the people they met and were able to befriend--people who shaped their careers and inspired them.  That sounds pretty great, don't you think? 

First Seminar

Last Friday, October 28th, the Washington DC PP55 Fellows had their first seminar.  We met at the law offices of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Farragut and boy, have I never sat at such a large, fancy, stone conference room table.  The lobby of the office alone was like something out of Good Housekeeping and I reminder myself vigorously that paralegal is one of my many potential career paths for next year.

Our speakers were Ambassador Anthony Quainton '55 and Alan Platt '65.  The two made up a panel of sorts that was moderated, so to speak, by former PP55 Fellow Alison Laporte-Oshire '09, on the topic of careers overseas and in foreign policy.

I must admit that a negative experience overseas last summer left me discouraged from working abroad and I've never really had an interest in being a policy wonk.  I chose to be a History major because I like narratives and looking at broad themes over time, and never once took a Politics class because policy doesn't really interest me that much (although I am gradually learning more about education policy and finding myself interested in that).  HOWEVER, I still found the seminar, which mostly addressed  our panelists' career paths and some of their opinions on the foreign policy stance of the USA, very interesting and informative!  I really enjoyed meeting Princeton alums who have done a lot of great things over the courses of their long and distinguished careers, and I felt reassured to hear that even these men weren't really sure what they wanted to do when they left Princeton.

Upcoming seminars will include topics such as grad school and managing up -- I can't wait!

October 28th was a big day for me because:

1. I got to sleep late.  (A seminar at 9am vs. being at school at 645am?  yes please!!)
2. We had our Public Charter School Board enrollment audit which I've been preparing for since literally my first week of work and everything went well and as far as I know all the paper work checked out.  (This is a big deal because we get money for every student who attends the school that is a DC resident so everyone has to prove that they are truly enrolled in the school based on attendance and actually live in DC.)
3. We had our annual Fall Fest celebration to celebrate the end of Quarter 1 Exam week and we got to do lots of fun fall crafts and dance in the cafeteria to fun music.  LET ME TELL YOU, the 5th grade scholars at Achievement Prep sure as heck can teach you, me, and everyone and their mom how to dougie.

This is the 11th week of school which means it's my 17th week of work!  And I can't believe how cold it is here in DC -- it totally snowed over the weekend.