X/Y/Z; Now I know my A(bout), D.C.'s

Dear "Every wonderful person who has been reading my blog posts,"

I know putting 3 letters together might be a let down (or cheating), but I promise this is worth reading. I've decided to write you all a letter to sum up my experiences this summer. I hope you enjoy this final post, as I am really going to miss writing this blog!

Spending the past weekend with my mom and sister in the city, my summer in D.C. has finally come to an end.  We spent many hours walking, exploring museums and taking in the sight of the beautiful monuments at moonlight.  From tours to tasty restaurants, I think it's safe to say that Robin and mom had a great time.  It was the perfect way to end my stay in this great city.

Ready for our trolley tour!

Reflecting back on the past two months, I can't help but think what it would have been like without having this blog to record all of my realizations, fun times, and overall memories.  The support I have received from individuals commenting, liking, or texting me about my internship and blog was unreal.  It made it a whole lot easier to be away from home and to be on my own in this new experience.

My favorite monument
(and President)

President Clinton played
the Sax just like me!

My favorite question to be asked was: "What's the next letter going to stand for?" And while I vowed to keep it a secret, it was fun to brainstorm the next post's title with friends from school and family from home.  You all truly made writing this thing worthwhile.

I would also like to thank DePauw University and the Hubbard Center for Student Engagement.  Without DePauw and the grant I received, this entire summer would not have been possible.  I thank my lucky stars every day for being able to attend a school that cares so much about helping me to not only have great experiences, but to be very very successful while pursuing my dreams.

My favorite dish from now on:
Mango Stir-fry

Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier at Arlington

In the end, there's not much else to say than "Thank you all." I would additionally like to ask that if you have ANY additional questions about my time in D.C., or my internship that you do not hesitate to ask me.  Most of the stuff I've learned throughout my life has been because of great mentors and teachers who gave me advice when I stumbled upon something new.  So whether you are an aspiring leader, potential DePauw student, in need of a job, or just want to know how you can get to do what I've done, I look forward to hearing from you.

My favorite super hero movie (with the words of one of my favorite philosophers, Voltaire), says that "With great power comes great responsibility." However, I think this applies to any and all of our experiences in life because we have the great power to embrace them, as well as the great responsibility to share them with others.  No matter the rough times, or the successes, each and every one of us has greatness about us and this greatness is the very thing we must share with the world.

It is my sincerest hope that I have done just that this summer with you.

Rachel