Washington, D.C
Urban dreaming: A semester abroad in Washington, D.C. – The Quinnipiac Chronicle
Reality struck me when I turned my head to see the U.S. Capitol just a few blocks down the road.
This is it. This is what I waited for, what I worked toward. I was finally in the QU in D.C. internship program that I had been eyeing since admitted students day, more than two years ago.
I gripped the hands of strangers, who would later become my roommates, as we took in the view of one of the most iconic buildings in Washington, D.C. Not because we were awe-struck, but rather we were sliding on the ice-ridden sidewalks on our way to find Walmart.
The mid-January cold wind nipped at my face, a familiar feeling that reminded me of Quinnipiac University. However, that’s where the similarities ended between Washington and my mid-sized New England school. I was not at Quinnipiac anymore. I would start to miss aspects of the suburbs that the city didn’t offer as I continued with my time here.
I’ll give credit where credit is due: Sleeping Giant State Park is a pretty impressive view to see when walking from class to class. But now that I’ve lived more than two months in this city, I still keep an eye out to catch a glimpse of the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial on my commute to and from work.
I was here to, of course, explore the city. But the heart of QU in D.C. is to get hands-on internship experience. I work in health communications as a social media intern. These were opportunities that I never had before.
Having grown up in the white-picket fence neighborhoods of my Pennsylvania town, I am used to my quiet walks around my neighborhood and 15-minute drives to grocery stores. Even at Quinnipiac, I’m used to hearing the quiet murmuring of students and the shuffling of shoes to Café Q. I wanted a change from these mundane routines.
Nowadays, I find convenience in walking five minutes to the nearest Giant supermarket, a familiar chain from home. But I’ll admit, I’ve become a victim of the Trader Joe’s bandwagon, a chain not close to my hometown or Quinnipiac. And let me just say, the tomato burrata ravioli is life-changing.
The quiet walks around my neighborhood and campus have been replaced with the angry honks of drivers and the deafening sound of sirens. Though I’ve tuned out most of these noises after being here for two months, it’s safe to say I will not miss that when I leave in two weeks. I’ve come to appreciate quietness because of my time here.
One aspect of Washington I will miss is all of the activities and places the city has to offer. A complaint that many Quinnipiac students, including myself, bring up is the fact that there is nothing to do off campus — a pretty common complaint in my hometown too.
In Washington, I can walk or take the Metro to dozens of monuments, restaurants or any of the museums (most of which are free) with ease. Not only that, but I got to go to an MLB game and my first NBA game. When I’m at home or on campus, I have to drive at least an hour to see major league sports games. But in Washington, I can walk to them if I want to.
Though yes, I’m not thousands of miles away like most “study abroad” students are, adjusting to a city as someone who has never lived in a city was difficult. I still had to get acclimated to a new lifestyle, new people and a new routine.
It felt like I was starting college again. That out-of-body experience when my parents left washed over me when we parted ways.
Though the city is great and I’m thankful for the experience I’ve had here, Washington has made me learn to appreciate some of the aspects of suburban life that myself and many others would look down on.
Sure, this city has many Michelin-star restaurants, but Funcle’s Cafe and Fresh Greens and Proteins will always have a place in my heart.
During my time in D.C., I’ve gained a sense of independence and self-fulfillment. With no meal plan and no dining hall, I’ve had to learn how to cook while making sure I’m not spending an astronomical amount of money. I figured out the Metro system and how to navigate the city with only the help of my iPhone and occasionally my roommates.
These all might seem like such simple tasks, but they’re a big deal to figure out for the first time.
So as I sit here, looking out at my apartment window into the glittering Washington skyline, I can’t help but think of how I was truly able to get the best of both worlds during my college years: a bustling city and a quaint suburban college town.
Washington, D.C
DC reaches settlement with man detained while protesting troops with Darth Vader song
The District of Columbia has reached a settlement agreement for an undisclosed amount of money with a resident who claims police illegally detained him for following an Ohio National Guard patrol while playing Darth Vader’s theme song from “Star Wars” on his phone — an act of protest against the Trump administration’s federal law-enforcement surge in the nation’s capital.
A court filing late Thursday says the plaintiff, Sam O’Hara, will drop his lawsuit’s claims against the District and four Metropolitan Police Department officers within three business days of receiving the settlement payment. The filing doesn’t specify a dollar amount for the deal between the district and O’Hara, who is represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of the District of Columbia.
In an email on Friday, an ACLU spokesperson referred to the settlement’s financial terms as “a significant amount” that O’Hara “is pleased with” but said they aren’t disclosing the dollar figure to protect his privacy. A spokesperson for D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb’s office declined to comment on the settlement.
O’Hara’s agreement with the district doesn’t resolve his related claims against an Ohio National Guard member. Attorneys for the Guard member, Sgt. Devon Beck, have asked a judge to dismiss O’Hara’s claims against him.
“He was there because that was his assigned duty,” Beck’s lawyers wrote. “This was not an accidental encounter or a one-time disagreement on a public sidewalk.”
An earlier court filing, in February, said O’Hara had reached a settlement agreement “in principle” with the district. In response, a judge agreed to suspend the case while they negotiated terms.
O’Hara sued the district last October, claiming police officers violated his First Amendment rights to free speech and his Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable seizures and excessive force.
The ominous orchestral music of “The Imperial March” from Star Wars movies was the soundtrack for O’Hara’s peaceful protests against President Donald Trump’s ongoing deployment of Guard members in Washington. Millions of TikTok users have viewed O’Hara’s videos of his interactions with troops, according to his lawsuit.
A series of major events tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations promise to bring big crowds and heightened security. On the News4 Rundown: That security is likely to include more National Guard troops as a new report says there’s a limit to their impact on safety in D.C.
O’Hara, an artist who works in the hospitality industry, says he didn’t interfere with the Guard troops during their Sept. 11, 2025, encounter on a public street. One of the troops summoned Metropolitan Police Department officers, who stopped O’Hara and kept him handcuffed for 15 to 20 minutes before releasing him without charges, according to the lawsuit.
“The law might have tolerated government conduct of this sort a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. But in the here and now, the First Amendment bars government officials from shutting down peaceful protests,” the suit says.
Trump, a Republican, issued an executive order declaring a crime emergency in Washington last August. Within weeks, hundreds of Guard troops and federal agents were helping police patrol the city. The surge inflamed tensions with residents of the heavily Democratic district. Hundreds of Guard members remain deployed in the district nearly a year later, with no clear end in sight.
The overhaul is the first in more than a decade and comes in response to feedback that it’s hard to find information on the current site without being efficient at using Google or other search tools.
The D.C. government’s website is getting a complete revamp, a step city leaders hope will make it easier for residents, visitors and business owners to access the help they need.
The District unveiled a beta version of the new DC.gov — beta.dc.gov — and plans to have the redesigned site ready to launch before the end of the year.
The website’s overhaul is the first in more than a decade. It comes in response to feedback that it’s hard to find information on the current site without being efficient at using Google or other search tools.
“This website, it’s really going to eliminate the alphabet soup that you have to remember every day,” said Stephen Miller, the District’s chief technology officer. “So, do you need to know that it’s DPW that’s picking up your trash, or you just need to know that it’s dc.gov?”
The site is built on Drupal 11, which the city said has stronger built-in security features. It includes an integrated calendar and sections for seasonal government services.
Popular searches, based on site traffic data, will also be featured prominently on the main page.
“It’s going to show you, here’s popular services today, based on being a resident, based on being a new resident, based on being a job seeker, based on being a business owner, or based on just being a general resident of the city,” Miller said.
The project cost about $500,000 in dedicated funds.
“We’re setting this up so that you can just go in, say, ‘My trash was missed,’ and it’s going to tell you exactly how to fix that problem,” Miller said.
D.C.’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer is collecting feedback. Residents can leave comments on the beta site and at events at Haynes Senior Wellness Center and Eastern Market, among others, in the coming weeks.
An artificial intelligence-powered search tool, built using Google’s AI technology, will be included on the new DC.gov site after its official launch.
The District, Miller said, is “trying to clean up our content, because what we want to make sure is when we put AI into this site, it’s giving you the right information.”
“We see a lot of future use with AI,” Miller said. “I’d love to get to a point where it’s, ‘Hey Siri, renew my driver’s license,’ and we’ve laid out the foundation for something like that to happen in the future.”
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A 16-day state fair is among the biggest attractions of the country’s 250th celebration in Washington DC. The Great American State Fair, which features attractions from each of the 50 states, runs from 25 June to 10 July across the National Mall from the US Capitol to the Washington Monument.
The BBC asked visitors why it was important for them to attend the fair.
Video by Meiying Wu
Produced by Madeline Gerber
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