Ladies and gentlemen of Tenley campus: I have a gripe. I knew coming into the Washington Semester Program that I would be surrounded with political "wannabes" and self-professed "know-it-alls" but I never in my wildest dreams believed that the personification of these characteristics would be so prevalent on Tenley campus.
I am surrounded by students who I could tell from the first instant would be career politicians. From their grandiose smiles that are so large I can see the sides of their molars, to their carefree yet carefully planned hair tousling, I can see right through them. Those young professionals never fail to have an outstretched hand to greet me from what seems like a mile away and they never lost that ever-so-important eye contact to make it appear that they actually care about meeting me. However, it is not their eyes, hair or outstretched hand that pushes me to the brink - it was their voice.
These students have a voice so loud if Helen Keller lived in my room she would walk down the hall, knock on his door, and tell them to please keep their voice down while she was trying to write. One student is so earsplitting that when he whistles in the shower, I can hear him from my room - with the door closed! It has gotten to the point where our side of the hall has signed a petition to enforce a strict 24-hour "No Whistling Policy" in order to maintain our sanity.
Now I know that you may live on a hall with one or more of these obnoxious career politicians, but being in class with them is even more frustrating. These are the students who talk before they think. They state their views, which coincidentally have the underlying position of their respective parties' platform. And while they expect the entire class to listen attentively to their views and be convinced their opinions are correct, they give no weight to any other points made by their classmates. They either mercilessly attack other's opinions or simply tune them out; daydreaming about a time in the future when they can blackberry one of their staff members or have pages run inconsequential notes through the halls of Congress.
These students are also in their element when partaking in class time simulations. In one particular simulation a career politician was dead set on his side and actually used intimidation tactics to force a girl in class to back down on her position. Then this student, reveling in his political acumen, bragged about his intimidation technique and political savvy the following afternoon.
In the Washington Semester Program, visiting speakers frequent our classes. We receive lectures from both ends of the political spectrum. This is when a career politician is in his element. I actually overheard one potential career politician remark on the way to a particularly note-worthy and important speaker: "I am going to ask him a question." Another student asked him what question he was planning to ask and the young man responded: "I don't know yet. It doesn't matter anyway. I just want him to notice me." And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. Not only is this career politician testing your sanity and patience in your dorm rooms and classes, but wasting your time at speakers so they can be "noticed."
So please, ladies and gentlemen of Tenley campus: while you are attending your seminars, working on your research papers or at your internships, please keep in mind one simple rule: have a sense of yourself and be mindful of becoming a career politician. ÿ
Samantha Pollinger is a Washington Semester Student.
