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Long Weekend Ho! How to Make the Best of a Long Weekend

How To Make The Best Of A Long WeekendLooking forward to a long weekend is similar to counting down the days before Christmas or Hanukkah, or maybe a slightly less significant holiday like St. Patrick’s Day. (Deputy Editor’s note: I highly contest that St. Patrick’s Day is a “less significant holiday,” and I would even move to have it placed with the aforementioned days in terms of degree of importance.) All students have the long weekend circled on their calendar and we all know that that extra day means everything during midterm season.

success-baby-long-weekend-aww-yeaaWith many years of school under our belts, we students like to think we know how to approach the long weekend: another night to go out, another morning to sleep in and maybe (only for the truly ambitious or the truly swamped in work) some extra study time. But the three day weekend can zoom by as fast as Netflix marathons on a lazy afternoon, so it can be useful to come in with a strategy or a set of goals. With Columbus Day weekend upon us, here are some tips on how to make the best of the next three days:

1. Take the opportunity to explore D.C. For new and veteran students alike, the long weekend is a great chance to get out of your rooms and off campus. Walk to a new restaurant so you can work off the meal afterward or visit a museum. Don’t let the shutdown get you down; the Smithsonian is still pretty cool looking in from the outside, and the Newseum is still open.

2. Don’t listen to Nas; sleep is not the cousin of death, at least for overworked students The long weekend is exciting, but don’t be afraid to sacrifice time hanging out with your buddies to remedy the all-nighters you pulled this week for those three midterms and two papers. You’ll have sweet dreams of A’s and A+’s with frosting on top.

3. The long weekend is as much of your friend as it is an enemy Friday will trick you into thinking you’ve got an eternity to do what you want with your free time. Saturday will say, “Hey, homework is for Sundays, but don’t forget football,” and Monday morning will quickly turn into the annoying “I told you so” when you haven’t studied, done your laundry or cleaned your room.

4. Do. Your. Laundry. We know you’re wearing the same socks that you wore yesterday because midterms have kept you from getting your laundry done. This long weekend is a great chance to expand your wardrobe back to its proper size.

5. Finally, in the spirit of the holiday, make your Columbus Day and long weekend worthwhile Find the balance between studying and going out, between eating and exercise and between college football and the NFL. Toast friends, family and fall, and raise your glasses to the long weekend.

Photos: Vacation-Lovers, Rungitom

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New Puppets at the Smithsonian with No Strings Attached

muppets

Are you looking to break the “Georgetown Bubble” for something a bit more furry and loveable? Do you maybe want to spend your weekends reliving your childhood rather than procrastinating work you know you won’t get done until Sunday night? Then, look no further than the new collection of famous puppets at Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History!

In honor of Jim Henson’s 77th birthday, several of his creations have been welcomed to the Smithsonian. Calling it an “extraordinary honor,” the Jim Henson Foundation is proud to donate over a dozen of his iconic puppets, including Miss Piggy, Elmo, Bert and Ernie. Cheryl Henson, the second child of Jim and Jane Henson and president of the foundation in her father’s honor, said earlier today, “We don’t want them to stay in boxes. We want people to see them and to appreciate them. They have a history, they have a life.”

Mark your calendars to plan a visit to this amazing display if you’re looking for a refreshing break from the hustle and bustle of Hoya life. This article brought to you by the number 4 and the letter E!

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DCTC: The Orange Line

DCTC ORANGE LINE

Hello Hoyas, welcome back to the DC Travel Companion, where we try to help you find affordable ways to escape the Georgetown Bubble and explore the city.  This week we will be going through the variety of places that you can reach on the Orange Line of the Metro, and all of the wonderful activities that are very easily within reach.

The easiest way for Georgetown students to access the Orange Line is from the metro stop in Rosslyn.  The GUTS Bus or DC Circulator are two easy ways to get to Rosslyn from campus, although it is not an unreasonable walk or cab ride (just try and avoid being on the Key Bridge during rush hour).  You can transfer to the Orange Line at Metro Center if your journey begins in Dupont, but prices and travel times will be better from Rosslyn.

Although there are around 30 stops on the Orange Line, I’ll focus in on four to help guide your travel and give you good ideas for fun exploration (of course, if you are interested in other options on the Orange Line, this map has all of the possible stops).

Foggy Bottom: While most Georgetown students know about this one, it can be a very useful stop that is extremely close to Rosslyn.  The metro stop for George Washington University, Foggy Bottom is within walking distance, but during cold winter days/late at night, the Metro may be a better form of transportation.  Interested in visiting friends at GW and going out for the night? This could be the easiest way to do it. 

Route: Orange Line from Rosslyn towards Stadium Armory Stop (est. travel time- 3 minutes); $1.70 with SmarTrip, $2.70 with a paper fare card (check WMATA or terminals in the station for peak vs. off-peak times and prices).

Smithsonian: As the name suggests, this stop brings you right up to some of the most famous museums in the country.  This stop is within walking distance of DC’s greatest tourist attractions, including the National Mall, numerous federal buildings (e.g. The Bureau of Printing and Engraving, US Department of Energy), and of course the Smithsonian Museums.  The US Holocaust Memorial Museum is also nearby, along with the National Museum of Natural History and the National Museum of American History, just to name a few.  Plus, during the spring, you can visit the Tidal Basin to see the cherry blossoms in full bloom.

Route: Orange Line from Rosslyn towards Stadium Armory (est. travel time- 10 minutes); $1.70 with SmarTrip, $2.70 with a paper fare card.

L’Enfant Plaza: Named after the designer of the District, L’Enfant Plaza is a busy metro stop in a great location.  First, you can transfer to the Blue, Green, or Yellow Lines at the station, which is important if your destination doesn’t happen to be on the Orange Line.  This stop is also within walking distance of the Mall, and attractions including the National Air and Space Museum and the headquarters of the United States Postal Service.

Route: Orange Line from Rosslyn towards Stadium Armory (est. travel time- 12 minutes); $1.80 with SmarTrip; $2.80 with a paper fare card.

Capitol South: Feeling academic? Take the Orange Line to Capitol South and visit the Library of Congress.  Take a tour, study during finals week, or get a library card just because you feel like it.  If you are willing to make the journey, the visit itself is an experience that comes highly recommended, and you could definitely get some great studying done.  And once your done, you can reward yourself with dinner at one of the great restaurants nearby!

Route: Orange Line from Rosslyn towards Stadium Armory (est. travel time- 16 minutes); $2.00 with SmarTrip, $3.00 with a paper fare card.  

Happy traveling Hoyas! See you back here next week with more travel tips.

DCTC is a weekly post designed to help Georgetown students break the bubble by highlighting a different form of public transportation.

 

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We’re Number 3! We’re Number 3!

Hope you look good in bronze, because D.C. was just named the third best city in America by Businessweek.

D.C. pulled in a third place finish, behind Seattle at number 2 and San Francisco at number 1. According to Businessweek, the District has become “the nation’s leader when it comes to leisure,” based on our significant park acreage, high volume of restaurants and cultural arenas like the Kennedy Center and Smithsonian museums.

This comprehensive ranking of America’s cities comes out every year, and judges them based on a variety of categories, from libraries to crime to air quality. Businessweek and Bloomberg Rankings came up with the ranking system, which took into account five major areas:

  • Leisure (bars, restaurants, libraries, museums, professional sports)
  • Education (public school performance, local colleges)
  • Economics (income, job availability, unemployment)
  • Crime
  • Air Quality

The metrics for ranking cities were altered slightly this year to put more emphasis on leisure amenities – so while many cities’ rankings may have changed, that doesn’t mean that they’ve gotten significantly better or worse since last year’s list. Last year Raleigh, North Carolina topped the list while they came in 18th place this year. The District pulled itself up to number 3 from number 6 last year.

Check out where the rest of America’s biggest cities fall in the ranking with the whole list. How does your hometown stack up to D.C.?

Photo: Flickr user rahtenkamen

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Did you Spot the Shuttle?

The space shuttle Discovery made its last voyage today, and it was right above our heads. If you were looking skyward around around 10:15  a.m. you might have seen it passing by campus, attached to an enormous Boeing 747.

After today’s flight, Discovery will make its home in the Air and Space Museum’s James S. McDonnell Space Hangar out at Dulles International Airport. The welcome celebration will be held on Thursday, so if you’re a real space junkie you can make your way out to Virginia to see the shuttle being moved (as well as a whole host of activities).

So, did you #SpotTheShuttle this morning? We want to see your pictures! Post them in the comments or share them with us on Twitter, @thehoya4e or Instagram, also @thehoya4e.

Photo: Flickr user nasahqphoto

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Parks and Recreation: D.C. Style

To start off, no allusions to Ron Swanson and Amy Poehler found their way into this post (sorry), but in the spirit of Spring, stop watching Hulu and get outside. Now with temperatures promising to stay in the seventies for the rest of the week (or so says my Blackberry, which has been wrong before) and the Georgetown community’s complaints about obscene sunbathing habits on campus, where can one go to find a nice place to soak up some sun in the city? I know I’ve been going stir crazy being cooped up inside these past few months, and lets face it, we all know why everyone is happier in California (and it’s not something in the water), so for everyone’s sake, get off campus and enjoy the weather before it gets too humid (there are even free things you can do).

1. The National Portrait Gallery Sculpture Garden, part of the National Gallery of Art, located down 7th Street from Verizon Center and Constitution Avenue, is a great place to see modern art in a peaceful urban setting. It also offers free jazz concerts on the weekends, and with its proximity to the National Mall, the other Smithsonian museums in the area are easily accessible. The easiest way to get to the Sculpture Garden is to walk to the Foggy Bottom metro and take either the Orange or Blue Line to the Archives stop.

2. While it may seem obvious, go to the ZOO! After you’re done walking around looking at the animals, you’re not very far from either Adams Morgan or Cleveland Park, if you get hungry. The easiest way to get to the Zoo would be to take the GUTS bus to DuPont Circle and catch the Red Line to Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan. Its about a ten minute walk or so from the metro station to the zoo up Connecticut Avenue.

Continue reading “Parks and Recreation: D.C. Style”