Why W.M.I?

We were asked this question on our first day and answers varied from “I want to be see the political climate first hand” to “I needed class credits and D.C. seemed like cool choice.” In my opinion, whatever reasons made my classmates and I show up here does not affect the way we all get to experience D.C. through WMI. All of us have the same assignment guidelines and attend the class in the same classroom with the same instructors. There is a lot of different when it comes to each of our backgrounds, preconceived ideas and goals for this program, but I believe there are more similarities for us in this journey we are all taking together.

My reason for coming was more along the “I need class credit” line; however, I was and am very open to learning more about politics/growing an interest in them through being in the city that has been the political heartbeat of our country for 288 years. Others in my class fall on the same wavelength as me, some came with a passion for politics and hopes to pursue them in D.C. and others fall in the middle. But when it comes to our assignments and what’s expected of us, all of that goes out the window. While we all bring different things to the table, we have to figure out and learn similar things despite that. Brainstorming, filming, editing, organization, and on and on, but the point is, WMI pushes us all in a similar way and that is one of my favorite things about this program.

I was nervous I might feel uneducated or ostracized because of my deficit/lack of interest in politics, but luckily, I was wrong. Everyone didn’t come for the same reasons and no one will be judged on knowledge about one topic, even if it is the focal point of this city. Just remember, there are probably people who have the same worries and I think that giving WMI a chance even when you think it might go horribly wrong, will definitely pay off.