While interning in D.C., I’ve learned many lessons — the unspoken rules of the Metro, how to fit a dodge truck into a relatively small parking garage, and how to attempt to budget during weekend trips. While I could certainly write more than a few blog posts on all of those lessons and more, I wanted to share the lessons I’ve learned while interning in a congressional office on the Hill.

1. Be willing to learn. This is the first lesson for a reason. While interning on the Hill, you’ll be asked to do a variety of tasks. For example, answering phones, batching mail, running errands, and writing memos are all things you might be asked to do.  Some of these tasks may be fairly simple, while others might be outside of your comfort zone or something you’re completely unfamiliar with. Whatever the task is, being willing to learn how to do it to the best of your ability will take you far in your internship. Also, you may find you’re learning skills that will be valuable for years to come.
2. Make friends and build a network. Like Texas A&M University, the Capitol seems huge… until you realize how easy it is to run into people you know. While interning, get to know as many people as you can, whether they’re fellow Aggies outside of the program, other interns in your office, or just people you meet along the way. You’ll be building a professional network, and you’ll find your work week is much more enjoyable when you have friends to run into in the halls and at lunch.
3. Share your passions and your interests. As said above, you’ll be asked to do a variety of tasks for your office. However, if you share with your office staff what you’re interested in they are more likely to give you tasks in your interest area. For example, you may be asked to write a memo in a policy area you’re interested in if you discuss that with your legislative aides. Or, if you’re interested in photography, you might work with your office press secretary. Either way, your office won’t know what you’re interested in if you don’t communicate that.
4. Do your best always. No matter what you’re working on, do your best and give your all. Your office will take note of your hard work and may assign you bigger projects. Additionally, you’ll be building your reputation and learning skills you’ll carry with you into your future career opportunities.

These are the four main lessons that have served me while interning in a Congressman’s office. In the short month I’ve been here, I’ve learned so much and I’m looking forward to learning so much more. I hope if you’re considering or pursuing an ANRP Internship, this has been helpful. So, which lesson do you think will be most important to your success?

Payton Ramsey
Office of Congressman Michael Cloud and Office of Congressman Louie Gohmert
Washington, D.C. | Summer 2021

Working in a congressional office can be hectic. However, there are times when the office gets slow, and you start to think about your lunch, but it is only 10. Even worse, you think about the chicken parmesan you are cooking at home that night and then realize it’s only 3:15. Luckily, since the district you work for has a Mars Bars Factory, you can run over to the kitchen and grab something to hold you over. However, the best part is the small-scale trade wars that are occurring throughout the day when an office gets slow and people are craving something to snack on. Below are the tricks of the trad(ing) that have helped our office.

1. Do not cold call offices for trades.

Cold calling an office shows weakness and a little bit of desperation. By doing so, they immediately get the upper hand and then hold all the cards. On the flip side of that, if someone else cold calls, let them tell you everything their office has. Beware though, if someone is cold calling, its usually because they are either trying to trade a perishable or something that is expired. The best way to bring up trade so far that I have noticed is casually mentioning a snack you recently had.

1. If you are not getting the right snacks, you do not have to trade.

This one is relatively straightforward; if they are trying to trade something that you do not want, there is no obligation for you to do so. Someone might try to make it sound like that through an email or over the phone, but it is not true.

1. Always go to their office to trade and bring another intern.

This part can be tricky. Speaking from experience, it can get dicey, and an ambush is very possible. However, if you bring another intern, the odds of a failed trade go down significantly. While there you can always see if they will throw anything extra in to sweeten the deal.

ADVANCED LEVEL ONLY:

1. Show up with less than agreed upon. Or at least make it seem that way.

If you show up into the office with less than agreed upon and your office is far away, more often than not, they will still want to make a trade and you might be able to get more per case of Dr. Pepper than you would have with two. The best part about this is you can always leave one out the door. That way if they become hesitant, but your office still wants to make the trade, all bets are not off yet.

If you are willing to stick to this advice before you know it, the LA who covers trade policy in your office might become quite impressed. Now, does a snickers sound good or what?

Below is the Washington Nationals baseball game we went to; the snacks here were not as easy to acquire.

Ryan Rakowitz
Office of Congressman Kevin Brady
Washington, D.C. | Summer 2021