What can a new student at American University in Washington expect?

May 4, 2007 9:24 AM

What can a new student at American University in Washington DC expect as far as her life at AU and as a student in DC?

My eldest is soon off to American University. I'm looking to ease her normal anxiety about going off to school with information about what she can expect her life to be like. Anyone have specific or anecdotal info about life at AU? Just as important, what's it like being a college student in Washington?

And yes, I figure she probably shouldn't wear the t-shirt when she travels abroad.

(This is my first question. Be kind. Thanks.)

posted by lpsguy to education (27 comments total)

Washington is a great place for students -- she should strive to make the whole city her campus. It's a young town, and has multiple high-level universities in the metro area. Similarly, the companies and institutions of Washington rely on lots of intern labor, which makes it great for any student looking to get into journalism, politics, or technology.

The school itself is in a very safe residential neighborhood, with good transportation to downtown. If you didn't know you were in the city proper, you'd think you were in the wealthy Maryland suburbs.

I don't know specifics about American on-campus life, but if she gets off campus, there is lots of free stuff to do with all the Smithsonian museums, monuments, and hiking/biking trails throughout the city.
posted by redarmycomrade at 9:38 AM on May 4, 2007

My dad taught at AU for a while, and I've spent a fair bit of time on the campus.

I lived a few minutes walk to the west falls church metro station during high school. At AU she'll be able to hop on at Tenlytown, a short walk from most dormitories (if I recall correctly). DC has incredible museums and other cultural institutions - almost none of which cost a dime and are world-class.

She should read the DCist and go to shows at the 930 club.

Honestly though, she'll figure all of this out on her own. Has she ever been to DC? Where are you? If at all possible, I'd let her go down before classes start so she can get comfortable before academia ramps up.
posted by phrontist at 9:38 AM on May 4, 2007

make sure she spends a lot of time in the city...take advantage of it! and its a great place to be doing internships...either during the year or during summer.
posted by jare2003 at 9:42 AM on May 4, 2007

College life in DC is something that can't be beat. If she's civic-minded or studying history, politics, public policy policy, etc., she'll be in heaven. When I was there, I found something engaging to do almost every night of the week. The best part is, there's a ton of stuff to do that's free. Congressional hearings, speeches, think-tank panels, free performances at the Kennedy Center. She'll also get the chance to meet people from all over the world. AU has a very international student body.

She's going to have so much fun.

AU also has a top-notch study abroad program, which she should try to take advantage of.
posted by HotPatatta at 9:43 AM on May 4, 2007

I will shamelessly add DC Metblogs to the recommendation of DCist. We're a more informal and general community kind of site, which I think might more lend itself to "what's it like" kind of stuff you seem to be looking for than DCist's more newsie style. Which is not to denigrate them at all - we're just very different in style.

She might also look at The Black Cat as a music destination, as all their shows are all-ages and I presume she's 18/19.

Your profile doesn't say where you're from so it's hard to say what may or may not be different here. DC also has a nice theater community, at least compared to where I came from in Miami - if you're in NYC you may be less impressed :) I'd also encourage you to encourage her to learn to love the metro. If you come from somewhere that doesn't have a robust mass-transit system and aren't car-obsessed it's a delight, though she'll have to take the AU shuttle to and from the campus if she doesn't want to walk a half hour.
posted by phearlez at 10:05 AM on May 4, 2007

As an AU student she has access to classes and libraries at several other area schools - Washington Consortium. I highly recommend she takes advantage of this, because (when I was there in 98-00, anyway) AU's library is very small and oftentimes GW had the books I needed and AU did not.

The neighborhood is very safe and there is a Metro stop easily accessed by a shuttle bus. The Metro is great and really gets you anywhere. I spent a lot of time with my friends just exploring the city. Also, since most of the museums are free, it was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon without spending any money.

D.C. is a fun city for a student; tell her to take advantage of anything she can - talks, hearings, free performances, events at the Smithsonian, etc.
posted by sutel at 10:05 AM on May 4, 2007

My cousin goes to AU and my show is taped at their public radio station, WAMU. It's a really nice university, although it's often forgotten because it doesn't really have a lot of presence downtown nor does it have a very impressive basketball team.

AU is far from the center of the city, in a part of DC called Tenleytown. It's got a metro stop but she'll probably have to take the college's shuttles a lot to get to places to shop. But there is a Whole Foods and a Starbucks nearby.

If you really want to do your daughter a favor, give her a plastic reusable metro card with maybe $50 already on it, because she'll be doing a lot of sightseeing.

Also, encourage her to go to events at AU and in downtown. There is always something going on, and you should call your representative and try to get her a White House tour.
posted by parmanparman at 10:16 AM on May 4, 2007

I may be reading into this too much, but the subtext of your question says that she (or you?) have some concerns about AU or Washington. If you give us specifics, we can try and help.
posted by redarmycomrade at 10:17 AM on May 4, 2007

She needs to go to the U St./Cardozo metro stop and get some Ethiopian food at Dukem. Ethiopian food is almost a rite of passage for college students in DC and Dukem is the best in the city. (And DC is an Ethiopian food mecca, so.)
posted by kdar at 10:21 AM on May 4, 2007

These are wonderful. She'll be excited to hear all of this. Keep them coming. I'll refer her here for a much-needed pep talk.

She is going to be a Communications/Poli Sci major so that sounds perfect. And we're outside Philadelphia so we can bop down this summer. And thanks for the links to more info and especially the clubs an 18-year-old can get to.

And I'll be gettin' one of them thar Metro cards, too.
posted by lpsguy at 10:22 AM on May 4, 2007

redarmy ... you sensed a little of concern ... but only as far as the standard nerousness of a bird leaving the nest. We're talkin' normal anxiety of heading off alone to a new place in a new city. We have been to Washington and have visited the school. But I've always found that firsthand information like everyone is offering here just makes anxiety vanish. I know she'll be fine. You know she'll be fine. Right now, all of your coments are balm for the soul.
posted by lpsguy at 10:27 AM on May 4, 2007

My wife, and many of our friends, graduated from AU and I have forwarded this thread to them in the hopes they can help.
posted by terrapin at 10:34 AM on May 4, 2007

DC is one of those places that you love or hate (of course if you read the internet you know that EVERY place is like that). Since she's a comm major (oh gods, the comm majors) and poli sci, she'll probably love it and never want to leave. (You might be able to tell that I'm not one of those people..)

The only thing I would mark as not to miss is the new(ish) Udvar-Hazy center, which is part of the Smithsonian. It's in VA (out by Dulles) but you can catch a bus off of the Mall.
posted by anaelith at 10:49 AM on May 4, 2007

AU grad here (terrapin's wife). I would second all the comments about taking advantage of everything the city has to offer. I spent the first year of my undergrad enclosed in the "bubble" of the AU campus. It's not difficult to get to downtown, but it does take a concious effort to do so.

One word of caution (especially for women walking alone) about the 10 - 15 minute trek from the main campus to the Teneleytown metro station: it's a beautiful walk during the day, but at night there is no one around, since there are not houses but embassies and churches along that row. The shuttle runs from the metro stop to the main campus, and I would recommend she use it in the evenings for safety reasons.

In addition to the usual activities, sports events, social events, etc, AU also has the "Freshman Service Experience", a great way to break the ice with fellow classmates and upperclassmen before classes begin. I participated in that program and really enjoyed it. As a communications/poly sci major, she should also be able to fit a semester study-abroad into her undergraduate experience, something I wish I had been able to do. AU offers a lot of choice for study-abroad locations.

And if she likes going to concerts, the 9:30 Club is, IMHO the best indoor venue in the city, and also metro-accessible and all-ages.
posted by turtlegirl at 10:59 AM on May 4, 2007

I had a couple friends that went there. The part that I remember, or rather that struck me, was their constant referal to the international royalty that went to school there.

They would causually toss about the names of princes and emirs as roommates or "living down the hall".

It seems like such a great opportunity to learn about the world and meet folks the rest of us public school schlubs didn't get a chance to meet.

But of luck!
posted by YoBananaBoy at 11:02 AM on May 4, 2007

YoBananaBoy's friends must have lived in the "International Dormitory". A fun experience no doubt, and a great way to find out which clubs cater to the Euro-pop crowd.

Other fun things to do in DC:
Catch a movie at the Uptown Theater
Check out restaurants and nightlife in Adams Morgan
Take a hike in Rock Creek Park
posted by turtlegirl at 11:18 AM on May 4, 2007

I grew up in DC, and there are several things that I miss dearly about it. Most of them have to do with the fact that you get to meet so many great people coming from so many different cultures and nationalities that you can sometimes learn more about different places than you could by traveling there yourself. As someone mentioned, this leads to fantastic food, Ethiopian being one not-to-miss genre but there are several others. One resource for her budgeted lifestyle might be the Washingtonian Magazine's Cheap Eats review, which recommends some great restaurants that might be more appropriate for her college student budget.

Also, as she's trying to check out what "city life" is going to entail, tell her to take a look at the Washington Post's City Guide, which will give her a broad overview of some of the major things going on downtown and otherwise. My bet is that most of her time will be spent with AU kids doing AU things, but this will give her some ideas for those Saturdays when she'll want to just get out and see something.

Best of luck to you both- she's going to LOVE it.
posted by liberalintellect at 11:40 AM on May 4, 2007

Dukem is the best in the city.

Better than Meskerem & Red Sea?
posted by me & my monkey at 11:56 AM on May 4, 2007

My wife and I went on our first date at the Red Sea.

I'm from L.A. originally and DC is much more accessible via rapid transit. AU offers a shuttle service to and from various points on campus to the Metro.

Your daughter will be in the thick of things for the upcoming prez election season. That should be fun for a poli si major.
posted by Taken Outtacontext at 12:08 PM on May 4, 2007

For food, check out Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide, which features frequently updated recommendations and reviews of all sorts of restaurants around the area.

DC is, like many other cities, the kind of place where once you get here, if you're the type of person who is interested in the world around you, it's hard to run out of things to do. You'll always be meeting someone who has tickets to something or stumbling across a website that recommends a new place to try or getting invited to a party with a wacky theme. Plus, it's college, so activities abound.

Poli-sci major specific advice: it's never too early to start networking. Jobs, internships, etc., are all easier to get if you know people, and the easiest way to do that is just to show up places where those people are. Get off campus and meet people outside of AU. It's not as intimidating as it sounds. Go to lectures or roundtable discussions where people you admire are speaking and chat with the other attendees. There are a half dozen of these sorts of events every day at think tanks and on the hill and on other university campuses, so take advantage. Wear business dress, have some business cards printed up with your name and email address on them, nothing fancy, and chat some folks up. You may even find an affinity group for your political party/area of study/etc. to join, and that'll be a way to develop relationships with people who can help you career-wise outside of your university. Plus, they usually have free lunch or snacks at these things.

This will be a phenomenal time in your daughter's life. It's completely natural to be nervous, but also realize that whatever she thinks it will be like, it will probably be a little like that, but also completely different. Try not to spend the whole summer driving yourselves crazy, and I'm sure you'll have a great experience.
posted by decathecting at 12:19 PM on May 4, 2007

Yeah, the U St. area is definitely where you get the better Ethiopian. There are a TON of the restaurants within a few blocks of each other, centered on 9th & U. I like Etete as a close second to Dukem, but Dukem is bigger and has better service (with, I think, just very slightly better food).

Meskerem is good, too, but I don't like it as much as the other two I mentioned. I think Red Sea burned down, but that may have been another Ethiopian joint on 18th St.
posted by kdar at 12:24 PM on May 4, 2007

Red Sea closed it's doors in 2005, unfortunately. RIP Red Sea!
posted by turtlegirl at 12:27 PM on May 4, 2007

"its", dangit!
posted by turtlegirl at 12:29 PM on May 4, 2007

Alumna of AU says:

1) Get thee a Smartrip for the metro, and register it! Register it! Register it! Then if you lose it, the balance can be saved, minus $5 replacement fee. Had to do this just yesterday. Worth it.

2) Take the shuttle to the Metro, both ways, unless it's bright and beautiful outside.

3) The campus is beautiful, and low-key, especially this time of year. Spend some time on it.

4) Tell her to explore the city while she's still interested in it. Resident apathy, especially when combined with undergrad mania, can set in quite quickly. The zoo is a wonderful, free, easy way to spend some free time. Visit the museums on the Mall and elsewhere. There's always, always, always things going on, of every ilk, to suit every mood. Register for the Washington Post Weekend Guide, which she can receive via e-mail. I've gotten tons of good tips from that. Also, have her pick up the Daily Express on Thursdays, which does a weekend guide.

5) Tell her to not waste her money shopping at Whole Foods or Balduccis, both very close. Instead, tell her to walk or take the shuttle to the Law School (further down Mass, opposite way from the Circle)--besides there being a Starbucks, there's also a Super Fresh, which is infinitely cheaper for her to fill up on groceries.

6) If Park Bethesda (off-campus housing) still runs a shuttle, tell her to grab it to Westbard Avenue; at the corner of Westbard & Ridgefield is my favorite sushi restaurant, hands down: Yirisai. She can also access an excellent Giant (Supermarket) across the street, which a little less cramped than Superfresh.

7) The AU Law School has a quiet, modern library; I always found it more enjoyable to work than the AU Library, except she won't be able to get online via their wireless system. But if she needs some peace and quiet, there's her place. Also a nice fountain outside to sit near and enjoy--never very crowded.

Interesting areas for her to visit: She can grab a bus either up to Bethesda (Expensive Shopping, Barnes & Noble, independent movie theater, food), Friendship Heights (Expensive Shopping, Borders, AMC Theater, Food) right from Tenleytown Station (Wisconsin Avenue) and also down into Georgetown (Expensive shopping, AMC Theater, food).

On Connecticut: Cleveland Park (aforementioned Uptown Theater) and Woodley Park (Zoo, Open City which has free wireless, Mr. Chen's Organic Chinese), Adams Morgan (Tryst, free wireless except weekend nights) Dupont Circle (Kramer Books).

Columbia Heights/U Street: 9:30 Club, Ben's Chili Bowl, Mocha Hut, Busboys & Poets (wireless). Tell her there's an amazing view of the city at Clifton and 13th St NW--fantastic for 7/4 fireworks if she'll be there by then.

Eastern Market (SE) just burned down, but the market there is excellent.

Silver Spring Downtown: 3 movie theaters including a cultural center, restaurants, shopping, farmer's market.

I was a graduate student, and not an undergrad, when I moved to DC, and now I've moved seven times total in the past four years--from Bethesda, to DC, and recently to Silver Spring. Though I didn't experience it as an undergrad, I really enjoyed my time at AU. There is so much to do in all parts of the city. She'll have a lot to explore.
posted by atayah at 1:30 PM on May 4, 2007

The building at the Market burned, to clarify. The weekend market will still be running as they rebuild. Read more here.
posted by atayah at 1:37 PM on May 4, 2007

I'm gonna echo Yobanana's comment, one segment of AU students are rich international students. This may be a rumor, but I've heard from more than one person that international students have to pay ALL four years UP FRONT.

The area around AU is very residential, and suburby, and (non-group house) off-campus housing is probably pretty expensive.

Other than that D.C. is great. The washingtonpost has a great constantly updated city guide city section. There are loads of art museums, and many neighborhoods to explore.
posted by stratastar at 3:32 PM on May 4, 2007

For what it's worth, the alt-weekly in DC is the extraordinary Washington City Paper. When you visit this summer, snag a copy. And when she's in school, it'll be one of the best guides to what's happening in the city.
posted by Alt F4 at 7:22 PM on May 4, 2007