Only 2 Weeks Left April 24-30

This week went pretty fast. This lesson that we started learning was just taught in just 3 days so you can imagine how stressful it could be. Damage Control is simple but there is more to it than the basics and when learned everything. And once that exam came I swear everyone had the same feeling. When we usually take our exams it will tell you right away if you passed or failed but we ran into problem after problem with that. The site that they would put up our exams on was not working and people could not access the exam. Then we had to take a paper test (worst thing ever). Crappy part about that was that we could not look at our study materials during the 20+ minutes that we were waiting for our copies to be printed. So we literally just had to try and quiz each other and hope that we remembered everything.

Now since we took a paper exam the wait to find out if you passed or failed was even longer. Everyone had the same reaction after the exam. A lot of us thought we failed that exam, including me. The stress began to build up as we had to line up row by row to find out our fate. With all the nervousness I had I saw my grade and didn't do bad at all lol. With me passing that exam that means that there is only one exam left. Plus that extra study won't cut into my weekend plans of going to D.C.

Exam 5 is over and now the real haze happens. Maritime warfare started off complex and I knew that I was in for a long miserable time with this subject. Since the subject is so complex we are taught maritime in the morning and leadership activities in the afternoon to give our brains a break. To be honest majority of the class has clocked out on BDOC and either plays solitaire or pacman during the lectures. The individuals who bring their laptops to class just download games and play them during the lessons. I'm guilty of downloading games on my laptop and mentally clocking out for 15 minutes during a 90 minute lecture. We aren't rude with it but the instructors can see our computer screens anyway form the main desk. I think as long as we aren't sleeping they are cool about it.

Oh yea and another cool thing is that a panel that my class did earlier in the course is now being used in a brief Navy wide amongst Admirals and other commands. I saw a few of my key points in the PowerPoint so I was pretty excited. I had to do it one time for all the FAMU kids who have used the famous phrase "no face, no case". Yea I said it in an open discussion lol. It got the point across to actually be a bullet point in a brief so thats pretty lit. To sum up what the brief was about, it is referring to the whole Marines United incident that happened in that huge Facebook group with all those pictures.

I also finally got to try a place called Cookout. I would hear so much about it but never actually went. The girls and I went there for lunch one day and the menu is pretty legit and cheap. Its more of a small restaurant chain so I think it is only in Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia. It could be in a lot more states but those are the states that I know it is in for sure.

Weekend Trip to D.C.

Being in Norfolk makes it super easy to go to D.C. and I finally made plans to go. I was supposed to go with someone but things happen and it became a solo trip (no big deal). With my trip becoming a solo trip I was fortunate enough for one of my aunt's close friends to live in the area and I didn't have to book a hotel for the weekend. If people don't know me by now they definitely should know that I don't mind doing things by myself. I actually make my plans first THEN tell other people just in case they end up not going.

I know people who live in the D.C. area so it was not like I was really alone in a different city. Friday after class was over I made that drive and it was not bad but I finally got to see why everyone hates the Hampton tunnel. It was 2 lanes of bumper to bumper traffic for a good 20 miles and the speed limit is already slow here. My first night I didn't do much of anything besides get to know my aunt's friend and found out that we have a few things in common. She is a biology professor at Howard University and I was a biology student during my undergrad. It can sound nerdy but we ended up having a nice science filled conversation and I enjoyed every bit of it. She also gave me some pointers of things to do while I am down here.

My Saturday consisted of getting up early and going to see the African American museum. Since I am military I did not have to print out a ticket and I ended up being the 4th person in line. I'm glad I got in line early because by 9:45 the line was really long. I have been to D.C. twice before when I was little so I have seen all the other museums. This was the only attraction on my list that I had to really see.


I spent a good 3-4 hours in there but I know I did not see everything that the museum had to offer. What I mean by that is actually reading every excerpt that was on the walls. I got a lot of pictures on my camera that I finally used lol. You won't be able to see everything in one day but you'll get a lot of information just by walking through all the pieces. There are some gruesome areas in the museum but it's a part of history that many people try to sweep under the rug. They even has Emmet Till's casket on display.

Of course it went through the slavery and civil rights portion of history but it also documents everything up until today. So you will see all the music, movie, and political sides of African American history. I know whenever I go back to D.C. I'll go to that museum again and try to read everything on the first few floors.

The museum was not my only stop while I did my day exploring. I called myself "walking" to the White House and kinda ended up in a protest about climate change that was also going to the White House. I didn't know that the protest would be going on so I definitely was not expecting it but I did see some pretty funny signs. After the White House shenanigans I went to the capital and the Martin Luther King monument.

My daytime endeavors was over and I took a little break before I went out with some people I knew in the area. I had a good time that night and got a slight glimpse of Howard University. I might be biased but the portion I saw was small compared to FAMU.

Sunday was more chill and I got up and went to this brunch spot called Old Ebbit Grill. The food was pretty good and I see what the crab cakes are about since everyone told me that I must try em. The brunch spot was around the corner from the White House so I was able to get a better view without all the protesters and send selfies to my parents. I also went and spent some time at National Harbor before I left. I found out that they were having a wine festival and if I did not have to drive back to Norfolk I would have bought my ticket and enjoyed everything that festival had to offer. Luckily I live in California and you can go up to Wine Country and enjoy tons of wine one weekend. Being the responsible adult that I am I made the better decision and passed up the opportunity. My drive back to Norfolk was fortunate enough to be a lot better and quicker than me going so I was able to make it back at a decent hour and prepare for week 8 of BDOC. But before I actually settled in I tried this place called The Dirty Buffalo and slightly went into a food coma with their wings.