My second summer session began on June 29, which would have been memorable even in an ordinary year. In Washington in 2026, it felt like arriving in the middle of a national birthday party. Catholic University’s second five-week, six-week, and online seven-week sessions opened on Monday, while the city prepared to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence.
The first days of an accelerated course are full. There is no long runway. We reviewed expectations, met classmates, and began substantive work immediately. I am a visiting undergraduate, and I chose the course because it transfers into my degree plan and lets me use the summer productively. The smaller academic focus is refreshing. I can concentrate on one course while also exploring Washington in a way that would be difficult during a crowded semester.
The University observed Independence Day on Friday, July 3, giving students time to participate in the city’s unusual schedule of anniversary events. “A Capitol Fourth” was held on July 3, and the July 4 celebration placed Washington at the center of the country’s semiquincentennial. The National Archives offered the remarkable opportunity to celebrate near the original Declaration of Independence, while the National Mall prepared for concerts, public programs, and a late-evening fireworks display.
Standing in Washington during the 250th anniversary made the week’s class discussions feel connected to a much longer story. The city is filled with places where the nation preserves its founding texts, debates their meaning, and remembers the people who have struggled to make their promises more complete. Even when a course is not directly about American history, studying here encourages the habit of asking how ideas become institutions and how institutions shape lives.
By Saturday night, the fireworks were the obvious spectacle. My quieter memory, however, will be Monday morning: a new course beginning, a small group of students introducing themselves, and the sense that the summer could change the pace of an entire academic year. Washington celebrated 250 years of national history. I celebrated the beginning of six weeks that may help me graduate on time—and perhaps with a clearer idea of what I want to do next.