513 Miles: St. Pete FL --> Lexington SC

We made it! It took us nearly 10 hours but we made it to Lexington. Before hitting the road I was a little worried about this trip -- How will the group get along? Is this drive going to have us at each other's throats before our internships even begin? Am I even prepared for 10 days deep in the political world? How quickly will a group of 24 politically active students descend into chaos? These questions will be answered over the course of the trip but regardless of the possible answers I am very excited!

We took off around 8am on Friday morning and by the time we were on the interstate our van (VAN 3!) was already having a good time. Our first stop was in Ocala to fuel up (both on gas and snacks for the road!). My fellow RTWH intern Laura and I are members of student government and are taking over the Instagram for the duration of the trip. We made our first post featuring Steven and Tyler, two more RTWH interns, and our snack selections. 

As we got back on the road van 3 was in high spirits! We were jamming to our shared playlist and chatting about every topic under the sun. By the time we had reached the Jacksonville area we were feeling ready to stop for lunch so we pulled off the interstate to a Burger King to grab a bite to eat -- I think we were all getting a little restless too so the time out of the van was necessary!

After our stop for lunch concluded we got back on the road and made our final stop before our destination at the South Carolina welcome center! Here Laura and I took a photo for the takeover together. The group also took a photo in front of the welcome sign (both can be seen below!). After we stretched out a little more we piled back into the van and began the last hour and half stretch of the drive. Dr. JSM shared some experiences from working in Washington DC, Tyler was playing some great hits on the aux, and we were having a fantastic time -- despite reaching nearly 10 hours in the van! 

All in all it was a very successful van ride and one I would happily do over and over again. I'm looking forward to this trip and to get the answers to my questions and maybe a few more! 

Mine and Laura's first picture of the trip! 

Van 3 stops at Burger King! 

Laura and I at the South Carolina Welcome Center!

Dr. JSM and the rest of Van 3 taking a selfie with the "Welcome to South Carolina" sign!