The 30 by 30 Project

I built last June and July around some big-ticket 30 by 30 goals, and was able to knock off five items in six weeks. In fact, it was such a monumental time for me that I totally forgot to update this blog. Subsequently, here is a belated taste of that summer:

1. Obtain a graduate degree

Getting by with a little help from my friends.

I can’t say this goal was in doubt over the past year or so, but it is certainly the most important accomplishment to me on this list. It’s hard to reflect on such an impactful 21-month experience, but my Masters in Public Affairs Program was more than I could have hoped for. I conquered my fear of numbers, gained considerable proficiency in urban planning fundamentals, and honed my ability to write and think critically. However, my most substantial take-away may very well be the people – and not just in the proverbial “network” sense. (Although Princeton has that in spades.) It’s safe to say that my classmates are the most brilliant, committed, and interesting single group of people I’ve ever met. I think we’re all in pretty good hands as long as these people are “in the service of the nation and all nations.” Moreover, in the professors and staff of Orange Bubble I found inspiration and comradery to sustain a lifetime. I consider myself incredibly lucky to have found such a community.

7. Attend a major music festival (Coachella, South by Southwest, Bonnaroo)

Team Roo

And the 30 by 30 music festival winner is…Bonnaroo! But really, we all won here. I went to the famous Tennessee music festival with three classmates and two friends the day after graduation. It was also the first stop on a cross-country road trip – more on that below. With 80,000 people and over 100 bands, the only downside was realizing that we could only realistically get to 4 or 5 shows a day. Some highlights for me were the Alabama Shakes (high energy), The Avett Brothers (staples of my summer playlist), Radiohead (an experience more than a show), Dispatch (they’re back – my tenth time seeing them), Bon Iver (memorizing, haunting, epic), and LP. I listened to LP’s hit “Somebody Left the Gates Open” on repeat during finals so it was pretty incredible to see her live.

11. Drive across country 

Our meandering version of the Northern Route.

15 states in 29 days – check! I could not have asked for a better graduation present to myself and could not have chosen a better traveling companion than my grad school classmate and better half, Farah Ahmad. One of the best decisions we made was “banning” hotels and relying entirely on the kindness of friends and affordability of campgrounds. On the decidedly non-linear drive between New Jersey to California, I learned the following things: the National Park System is the federal government’s greatest gift to Americans, the summer sun doesn’t set in Fargo until 10:30pm, PB&J is a highly versatile road snack, some of the best seats at a Cubs game are outside Wrigley, and bourbon-tasting is a perfect compliment to couch-surfing.

2. Visit two new national parks

Dueling Vistas: Badlands & Yelowstone

National Parks were a central feature of the road trip so we hit way more than just two. For the sake of brevity, I will highlight the two that left the most lasting impression: the Badlands and Yellowstone. The jagged barren rocks of the aptly-named Badlands are one of he most stunning places I’ve ever been. The drama was heightened when Farah and I arrived after dark and had to navigate through the massive rock formations eerily illuminated by Black Ninja’s headlights. We knew Yellowstone was going to be special, but could not have predicted how magical a place it was. A theme park for adults – in good ways and bad – we were able to get off the beaten track and see tons of wildlife (from omnipresent bison to more elusive wolves and black bears), brilliantly colored thermal features, and enormous waterfalls. We even got our history-buff on by checking out the Museum of the Park Ranger and attending a Ranger-led talks at dusk.

3. Go to South America (preferably Peru)

Obligatory Machu Picchu Vantage Point

I am still in awe of my 12 days in Peru. Departing on the 4th of July, I was able to tag-along to a meticulously-planned 10-person trip organized by a friend from college. Machu Picchu far surpassed my expectations and I was stunned by the diversity of the Sacred Valley, including the Moras salt mines and the Moray agriculture circles. However, some of the more impressive experiences came from non-touristy engagements. Most notable were the two afternoons my friends and I spent at the Hogar de Ninas, a girls orphanage just outside Cusco. The facility supports and educates High School 30 girls (as well as come through college) and is primarily funded by the American non-profit Peruvian Hearts, run by our trip organizer and his family. It is an incredible operation to be a part of and the girls we met could not have been more inspiring. The trip was capped off by a fantastic 36 hours in Lima, complete with a tour of the San Francisco catacombs and the best ceviche I’ve ever had (not experienced simultaneously).

Mental note: when trying to secure a tour of the West Wing, it doesn’t hurt if one of your oldest friends works there. That’s the case with my friend Caitlin, who I’ve known since Elementary School and also went to college with. Her job is one of many reasons she rocks.

When I was in DC this week Caitlin took me on a tour of her office – which also happens to be the President’s Office, in case that wasn’t abundantly clear – and by any account it exceeded all expectations. Before even entering the building, we ran into HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Then, the Vice President walked by when we were in the entryway – not a bad first five minutes.

Caitlin is a tour-guiding pro, so the remaining hour flew by. She had dozens of stories about the scenes featured in recent photographs, the eccentricities behind the artwork, and the history of the building. (Did you know a gaggle of reporters is called a “Press Pool” because the current WH Press Room used to be FDR’s pool? Mind blown.) Other highlights were The Rose Garden (yup, lots of roses), the Roosevelt Room (which houses FDR’s Medal of Freedom & Noble Peace Prize) and – clearly – the Oval Office. That last one was pretty surreal.

Another interesting fact from Caitlin: the White House is the only building that serves as a Head of State’s office and residence as well as a working museum. And bonus: it’s staffed by extremely friendly Secret Service personnel.

As my grad school classmates know, I’ve been talking about my 30 by 30 list for quite a while. As I stewed on what to include, I managed to make some of these happen. Subsequently, I have done two of my charges in the past nine months, both of which have been on the “bucket list” for all of my adult life:

21. Go to Red Sox Spring Training

Me and Ben in Fort Myers

In 2011, a last minute decision to spend Spring Break in Florida paid major dividends. I spent a few days with family in Tampa and then met up with a grad school classmate and headed to Fort Myers, a location of mythological proportions for New England baseball fans: the March home of Red Sox Nation.

Upon arrival in this baseball Mecca, Ben and I caught two games against the Mets. Obviously, this did not represent the most intense pre-season rivalry, but the Sox played well and the Mets even managed to take a game. We saw a couple of bombs, at least one from a young prospect whose name I imagine we’ll hear in the near future. After the first game, we watched the Princeton men’s basketball team come within one shot of upsetting Kentucky in the first Round of March Madness – on Saint Patrick’s Day nonetheless. Pilgrimage complete.

20. Volunteer at a Burn Camp

Campers and Counselors at the 2011 Mid Atlantic Burn Camp

I have wanted to volunteer at a Burn Camp – a week long get-away for young burn survivors – since I spent two months in a burn hospital when I was 18. I first learned about these camps from my physical therapist, who explained how the camps were an opportunity for kids to both forget about their trauma and embrace their difference.

Last summer I cold-called a couple of burn camps near D.C. and heard back from the Mid-Atlantic Burn Camp, an all-star program in Virginia which drew kids from DC, Maryland, and the Philadelphia area. I talked my way into being a volunteer, and was assigned a cabin with six 11-12 year old boys. It was one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had. The theme was “Superheroes” so clearly there were some amazing costume opportunities (see picture: I am the faceless Spider-Man).

From what I can tell, us Millennials have a knack for procrastinating. We stay busy, by any metric. But by the time we’re done trying to save the world, get a date, and look effortlessly hip on Facebook, Machu Picchu will be gone and we will never have opened that beginners Spanish book.

Being a particularly egregious offender, I decided to prioritize some of my deferred dreams with a 30 by 30 List – thirty things I want to do before I turn thirty. My one rule: stick to things I could (in theory) control – e.g., only moderately cost prohibitive or logistically unfeasible. And my lifetime bucket list would look radically different – this solely pertains to my quarterlife + five.

This blog is more of a commitment device than a sharing vehicle, but hey “blogging” is on my list. (Check!) I plan to post upon completion of each item.

So without further ado, my 30 by 30 List:

1. Obtain a graduate degree
2. Visit two new national parks
3. Go to South America (preferably Peru)
4. See every “Best Picture” Oscar winner
5. Take Spanish lessons
6. Take Guitar lessons
7. Attend a major music festival (Coachella, South by Southwest, Bonnaroo)
8. Abstain from alcohol for one calendar month
9. Eat vegetarian for one calendar month
10. Learn to drive a stick shift

11. Drive across country
12. Travel to Alaska or Hawaii
13. Start and maintain a blog
14. Read 5 books on my Book List
15. Get a hand-made suit
16. Cook with something I grew
17. Research and compose family tree
18. Draw a freehand map of the U.S.
19. Name every U.S. President in order
20. Volunteer at a Burn Camp

21. Go to a Red Sox Spring Training Game
22. Tour Fenway Park
23. Eat at a restaurant with more than one Michelin-star
24. Brew my own beer
25. Submit original work to be published
26. Stop biting my nails
27. Tour the West Wing
28. Purchase a digital SLR camera
29. Attend a performance at the Kennedy Center
30. Spend an entire day in the MoMa