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Diary of an inaugural ball hopper

By WTOP Staff

Stephanie Steinberg, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – Three nights. Six inaugural balls. I’m not sure what I’m getting myself into.

As part of WTOP’s pre-inauguration coverage, I put together a gallery with some of the most entertaining and expensive inaugural balls around town this weekend. Seriously, I don’t know who has $500 to spend on the Hip Hop Inaugural Ball — or $1,000 for VIP tickets — but if you do, more power to you.

I’ve never been to a ball (I’m from Michigan, where there are only weddings and bar-mitzvahs). And I’m not about to miss out on the opportunity to cover one of these events. I would have chosen one of the two official presidential inaugural balls, but WTOP only received one press pass for each. And, I’ll be the first to admit, I have no business on the airwaves. I’ll happily stick to writing.

So now I just had to decide which unofficial ball to attend. Should I go to the Chef’s Ball where several top D.C. chefs will whip up late-night bites for guests? Or there’s the Hawaiian State Society inaugural ball complete with Hula dancing and island delicacies like lomi lomi salmon tart. Then there’s the chance to catch one of the dozens of celebrities headlining balls and parties everywhere in the District.

I can be a horrible decision-maker, so I took to Twitter for a little help. One of my followers had a good suggestion:

“Hopping around is probably the best call. How many times in your life do you have the chance to do that?”

It’s true. An inauguration only happens every four years. Who knows if I’ll still be in D.C. in 2016, or if I’ll have a press pass that guarantees me free entry? So after some deliberation, I have decided on six balls to attend for a “ball hopping” adventure.

Here’s my schedule (assuming I stay on track and don’t run into any traffic mishaps):

Saturday:

  • Texas State Society Black Tie & Boots Ball in National Harbor, Md. — arrive at 7 p.m.
  • Chef’s Ball in D.C. — arrive at 11 p.m.

Sunday:

  • Hawaii State Society Inaugural Ball in Arlington, Va. — arrive at 6 p.m.
  • Peace Ball in D.C. — arrive at 8:30 p.m.
  • Green Ball in D.C. — arrive at 10:30 p.m.

Monday:

  • Ambassadors Ball in D.C. — arrive at 7 p.m.

(I do have to work that day and the day after, so I thought it would be best to go easy).

In case you’re curious, most of these are black-tie or black-tie optional, but I’m not going to arrive in full-blown ball gown attire. I figure a trailing dress would hamper my abilities to take photographs for the photo gallery my fellow reporters and I are producing. I’m also living on a journalist’s salary. I’ll be honest, three ball gowns I won’t wear again aren’t exactly in my budget.

For those of you reading from the West Coast or local residents who don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars for a ticket to one of these parties, I hope to provide you with a little insight into the D.C. inaugural ball scene.

That’s assuming my feet last in my high heels until Monday.

Saturday, Jan. 19 at 6 p.m.

Texas State Society Black Tie & Boots Ball
Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, National Harbor, Md.

I knew I was heading in the right direction as I rode up an escalator and the woman in front of me had brown cowboy boots peaking out from her lavender ball gown.

Texans claim they like to do it bigger and better than everyone else, and that mantra was evident at the Texas State Society Black Tie & Boots Inaugural Ball. Trumpets blared as a Texas high school marching band greeted VIP guests, who strutted arm-in-arm with their date down a red carpet.

As couples continued their grand entrance, they passed a mariachi band that serenaded them before they reached the threshold to the actual ball. This is where the “bigger” and “better” comes in.

High school students dressed in red, white and blue skirts, red leather cowboy boots and black cowboy hats formed two long rows underneath a glowing “Black Tie & Boots” sign. The guys and gals, known as the Wildcat Wranglers, yelled howdy and lifted each other into the air to give a sweeping wave to the couples as they entered the Southwestern world.

Last, but certainly not least, dozens of girls from the Kilgore Rangerettes dance team stood like statues along a glistening white staircase. I whispered to one of them at the end of the line, curious if they had to stand there all night.

The girl with bright red lipstick and blonde locks replied in a sweet Texan accent, “Oh, no ma’am. We’ll be performing a little later.” She politely nodded and smiled as the camera flashes bombarded her.

7:25 p.m.

I’ve been to Dallas, Texas, once, and this party was Texas on steroids.

Nearly all the men donned a black or beige cowboy hat

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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