GW’s allure, for many students, is its unrivaled opportunities for political discussion deriving from its location at the heart of American government and its nationally-recognized political science and international affairs programs. Much of the political science experience at GW consists of reading theory from textbooks, engaging in policy discussions and scrambling for internships in government. But while students are caught up in these class discussions and readings, it can be easy to lose sight of the reason we learn about politics in the first place: its effects on humans. The purpose of any policy position is to improve the quality of life of a certain group, and it is necessary to understand those origins — the wants, needs and grievances of people — when studying politics. Often, students in political science and international affairs are quick to give their opinion on a subject based on what they read in a textbook without understanding the consequences on the ground. But students who do this are ignoring one of the most tangible benefits of coming to GW: the ability to go beyond the classroom and engage with people at the heart of these political issues.

Politics is not a solely academic pursuit, but rather an essential part of people’s lives and communities, whether they realize it or not. Politics is happening on the ground in everyday locations — grocery stores, gas stations and households. While GW classes offer extensive knowledge in the field, there are many facets of politics students cannot read in books. Stories from people’s everyday lives — everyday experiences — provide indispensable wisdom into the real-world impacts of policy and governance, which can only be taught through conversation with others. This is something that students at GW often forget, since studying policy in such a sterilized classroom environment can make people dismissive or misunderstand the personal experiences that influence someone’s politics. There’s no better place than GW to engage with foreign policy advocates, environmentalists, labor leaders and so many others to learn why they fight for their cause, but students rarely seek out these opportunities, instead opting to solely base their opinions on theory they’ve read in textbooks. Organizers stationed with petitions, behind bullhorns or even brought into the classroom are everywhere, and initiating a short dialogue can prove to be a powerful experience, even if they are easy to simply brush off.

The human consequences of policy that indirectly affects both foreign and domestic individuals can be seen every day. A few days ago, an Iranian organizer approached me to sign a petition, and, curious to know more, I asked what motivated their protest. I thought it would mainly be about the recent strikes and stories from the war. But instead, I heard a powerful story of decades of resistance against an authoritarian regime by their family that informed me of the Iranian conflict on a far more human level. Mothers being taken as political prisoners, students losing access to their education and babies going hungry at night in a country that has experienced so much pain for the past half century. A simple 10-minute conversation gave me greater insight into the conflict than I have gotten in any of my class discussions. The conversation helped me to understand that Iran’s story ran deeper than the political gamesmanship of the Iranian and American governments but played out in homes, grocery stores and schools. The emotional power of a human story behind abstract policy decisions cannot be transferred onto pages; those stories must be sought and told, which is where Foggy Bottom holds a unique advantage. It is crucial that in our studies we involve the human experience as much as we can to inform us, so we do not lose sight of the people politics is supposed to help. So many people from all walks of life gather in D.C. looking to make political change, and GW opens doors to these essential dialogues for its students. People must take advantage of them, as it is the only way to inform ourselves on the experiences of others and boost our education beyond classrooms. In doing so, we can study abstract policy and data points through an empathetic, human lens.

Such experiences do not have to solely come from meeting someone by chance on the street. GW holds forums and talks, which political science students tend to brush off at times, that invite interesting people to share their experiences, from candidates for D.C. delegate to North Korean human rights advocates. Moreover, student organizations are constantly attracting their own speakers, like the GW College Democrats, who brought Congressman Jim Clyburn to speak. Even if you might disagree with their practices or politics, there’s nothing to lose and everything to gain in hearing alternate perspectives — it can help empathize and humanize people who hold differing opinions. Although it has become rather cliché, students participating in such initiatives is one of the best ways to combat rising polarization in the nation, which is especially critical considering America’s political violence problem.

This advice is not exclusive to those studying political science or international affairs either, but for the whole student body, since government decisions affect everyone on a human level. Understanding one another in an empathetic way is how we keep politics civil, effective and people-focused. Conversations can spark connection, assembly and a call to action, and for a school so rooted in being politically active, this foundation leads to better dialogue on these issues. While an increasingly digitized world has made many people, especially those of the younger generation, more averse to talking to strangers, there is no substitute for mobilization, which begins with dialogue on the issues that affect people in real time. Promoting policy positions without considering the actual consequences of those actions on real people risks misunderstanding the crux of the issue or providing opinions lacking in the nuance that only comes from hearing real world experiences.

For a nation founded on free speech, it is necessary to keep politics in action through our words in the marketplace of ideas, and there are few places better than GW to advance that goal. Students must level up their education outside the classroom by seeking conversations with those most affected by politics. Only by listening to one another — seeking out the shared humanity in all of us — can students truly achieve a well-rounded political science education and improve their academic discourse around these topics.

Ethan Vargas, a first-year majoring in political science, is the contributing opinions editor.