One week after Republicans scored massive electoral victories in the House and Senate, the 58 wide-eyed and triumphant House lawmakers-to-be descended upon Washington -- a city many of them campaigned against -- for a crash course on how to be a member of Congress. The dizzying pace of the seven-day congressional freshman orientation has trappings of the first day of college: There's apartment hunting, a picture day, field trips, an "office fair," assemblies, briefings on how to stay out of trouble, an ID card check-in, welcome meetings with leadership and hugs and kisses from loved ones. Some of the members of the new class entered the Capitol for the first time Wednesday night, a structure obscured by rows of grey scaffolding as part of a massive years-long refurbishment project. For the next several days, many will spend time lost in the building's underground labyrinth of poorly-marked hallways.
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New lawmakers are on Capitol Hill
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They'll spend several days learning about Congress
After they're scared straight at the ethics briefing, it will be time for an inspirational field trip—for @placeholder only.