It was just over a year ago when I went into work at the WVUA 23 news station on campus for the first time. I had no idea what to expect; I had simply been told to apply for this internship by my advisor. I figured I would get some great hands on experience in the world of news reporting and would be able to absorb a lot of information by being part of the daily operations of an actual news station (both of which happened). However, one thing I did not expect to happen was to find a group of friends that made working for free not only tolerable, but enjoyable.

I am one of those people who goes to class, finds a seat, and typically minds his own business until the lecture is over. I always looked at class as "I'm trying to get in, get some information, and then get out as soon as possible." But that has changed over the past couple semesters. Thanks to my time as an intern, I was able to meet and make friends with dozens of people that share the same major, telecommunications and film, as me. Now, in every class I always have at least one friend, and usually multiple, from all my hours spent in the Digital Media Center or wandering the maze that is Reese Phifer.

I find that it makes college more enjoyable, and easier to survive, when you get to walk into a class and already know some of your classmates (plus, it never hurts to have people to catch you up when you're "sick" and can't make it to class). You never know when you're gonna get a bad professor and want someone to share the struggle with. It's just like back in high school when you would walk into classes on the first day and pray that you and your friends had similar schedules.

Now, I don't know what kind of internships or networking opportunities are available to students in other fields or even at totally different universities, but you might find that meeting likeminded people is easy and can improve your time in school. I'm thankful for all of the people I have gotten to know within my major that make my time on campus even more enjoyable!