Internships are usually meant to build your skills. However, it's not always what you're doing in it— but where you are. This summer, I not only experienced my first internship and greatly benefited from it, but came across almost just as many challenges that helped me grow outside of the it. When I first arrived in one of the world's greatest cities, New York City, I felt an indescribable amount of feelings overcome me. I was about to experience starting fresh on my own in a new place, while adapting to a whole new kind of workload, all while knowing that I still had a degree to obtain, and hadn't yet entered the real world.
Internships are meant to be a product of more intensive work, closer to that in the workforce and the betterment of testing your abilities than in school, but doing that in a new area gives it that extra build-up of personal growth.
On top of this realization and adjustment, I came to realize that I was able to focus on the internship more, being far away from home. Overwhelming would be an understatement to how it felt, tackling work I've never done before, in a whole new area I've never lived before, and being far away from all that I was familiar with, including all my friends and family.
I've never endured a time where I was so scared, nervous, excited, and growing more than ever before, all at once. It almost felt like moving with a lot more to adjust to, but you know exactly what you need to do when you're there. As an intern, you are either doing work closely similar but easier than those actually working there, or simple work alongside the employees and observing what they do. Either way, interning gives you a good idea of what to expect in what might be the typical day in your field. For this reason, I cannot emphasize how important it is to get an internship.
However, in the end I realized that the overall experiences combined — even though more than just the typical internship — were hard, yet satisfying. Together, the two made me realize that I can adjust to a new area and a new schedule easily, and that it's not too hard if you put your mind to it. Once I completed the whole opportunity, having adapted to new routines, different perspectives on work, and a whole new outlook on college, I realized that college is a piece of cake compared to what lies beyond it.
Being an intern is an opportunity many of us can experience only once. They usually act as a precursor for being prepared for the real world. For those who really want to make it a big and memorable one, helping them grow in more ways than just practicing their skill sets; doing an internship far away is a great option for anyone who feels they need a huge preparation for the real world.
I feel as though the experience, although very challenging at times, has greatly boosted my confidence to moving to a new area after graduating, finding my own way, and making the most out of where I am when I have so little time. College work suddenly became 10 times easier after witnessing what the expectations of companies are. Whether by forming new relationships, learning to work in a professional manner, or grasping new concepts in order to help advance my company, I have overcome and fulfilled my understanding of what I need to expect when I hope to be a writer.
To anyone that wishes the same, there is always a way, at some point or another, to tackle the unimaginable. I would strongly encourage anyone to consider that the difference between doing an internship in an already familiar area, and doing one in an unfamiliar environment, is huge. Regardless, both will still greatly benefit any skills you wish to improve, but the latter will give you a unique and an even bigger learning experience that will stick you not only when you enter your first job, but will henceforth have you prepared for almost anything. I think I will be the ultimate senior in my last year of college, and I have more than realized that my goals are truly meant for me. I would strongly encourage anyone who wants a huge change even more impactful than college already is itself to seek out not just an internship--but one with an extra learning experience such as mine.
