This summer I completed an internship at a behavioral and developmental learning academy. Being "on the floor" (an active staff member) required a week of training, which came in handy each day of my internship. I didn't expect to need all of the tools training gave me, but they proved to be essential. Though these last two months were full of highs and lows, I will miss my coworkers and students. I made friends, developed close relationships with the students, and most importantly, learned a great deal about myself. I wouldn't trade this experience for the world!
1. The people you work with MATTER.
My coworkers have become some of my closest friends in a matter of weeks. This experience encouraged teamwork each and every day, so knowing my coworkers made ALL the difference not only in what I learned but also in our overall success through summer school. Without their support and the inclusive atmosphere they extended to the interns, this internship would not have been so incredible.
2. You will have good AND bad days.
As with any job or professional experience, there are going to be days you wish could last forever as well as days you want to skip right over. It's just the way life is, I suppose! Perhaps my most glaring fear going into the internship was that I'd dread having to go to work. That fear quickly disappeared because of the welcoming and spirited vibes from other staff; I often found myself looking forward to the next day, even if I had just come home from a challenging one. I suppose the bottom line is this: if you find a job or internship or some other professional experience that you don't consider "work", don't take it for granted. There are people working jobs that they despise, so finding something you love is a lucky feat!
3. The term "intern" does not mean you will be someone's shadow.
In the other internships that I've done, I was trained on the first day, shown the ropes as thoroughly as possible, and then assigned under a supervisor to follow around for the duration of the internship. I assumed that this was standard for internships, but the one I just completed was completely different. Despite my title as an intern, I had just as much responsibility as the next person for our students. I had the same expectations set by my supervisors, I had to be at staff meetings, I had to fill out paperwork, and I had to act like I knew what the hell I was doing! It was not the type of internship where you get to sit back and let seasoned staff handle the sticky situations, and I'm thankful it wasn't because having the bar set high forced me to really apply what I learned in school and in training, and it helped me grow. I started feeling like an intern, but by my third day, I was handling situations as any other experienced staff would. It was a wild, scary, intense ride but I made it out on the other side with new perspective and knowledge: the two things you hope to get out of an internship!
4. I have NO idea what I want to do after college anymore!
I'm a criminal justice/psychology double major, and my plan was to pursue a Master's degree to help fulfill my dream of counseling survivors of sexual assault/domestic violence. But now that I've spent a third summer working with a population of individuals who are on the Autism spectrum, I feel like that could be the path I take instead. It's crazy to think that just one internship has swayed my thinking this significantly, but I'm grateful that I'm learning this about myself now. One of the other interns has also changed her future plans from pursuing a degree in occupational therapy to a degree in education. Needless to say, this internship has been absolutely incredible for myself and my fellow interns as well!
