It was towards the end of May that I started my internship at the Rhode Island International Film Festival. Going in, I had a lot of questions. I kept asking myself would I be able to handle this? Would the other interns like me? Would my bosses like me? Basically, I had every worry I’m sure a lot of us do whenever we head into a new job or internship.
Quickly I fell in love with my position and those who I was interning with. I never once felt like an outsider and we were told we were family pretty much from day one. Because of this, I had an unforgettable summer that I’ll always be thankful for. With that being said, I figured I’d say thank you to my internship and those who were a part of it.
First off, I’d like to thank you for giving me an environment in which I could grow as a student, as a worker, and overall as a person. When I make a mistake, I tend to be extremely hard on myself. This internship taught me that I can overcome my mistakes, however. That most of the time, they are fixable, and if they’re not, well-- I’ll know better next time. Never once was I put down. If anything, I was always lifted back up. The dust was brushed off my shoulders and I was told to try again.
Within this environment, you also allowed me to grow more confident. I felt myself become more outgoing and surer of my actions. I felt like my voice mattered and that my contribution had value. I can guarantee you that this feeling is something that I’ll carry with me as I venture into my senior year of college and as I venture further into life.
I’d also like to thank you for the experiences and opportunities. I was able to speak to filmmakers, screenplay writers, actors, etc.-- which is something I’ve only ever dreamed of doing. I not only got to watch their work or read it, but I was able to discuss it with them. I was given a behind-the-scenes to the stories they want to tell and the perspectives that they want to share. This has left me inspired and excited for my own projects down the road.
Last, but definitely not least, I’d like to thank you for the friendships and relationships that I developed. I was introduced to a group of people who have made my life incredibly brighter. To those I interned with (and you know who you are), thank you for filling my summer with so much laughter and love. Our inside joke list is rather infinite and the memories we made will forever be engraved in my mind. We all had each other’s back and the amount of support and understanding that we provided each other was immeasurable. You know we had something great since saying goodbye was kind of tough.
So, thank you for that. Thank you for everything. This internship has impacted my life greatly and I don’t think a lifetime of “thank you's" can fully express how grateful I am.
