As college students do, I was procrastinating when it came to finding an internship. My job and classes kept me busy during the year, and I just didn't have room for anything else in my schedule. My roommate suggested looking for a summer internship, but I knew that I would be out of the country.
She had more faith in me than I did, and she searched the internet for an opportunity that I could use despite my travels. That's when she told me about Study Breaks Magazine.
Study Breaks is a digital publication written by and for college students, and they were looking for summer editors. My long-term goal has always been to become an editor in publishing, so the opportunity excited me.
I went through the extensive application process, which included sending several pitches and writing samples and going through an editing test. Soon enough, I was offered the position, and I happily accepted.
But it wasn't time to jump in just yet -- I still had to go through substantial training in AP style, which took place over video chat for several hours each day over two weeks. My staff was so nice, and I wasn't afraid to ask questions. This training was the most educational experience I have ever had, and it greatly improved my skills as an editor and writer.
At the beginning of the internship, I was assigned six writers, who each sent a 1000+ word article a week. I worked for several hours each day because I had to intricately edit each piece and publish it to the website, which included adding tags, links, and the rest of the aspects that go into publishing.
I sent my writers feedback after editing each article, and I noticed that they started to apply my advice to their writing. Each week, the work went by more quickly because their writing was improving so much. I felt like I was making a difference, and I was so proud of my writers.
Even though I couldn't have as much fun as my friends during the summer, I found my passion. I looked forward to each article, and I began to form connections with my writers.
I loved the versatility of the internship -- I could be hanging out with family and friends and be working at the same time.
Being an editor for Study Breaks also kept me up to date on current events. My writers' articles were always relevant, and I felt more connected with the world than I ever had before. They sent political pieces, movie reviews, personal anecdotes, and everything in between. I was learning everyday while fine-tuning my editing skills.
As much as I loved editing, I missed the creativity of writing. I decided that I wanted to write for a publication, which is when I discovered The Odyssey. I love applying everything that I've learned to my articles and refining my style. I am thankful to Study Breaks for helping me to solidify my future and for making me a better storyteller.
