Before I jump into my tale of internship triumph and woe, I have to state something that is fact. Something that has taken me way too many months and emotional breakdowns to fully grasp: There is and there will never be “one right way” to earn an internship and job.

Let me expound on this fact. This fact of internship and job searching is both wonderful and f**king awful. As the obsessive planner and Type A personality I am (my poor husband), this fact unnerves me. "How on earth do I go about starting my career without a solid step-by-step blueprint?" This question would keep me up too many nights than I would like to admit.

The public school system and my university curriculum had spoiled me. From the moment I was a wide-eyed freshman at Mount Union, I had a mission and goals set. My classes were lined out for me perfectly on conveniently colored papers. I knew exactly what I had to take next semester and the one after that. Yes, I could stray from the established plan, but there were always advisors and helpful faculty to guide me back where I had to be.

As much as I wished it to be, the real world—where all those impressive corporations and inspiring nonprofits thrive—does not work like that. Yes, this seems blatantly obvious; however, I was left feeling completely lost and desperate wondering what does one do to break into the “big kid” world?

Here is the other side of the coin, the most positive side that we must capitalize on: there is no one right way to get an internship or job; thus, the path to earning your first internship or even your dream job does not look the same for everyone. Although the job market is overwhelming, and the economy is … well, you know … this unique state of the job market is the best time in years to find your place in a multitude of different ways.

This is something to be celebrated, not feared! Now more than ever a candidate (you and me) can use our talents and skills to gain employment in an original way that is more personable and exciting than uploading your résumé.

Now do I mean that you should play basketball outside of the Quicken Loans arena to grasp the Cleveland Cavaliers’ marketing team’s attention? No, not exactly. But making a Cleveland Cavalier fan website where you’ve compiled all of the team’s stats and latest news to keep Ohioans in the loop with everything Cavs? Now that’s a slam-dunk that’s bound to make them interested. (I’m so punny; it’s bad.)

Of course there is a plethora of creative and effective ways to earn an internship, including the tried and true methods such as shadowing and networking, but you must understand that your path will not look like any one else’s path. Most importantly, please understand that your path will definitely not look like the one you’ve been envisioning in your head—and that is more than okay—it is expected to diverge from the beaten path so to speak.

So please, take my narrative with a grain of salt. Please learn from my mistakes and heed my warnings, but at the end of the day, you will reach where you are going through your own path, and the journey there is the exciting part!

My first internship was at the Louisville Public Library in Louisville, Ohio. I was thrilled to have this internship (it was my first one!) especially since it was about five to seven minutes from my house. I had earned this opportunity through a combination of lucky timing and having a grandfather that actually read a physical newspaper (which is a great habit to pick up by the way). He showed me the internship advertisement in The Harold, my hometown’s local paper.

In the hype of the online job searches, I NEVER would have noticed this position without my grandfather. Realize that I lived in a small city, thus this occurrence seems less uncommon, but it opened by eyes to the gamut of avenues one can venture down in search of a job or internship.

After my interview and one week later, I was hired as a public relations and accounting intern, which did strike me as a strange combination, but I just rolled with it. Since I was employed by a public library, the library only had the resources to hire one intern, so I was blessed to wear many different hats!

At the time I did not realize how beneficial this was to learn so many different tasks in areas I had never experienced before, namely accounting and IT work. I was frustrated at first because I was a public relations major at the time, and I wanted as much exposure to “real PR” as possible. Although I effectively performed any task they asked of me, I wish that I had taken the time to appreciate and retain what I had learned from filing audit reports and how to clean a Mac’s hard drive with a little luck and compressed air.

I viewed experience and learning much too linearly then. If I would have taken the time to absorb how to appropriately repair a 2003-Dell tower, I could have added a valuable skill to my résumé and know-how.

Another mistake I made in this internship was being too prideful to ask questions. I have never considered myself as a prideful person, but I was terrified that my supervisors would regard me as “inadequate” if I did ask for help or clarification, especially on tasks that were quite simple. I would feel stupid for forgetting how the in-house accountant filed the paid-bills so I never asked and kept incorrectly filing them. It wasn’t until a month and a half into my internship that I realized the gravity of my mistake.

My supervisor was upset that her files were a mess, and it took me over six hours to painstakingly go back through to amend it all. I could have avoided this headache for the both of us all together if I had just asked that one little question at the beginning. Thankfully that was about the worst of my mishaps there.

Unfortunately, I was quite shocked at the incredible lack thereof a public relations specialist to mentor me. I was hired with the responsibilities of maintaining the website, news releases, events and social media (cue hyperventilation). At this point I hadn’t even taken a public relations class, let alone know the first thing to do as the “head” of public relations for the library.

Despite the overwhelmingness of it all, I quickly learned how to use InDesign, what Facebook statuses generated the most reach, what events six year olds (and their donating grandparents) love to attend, and how to post to a website.

I do advise that you try to find an internship where you can shadow and learn from a mentor who knows what they are doing—but by being thrown to the wolves without a single iota about what to do—I learned a lot. But most importantly, I gained confidence.

By using Google Analytics, I was able to chart my effectiveness with my target audience and feel excited about the work I was doing. And goodness, my writing and social media skills became refined faster than Pokémon Go became viral (okay, maybe not that fast, but faster than you can track down a Mewtwo).

And you can bet that I made a ton of mistakes trying to launch the library’s PR off the ground, but a blessing about the situation was that no one really knew if I made a mistake (they would notice a big mistake of course) with a hashtag on Instagram, or if I accidentally left that controversial Oxford comma in my press release. Having that flexibility to make little mistakes like that was critical for me to grow and improve without fearing major repercussions from my errors.

After three and a half months interning at the Louisville Public Library, I returned to Mount Union feeling much more prepared for my classes and with a better sense of what “public relations” actually was. Don’t get me wrong, I still had a magnitude to learn, but this internship provided me with a starting place I yearned so much for. It gave me basic knowledge of communications, PR, internships, and a taste of what a “big kid” job environment is really like.

Towards the end of my fall semester of my sophomore year at Mount Union I started searching for another internship (yes, I was paranoid; I stressed about internships this early). I wanted something in Alliance, or even better on campus, and after picking many of my friends’ brains and experiences, I decided that I wanted to intern at the office of marketing for the University of Mount Union.

After browsing through the Internet, I realized that there were no advertised internship positions available. With my confidence still fresh from the previous summer at the library, I did some poking around (I swear I did not stalk anyone) and uncovered the email of the intern supervisor for the office of marketing.

Then, I took a leap of faith and constructed the most professional email I could muster, and sent it to her expressing my interest in pursuing an internship with the UMU office of marketing. I literally (seriously) did a “happy dance” in my dorm room when she kindly invited me to come in for an interview.

Now, the preparation work commenced. I took the time to sit down and to polish up some of my press releases (both from my public relations classes and my previous internship for writing samples), pull out some of my most successful social media posts with their associated analytics, and I contacted some of my favorite professors asking if they would be a reference for me if the office of marketing chose to contact them.

With all of these components, I printed them all out neatly with my résumé and organized them into a paper report folder to hand to my interviewer. I also took the time to research the UMU office of marketing. I followed them on all of their social media platforms, and most importantly, I took ten minutes before my interview to read its latest press releases and blog posts.

*This step is crucial regardless of the internship, job, or field you are involved in!* This is what can make you stand out from other applicants by showing that you actually care about and know what this organization does. And reading its current news and watching its latest videos only takes about ten minutes! Also, this preparation will help to decrease your pre-interview nerves and anxiety. Honestly, there is nothing to lose by doing this, and there is so much to gain.

Additionally, no matter where and what you are interviewing for, from a waiter to a scientist, always prepare questions to ask the interviewer. A dynamic of interviews that many seem to forget is that an interview is a two-way street. Yes, you are ultimately the interviewee being interviewed, but just as the interviewer is trying to determine if you are a good fit for the position and organization, you have to determine if the position and the organization is a good fit for you. From inquiring about company culture to what exactly the position entails, asking questions not only provides you with more information, but shows that you are prepared for the workplace.

I dressed professionally, but comfortably (I didn’t want to awkwardly squirm in a dress where the left strap kept falling off). I arrived at the office of marketing with my portfolio folder in tow ten minutes before my interview time to check in with the secretary. I wanted to communicate with my actions that I value and respect their time and schedule just as much as my own.

When I was led into my interviewer’s office, I followed her direction. For example, I did not sit until she had welcomed me to be seated. In addition, I did not sit all the way into the seat. I know this sounds ridiculous and way over-analyzed, but by seating halfway on the chair, you naturally have better posture, and your body language conveys that you are more attentive to the interviewer than if you are sunken into the chair. As minute as this sounds, sometimes it can be a big enough advantage to make you stand out from the crowd in a professional and courteous manner.

I am thankful that I am usually (knock on wood) relatively calm in interviews. However, if you become anxious or nervous, one of the best ways to cope—without showing your anxiety to your interviewer—is to press your thumb into your palm of your other hand.

You have a natural pressure point in the middle of both of your palms, and if you press your thumb to your opposing palm it will immediate release some of your tension. I learned this clever hack from my chiropractor (no joke), and I actually use this trick all the time when I am taking a final exam to steady my nerves and clear my head.

Will this eliminate all of your anxiety? No, but it will lessen the tension you feel, and it is a coping mechanism that is much more discreet and effective than biting your nails or tapping your foot on the floor.

After my 15-minute interview and my questions, I shook her hand and walked back to my dorm room where I immediately wrote a “thank you” card to the interviewer. It is critical to send a thank you note to your interviewer at the least within the few days following. This follow-up set is a huge element that can either make or break this process for you. A “thank you” email is appropriate; however, a physical “thank you” card is even better.

Remember when you were little (or right now like me) and LOVED receiving mail? We live in a work filled to the brim with emails, notifications, and other digital reminders all vying for our attention. A tangible note stands out to the interview and shows your true appreciation to them for making the time to interview you.

I have sent numerous“thank you cards to interviewers, and I have received nothing, but positive results from it all. Once I interviewed for an internship for a magazine company in Cleveland, and although I did not receive the position, I received another thank you note back from the interviewer asking to stay in touch with me after I graduate. This is HUGE! One thank you card that took me ten minutes to write and put in the mailbox turned into a phenomenal network connection without me having to leave my dorm room. Stand out from the other candidates in a kind, professional, and mature manner!

I was elated to receive my second internship, especially at an organization that was on campus. I loved being able to write about various topics about an organization I was passionate about (Raider for life, yo). My editing skills became extremely refined. So much so that I christened the "AP Style Guide" as “The Bible.” I greatly enjoyed working independently and with my fellow peers on materials that we were all enjoyed.

Working in the marketing office groomed me to meeting deadlines dead on time (sorry, punny again). Of course I always had due dates and such in school and college classes; however, until this internship, I had no idea that I could write an effective press release in ten minutes. It was both thrilling and stressful at times.

It pushed me to trust my writing and editing enough to only give a press release one look over, because the online marketing and media world moves faster than light. Learning how to keep up with it all was exhilarating in a way I wasn’t expecting. I noticed that I began to consume news even faster than before my internship.

This internship also allowed me to dabble into the statistical side of content marketing through constructing marketing plans and really learning how to use Google Analytics appropriately (found out that I was using it all wrong last summer … oops). Through this I was also reminded why I choose to major in communications: numbers don’t like me, and I’m not fond of them either.

One of the greatest takeaways from any career-related experience (and even non-career-related experiences) is that you will learn what you like and don’t like; what you love and what you hate; what you can learn and what you need to learn next. Every single experience allows you to focus more and more on what you actually want in your internship, job, work atmosphere, and career. Every experience good or bad is a step closer to realizing and reaching what you really want.

And of course, any experience will never be free from mistakes, and boy did I make one. I wish it were something as simple as missing a deadline or even misspelling a person’s name (which is like breaking a cardinal rule of PR).

I made the biggest mistake of my short career so far, and I beg you not to make the same error: I made a verbal commitment to the office of marketing to extend my internship into the summer, but one month into my extended internship I left without fulfilling my two-weeks notice to pursue another internship.

Now, this probably sounds quite minor in the realm of things I could have possibly screwed up, but because I did not leave on a professional note (nor did I tell it to the correct person in the chain of power) I unintentionally burnt many bridges there amongst many of my coworkers. Although I was never rude or mean to them, it was the fact that I did not leave in a respectable and professional manner that left a bad taste of myself in their mouths.

In the heat of the moment and excitement of receiving another (higher paying) internship, I did not take the appropriate steps I should have to leave my current position gracefully. It has taken me over one year after my departure to reestablish my relationships (professional and friendly) with some of my coworkers. Risking those networking relationships and my young reputation in the communication field was not worth the decision I made so I could start the new position two weeks earlier than expected.

The narrative of my third and (so far) longest internship began back in early April when the morning dew was still crisp and the air nipped at noses on the way to morning classes. I had the opportunity to attend a social media conference (surprisingly in person, not virtually) through PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America). Although I was not a public relations major, PRSSA was (and still is!) and invaluable resource for me from networking opportunities to résumé workshop nights (seriously, consider joining!).

The social media conference was to be held in Cleveland, and after my stressful journey up to ‘The Land’ dressed in my very best, I started to speak with some professionals in marketing, public relations, media, and content communications. I eagerly listened and took notes of multiple lectures, and at the end of the event, the main sponsoring company announced that they were offering various internships.

I did not even know what the company did, regardless of its name, and I rushed with many other students to the applications. In a caffeine-withdrawal haze, I did not pay much attention to the application once I caught the words “in our Cleveland office.” I instantly forgot about the internship since it was quite out of the way for me, and I began my departing goodbyes from the event.

While I was going around shaking hands, I bumped into a fellow Raider. She was an alumna and the event coordinator for the conference. She was kind and open, and she introduced me to some of her colleagues. I was thrilled to making connections with such prominent media writers in Cleveland that I somehow did not fully realize that I was in an impromptu interview in that very moment.

I honestly had no idea. Eventually, I bid my entire new networking connections farewell with a promise to re-connect on LinkedIn (which I did, and which you should all do! Always follow-up with new connections!) and drove home with a skew of new business cards and connections.

The end of March approached with a potential for a photogenic spring, and an unexpected email. I was shocked to see a foreign address sitting in my inbox: WTWH Media, LLC. WTWH? Those letters seemed so familiar yet I couldn’t figure out exactly how I knew them. With an anxious click I opened an invitation for an interview for an editorial internship at WTWH Media. I squealed with delight and pure excitement because it felt like I received this awesome opportunity without doing anything (it was seeming this way).

My happy dance suddenly subsided when I read the address in the signature of the email. A quick Google search confirmed my fears: Cleveland. I was nearing the end of my sophomore year, how would I be able to get myself up to Cleveland for an internship? I was so distraught. An editorial internship was perfect. Fusing together my two loves: communication and editing, it felt like a homerun that didn’t score myself any points.

After some further researching of the company and the WTWH employees that I spoke with at the conference, I yearned to take this leap. Somehow, someway I had to get myself to Cleveland, even if it was just for an interview. With my stubborn will, I created multiple flash cards over the company’s about page, the company’s ethics and mission statement, and the six principles of WTWH content.

Like an anxious elementary school girl, I dressed myself in my best and made the hour and a half drive to Cleveland for my interview. When I was welcomed into the facility it took everything in my power not to leave my mouth ajar. Bright colors, leather couches, Apple TVs, massage chairs, and exercise balls filled the interior of an open and modern office. Never before have I seen a sales meeting happening over wheat grass smoothies on bar stools in the kitchen.

Trying to remain cool and collected (like you know, I totally see $10,000 massage chairs in every office I’ve ever worked in right?), I interviewed with various editors and sent my usual “thank-you” cards. Then I prayed that all of my hard work paid off, and then the most difficult part, I had to forget about it and wait.

Finally, about a month later, I was contacted by them again asking for a second interview. Still nervous and uncertain, but confident, I drive back to Cleveland to interview with a few more editors (this time I was prepared for the massage chairs). I sent three more “thank-you” cards and continued to hope that this was something that could actually happen.

Another month later, I received a phone call from a Cleveland area code and nearly peed myself. With some deep breaths I regained my composure and answered the call from WTWH Media to accept their editorial internship offer. I was over the moon excited, and then a new challenge presented itself: how was I really going to drive to Cleveland every day?

After some consulting and inquiring, I moved in with my grandparents for the summer to be closer to Cleveland for work (living with them cut 45 minutes off my driving time). It was wonderful feeling like a little kid again spending the night at our grandparents. It was a special time with them I will never forget or take for granted.

Other than developing an irrational fear of traffic cones and highway on-ramps (true story there was construction that entire summer), I blossomed from a tentative communications student to an editorial machine.

I have worked at WTWH Media for over a year now. When I started working as an editorial intern for the new medical magazine, “Medical Design and Outsourcing,” I was tasked with researching over one hundred medical companies for an impressive editorial piece: “The Big 100 Medical Device Companies” in the world today.

Without having any financial background, I quickly learned how to navigate multiple 10-K forms while researching each company’s key personnel and media contact. Once I had compiled this data from each company, I personally called and interviewed each media representative from the “Top 25” medical device companies to write a unique feature on each company.

Meanwhile, as I was facilitating this research and data collecting, I was also responsible for writing and editing various press releases a day to be published on the magazine website. I quickly became familiar with Word Press and Audacity as I also produced podcast scripts, performed, edited, and published multiple podcasts.

Whether it was through Skype, email, or an in-person interview, my interpersonal skills sharpened throughout my experiences at WTWH Media. When I had to interview scandal-stricken companies, I developed a sense of empathy and grace with the employees as I was investigating the scandal. I became competent in working with people from various backgrounds and viewpoints. I was forced to recognize my biases and eliminate them from my writing, but not my creativity. My editing radar and writing expertise increased tenfold, especially working under a deadline.

I am not going to lie; some of my days were intensive. How easy it would have been to quickly “copy-and-paste” a press release into Word Press when I had a podcast to perform in an hour. However, I refuse to take the shortcut whether it is editing a press release or researching a company’s annual revenue no matter what situation I am in or the amount of stress I am under.

This is critical, especially in this day and age where plagiarism runs amuck. If you have to publish something that is not your own work, please take the time and effort to give credit appropriate and where it is due. Your work not only reflects on you, but your team, company, and clients. Ethics, substantially in media and communications, is paramount to one’s success and reputation.

I know that writing about balloon catheters and other medical devices is not earth shattering. But what I put my faith in, is hoping that this article might encourage a medial professional to use this medial device to save a life.

I hope that while a surgeon is reading this magazine, after a long day in the operating room, that something I edited or wrote catches her or his eye and sparks an idea for a revolutionary and life-saving medical device. I know it sounds cheesy, but the potential impact of my words is what drives me. It is what I can take home with me at the end of the workday and helps me feel worthwhile about my efforts.

Sitting here and writing this, I can hardly believe that I am nearly finished with my second summer at WTWH Media with only one more semester to complete before I graduate. At 22, my life is so different than I pictured it at the beginning of my freshman year at Mount Union. It is phenomenally better than I ever envisioned. I am setting goals and dreams mountains higher than I ever dared to dream—it does not intimidate me—it enthralls me.

In my [biased] opinion, there is no better time to try something new (legal and safe please), go after that job or internship deemed “too far-fetched,” study abroad, and force yourself to walk up to a professional and introduce yourself. You have nothing to lose and so much to gain. Please take it from a crazy knitter like myself—every stitch and effort will weave into something beautiful (okay, I am now officially done with the bad puns).