Kathleen McInnis
Professors, advisors, parents, and peers all stress the importance of getting an internship. I agree with them on internships’ importance, but most of the rhetoric surrounding internships is all about getting one. No one really talks about what to do when you are actually an intern. It’s intimidating for many students to go from a college environment to a formal office setting. This summer I had the honor of being an intern at Senator Charles Schumer’s New York City office, and I learned a lot from my experience. Here is what I learned and hopefully it can help other new interns:
1. Don’t be intimated by your peers
On my first day in the office while doing introductions I noticed I was one of the only interns who didn’t attend an ivy league university. Most of my peers were also older than me and had their education and career goals clearly figured out while I did not. Although this was extremely intimidating at first I realized that I was an intern just like them and I deserved to be there. Well into the summer I also realized that we were all just college students with similar experiences: crazy roommates, challenging professors, and fun stories.
2. Create a relationship with the full-time staff
As is standard in offices with internship programs, a specific staffer was assigned to be head of interns, but that is not the only person that I interacted with. I created a great relationship with my supervisor and learned a lot from her. It is easy to try to simply “stay out of the way” of other staff but they were in your shoes once too and often have lots of useful advice to give.
3. Explore your surroundings
My office was located in Midtown Manhattan and one of my favorite parts of the day was lunch hour when the other interns and I explored the city. We found a bunch of places with delicious food. On my commute, I discovered a bagel shop that makes the best bagels I’ve ever had. Working in the city allowed me to orient myself better with Manhattan, its public transportation routes, neighborhoods and its hidden gems.
4. Go on the excursions
Our internship director put together several excursions around the city for us to go on. I’ve heard of other internships also doing this and I would highly recommend going on them. None were mandatory, but by attending these, my bond with my peers and supervisor grew stronger. It was nice to get to know them in a non-professional environment.
5. Enjoy your time
Yes, the basis of internships is work, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t enjoy your time. They provide an opportunity to acquire real-life work experience but also a chance to build professional and personal relationships that will last a lifetime. Take advantage of every opportunity your place of employment has to offer because you are only there for a limited amount of time.
Happy Valley Comm 