Surviving Summer Internships

August 17 was the last day of my summer internship at Home & Design magazine. For 11 weeks, I got the chance to learn first-hand what it is like to be apart of the creative process that goes into making a magazine. I never would have thought that I would land an internship at a magazine so early in my college career. I didn't even know cool glossy editorial magazines existed in this area, since everything is usually based in New York or Los Angeles, but it did and it was the most inspiring experience I've ever done. Though I did not earn credit through this internship, the greatest reward has to be seeing my name listed on the Masthead for their August/September issue!

After starting my internship I had to semi-learn the hard way that just landing the internship doesn't mean you've made it. I had to change my attitude and false expectations about what a internship is 'supposed' to be like, and put my best foot forward while remaining teachable even though I've learned most of these skills in school.

    

    1. Don't expect to get paid

This is not a job, its an internship. It's a place where you work to gain experience, not money. I had a few friends who got summer internships with really good pay, and it was a little embarrassing for me to tell them that I had a internship that didn't pay nor could I get credit from it. I was literally working for experience. Working for a magazine is something I plan on doing career wise, so I had to realize that having a paid internship shouldn't be the goal, but having a work experience plus something to put on your resume was more important. Also, I still had a job so I wasn't broke all Summer '16.

     2. Know the Office Culture

My typical day in the office consisted of spell-checking articles, fact-checking and sometimes posting the completed articles onto the website. I had some long-term projects that included contacting companies and a few writing excerpts, so I spent most of my time doing those.

The culture was extremely laid-back. The people there were very friendly but typically stayed to themselves. I am more of a quiet person so it worked out that I didn't feel pressured in having to get to know everyone on the team so in-depth. Understanding the office culture is key, from how they dress to how e-mails are sent out to how they communicate with each other and the language they use. Noticing the little details and knowing how to respond to them help you stand out and shine amongst your peers and interns.

     3. Handwrite a Thank-You Note

I love thank-you note cards. I believe that handwritten thank-you notes will never go out of style. Before getting my internship and after the interview, I emailed the EIC a thank-you letter for taking her time out to interview me, and I got the offer soon after. I've also written thank you notes to my managers at my job (which now hangs on their office bulletin boards :) ). Writing a note is not hard at all and will cost you less than $5 for a pack of cards from Target or TJ Max. They're fun to write, you get to reflect on all you've done throughout your time there and leave a lasting impression on your employers.
    

     4. Be confident in your abilities

This is the most important thing I've learned during my time at my internship. Knowing that I can take on a assignment, big or small, and not allowing myself to get overwhelmed or intimidated by it has helped me get things done there and in my day-to-day tasks. Even if it is something I'm not familiar doing, I try to look at it as an opportunity to learn something new while asking for help and critique. I usually get this feeling when I have to write major papers (that I start the night before) and articles with deadlines (that I also write the day of). But after I encourage myself a little bit and focus on the fact that I am doing what I'm good at doing, I start and finish with confidence.