This internship is absolutely a, fend-for-yourself, sink-or-swim, learn-everything-the-hard-way type of experience. There was no mistaking that an internship in an industry only vaguely familiar to me and paying entirely on commission would most assuredly be a demanding task. To be honest though, it was these challenges that the opportunity presented that attracted me. I’ve never been one to do things the easy way and the idea of having success or failure on my own terms thrilled me.
While the experience isn't over yet I have already racked up a few life lessons and know enough to expect more to come my way. While some of these may not be new concepts to me or you, they have definitely been made more meaningful in the first part of this summer.
So here they are...
Life Lessons Learned as a Summer Intern (Part I)
Your Parents Get Up Earlier For a Reason
When you are a college student you roll out of bed just in time for your 10 am class, then go home have breakfast and start your day. (And it is GLORIOUS!) However, when you work 8-12 hours a day with a list of things that have to be done in preparation for the following day, it’s important to get up at a decent hour.
In my internship I set my own hours, yet, they almost always resemble a typical schedule my parents would have had when I was growing up. Sure in some professions you can wake up at noon, not shower until 5 pm, work a bit before meeting up with fiends and then get some more work done before collapsing into bed. (The life of a writer comes to mind.) However, when the success of your work involves meeting with potential clients and or managing the work to be done by subordinates, you really have to adapt to their schedule and use what time is left to accomplish everything else on your plate. Typically that means just slightly less than 10 hours of sleep a night, and unfortunately that it also means starting your day when society off campus starts. Bummer. I know.
Schedule Me-Time Early
Whether it’s reading, yoga, or just being alone with your thoughts, it’s important to have your personal time. When your days are especially busy or better yet, unpredictable, it is wise to schedule such activities early in the day. When you are crazy busy or things always happen to be added to the day’s to-do list, something has to give. In my experience it is the things left to the end of the day that get bumped from the schedule. If me time gets bumped enough times in a row it’s bound to take its toll on your mental and emotional well being. Be advised.
It is Important to be Excited
I am always in the midst of several projects whether it be for work or school or my own amusement, I need to have multiple things to consume my time. If I was to dedicate all of my waking hours to my internship I would crack. I would assume most people you’d be the same way. And of course it is important to spend time with friends and family, but I like to have side projects too. This could be how you spend your me-time.
Allow yourself to chase your passions, give yourself a chance to be excited. I not only find my excitement form writing but from collaborating with others. On top of my full-time summer internship where I call all the shots (almost), I have another internship in which I work with a group of other student and learn a ton of great stuff from them. Learning new things excites me. What excites you?
You can learn a little bit more about my current internship by visiting my branch website: StudentPaintersPalatine.com
Learn more about me and some of the things I do by visiting my personal website: BrendanBarrett.Weebly.com
Make sure you catch my next post by following me on Twitter! @UWWBrendan
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