I think every girl can remember the moments that she spent reading Seventeen Magazine; gushing over the Hot Guy Panel and trying to incorporate their style suggestions into her daily attire. I know I personally looked forward to the newest issue arriving every month. Beyond that, once I knew I wanted to write, interning at Seventeen was always the dream. It was definitely one of the reasons why I came to Fordham, knowing a trip to Manhattan was just a thirty-minute Ram Van ride away. I know how lucky I am to have this opportunity as a sophomore. Being in FCRH, getting the credit approved was no easy task. But all bragging rights aside, I find myself in awe every time I’m in those Hearst elevators.
I intern on Mondays and Thursdays and I can tell you, it’s already better than attending class. From 10 to 6, I’m so much more invested in any assignment I get than any class I might be in. Each day starts out pretty much the same way. The interns always begin by working on the daily clips. This includes researching that morning’s gossip, news, and celebrities’ Twitter and Instagram feeds. We then collect what we think is most important, organize it and send it to our editors by 4pm. Besides that, we can get assigned a different project to work on at any point. The majority of our work requires a lot of research that helps the editors move along their writing process. It can be anything from surveying guys and girls about the hook-up culture, to asking about cute promposals, to really serious topics like teenage suicide. It’s also common for interns to be asked to transcribe interviews, something that can be tedious, but also really beneficial. Even though at the moment I’m not writing any actual pieces, I know I’m acquiring the skills to get there. Doing research is definitely number one. Sometimes we’re sent on errands, but never coffee runs. And of course there are other perks too. Like the freebie table that’s open to anyone and the chance for a celebrity to stop by! Once, a (cute) new artist was in the office and he practically serenaded all of us with a song.
If anything, my only complaint is that I’m not there more often. The three other interns I work with are there three to four days a week so they get the opportunity to work on more projects and attend the features meetings where they can pitch ideas or get asked for feedback. The editors use us as some of their best resources since we’re so close to the age demographic, so it’s crazy to think that one day my thoughts and opinions will be reflected in the issue. (Not to mention my name at the bottom of the masthead.)
What I love about the people who work at Seventeen is that they’re incredibly welcoming, understanding, and genuinely good people. I can talk to my supervisor about which filter to use on her Instagram post or how to use a selfie stick. And the Editor in Chief can make jokes like I’m just another colleague. Plus, they’ve all emphasized how much they want us to learn and get the most out of our time there. They’re not kidding when they say they’re open to questions or suggestions. It’s truly up to us to utilize those opportunities. It’s a comfortable place to be working and I say this because you’ll find that not every internship is like that. It’s still just the beginning, but I couldn’t be more grateful for an opportunity like this.
My first day ended in doughnuts so no complaints here.
View from the 35th floor of the Hearst Towers. I could get used to this.