1. Have An Open Mind
With any event in your life, you always paint a picture of what it’s supposed to look like and what exactly you think you’ll get out of it. An internship is no exception. You know exactly what the company is about and generally what your responsibilities will be, but it could turn into something you had no idea it would. With an open mind, you can meet the people you will be working with in a brighter light and see your responsibilities as learning experiences, instead of silly work that you have to do. Get ready for the internship knowing that with an open mind, the experience can connect you with people who will guide you on your career path and make helpful choices for your future.
2. Have New Outfits Lined Up
I say a week’s worth, but it definitely would not hurt to have even more outfits laid out for your internship. On the first day, you don’t want to worry about what you’re going to wear when you’ll have ten other issues to fret over. Have a shopping day solely for your internship and buy a range of outfits that you can wear. It takes off a lot stress the morning of your first day when you can just throw on a planned outfit and quickly move on to figure out hair and makeup. Not only does it help with stress, but you will feel confident in your new business attire, as you would with any new piece of clothing. That confidence boost will definitely help on that important first day.
3. Mentally Prepare Yourself
Not only will you want to physically look good, but it’s healthy to prepare your mind for the internship. If this is your first internship ever, it is important to remember that this summer will not be like your previous ones. You now have an important job to go to, where people may be relying on your work. Whether it’s reading up on previous internships experiences or getting pep talks from your friends, being prepared mentally is one of the best ways to ensure that your internship will have a better chance of running smoothly.
4. Check Out the Location Early
As many have said before, sometimes it helps to explore the location of your internship once or twice before the first day. It familiarizes you with the challenge ahead, even if it is a small comfort in the grand scheme of things. With an internship, it can help to simply walk around the area and locate places you may want to take lunch breaks or stop for coffee.
5. Have Your Own Rules
Coming into your first professional setting means knowing your boundaries. You will obviously have follow your boss’s orders, but you should have your own set of rules as well. Know what your limits are and be confident enough to stand up for yourself when things look down. As students, we already have grown into ourselves during high school and college, so we have a good grasp on who we are. Keep your boundaries even tighter as you prepare for your first days.
6. Remember the Learning Experience
Above all, remember that the point of an internship is for you to learn! Go into your internship with the expectation that it will be exciting, but at times difficult. You may find that you adore it or hate it, steering you in a new direction on where you want your career. Prepare yourself not just for a new professional setting, but a fun learning experience that you will always look back on knowing it helped push you to your career.
Best of luck, Collegiettes!
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