I’m kind of obsessed with internships. I’m currently on my 6th one in 6 years. I’m a senior in college now though, so this is my first full-time internship. I’m student teaching in a second-grade classroom and I’m already learning a lot, not just about teaching, but about working full time:
Your days are about to get a lot longer
Until I got to college, I never fully understood just how many hours there were in a day. My life was so structured as a teenager that I didn’t expect to have so much free time in college. Now, I’m wondering why there are so few hours a day. Between interning for 8 hours a day and homework, I feel swamped.
Weekends are for cramming now
I allow myself to sleep in on weekends in the name of self-care, but once I’m up I’m cramming in homework. Be prepared to turn down invites to Zoom happy hours as you try to do a week’s worth of schoolwork in 48 hours.
You’re going to have a lot of questions–and that’s okay
In my case, having a good rapport with my supervising practitioner (the teacher whose classroom I work in) and the other full-time staff has been crucial, because it means I can ask questions and expect to get answers. Internships are supposed to be learning experiences, so treat it like one! Don’t be afraid to ask questions or add your own input.