At the end of each spring semester, college students eagerly anticipate the month of May. While many look forward to a break from classes and some quality relaxation time, others make plans to work or participate in an internship for the next three months. In my experience this past year, I found myself preparing for the latter.
It’s difficult to put into words the many emotions one experiences when they first receive an internship offer of their dreams. There’s excitement, disbelief, pride, and if you’re anything like me, nervousness.
In April I found out that I had been offered a position as an editorial intern focused in women’s history with the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, D.C. Before even discovering or applying for this position, I must have sent in close to 15 applications for internships in New York City, the place I believed I was destined to be. After hearing back either rejections or radio silence, my summer-before-senior-year enthusiasm was beginning to fade. I had known since December of the previous year that I wanted this summer to be one of adventure, filled with an opportunity to live somewhere other than my hometown and work for an organization I believed in. By early April, I had nearly given up my search when I came across the position with the Trust. The opportunity to write and report, coupled with a focus in women’s history, seemed like the position of my dreams. All of my passions were combined in this single internship that I happened to come across by chance, and it felt as though I was destined to stumble across the Job Openings page that very day. With a completed résumé and cover letter ready to go, I sent in my application and hoped for the best.
Finding Out
One week after submitting my application, I received an email asking to set up a phone interview for the editorial position. I happily agreed, and soon enough, my hour-long interview with my future supervisors had come and gone. By the end of the month, I found out that I had been offered the position and that I had only a few weeks to accept the offer and make living arrangements.
After the initial excitement of the offer passed, the reality of what I was getting myself into started to set in. Not only would I have to find housing for three months, but I would essentially be moving six hours away from my family to a relatively unfamiliar city. I had visited D.C. several times in the past, so to be accurate I was not completely unacquainted, though the certainty remained that I had never done something so bold before. Fears about finding housing, learning to navigate public transportation, and building relationships all began to creep up. I would spend countless hours searching for a place online, only to have several leads fall through. Though it seemed hopeless, eventually a space opened up, and I was one step closer to being on my way.
Reality Versus Expectation
My dad and I drove to D.C. one week after classes had ended, and I remember that Saturday particularly well due to the fact that it was the same morning as the Royal Wedding. After catching a few glimpses of the fabulously elegant Megan Markle, we embarked on our journey and made it to the nation’s capitol later that day.
Nerves and anxiety still abound, arriving at my new “place” only exaggerated these worries more so. To be brief, the living situation I found myself in was less than ideal. A barely functioning air conditioning system as well as disrespectful roommates made my first few days (and weeks) an even more difficult adjustment. If there’s one piece of advice I can caution to those who might find themselves living in a different city for the summer, it is to never sign an agreement on an apartment before you see it in person. This can be difficult when you are coming from out of town, but believe me when I say, your patience will benefit you.
That being said, while the first half of my experience away from home was no doubt affected by my unhappiness, friends I had in the city where able to help me get out of that situation and into a much better one. The difference was almost immediate, and I found myself enjoying every second so much more fully. Though things weren’t ideal at first, it took a determination within myself and a reliance on those around me to create positive change. Without either of those elements, it’s likely that I would have continued being unhappy. These types of situations, good and bad, teach you so much of what you are capable of when you otherwise might not have thought so.
The Internship Itself
My experience work-wise was nothing but positive. I looked forward to going to work each morning, and with a schedule that permitted interns to take Fridays off, I was able to explore the city in fun and interesting ways.
During my internship, I created a database that cataloged past stories written by the Trust on women’s history while also adding new story ideas that could potentially be written about. In total, there were about 60-70 of each, and they required detailed information so that the organization could reference these in the future. Additionally, I developed a writer’s guide on the best practices for writing about women’s history where I detailed the importance of things like intersectional feminist writing and resources for digital storytelling.
Once I made headway with these tasks, I was able to pitch, research, and write my own articles, an experience that was probably the most memorable. My superiors edited each draft, and I eventually learned how to use the content management system of the Trust, as well. These writing projects taught me how to differentiate between different writing styles and how to adopt the in-house style of a particular organization, something I believe will benefit me long into the future.
Our internship program involved around 12-15 interns at the national headquarters, and in addition to familiarizing ourselves with one another, we also had the chance to meet members from an array of departments, including the Historic Sites, Legal, Government Relations, and Content Marketing teams. This opportunity really allowed the interns to take a more integrated approach to understanding the organization’s work, and it benefitted us by introducing several familiar faces.
An Experience Bigger Than Myself
By the time I arrived home to Akron, I had been gone a full three months and had less than one week before classes began.
At this point, as I reflect on my experience just one week into the semester, I think that I still am getting used to being back. There was a lot of change that I experienced this summer, and no doubt anyone who pursues an opportunity like this will feel the same. Stepping away from something so monumental can be a helpful way of digesting all that you encountered. When you are in the moment, in the middle of your experience, it can be difficult to assess things in the macro-sense. “What did you like? What did you not like? What would you do differently?” All these questions are valid and deserve your attention and contemplation.
Living in a new city was scary, and it took me a long time to be able to say that. A flaw of mine that I’m learning to address is a hesitance to share my vulnerabilities—my fears and uncertainties. Being forced to learn a new way of life and to adapt was one of the best ways I began to be “comfortable with the uncomfortable,” or in this case, with the unknown. Interning in a new city shakes things up, yet when you realize that you already know how to swim, it becomes a lot easier to tread through the ups and downs.
Though I shared a great deal of honesty in this post regarding the difficulties of an experience like this, I hope to also make it clear that there are many fun times as well! Discovering your favorite neighborhood happy hours and late-night food, free movies in the park, and an endless wave of new people and places leaves you craving excitement at every turn. Living somewhere else teaches you about other lives and cultures different from yourself, and you cannot help but be inspired by the stories of hard work and success around you. The ambition is contagious.
If you have the chance to experience a new city, don’t hesitate to say yes. Jump at every opportunity thrown your way. I guarantee that the growth you will see in yourself will provide you with the confidence that you can achieve anything.