How To: Enjoy an Internship

Steps:
1. Accept the fact you must be there for the whole time.
2. Work with friends or if no friends are present, make some.
3. Pick an internship in an area you're interested in, but you are unsure about.
4. Stay calm when your boss frustrates you. Remind yourself that you're still an intern, no matter how much responsibility you have.
5. Remember that your main priority is to learn.

This summer, I was given an internship at a local theatre, primarily working with costumes. (We're doing How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. Get the theme for blog this summer?) I'm still not sure if I want to continue getting a degree in theatre and I thought this was the perfect way to make it more clear. I thought I was going to love it and be so happy to go there every morning, but after the first week, I wasn't too happy to be an intern. I thought I was going to be doing costumes for most of my time there, but it turns out I also have to clean, take out garbage, and general maintenance things. I only was able to spend 3 hours doing costumes, which wasn't enough time for me to learn what I wanted to and for Jen, our designer, it wasn't enough time to get things done. I was increasingly becoming frustrated with the people (especially my boss), the work, and everything in-between.

After a week of increasing frustration and slight anger, I finally took a step back. Little did I remember that this is what I love to do. Not only would I be creating wonderful pieces of clothing, I would be doing it for kids (age 11-17, so not really kids, but younger than I). The designer, Jen, is wonderful (although crass at times) and is more than willing to teach me. I am working with friends who make me feel wonderful and who I still want to hang out with after work is done. (Favorite quotation so far is from Amanda, after we crashed a cart on the stairs to our office: "It's a waterfall of book knowledgeableness!")

I also was having issues with the time. I would be working 9 to 5 everyday and every Tuesday and Thursday, I would work an added three hours from 6 to 9. It was more than I thought I bargained for, but when I put it into perspective, I thought differently. It's a theatre production and even when I'm not paid, I put in more time than I am right now. Perspective, it works.

Then there was my boss. He was my professor for the two theatre classes I took and the director for the only play I was in this past year. Frankly, I was sick of him and his methods. And I wasn't the only one. Amanda and Erin, the other interns, are just as frustrated, if not more, with him. I've discovered that it makes no sense to be frustrated. The best thing I can do is stay calm and be reasonable when communicating with him.

And lastly, I remembered that an internship means a job where you learn. I think I have learned more about costumes in the few weeks I've worked than I have in the past couple of years. It's intensive learning and quite hands on. And not only that, but my learning will end up on stage, in front of crowds.

And I'm pretty proud of that.

Peace!

-Nicole