Today was just like any other day: I snoozed my alarm, poked myself in the eye five times while putting in my contacts, and I went to a screening of a new film coming out in the fall. Well, it was just like any other day as a BUST magazine intern. But it’s also my last day. I’ve been thinking about what I’ve learned here all day, and Googling where interning appeared in the media in the past few years. While I feel as though I’ve gained more experience than I ever could have sitting at home, simply trying to write by myself, the vast number of portrayals of interning are negative. So I’m here to set the record straight: you should intern, paid or not. Here’s why.
You’ll receive criticism that will help you. You won’t get this criticism anywhere else, because most people are afraid to tell you, or as your professor or peer, they owe you something. Whether it be a grade or a compliment, people may be afraid to be honest. At your internship, you’ll learn from the best about what you think you’re best at. The fact is that you definitely aren’t the best- yet. Just like Andy in The Devil Wears Prada, you’ll step up your game to be better, and in the end, you’ll be grateful. Thankfully, the BUST editors are not the Miranda Priestly’s of the magazine world, and all of their criticism has been constructive and helpful.
You’ll earn respect. Future employers will see that you actually worked for what you wanted instead of just taking classes about it. They’ll respect that you went outside the classroom. You had the balls to go into an entirely different world and try to navigate it. You’ll get lost, sure. Sometimes literally in the jungle of midtown Manhattan, and sometimes figuratively in what the hell you should be doing. But you’ll have the guidance of your fellow interns and the people who believed in you enough to hire you in the first place. Always remember that the initial respect of getting the position was given to you right off the bat. Now, you just have to live up to those expectations.
You’ll learn what you want. In the end, you’ve completed a trial run of your real life. Didn’t go so smooth? Good. Now you know what you don’t want to do, which is equally as important as what you do want. Went awesome? Even better. Now you’re on the way to where you want to be.
Overall, interning rules. I’ve had the opportunity to interview awesome people and animals, discover new things, and test deodorant- something I never suspected would be a part of my career. I know I want to write more than ever, and it’s all because I interned. Don’t let Miranda Priestly scare you. You’re an Andy. You’ve got it in you.