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The other day, I started my summer internship at an awesome, not-for-profit organization in the city. I stuffed envelopes for five hours. I'm not joking. It was five, straight hours.
There were a couple of moments when I sat there wondering what exactly I'd gotten myself into. But then I realized- hey, wait a second, I'm working at a grass-roots, non-profit organization that actually cares for people and provides incredible resources for people in need. If stuffing envelopes for five hours straight is what it takes to make it happen, then I'm happy to do it.
Yesterday also made me start thinking about companies as a whole and how teamwork is integral to actually getting anything done. If you've ever worked in an office or a restaurant or anything like that, you get what I'm saying: upon a customer's entry through the door, they need to be greeted, directed to point A, further assisted, directed to point B, and thanked on their way out. That's at least four steps, and this is a simplified version of what actually happens in an office, restaurant, or other business. That means that whether or not anyone is acknowledging your existence or telling you what an excellent job you're doing, know for yourself that you're contributing something valuable- even when you're fetching coffee or scrubbing out the office fridge.
What I urge you to remember is that, as an intern, you need to be a sponge. Not only are you responsible for learning the tasks that are taught to you as quickly as possible, but you also need to pay attention to everything around you. Observe how the place works: is it a fast-paced environment? Are people usually pretty stressed out? Make yourself indispensable! Offer an extra hand, even when both of yours are buried underneath 1400 letters that need to be signed and stamped. Try not to feed into the frenzy either- just because others may appear busy and stressed out doesn't mean that you automatically have to mimic that sentiment.
Good luck with everything!
Seghel
Rosie is an outgoing Junior Psychology major who has worked in the office since her Freshman year. She wears multiple hats including president of her sorority Lambda Theta Nu Sorority, Inc. and Vice President of Internal Affairs for Greek Council. As a very involved student leader she is a great resource for all things USF
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