Summer is right around the corner and promotions from all angles are calling our name. New swimsuit sales, new iTunes jams (did someone say the new American Teen album?!) and nonetheless—a completely new wardrobe! But all these fun additions to the warm weather calls for a more serious discussion, we’re officially one semester closer to graduating college and adulting full-time.
Whether you’re working long dreary hours to save a few extra bucks or spending your free time poolside with the only worry on your mind is when you should reapply your SPF, it’s good to invest some time looking into internships. Whether it is paid or not, you receive something far more valuable—experience.
During this past spring semester, I interned for the New York City based floral designer, Christy Doramus. I learned how to master the art of flower crown making and met a bunch of awesome people! A lot of Doramus’s cliental are high-profile celebrities like Zendaya and Drew Barrymore, so not only did I network with people I would have never had the opportunity to, but I also learned real life PR skills!
However, underneath all the flowers and glitter, my weeks were rough to say the least. I woke up at 5 a.m. each morning, got my glam on, cooked up my caffeine cocktail (coffee & cranberry Red Bull), packed a lunch, caught the bus (that’s never on time) to make it into the city by nine. Mind you, I also went to school full time as well as waitressing back home on the weekends.
My internship was not necessarily paid. I received a sweet welcome package from the CrownsByChristy team which included a MetroCard for my subway adventures, a Whole Foods gift card for fueling up and a pleasant surprise of a Barney’s bag full of make-up! Although commuting to the city would cost me roughly around $40 each day, I stopped myself from dwelling on the expenses because I knew this was a once in a lifetime opportunity that would pay for itself in the future as long as I kept a positive attitude and an organized work ethic.
There’s no argument internships are hard—even if you’re surrounded by hundreds of flowers, believe me, they pay off! Here I am. I survived an incredibly hectic five months where I questioned my sanity every step of the way, but I can’t begin to explain how much I’ve grown.
A tip that I’ll leave you with is know what you’re good at. When searching for an internship, make it known that you’re good at certain things that can help that company beyond what they’re asking for in their ad. Good at keeping a cohesive, aesthetic Instagram? Share it. Have a YouTube channel? Talk about it. These millennial concepts that come second nature to us are valuable in the corporate world, so why not make it known?
Have you landed any internships yet? What would be your dream internship? Leave a comment below!
