It’s called an “internship” for a reason

Anxiety and stress have overwhelmed me for months ever since I found out I had received an internship for post-grad. Don’t get me wrong, I am extremely grateful for the opportunity, but if I’m being honest, I’m freaking the hell out. I didn’t have an internship last summer, I don’t totally know what I’m actually doing most of the time, and half of these agencies all these people keep throwing around I’ve never even heard of. I felt overwhelmed and consumed by this stress until finally I was told, “It’s called an internship for a reason.” Now, that sounds like a no-shit moment, but it’s a feeling I think a lot of us can relate to. Somewhere over the past three or four years we all convinced ourselves that once we graduate and we go out there and work our first gigs, that we’re supposed to know it all. We’re supposed to be able to power-pose our way through the front door on day one and be able to do everything they ask of us, exactly the way they want it delivered, as if we’ve been there for years…Yeah, no. The details can change depending on the agency, but for the most part we’re there because they see something in us. They see potential in who we are as individuals, and what we can bring to the table professionally. This allowed me to finally breathe a sigh of relief and realize that yes, I may not have all of the answers or know absolutely everything, but I’m there because they believe I can get to the solution and that I’ll be eager to learn. And that, has made all the difference.

Maile Sur | 05.25.19