Internships are an interesting opportunity for a student to feel like they are doing something active in the world. At the same time, that excitement in regards to potential growth is put to rest by repetitiveness. When routine makes the drive to impress grow stale, one questions whether their actions are driven purely by extrinsic motivation. With these words, I hope to encourage people to be more proactive in all sectors of their life, including how they proceed with their internship. Presented below are three journal entries I have created during my time that hopefully signify how it is to do an internship and indicate how things progress.
27/03 – 2023
I am about halfway through my internship experience at this point and am finding it to be a decent journey. However, at this point, I feel that the tasks I have been given are a bit repetitive. I’ve created several courses for the app as well as a market map of competitors in the European market as well as a separate one for the US. I feel that the most insightful parts of my internship are the meetings I attend since these give me a great overview of everything. Generally, the meetings I have attended are sprint meetings and product content meetings regarding different features and designs. Due to the small size of the team, it is not difficult to speak up and suggest things or critique aspects that you find could be better.
10/04 – 2023
With new interns joining the team in early May, I have now received more responsibilities with even more on the horizon. As is the nature of startups, the company has shifted priorities and things are a little hectic. Of course, stand-ups are still a regular procedure, but feels a little like my priorities have fallen to the wayside. I have now learned how to upload courses to the CMS which includes a little bit of html. It is not a difficult undertaking necessarily, but it does come with its own particulars that may be confusing when first starting out. I am no developer or coder, but it is interesting to learn things leaning in that direction. The company has begun developing a service for childcare centers revolving around backup care. The interconnectedness of the entire company does make everything coherent and it always feels like I have a good understanding of what is going on and what is about to go on.
08/05 – 2023
Four new people have now joined the team which may not sound like a lot, but certainly feels like it in the office. In the beginning of my internship, it was not uncommon for me for there to only be two people in the office as a whole. Now that the number has doubled, things feel much more alive. The arrival of these new interns also gave me a chance to present my work and teach them what to do. My role has shifted a bit to a more manager-like position wherein I, along with my current responsibilities, oversee their work to ensure it is of good quality.
Based on limited experience, startups offer the feeling of being included. When all decisions happen right in front of you, interjecting is not difficult. You get an understanding of a company that cannot be seen from the outside the glass walls. Although it can feel limiting to be an intern, it was still an opportunity I enjoyed and one that has prepared me more for what’s to come.