My first week at Green Food Lab 🌱 | 5 tips on how to get off to a good start at your internship

Green Food Lab | Food Consultancy & Communications Agency

“Experts in telling and selling the story of green food.”

As a vegetarian with a passion for writing, I knew from the very first day that Green Food Lab would be the perfect agency to do my internship for my bachelor Communication Science. It’s is a food consultancy and communications agency, with a focus on green, sustainable food. They focus on making plant-based food the new standard.

I started my internship at Green Food Lab two weeks ago. As a Copy & Social intern, I focus on strategy and communications within the company. My work consists of writing press releases, writing copy for websites, doing the community management for different clients, writing social copy and setting up collaborations with consumer influencers. In addition to this, I also help the other teams within Green Food Lab. For example, I may assist my colleagues of team Food Content & Creation with cooking in our kitchen and filming an Instagram Reels for a client. Or I’m asked to write an article on our blog ‘De Hippe Vegetariër’. In short, my tasks are very versatile and that’s why I’ve already learned a lot at my internship, even in the first two weeks.

I know doing an internship (especially working 9 to 5) can be a bit overwhelming at first, especially compared to university where you have lots of self study days. That’s why I want to share 5 tips on how to get off to a good start at your internship and make the most out of it. You can do it!

1. Make yourself feel comfortable
   Even though it can be hard at first, dare yourself to ask your colleagues questions and be clear in your communication. If you create a comfortable, clear way of communication, you will feel much more comfortable and confident in the workplace. Feeling ‘at home’ is very important and will make your internship even more enjoyable.
   
2. Get to know your fellow interns
   Trust me on this one, your internship will be way more fun when you are on good terms with your fellow interns. Make sure to have conversations with them, have lunch together or even go for little walk breaks together. If you are the only intern in the company, make sure to do these things with your other colleagues. You might as well find new friends while doing your internship!
   
3. Planning
   It’s cliché, but so true: planning is the key to succes. Getting your priorities straight and planning your tasks at your internship will make sure you are on time with deadlines and prevents you from getting stressed out. Creating a routine for yourself with your daily or weekly tasks is very helpful and will get you organized.
   
4. Be proactive
   If you want to make the most out of your internship and learn as much as possible, you have to be proactive. Make sure to ask for projects and responsibilities. If you dare, maybe even ask them if you can come to an event with them! It never hurts to ask for one more task or two. By doing this, you show the company that you’re responsible and willing to learn. They will love it!
   
5. Take small breaks
   Putting your work aside for a minute and taking a small break is essential for having a productive, enjoyable day at your internship. To not get overwhelmed by the amount of work, make sure to take small snack breaks or go get some fresh air by going on a 5 minute walk. By doing this, your productivity will actually increase and it’s fun at the same time: a win-win situation!

I hope these tips are useful for your upcoming or current internship. And remember: don’t stress out about it too much, you will have fun, I promise!