Confessions of an Intern: Senior Moments
Internships are a place for growth and exploration. It provides students with hands-on experience, allowing them to test their skills, equip themselves with the theories they learned in university, and apply them in the real world. But being an intern requires preparation, and one must learn a few things before taking on the role of an intern in order for the experience to be engaging and successful.
The Senior Moments’ webinar arranged by the Mass Communication Society was the perfect program for incoming interns to learn a few tips and reminders from the graduating students who have had firsthand experience as an intern in the media industry. They shared their experiences and important learning moments with incoming interns to shed light on what they can expect in their own internships. And I am here to summarize what I’ve learned.
Ask if you’re not sure and communicate
Be bold and ask for help. The most important thing to do that helps us learn and improve is to ask questions. By doing this, we avoid making mistakes that may bring possible consequences. Although making mistakes is a part of learning, it can be avoided by simply communicating with our fellow interns or supervisors.
Always manage your time
Internships will test our time management skills, and we must adapt to the fast-paced environment of the media industry. Create a schedule, make lists, and be organized to keep track of deadlines and tasks.
You are a team
Always remember that you are not alone in your internship journey. Communicate with your team, and when problems arise, solve them collectively. Although we may have different dreams and may continue on different career paths in the future, we have the same goal at present, which is to have a successful internship program.
The Senior Moments’ program was an excellent opportunity for incoming interns to get a glimpse of what they can expect in their internship program. These tips were a great reminder of the importance of interpersonal skills. We, incoming interns, should not only be equipped with technical skills but also be able to communicate effectively, know how to work as a team, be adaptive, and possess overall the values and behaviors of a professional in the industry.
Internships are an exciting phase in our university life. I look forward to the challenge, the fun, but also the tears that will surely be worth it.
