Advice to myself
Advice to Myself About My Internship at the Kennedy Center
Walking away from my Kennedy Center experience may be one of the most difficult things I have done in a long time. Through dedicated hard work, I have come to find that level of maturity and accountability required by this organization. Although it was difficult at first, I was able to juggle schoolwork and this internship, and manage to learn a whole lot from the experience. Here are some pieces of advice I would have liked to give myself from the start.
You are not going to learn what you think you will. There are many unexpected lessons that will be gained just from being around the office, and soaking in how a functional arts organization runs. Expect to get out of your personal comfort zone, and ask questions. Don’t be afraid to meet as many people as possible, and be outgoing.
Understand that your supervisor has so many other things on their plate, and cannot be bothered by trivial questions. Be independent, and find answers to your questions from others, such as the assistant manager. Don’t be afraid to initiate new projects for yourself. Be willing to help out as much as possible in all the different DEVO departments, even if it is a mundane task such as tying hundreds of ribbons around boxes. Be willing to accept days that are not as busy as others. Be willing to accept days that are absolutely nuts.
Don’t be afraid to contact your supervisor if there is an insane amount of traffic, and it just so happens that there was a bomb scare at the Watergate. Go to lunch with some of the other interns sometimes. You will get lost in the beginning, but by the end, you’ll know where you are going! Be on time for seminars, even from the first week. Write thank you notes for everything. Make professional contacts with staff members. There will be events going on at the Millennium Stage that sound…interesting. Go to see events, and take advantage of the free tickets. Enjoy the programming, and remind yourself every once in a while why you decided to be an intern with this wonderful organization. Soak in as much as possible, and write things down. Always be willing to do any project, and follow through with the work. Ask questions at the seminars, and participate.
Understand that the organization is huge, and you will never really get a clear picture of how each department truly functions. The seminars help, but until you actually work in a department, you won’t know the ins and outs. Try really hard to learn everyone’s name and title. Just take each day as it comes and make the most out of your time. Most importantly…try to have some fun!
Walking away from my Kennedy Center experience may be one of the most difficult things I have done in a long time. Through dedicated hard work, I have come to find that level of maturity and accountability required by this organization. Although it was difficult at first, I was able to juggle schoolwork and this internship, and manage to learn a whole lot from the experience. Here are some pieces of advice I would have liked to give myself from the start.
You are not going to learn what you think you will. There are many unexpected lessons that will be gained just from being around the office, and soaking in how a functional arts organization runs. Expect to get out of your personal comfort zone, and ask questions. Don’t be afraid to meet as many people as possible, and be outgoing.
Understand that your supervisor has so many other things on their plate, and cannot be bothered by trivial questions. Be independent, and find answers to your questions from others, such as the assistant manager. Don’t be afraid to initiate new projects for yourself. Be willing to help out as much as possible in all the different DEVO departments, even if it is a mundane task such as tying hundreds of ribbons around boxes. Be willing to accept days that are not as busy as others. Be willing to accept days that are absolutely nuts.
Don’t be afraid to contact your supervisor if there is an insane amount of traffic, and it just so happens that there was a bomb scare at the Watergate. Go to lunch with some of the other interns sometimes. You will get lost in the beginning, but by the end, you’ll know where you are going! Be on time for seminars, even from the first week. Write thank you notes for everything. Make professional contacts with staff members. There will be events going on at the Millennium Stage that sound…interesting. Go to see events, and take advantage of the free tickets. Enjoy the programming, and remind yourself every once in a while why you decided to be an intern with this wonderful organization. Soak in as much as possible, and write things down. Always be willing to do any project, and follow through with the work. Ask questions at the seminars, and participate.
Understand that the organization is huge, and you will never really get a clear picture of how each department truly functions. The seminars help, but until you actually work in a department, you won’t know the ins and outs. Try really hard to learn everyone’s name and title. Just take each day as it comes and make the most out of your time. Most importantly…try to have some fun!
posted by Lori @ 10:45 AM
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