A Couture State of Mind
My name is Nia Thomas and I am a Senior Advertising major. This Fall, I had the pleasure of serving as an intern at Philadelphia Style Magazine. My role as an intern consisted of digital content, editorial, market research, and events.
My Philadelphia Style Magazine internship was the type of internship that I’ve always dreamed of doing. Growing up, I watched movies like 13 Going on 30, The Devil Wears Prada, Confessions of a Shopaholic and knew that at some point in my life I wanted to move to New York City and work in the fashion industry. After working in retail for the last two years, I realized how much I really love the idea of style.
During the time of my internship, I met some amazing people. I met a lot of people in the advertising/pr/marketing industry. As an intern, you’re invited to attend the events (work), but you can stick around after your shift is over. I usually get to talk to some of the guests, most of them are recognizable and known in Philadelphia.
There was one person I met during my internship, who has also been a guest speaker for my organization here on campus. Her advice to me was to always keep a couture state of mind. By that, she meant that not only to dress your best and be the best intern that you can be, but to always remember that no matter who else is around – you are your own competition. If you start to lose faith in yourself, become unmotivated or lost, it is okay to ask for help. Keep pushing and always keep your goals in mind.
Don’t look at your experience as just an internship, because then you may find yourself beginning to become lazy or uninterested. Act as if this is your company; every new project you work on is a new product you are trying to launch; each assignment is worth 100 points so you want to do everything you can to pass.
A couture state of mind has kept me on track with my internship for the last three months. When I begin to feel discouraged or lazy, I always remember that you never know who is watching. What you do from this day forward can be a vital part of your career. Lastly, remember that you were chosen for a reason and look at this is as the first day of the rest of your life.
