An Internship to Remember
As my internship at ChatterBlast is coming to an end for the semester, I can now reflect on the numerous opportunities that the internship has brought me and how much it has helped improve my graphic design skills. My name is Stephanie Cao, a junior Advertising major with an Art Direction concentration. ChatterBlast is an online strategy and social media marketing company, which means my job is to create graphics for ChatterBlast’s blogs and for their various clients such as, Einstein Health and the Philadelphia Parking Authority.
When I first began my internship at ChatterBlast, I did not know what to expect, except for the list of responsibilities from their website. In the past, I’ve worked for nonprofits creating their graphics. Sure, doing that was great, however, for some reason, creating graphics for actual clients in the Philadelphia area has brought me a whole new level of joy. It has brought me joy because I get to see my graphics used on their social media pages. However, the biggest joy it has brought me is being able to see how much I have improved my graphic design skills. In the past, I would struggle to create nice graphics in a timely manner, however, since interning at ChatterBlast, I have improved in Illustrator and Photoshop A LOT and I believe that the way I design has gotten better. This internship has made me start using the pen tool on a whole different level. I’ve also started using keyboard shortcuts and learned the ins and outs of the two softwares. Most importantly, I’ve learned how valuable creating art boards and organizing my layers are in the design process.
In addition, this internship has taught me a lot about myself. After being on various projects, I realized how much that I LOVE doing motion graphics. Being able to see a still illustration be transformed into a moving image is honestly the coolest thing ever. The internship has also taught me what it means to work under tight deadlines and how to manage my time to meet those deadlines. It has shown me what it’s like to be thrown into three projects in one day and try to complete them in a timely manner. Although, I may want to pull my hair out sometimes because of that; being able to see my work completed is honestly the best feeling ever. It makes me go, “Wow, I did that?!”
Overall, working at ChatterBlast has been a memorable first internship. This internship is truly the highlight of my Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Every MWF, I look forward to coming in and seeing what design I will be creating for the day. I look forward to seeing the other interns and seeing what shenanigans they have in store. I look forward to hearing the random singings by the CEO and hearing people’s laughter over a gif. I can’t wait to come back during the spring semester and see what will be in store for me.
