The Beauty of Open-Mindedness.

This past semester, I had the pleasure of interning with Zero to Five, a communications agency based in Philadelphia. After virtually interning with them over the summer, I was invited back to remain their virtual intern for the fall semester.

After learning the ins and outs of public relations over the summer, I was eager to learn more about the marketing aspect this semester. Fortunately, I remained on the same accounts I worked on over the summer. Switching over to the marketing team was a refreshing start for me.

I enjoyed having my internship virtual this semester. Zero to Five is a largely remote company to begin with, so learning how to navigate an agency remotely was a skill I was glad to have learned. I feel as though agencies are only going to continue being more remote as time goes on. I have met coworkers from all over the country that I never would have been able to had it not been for a pandemic and remote working.

The biggest takeaway I have from this semester is to always go in with an open mind. I had no idea what to expect this semester, knowing it was jam-packed with a full course load, an internship, and two jobs. While I was nervous about how much I put on my plate, I never doubted myself. I was confident in my abilities to separate my jobs and put my all into every one I did, especially my internship.

It can be intimidating as an intern learning from professionals, but once you realize that you are there to help them while also learning from them, it becomes easier to navigate. It’s easy to overthink how efficient of a job you are doing or underestimating your skills for a successful company. I often remind myself that I am there for a reason. They saw something in me, and my skills have prepared me for this point. Telling myself this throughout the semester always calmed me down and helped me put my best foot forward. Not allowing yourself to be caught up in your own head is definitely a challenge, but once done is a huge reliever.

I have learned that I am the most content with experiences when I go into them with an open mind. I quickly learned that the experience is what you make out of it. Being proactive, engaging, and curious kept me constantly wanting to know more and also taught me important skills that I will carry with me into my professional career. Whether it be an internship, job, class, or hobby, you get out what you put in.

Stay curious and allow your own passions to drive your days.