I relate to your writing about the struggles of interning remotely. In such a new process, having to do it all from a laptop in your bedroom does not make the transition any easier. It definitely was difficult for me to stay focused sitting in one spot. Your point about setting weekly goals was a great tip- that is something that helped me stay motivated throughout the semester. Additionally, taking a walk or a little break was also very helpful in making me feel not as stuck. It’s important to take care of yourself, even though it can be difficult to take time out of a busy schedule. Doing this can make us feel more refreshed and be more productive as a result.

I’m glad to hear you adapted and were able to navigate it more smoothly this semester!

I also worked remote at my internship this semester, and I definitely understand where you’re coming from in terms of feeling out of place. There was definitely a period of adjustment for me as well, and it felt more difficult to ask questions – it felt a lot more annoying when I’d send multiple emails as opposed to being able to go up to a person and ask all your questions face to face. It was also difficult to adjust because the other employees had been with my company since before the pandemic, and I was the only one who had never met anyone in person, so there was a disconnect there for sure.

On the other hand, I do think that there is going to be a shift towards virtual positions in the future, especially in the advertising industry. Like you had mentioned, while the circumstances were unfortunate due to COVID, had it not been for COVID you would not have been able to take the position to begin with. I think I wouldn’t mind a remote or hybrid position once I’m out of college – it was definitely a plus to be remote while still in school, because I could do the assignments given to me just like any of my class assignments, and didn’t have to worry about meetings or hours for the internship clashing with my class hours.

I actually screenshotted your tips and takeaways (I hope that’s alright). You made a lot of great points about stepping outside of your comfort zone – it feels more intimidating to do so when you don’t have a full grasp on peoples’ personalities and only see them through a screen. I am definitely going to take some of the advice you gave and put it to use when talking to the employees that I am collaborating with. Thank you for all of your helpful input on remote interning!