To The Summer and Beyond
As May 15th inches closer and closer I’ve developed a set of serious graduation goggles. I find myself basking in bursts of nostalgia, thinking about all the wonderful experiences that have shaped me over the last four years at Temple. Obviously I’m choosing to repress the memories of midnight meltdowns at the Tech Center and the unfortunate bout of food poisoning from the SAC’s sushi. Throughout my roller coaster of emotion one consistent bright spot has really stood out- my internship with Star Group.
I was hired as a paid account management intern last Fall and by the grace of the advertising higher powers and my own sheer stubbornness I’m staying through the Summer. I’m incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to get my foot in the door at Star Group. I’ve had an overwhelmingly positive experience as an intern. I promise, I’m not just saying that! The team that I work with has always been incredibly welcoming and flexible with my jam-packed part-time student/employee/intern/lunatic schedule and I am so grateful.
Over the past two semesters at Star Group I’ve held on to two very important pieces of advice.
The first came from a professor at Temple who I once heard go on a fifteen-minute monologue about the importance of having a “can-do attitude.” It seems simple but it is so, so important. From the big things like taking on projects outside of your comfort zone to little gestures like rinsing out your office mate’s coffee mug every detail adds up to a good impression. Growing up my mom had a framed postcard with the Maya Angelou quote, “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” There is so much truth in those words and it’s a mantra I like to remind myself of when the struggle gets a little too real.
The second piece of advice came from the much more practical perspective of a new mom that I share a workspace with. She told me once that the only way she stays sane is by compartmentalizing her life. You have to focus on what is in front of you in that moment. Stressing about what’s going to happen in twenty minutes, tomorrow, or in a year is only going to be a distraction. That guidance has helped me keep myself organized and (relatively) levelheaded through the course of my insane senior year.
Although college is almost over my time at Star Group is only just beginning.
