Why it is absolutely okay to not be sure what you want…
Hello! My name is Sophia Cangelosi, and I’m a senior Advertising major with a concentration in brand strategy and research. For the last 3 months, I’ve been working under the title of Executive Assistant at Yardley Distillery. Yardley Distillery is a dynamic environment where each day brings something new. While my role touches on everything from event planning to social media, one of the most valuable things this internship has given me is the chance to explore my own career path in real time—and, as I’ve learned, it’s completely okay to be uncertain about what you want.
When I started my internship at Yardley Distillery, I was excited to dive into marketing tasks, social media campaigns, and event planning. What I didn’t expect was how much I’d question my own path, wondering if I was headed in the “right” direction. There’s often this pressure to have a concrete career plan, especially as graduation nears. But this experience has shown me that uncertainty is not only natural but can actually be beneficial. Instead of rushing to choose a specialty, I’m learning that being open to exploration allows for a deeper understanding of my interests and strengths.
One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned at Yardley Distillery is that it’s okay for a position to have different duties than expected. Initially, I thought I’d be solely focused on marketing strategies and social media content. But as I got involved with event planning, budgeting, and gaining professional relationships, I realized I was building skills in areas I hadn’t planned on. It’s been an eye-opener to see how much you can grow when you’re open to exploring different tasks. These “unexpected” responsibilities have taught me to be adaptable, to manage logistics, and to handle the pace of real-time problem-solving.
For anyone stepping into their first internship or feeling uncertain about their career direction, my biggest piece of advice is to let go of the pressure to have everything figured out. Internships are about exploration, and sometimes the most valuable experiences come from taking on tasks outside your original job description. Instead of trying to plan every step, focus on immersing yourself in every opportunity, big or small. In the end, these experiences will give you valuable insights, even if they simply help you eliminate what doesn’t work for you.
