Internships were something very new to me as I entered the JGU space, I knew what was expected out of me, however, did not know how I could ever get there. I was a student that was unsure about what I wanted to pursue till my 12th grade. I had finally settled in on a direction and hence joined the Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities. Now that I look back on it, I was looking for opportunities that barred the traditional route. Even as a major, I picked up psychology and economics, an unheard-of combination at this stage of life and subjects that are considered for people who ‘could not do science’. I feel like I go for opportunities that excite me. Hence, for internships I was looking for roles that did that and worked in the direction that made an impact on people.
My first internship was the most memorable one for me at Slam Out Loud, which is one I applied to through the Office of Career Services, JGU. Being my first internship at a professional space, I went in not knowing what to do, how to do it, and whether I would be the right person for that role. It was a role outside my comfort zone and was not in line with my future aspirations. I know now that this was a positive aspect – I would say this is my biggest achievement- knowing myself a little better and understanding that I could pick up so many skills in just three months. I got the chance to explore other areas and found something that I loved. So much so, that my first job has this internship role as part of my current role description.
All my internships post that have also helped me learn something new, both towards working in different environments and about myself- my interests and skills that I want to build. Moreover, the variety of internships that were provided through the OCS helped show me that there is so much out there, we just have to go looking for it. They also helped me understand that there are so many opportunities out there, so many things to do, and so many new things that open every so often that might be perfect for an individual.
As life always is, every internship was not free flowing and easy, there were challenges- sometimes it was my inadequacy in knowledge and other times it was meeting a set deadline with a group of people with varied progressions with the work. It did greatly affect me even on an emotional level as the thoughts of not being worth it started creeping in, however, I think it did help me grow. Being able to be in a difficult situation and figuring out how to deal with it is a skill that I built over time through these very experiences till I was able to do that with no problem. Hence, I believe, the biggest difference internships have made in my work-life is skill building. JSLH as a whole has immensely helped me develop myself, grow through the years and figure out the kind of person I want to be, and this is what I credit it for the most.
