Admittedly, when I first considered applying to work with Indiana INTERNnet, I thought I was a bit aged to take on an internship.
That is until I watched the trailer for the upcoming movie “The Intern.” I am nowhere near 70, the age of the intern character played by one of my favorite actors, Robert De Niro. But I did wonder how I would compete against traditional college students. It goes to show that no matter your age, if you’re willing to learn, you can find opportunities.
I call this a non-traditional movie review for two reasons. First, non-traditional (a 37-year-old parent who works while attending college) is the type of student I am, and second, I’ve yet to see the movie, which is set for release Sept. 25. Based on the trailer, however, I expect to experience more than a few laughs and maybe even learn a life lesson or two.
Speaking of learning, as De Niro’s character, Ben Whittaker, shows us in the official movie trailer, gaining new knowledge and skills should only end when we’re no longer capable of fitting even the smallest shred of information into our minds.
Whittaker is shown creating a Facebook account. He is greeted with a “better late than never” message by Anne Hathaway’s character. Oh, how I can relate to those words. Social media and my status as a tweeting, posting rookie is why I am here at Indiana INTERNnet. Now, I get to assist the staff in promoting the value of internships to both Indiana employers and students in an effort to increase talent retention in the state, and one way we do that is through social media—Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Pinterest.
I can speak from experience about the desire to leave the state in search of greener pastures. I can also attest to the fact that Indiana is home to tasty eats, sweet abodes, lucrative jobs, incredible nature and many other traits of a quality life. These are just a few of the reasons I returned to my roots, and I’m glad I did.
From my humble position in life, I encourage college students to keep Indiana in mind when presented with temptations to relocate. Coming home certainly showed me the grass is just as green here as where I lived in California and Florida. In addition, the Hoosier state is home.
Wherever we end up, may ample opportunities present themselves and show truth in the movie’s slogan, “Experience never gets old.”
