This guest post is written by Indiana INTERNnet’s own intern, Tabitha Atwood, IUPUI student.
When people asked me, “Tabitha, what do you want to be when you grow up?” I always thought I knew the answer. I wanted to be a pharmacist, but I considered dentistry as a “backup plan.” I started college eager to begin all my science classes. I also joined a freshman interest group where I lived with other students with the same interests and we immersed ourselves in all things medical field related. I was so sure I was doing what I loved.
After a couple of semesters, I realized I did not love my science classes as much as I had hoped. I had such a dilemma. I didn’t know if I should give up my original dream and move on to something else, or if I should just sick to the plan. After all, I was in the middle of my third semester of classes for a biology degree. I didn’t think I really had any other interests, but started trying introductory classes of different subjects. I realized I didn’t like most of them enough to major in either. The panic really set in. What was I going to do?
That is when I decided to take an introductory business class. I loved it! I continued taking business and economics classes and found them so relevant and interesting. I even found myself reading material from the textbook that wasn’t assigned because I found it so intriguing. I knew I had found my calling.
I decided to triple major in marketing, management, and supply chain management. I loved learning in my classes, but I was curious how it actually related to the fast-paced business world. I decided I needed an internship to gain real-world experience. Like a lot of students, I always figured I would get an internship over the summer. Then I realized that doing an internship during the school year might not be as bad as I initially thought. Summer internships tend to have a lot more applicants, so they are generally harder to get. Plus, I was able to take a lighter course load so I had plenty of time to devote to a possible internship.
I found my internship on IndianaINTERN.net. It is a great site that matches your skills to skills employers are seeking for their internships. Oddly enough, the internship I applied for was working for Indiana INTERNnet assisting with marketing and other business-related tasks.
I went in for my interview and I was really nervous because I didn’t have any real world experience. I have worked at a small shop in the past, but I’ve never worked in an office setting. Although I felt good about the interview, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had a lot of schooling, but was that really enough? I was so excited when I got the call and found out I got the internship. Then the nerves struck again. Never having worked in this setting before, I didn’t think I would know my way around. I knew everyone here was really busy, and I knew I didn’t want to be bothering them with questions all day. I was hoping they wouldn’t regret hiring me.
On my first day, I was met with much relief. Everyone here is extremely friendly and helpful. They understand that I am here to learn and have no problem teaching me. Although I am still just in the first few days on my internship, I am extremely happy with it so far. I highly recommend that anyone considering an internship should go for it! There is so much to learn. It will set you apart from other students when you are looking for a job right out of school and already have some experience under your belt!
