Category Archives: Work and Learn Indiana’s Intern

What I’ve Learned Outside the Classroom

If you’ve been keeping up with my blog posts throughout the summer (and now into the fall) you’ll see that I often mention how so much learning happens outside of the classroom. Internships, for example, allow students to be a part of the workforce and get hands-on experience before they graduate. While I understand the important roles school and education play in our lives, it should be noted that learning doesnā€™t just happen in the classroom.

Youā€™re dressed, but is it to impress?

While in college you’re basically able to show up in whatever you want. Interning is different. You donā€™t get to have comfy days with t-shirts and sweatshirts. While youā€™re at work, you must follow the dress code every day. This also applies for interviews and beyond. Make sure that everyone who sees you can tell that you’re there for a reason.

The handshake

It wasnā€™t until …

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Achieving Work-Life Balance

At 19, I didnā€™t think I would have to understand what this whole ā€œwork-life balanceā€ thing really is. But I’ve learned not every day is a piece of cake. It’s better to know that now, instead of thinking everything is going to be exactly how you want it to be. Some days are easier than others, but that’s just how life goes. Balancing 18 credit hours, an on-campus job, and an internship hasnā€™t been the smoothest thing, but I’ve slowly established a routine. I know I’m not the only student going through something similar and wanted to share some lessons I learned throughout this process.

Accept the Bad Days

Sometimes life just gets in the way and nothing is how you planned. Thatā€™s okay! There are two things I like to remember on bad days. First, youā€™ve survived 100 percent of your previous bad days. Second, you never have to …

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The Power of Social Media

Itā€™s no secret that social media has slowly become a part of our everyday lives. Between snapping pictures and finding new memes, social media can hold a lot of power when it comes to finding your next internship or job.

It’s important to keep your profiles clean because you never know who could come across what you’re posting. You need to realize that companies want the right people representing them. This means watching what you say, being aware of who you follow and interact with, and being careful about what types of pictures you’re posting. Some people think making fake profiles under different names is safe, but the accounts can still be connected back to the real owners.

While it might seem fun to make that post now, it could cost you a job offer in the future. It’s okay to enjoy your youth and have fun, but some activities …

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Extending Your Internship

This summer has flown by and before I knew it my supervisor was asking about evaluations and scheduling meeting times to wrap up my internship. I was already sad at the idea of leaving such an amazing work environment, but all good things come to an end, just maybe not as soon as I thought.

Staying as an intern allows for more opportunities to stay and gain more knowledge. I know a lot of people fall in love with their internship and hope for an extended stay. I came up with a list of things that I think will help you get noticed by coworkers and supervisor that shows youā€™re interested in staying longer.

Be willing to work

If you want to stay on at a location, then you obviously must like what you are doing. If you want to be asked to stay a for another interning period, then …

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Staying on as a Fall Intern

I’m so excited to say that I will be staying on the Indiana INTERNnet team through the fall! With the summer coming to an end, I was more and more sad with each passing day that I would have to leave this amazing team that I have been able to work with. When I was asked to stay on through the fall, I was ecstatic and so proud of myself.

Iā€™m so thankful for this opportunity to continue to grow and learn with Indiana INTERNnet. I know that this summer Iā€™ve learned so much, but thereā€™s still so much for me to learn. I love growing and learning in this environment and canā€™t wait to see what the fall will hold.

To everyone that read my posts or watched my videoā€™s for Indiana INTERNnetā€™s YouTube channel, thank you. Iā€™m so excited to continue creating content for interns all around Indiana.

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What I’ve Learned This Summer

This summer has been such an amazing experience at Indiana INTERNnet. I have been so incredibly lucky to work with such amazing people and learn so much along the way. Between seeing behind the scenes of event preparation and learning how to correctly navigate the workplace, this summer has been the best learning opportunity. While learning in the classroom is important, there are some things that canā€™t be learned while listening to a lecture.

The Importance of Connections

Of course, meeting new people and expanding your circle of people is important. But it wasnā€™t until I got an internship that I realized how important networking really is. You never know who can help you get ahead or if someone you know has the perfect job for you. It’s important that you continue to grow your connections and keep up with the relationships that you make.

Asking Questions Only Makes You …

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Self-Care Tips

Whether it’s work or school, everyone always has something on their mind. It’s important to take a step back once in a while, to regain focus and stay strong mentally and physically. Here are some of my best self-care tips.

Watch Some Movies/TV

Taking some time to just watch hilarious movies and shows can help clear the mind. I know after a long day my favorite thing to do is to get comfy and watch some Netflix shows. If you need some recommendations on what to watch, Iā€™ve got you covered: Schittā€™s Creek, Gilmore Girls, Gossip Girl, New Girl, Stranger Things, The Office (but who hasnā€™t watched this yet), Parks and Recreation (another classic), and Sherlock.

Read a Book

I know some people aren’t the biggest fans of reading, and think that they only need to read for school-related activities. But for me, reading is one of the best ways …

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Intern Extravaganza at the Indiana State Fair

Last week Indiana INTERNnet hosted the final Summer Engagement Event of the summer at the Indiana State Fair. The event allowed interns from all over the state to come and network while enjoying an iconic Indiana event. It was a day full of networking, prizes, games, and a lot of fun.

The event started off with hearing from a returning State Fair intern, Mary O’Connor. It was a great chance for interns to hear about the importance of internships. She also talked about how helpful they can be when trying to find what the future holds. Mary’s current area of study is in a science-based field, but her internship is in HR. She highlighted that there are still many learning opportunities with internships that can be used in any career path.

Interns in attendance were also able to hear from Julie Schrader from Butler University. She gave helpful tips on …

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Indiana Intern Day 2019

With our friends from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, on July 25th, 2019 the first ever Indiana Intern Day took place at the Statehouse Market. Interns were able to take a break from their crazy schedules and relax with some food trucks and friends.

For those that were not able to make it to the Statehouse, social media was blowing up all day with posts celebrating interns and all the hard work they do. Employers showed their support and appreciation for their interns by pledging to celebrate and spreading the word about Indiana Intern Day.

The meetup was a great way for local organizations to show their interns how much they mean to them and give them a chance to spend some time with coworkers outside of the office.

Whether it was surprise coffee and donuts or going to fun outings, employers celebrated the day by showing their support …

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The Best Friday Advice for Interns

Fridays are exciting because they mean you survived another week and you get two days to rest. Sometimes I get in that weekend mindset a little too early and Iā€™m not as productive as I could be on Fridays. To save you from making the same mistakes, Iā€™ll share some of my best tips for making it through Friday.

Reflect on the week

On Fridays, I like to look back on the week to see what I accomplished. During this time, I like to see what I did and what I need to do to make sure that everything is how it should be.

Stay on top of your to do list

I know it might seem easy to push things to the side, but I promise getting them done now instead of waiting until Monday will set you up for a much better week. The busier you stay the …

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Internships: Expectations Versus Reality

For most people there is a clear picture of what comes to mind when hearing the word ā€œintern.ā€ The scared, intimidated college student that brings coffee when needed, and stands by the copier making copies for everyone in the office. I thought the same thing for the longest time. Now I know there is so much more than just coffee and copies.

Internships give students an opportunity to get real life experience in a field they are interested in. internships allow for students to gain professional experience before they graduate from college and prepare them for when it is time to look for full-time employment.

More and more internships are allowing interns to choose projects to work on throughout their time at the company. This allows for the student to walk away with an excellent resume builder. With help and guidance along the way, interns can create great projects and …

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The Benefits of Volunteering

Earlier this week, part of the Indiana INTERNnet team volunteered at Second Helpings in Indianapolis. The Second Helpings staff and volunteers rescue and prepare perishable foods from restaurants and retailers to help prevent food waste. They make over 4,000 meals and send them out to more than 90 social service agencies. Second Helpings also offers a culinary training program for disadvantaged adults. While volunteering, we helped cut and prepare vegetables for a meal that would be sent out to multiple locations around the area. The experience was great, and learning about the amazing work that Second Helpings does was very eye-opening.

You might feel like you’re too busy to volunteer, especially if you’re in school. But volunteering has lots of benefits!

Helping others

There is no better feeling than when you’re volunteering. Putting time and effort into meaningful programs can help so many people, and can infuse some purpose into …

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Favian’s Farewell to Indiana INTERNnet

 

Goodbye Indiana INTERNnet,

 

As my spring internship wraps up with Indiana INTERNnet there are many things, Iā€™m grateful for and look forward to! I’m thankful that the Indiana INTERNnet team took a chance on me to be part of the team for the spring. During my time here I had great overall experience being part of the team and working with them. I was able to accomplish many things during my time and tried new things out. There are many wonderful people I met throughout my time here and have made great connections. I learned what it was like to be in a professional environment and how to interact with others. I can now say I know what it feels like to work a nine-to-five.

 

This internship helped me gain many valuable skills that will help transition into the professional world without a problem. I …

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Intern Spotlight: Dei’Marlon Scisney

Hello everyone, my name is Deiā€™Marlon Scisney, but most people know me as ā€œD.ā€ I am from Evansville, Indiana and I am a rising junior from Wabash College. I am currently working towards a Biology major with English, Spanish, and Chemistry minors.

This will allow me to attend medical school after graduation, but life and experience could always steer me in a different direction. Like the Greek medical genius Hippocrates, medicine/healthcare is the temptress of my mind. Furthermore, with my desire to be an advocate for social, political, and economic issues, this internship in Government Affairs at the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, in a way, found me.

Already, Iā€™ve felt so welcomed which has made for a smooth transition into this internship. There is most definitely a purpose or motive behind getting involved with an initiative and being unified for a specific cause, which means, understanding how to be comfortable, …

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Getting Into A Nine To Five Routine

With this being my first professional job, I have never had to experience the struggle that is the nine to five routine. It was an extremely hard task for the first couple of days. It took time getting used to waking up early and working all day. My past retail jobs offered me a few experiences of working an all-day shift, but it was never very consistent. I wanted to share some tips that I have come across when it comes to getting used to working a full day for the first time.

Get some rest

Even though it might be the summer right now, going to bed early is the biggest piece of advice I can give. Instead of staying up all night watching Netflix, putting your phone down earlier can help. The eight-hour sleep theory is true, and I have experienced it firsthand. Making sure you are fully …

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