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August 30th, 2010 emcarp11

Cause I’m leaving on jet plane,
Don’t know when I’ll be back again…

Okay, so I didn’t actually leave on a jet plane — but I did go on a journey. I packed up my car yesterday and headed back to Holy Cross. And, that means this summer, and my internship, are at an end: my nine weeks at S&A have flown by and, here I am writing my last blog.

As I walked to Crumbs during my lunch break – yes, I decided to commemorate my final day at S&A with a deliciously oversized Dulce de Leche cupcake – I began thinking that the best way to finish off my summer blog would be to pass along advice to all of you who will be interning in the city next summer.

So, without further ado, I present my top advice for future NYC interns:

5. Start practicing sleeping on trains.
I now know that sleeping on a train is an art form. There are some people who simply close their eyes and fall peacefully into a light slumber. Then there are the less graceful sleepers who end up with their face pressed on the window, mouth open, and a steady drool puddle gathering on their shoulder. Fortunately, I don’t fall entirely into that latter group (I’ll cop to the window bit but take the Fifth on the drool part). Ironically, at the beginning of the summer, I didn’t think I would ever be able to sleep during the morning commute. After a few weeks of getting up at 5:15am, however, I quickly adapted to falling asleep, but I still haven’t mastered the appearance. So, get a jump start on mastering your sleep technique if you have a chance.

4. Read the paper every day.
One of the best ways to prepare for any internship is to read a newspaper every day and stay on top of current events. Whether you prefer the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, or some other major news source, reading the paper will keep you informed and allow you to form your own opinions of what’s going on in the world. Plus, you might just get the inside scoop on a new store, like Pop Tarts World, that is opening right down the street!

3. Be adventurous!
When you are in New York City, the possibilities are endless. So, go out there are try new things!
Just yesterday, Jeff took me to the Shake Shack. After walking over 15 blocks and waiting in line for 40 minutes, I got to taste the legendary Shack Stack burger, fries, and chocolate shake (don’t worry, the walk back helped me recover from the meal). Trust me, the meal was definitely worth the wait. Plus, the Shake Shack adventure will go down as one of my most memorable S&A moments.

2. When you think you are done with a task, take a five minute break and look over your work again.
While your work will never be completely perfect, make sure you perform each task thoroughly. In the PR world, all of your research – and resulting conclusions — can be changed by one article or piece of information. Sure, sometimes hours of research can be painful, especially when you keep finding dead ends. Still, that annoyance is nothing compared to the consequences of misreporting information or looking lazy. So, make sure that you put 100% into each project. Your work ethic will be noticed and will reflect on how you as an individual.

1. Voice you opinions and your ideas.
If you have a good idea or an opinion you feel could be useful, share it! Your employer selected you because they noticed something interesting about you and because they felt that you would be the best fit for the position. With that in mind, be confident that your opinion will be valued. By expressing my opinions and being open with everyone at S&A, I felt like a member of the team. Don’t limit yourself by being too timid to share your ideas. Remember, you are not “just an intern” – unless you act like you are.

So, there you have it. I have had a wonderful summer. I have learned a lot and I cannot express how grateful I am for the opportunities given to me by Starkman & Associates, the Summer Internship Program, and the Leadership Council of New York.

Good luck to all the 2011 interns!

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