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It was on the first day of my second internship where I was reminded of the other reason of why I took on both of these internships. The second internship was located in the heart of LA where all of the famous fashion stores and Hollywood stars would set up shop. I probably only had to drive about twenty or thirty miles or so to get to the office, but because I had to join the massive migration of cars traveling at the speed of a garden snail, it took me about an hour to end up in my overpriced parking structure.
Subtly nods, polite handshakes, and names were exchanged as I tried to settle into the new environment. The work that they had me do wasn’t as nearly stressful, and the fact that I didn’t have to stay there as long as the first internship made it feel a lot more relaxing. I went through the day quietly minding my own business until one of the girls who worked their invited me out for drinks with the rest of the people at the office. I accepted the offer in hopes of getting to know everyone there a little better, and decided to stay a few extra hours until we all made our way over to the popular Mexican restaurant.
Rounds of margaritas and quesadillas were served, and as I snacked happily on my free chips and salsa that sat in front of me at my table, I listened to the work conversations turn into after-hour rants.
“I don’t think that I could love my child if I had adopted him,” said one coworker.
“I don’t think you would feel that way when you actually have your own kid,” said one of the freelance writers.
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure that you would see it differently later on. The love you have for your kid is unconditional,” said another coworker.
I dropped my salsa soaked chip after a while and interjected into the conversation. “Umm, I’m pretty sure that you would learn to love your kid when you actually have him,” I said while occasionally stuffing extremely cheesy quesadilla slices into my mouth.
The conversation went on for at least a half hour before the guy who said that he wouldn’t love his future kid got up to check the parking meter.
“Yeah, I’m guessing that you’re really getting to know personality now,” Another coworker said. “He wrote a piece before on how it’s okay to cheat on your spouse.”
“Yeah, now I know,” I responded.
“Yeah, he gives another perspective to things and makes the site we write for more interesting.”
I left that evening with, leftovers from the restaurant of course, and with a reminder of how beneficial different points of views could be in a conversation. The world of writing, social media, and journalism is the way that it is because of all the different voices that contribute to the global conversation. I was there at this internship to meet the other voices that I wanted to join after graduation. I wanted to meet the people who would play a part in the comments and responses that I would get from the pieces that I wanted to write. Tis internship was more than just a summer learning experience but mock-demonstration of what I really wanted to do for a living, and what I wanted to say while I was doing it was being said by the individuals at my other internship.
The combination of the two (I hope) will leave me with enough experience and knowledge that I can be ready for the next step after I leave my college campus, but of course I have to just wait and see if it actually does.
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