By Caroline Gordon
Editorial Staff
Your college experience is not complete unless you partake in an internship.
During my time at FSU, I have worked two internships - Science Writing Intern for the McAuliffe Center last summer, and this semester as a reporter for the Framingham SOURCE, an online newspaper.
We all know the benefits of internships - they build your resume, hone your work skills, and allow you to make professional connections.
I am fortunate enough that during my time with the McAuliffe Center and the Framingham SOURCE, I have reaped those benefits.
However, what people don’t advertise about internships is the organizational skills you need to be able to perform at your highest ability.
Obviously, being organized is one of the many keys to a successful internship. That being said, I have heard from a few friends that they don’t know how to be organized interns.
Many of us are full-time students who participate in a club or sport and work part-time. Throwing an internship into the mix is exciting, but also nerve-wracking - leading to a disorganized life.
Let me help you out.
I have a few methods for staying organized, including using sticky notes, setting reminders on my phone, and jotting down tasks in my calendar to plan out the work I need to complete for my internship.
It may sound old-fashioned, but sticky-note reminders are extremely useful. As a journalist, I sometimes need to work on tight deadlines. Whenever I schedule a Zoom interview or need to attend an event that same day, I pull out a bright sticky note, a fat Sharpie, and write out exactly what needs to be done.
Then, I stick it in the middle of my mirror that I always use, so I never miss it. Call me extra, but sometimes I also stick it on my door just in case I somehow miss it on my mirror.
My roommate adopted the same technique to remind herself when and where to get COVID-19 tested. We laugh that there are bright sticky notes scattered throughout the room - but hey, it’s a system that works.
After the placement of my sticky notes, I set a reminder on my phone, so when I’m not in my room, I am reminded of the interview I need to conduct, event I have to cover, or deadline I must meet.
As I always have my phone on me, I also never leave my dorm without my planner. I recommend that all interns write their work in the same planner they use for homework, but in another color. That way, everything is in one place, but you can distinguish between internship work and homework.
So, for those of you who are interning this summer, or fall, and need some help with organization, try some of my tips. Once you are an organized intern, you can spend less time figuring out what you need to do and spend more time focusing on making professional connections and honing your work skills.
Pretty soon, your room will also be filled with bright sticky notes.