I’ve nearly hit the 4 month mark of my social media internship here at Sea, and while it has been challenging, the things I’ve learnt have definitely outweighed the amount of mental breakdowns I’ve had. So that’s why I’ve made a list of 4 things that I’ve learnt from my internship, so that future interns reading this can have less headaches and so that I can prove to my boss that I’ve actually learnt something.
- Interns don’t know anything, and that’s okay.
While uni teaches you how to write an assignment hung over, it really doesn’t teach you any applicable skills. That’s what internships are for. When I interviewed for Sea, it was pretty clear that I had no marketing skills, or any other skills whatsoever, but I showed that I was eager to learn. Somehow, Sasha thought it was a good idea to hire me, and here we are. While the team at Sea has taught me lots, I still don’t know what they’re talking about half of the time. But that’s okay. Not knowing stuff, and learning all the time is part of the experience. And no one expects you to know anything either, the bar is quite literally on the floor.
- Having 3 coffees before work is NOT a good idea.
It might seem obvious, but when you’re running low on sleep, have 2 uni assignments due, and have an internship, it sounds like a great idea. WRONG. If blowing up your internal organs and having caffeine tremors is your thing, then go right ahead. But if you’re a normal person, just get some extra sleep. When my life’s been super hectic outside of work, I’ve learnt that I can talk to my boss to get some extra support, instead of biologically destroying myself with coffee.
- Building relationships with people is just as important as how good you are at your job.
As a massive introvert, I hate being around people. They suck the life out of me like an industrial sized vacuum cleaner. But, once you get to know your team, and trauma bond with them (like the time that Sasha made me eat a Flaming Hot Cheeto, even though I can’t stomach mild butter chicken), you realise that these are the people that will back you no matter what. This is the same with people outside your organisation, the people that can help you get opportunities to advance your career, or can give you some tips and tricks when you need a little help. Being good at your job is obviously important, but I’ve learnt that putting time into your relationships will help you so much more.
- Don’t teach your coworkers Gen Z slang.
My millennial coworkers will do anything to hold onto their youth (even though they are in their 30’s). When I told them what Delulu meant, a month ago, they began to use it in every sentence, and still do. Now when we are out of the office I try to walk 5 steps behind them so that I’m not associated with them. While it is embarrassing, I’ve learnt that they probably use Gen Z slang to relate to me. But a note for the future: Just don’t teach them anything cool, or it won’t be anymore.
Those are the 4 things I’ve learnt in my 4 months of working as an intern at Sea. On a serious note, I have really enjoyed my experience so far, and I’d recommend getting an internship to anyone who is passionate and excited to work in a particular industry. But as the youngest person in my office, the resident Gen Z and TikTok enthusiast, I feel qualified to give one last piece of advice for future interns: being delulu is the solulu. It’s okay to have no idea what’s going on and have several Menty B’s a day, you’re young so you can kind of get away with it.
Written by Amelia Cribb
