The Art of Internships: A reflection on how simple work can greatly help others and encourage growth.

      A lot of my intern work consists of me sitting on my laptop and staring at my screen. Which, to most people, probably seems boring and dreary. This is understandable, but there are so many beautiful things inside of my internship that make up for any reservations I might have had at the beginning. I do a lot of research, entering my research into databases or typing it up into documents. Occasionally, I write blog posts or adverts for other websites. I also run our Twitter page, which gives me a bit of an excuse to do what I waste time doing anyway. It doesn’t seem exciting on the surface, but there is so much underneath of it that makes the menial tasks worth it.

       There is an art to crafting and curating information for others to consume, writing blog posts with reliable links and information, using our platform to elevate others in the community who are doing good work and most of all, making sure those who need care receive the best they can get. I work for an Eastern alum and for a brand that helps caregivers find resources and create conversations, and presents helpful information and a place to connect with other caregivers. Caregivers are a diverse group containing those who work in the caregiving industry, but also people who care for family members such as a child, their aging parents or a sister, and those who are parents of children with autism or down syndrome. There is an art to the way I gather and organize information for my boss, the way our team works together to pull off a cohesive image. The way all of our personalities blend and mesh together allows us to work and function wonderfully. That is the beauty and art in the internship I do, and I am so lucky to be able to do it alongside these wonderful women.

      I have the opportunity to do work that matters to others. As part of the CareGiving team, I get to be a small part of informing new (and older) caregivers, as well as providing a platform where caregivers can speak. I am also gaining experience for my own resume that I would not have gotten otherwise. It has allowed me to find new ways to express my own creativity and has helped me understand what the freelancing world looks like. This internship is giving me the ability to help others in the future and it provides a space for me to grow as a writer and as a student, but also a person who might one day take care of her mother.

      The beauty and art to my internship is not that I do something artistic every day or that I am always creating something beautiful, it is that I am growing and learning in every moment alongside other wonderful women. It is beautiful that I get to meet people who have lost loved ones and continue to remain strong and that I get to provide a space for caregivers to speak and be heard. I know that what I am doing matters to someone who is searching Google and trying to find answers or feels like they are alone in their experiences.