Greetings from DC! So far, so good. I love the energy of this city and being surrounded by politically engaged and passionate people. I am living in a cozy apartment on the edge of Georgetown with one of my best friends from high school and two of my closest friends I met while studying abroad in Berlin. It’s wonderful to have this time together with all of them to re-connect. While I am certainly learning a lot based upon my own experiences, I am also soaking up lots of information through conversations with them and other peers. It’s great to hear about all of the different internships they are taking on, and what their triumphs and failures have been along the way.
My first week in the office at Points of Light went smoothly. First of all, I work about one street away from the White House, so during my lunch break I love to stroll around and keep an eye out for President Obama. My supervisor, Morgan, is incredibly welcoming, enthusiastic, and helpful and I feel very fortunate about that. I feel comfortable approaching her with questions and concerns and get the sense that she wants my internship to be a positive and enlightening experience.
This past week I have been preparing materials for Points of Light’s annual conference, where they invite all of their affiliates to commune and receive certain honors. I am in charge of making informational table toppers for all of the affiliates in the running for receiving the Romney award, an honor that recognizes an outstanding project that a social organization has implemented to better their community. I am also working on a powerpoint for the conference. Additionally, I have been running HandsOn Network’s Facebook page and Twitter account. While social media is not something that I love doing, I know that it’s an important skill and am happy to learn how to compose, schedule, and promote posts effectively.
I’m happy that this internship is providing me with multiple projects to complete, so I never feel too bored or useless. I feel like I am being equipped with many relevant skills to be prepared for today’s workforce. However, I am also recognizing that I think post-grad I want to pursue a job that affords me a more dynamic routine – I struggle with working from an office. I’m the type of person who needs more variety and needs more interaction and collaboration in the long run. In the future, I am going to pursue avenues that will prioritize time spent outside the office; however, in the meantime I plan to speak with my supervisor about some project ideas I have that might get me out of the office and talking to people. I have a feeling she will be receptive to my needs and that I can continue to make the most out of my experience at Points of Light.