Intern Diaries: Kelsey T. N.
Walking into the office was nerve-wracking. Nerves I didn’t even know I had were trembling, twisting my stomach into knots. I had been preparing for this day since November, when I heard back that I was going to intern with Jenna. I had chosen my outfit days before, packed my bag the previous night, and barely slept.
See, I didn’t know what to expect. Not only from JMG, but from an office job in general. My history in the workforce included working in restaurants, busing tables or making sandwiches. This was a whole different beast: I’d be doing a job I had never attempted, a job I didn’t know much about. I kept telling myself, “You’ll learn along the way.”
And learn I have. Internships are meant to help you discover the business, develop your skills even more, and get you accustomed to a professional environment. Jenna has helped me accomplish all of these things and more. Along the course of this internship, I’ve crafted blog posts, worked at an event for Coyote Ugly, helped manage social media accounts, done research on a variety of different topics, crafted mockups, worked with advertising and website analytics, and much more. JMG has been my first introduction to the world of Public Relations, and Jenna has truly helped me understand the business. There are some things that college classes just can’t teach you.
As for the office environment, it is a welcoming space to be in. I was intimidated at first, but JMG is truly a place I can feel comfortable, even with the daily challenges that the world of PR throws at me. I no longer cower at the entrance; I walk in with my head held high. The development of my skills has given me the gift of confidence, the feeling that I belong here as a serious worker, even if I am a part-time intern and college student.
Jenna always makes me feel like more than just an intern. I am given actual projects to work on, not getting coffee. She mentors me one-on-one, and is always ready with constructive criticism and tips to improve my work. Since PR is such a fast-paced industry, I had to learn a lot in such a short amount of time.
I am constantly learning and growing at JMG. I remember being wholly unfamiliar with the terminology; there were all these PR terms flying around, like “mockup”, “face sheet”, and “press kit”. This was when we were preparing for the Coyote Ugly 25th Anniversary event. Everything had to be done quickly, and it had to be done well. Intimidating, right? I thought it would feel more like I was drowning, but instead? I was swimming. Jenna was there to explain everything and answer all of my questions. That was one of the best learning experiences I had at JMG, and it was one of my first. Event planning and public relations came running towards me at speeds of 100 miles per hour. I had to quickly learn to adapt, and my organizational skills and eagerness to learn really came in handy.
I don’t think I could have had a better introduction to the world of public relations. Jenna has been so helpful in discovering this new world and inspiring me to continue on in PR for a career. I’ve learned so much and I completely expect to use my newfound knowledge and experience in any future endeavors.
Kelsey T. N.
