8 Weeks = 8 Minutes (and other things I learned this summer)

I know everyone says that summer goes by quickly, but seriously…where does the time go?? I swear my first day of work was just a week ago, yet here I am, sitting at home after 8 weeks of a fulltime internship back in Beantown. I am cringing at the date of my last blogpost, so in an effort to make up for lost time I decided I would round up some of the key lessons I have learned from my whirlwind of a summer.

Just another sunset in beautiful Beantown

1.     8 Weeks = 8 Minutes

We’ve already kinda covered this one, but time flies (especially when you’re working 40+ hours per week)! I’ve realized that in the working world, and retail in particular, the pace feels so much quicker than your typical college semester. This makes it all the more important to give each day your all and really try to impress your employer with your motivation and ‘carpe diem’ attitude.

For example, during my internship this summer, I made it a point to meet with my boss for at least one hour each week to touch base and talk about the skills I felt needed the most improvement. While one hour may seem like an insignificant amount of time, these meetings proved to my employer that I was both self-aware and enthusiastic, seeking to improve as much as I could before the internship was over.

2.     10 Minutes Early = On Time

We all have that friend or family member (hi, Mom!) who is ALWAYS, always late no matter what. We still love them all the same, but employers are far less forgiving. Nothing says “I don’t care” more than being late on the first day of a new job. Any day, for that matter.

My rule of thumb is to always arrive AT LEAST 10 minutes before I’m supposed to. Allowing yourself more time makes the commute a lot less stressful, and as a bonus you start to earn the ‘early bird’ reputation. Proving your dependability leads to more opportunities!

3.     1 Job = 1,000 Connections

I think the mistake that a lot of people make when they take on short internships is adapting a “this is just temporary” mindset. When you just have the end date on your mind, you become a lot less tuned in to the present and what you can make of it, and you’re definitely more likely to make sloppy mistakes.

For me personally, I made sure to get to know both my managers and coworkers as well as I could during the 8 weeks I was given. Not only did I form some awesome friendships, but I also felt like I was integrated into the company and its culture very quickly. The people you are working with make all the difference; thankfully my efforts to get to know everyone were received with kind, open arms!

I hope you enjoyed this post and had a wonderful summer!

xoxo Lizzie