Internship blog

Monday, January 21, 2008

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Interview day. All my friends thought that my interview day was a mistake and that no one would be in the office to meet me. But they were wrong, which was a relief me and me jet lagged body, proving that I didn't take the trek from my parents' house in Staten Island in vain.

The interview was a nice little chat pretty much. They asked me how my semester abroad was and about my euro-travels. Small talk, showed me around the small office, which I was happy about, a small tight knit group would def be more comfortable than a huge firm.

I was excited to see that they have their own NICE coffee machine, meaning this will not me the Starbuck's runs I grew accustomed to working at Conde Nast a few summers ago.

All in all, got the job, and I'm getting a sweet stipend!




Monday, January 28, 2008

So I woke up extra early, to avoid F train delays last Monday morning. It seems that all my important mornings start off with a train delay thanks so someone having a stroke or flinging themselves off a platform. Rush hour is not a time to do either of these things.

I got to the city with a half an hour to spare before having to get to Magnetik, so I wandered a bit and purchased a drink and then headed to work.
I wasn't nervous till about 15 minutes into the train ride from Brooklyn, the walk calmed me down. But as I rose up to the sixteenth floor of 350 Seventh Avenue, I began to sweat. Nerves, nerves, nerves, a reason I got a fruit smoothie instead of a coffee for my first day, I'd already be too wired on nerves.

I got to work and one of my bosses (Doug) was out of town the other (Will) was wandering about the office, and a really sweet girl Diandra, the company's account manager introuced herself.The time was nearing 10 am, and three more people came in. All male, minus me and Diandra. I suck at names but I think the names are as follows: Chuck, Adam, Chris. I could be totally wrong on at least 2 of the 3 I just listed. But I tried. Anyway, I am used to an environment of women after working at Domino Magazine, and catty gossipy ones at that! Always whispering on the phone to their neighbor. This was much quieter, but when someone spoke it was for all to hear. No secrets.

So everyone sat down for a while before doing anything. Email checking, you tubing, little chattiness. Then there was a run through of things that needed to be done for each account. I thought the atmosphere was cool till the music started. It was like early morning jungle-techno beats. It made me sweat more, thinking "great, I hate this place already" and the quietness of everyone was beginning to urk me out.

What I got off the list was the same as someone else, except it was just to get my feet wet. Which I appreciated, although I was nervous and sweaty - not taking off my cardigan to expose the stains that developed on the underpits of my very synthetic shirt.

Sooner that later I was hungry. No one had left to eat yet and it was nearing 1:30pm. Growling erupted from my stomach, but I help my composure and kept fiddling with my photoshop file for the Aquaflex drink website. When someone finally left the office about 15 minutes later, I must have looked sad and confused because the neighbor to my station ensured me that I can go out and eat lunch when ever I chose. I laughed, then ran to the microwave my pad thai that I made the previous night at home.

After eating, and fiddling with a website layout, I didn't know what to do for the remainder of the day, so I texted Jackie Sullivan to see how she was doing at her internship at KBP. She was pretty much as bored as I was, so there was a text marathon for a bit of time. Then I fiddled some more, emailed some, drank some more water, then the day was over.

Oh yea, the music changed to better towards the end of the day! And we all chatted before we left and got friendlier. Phew.





Tuesday, January 29, 2008

I arrived at my job on time, again, which is very exciting - I am terrible at keeping time. I like to blame my parents. They never seem to be able to get anywhere on time, and it seems, this defect was passed on to both of their offspring, though our lives at college and work have thus tried to alter it, the Hanna genetics are unbreakable.

I sat down and ate my banana and drank some water, immediately I was given a website banner to 'do' for people.com. This meant, adding their new "People.com" logo into their old banner and deleting the regular magazine logo. Snazzy. I really was happy about it. A legit but easy quickie for the morning.

After I was done with that there was maybe 2 hours that went by of me killing time with that photoshop file from the previous day. Then I got an assignment to make corrections on a promo piece in InDesign for Valiant, one of their clients.

Music was way better today, Belle and Sebastian type stuff all day, which I really enjoy.

As I was making corrections, I received a text from Ally Lever saying that we had an internship meeting at school from 2-3. "Crap" I thought, I just told my boss about the rare meetings and that I didn't know when they were going to happen. He said it was no problem and just to let him know. Sure enough, there was one today. Awesome. I felt like an idiot because I already said I didn't know when they were, then I had to ask to leave because we were suddenly notified.

Regardless, I left and went to school which is down the block (very convenient!) and waited around. The schools unorganized nature left both the class and the professor locked out for at least a good 15 minutes.

Things at the meeting went quick, and half the class couldn't make it so that probably helped. Then we all ran off back to out jobs.

I began to panic at work because I had to do a very semi-flat duo tone image which I don't know how to do, and without any of the pantone color specs, and too afraid to ask.
I just tried my best to match what they already did. Which I guess worked out?

Then it was time to go to get a slice of pizza with Alex Robb and Steph Adler and run to class for 6:20pm.