So today was my awkward first day of my internship at Vision Creative Solutions. Officially I’m a Marketing Assistant which means I’ll be doing a little bit of everything. It was a good first day, but I’m an overly nervous human being so I freaked out about it last night.
I did a lot of watching/shadowing today to get the hang of things. I got to try my hand at some search engine optimization, copyediting/ proofing, and I even came up with a website outline for a possible client.
And then I ripped my pants. I wish this was an internet joke. It was just like the Spongebob song. I went to sit down in a partially broken chair and caught the back of my pants of the metal arm that was sticking out. Granted I only had an hour left and it was only visible up close when I was standing, but it was still very embarrassing.
So my reason for sharing this terrible story with the internet is just to offer a reminder that everyone has awkward first days. I get so caught up in worrying about things like my first day at my internship, but there are steps to prevent catastrophe. Even if a catastrophe happens (and you rip your pants or something less shameful), you will survive it and show up to work for another day.
So here are my tips:
1.Get sleep– I don’t sleep well when I’m nervous, but last night I went to bed several hours earlier than usual to give myself a chance. I prefer the method of watching mindless tv until my eyes droop, but do what works for you.
2. Get up early– I always hate this advice, but when I got up about 30mins early this morning, I left just about on time. I happened to not be feeling great, so my getting ready process was slowed down. It’s better to be early than late. Just have something to keep you busy as you wait to go in.
3. Get stuff ready the night before – I couldn’t find some of the paperwork I was looking for this morning. It happens. Lay out your outfit, your keys, and everything else you need.
4. Keep a smile on– The first day is probably going to be overwhelming. Keep smiling and be friendly/ polite. You may not have a hang of everything yet, but keep it together. You’ll get it, and leave a positive impression.
5. Don’t rip your pants– Well that’s a no-brainer really. My real tip is just to remember, tomorrow is another day. Even if something tragic happens, you’ll survive it and do better next time. It’s very unlikely that your boss will expect you to be perfect from the start.
Katelyn Garmong 