Today wrapped up the final "official" day of my internship with one of the coolest digital agencies in the world! In order to complete my bachelor's degree in communication, I needed to devote and finish 210 hours to an internship in my field of study. I don't think it was pure luck or chance that I ended up interning where I did. I had an absolute blast learning from such a diverse group of people and want to share my adventures of being an intern with the world. This isn't a typical Star Wars filled post, but I thought it would be fun to share some highlights from the last month of my life.

So what does an integrated marketing intern at a digital agency do? Short answer- a lot of things! Long answer- tons of tasks including writing web copy, creating social media posts, learning about Google Adwords campaigns, brainstorming ideas for company-wide newsletters, organizing creative briefs, and so much more. On top of that, I also learned the best workplaces have Nerf gun wars and random glitter bomb explosions when creativity is running low and energy needs to be amped up.

I've written tons of blogs in the past about topics that I'm familiar with, but I've never been forced to write content for businesses or products that I know absolutely nothing about. Creating original web content for local companies was one of my favorite challenges as an intern. After writing tons of copy for different places, I feel like I know a little bit about almost every kind of business now varying from plastic surgery procedures to air conditioning installations! I loved that my boss tossed projects my way that were secretly intimidating to me because it gave me the confidence to figure out new skills without having someone there to hold my hand every step of the way.

First day as a production assistant

All smiles after waking up at 3:30am to interview runners!

During my time at the digital agency, I also had the opportunity to work with their in-house video production company. I've always been a fan of film and television, but I never realized how much hard work and time goes into video projects- even the small ones! While working with the production crew, I had the chance to experience some once-in-a-lifetime moments that will forever change my life. I got to see young girls with disabilities dance away the best evening of their life at Night to Shine, interview breast cancer survivors at the DONNA run, and film medical advancements like the 3D printing of body parts from human stem cells. During all of these tasks, I never felt like just a production assistant. I wasn't the coffee girl or the kid that was responsible for taking and fetching lunch orders. I felt like a valuable member of the team and that is something I will always cherish and remember if I ever have assistants of my own someday. My awesome supervisors saw my potential and taught me how to handle big tasks like editing videos in Final Cut, organizing and effectively communicating information for large shoots, and paying attention to all of the little details that add up to a successful final product.

PA today, director tomorrow. Hah!

As a production assistant, I also learned that film crews have their own kind of lingo and unspoken codes. I quickly learned to "fail fast" and pick up on what not to do as a PA. Here are the top five favorite things that I learned:

1) Don't stand in the doorway on set, ever. Everyone will know you're the production assistant.

2) Craft service is the greatest. Free food + endless supply of snacks = a very happy crew!

3) Comfortable shoes are key. You will be standing all day and cute flats aren't so cute at the end of the day when your toes are swollen.

4) If you don't carry a Sharpie on you at all times, you will get scolded. Having a roll of tape on you isn't a bad idea either.

5) Sleep is for the weak. Get accustomed to 5:00am call times.

All in all, I have to say that interning has been one of the greatest and most rewarding experiences of my life. I never expected to learn so many skills and meet so many incredibly talented people in such a short amount of time. To Roxie, Greg, Chris, Gary, Priya, Kristen, Quincy, Brian, Tamara, and Jimmy- you guys are the best. The last month wouldn't have been nearly as amazing without you guys. I hope this Star Wars fangirl brightened your corner of the office just a little bit during my time there!

My "Jedi Masters" Greg and Chris