Anyone that knows me is fully aware of the fear that I hold towards the “real world.” Going into my senior year at Valpo, the interrogation of what I am doing after graduation is in full swing. While I am still at the point where I cringe when I sense the conversation heading in that direction, I am beginning to feel comfortable in my answer: “I don’t really know, but I’m trying to figure it out.” I don’t hide the fact I am nervous about the future, but I know being afraid of the future will not help me figure things out. Be that as it may, this internship is serving as a stepping-stone for my career, as well as being largely empowering. During a meeting last week, my boss once again triggered my excitement to work in community development. We were discussing the upcoming focus group conversations when my […]

I got lost three times the morning of my first day and ended up asking for directions to my office while literally ten steps away from the front door. Of course, tears were accumulating in my eyes and I was sweating like I just finished playing an intense game of FIFA soccer, but I made it on time (two minutes early to be exact). My day in the office started with a tour of our massive building along with learning all about its history (sorry, I was too focused on controlling my sweat to pay attention). However, the tour did include the discovery of free candy and coffee for the interns, which instantly made me gain five pounds. Next, my boss sat me down in her office to give me the incredibly detailed overview of what our project really was; I was excited, overwhelmed, nervous, and extremely inspired to take […]