By Madeline Lau
Recent events have launched my wonderful significant other into the role of “boss” at his family’s meat company. Every day he is in charge of orders, invoices, workers, payroll and the myriad other items that come with boss duties. Yet, occasionally he has time to call and nicely encourage his hardworking girlfriend to keep slogging along in the workforce as – an intern.
Yes, it is true. I have entered the world of internships, veering dangerously close to that vague and terrifying “real world” – actual long-term careers with benefits and stuff.
I feel I may have waxed about employment before but seeing as it’s an enormous and nonnegotiable part of life I think the topic warrants revisiting!
Before you get all depressed thinking about your little small-town columnist entering the adult job force, don’t fret! I stayed local working for Oregon State Parks and am having a ball. My job includes planning and presenting interpretive (meaning, educational and fun) programs for the public and working on various interesting projects that float by my desk.
I reside in a cozy gray cubicle that I’ve decorated with magazine clipping collages and a ton of books. It always helps to have a lot of books lying about one’s work environment – adds to the appearance of intellectual clout.
Over my cube and into the next division are a few work friends who I met while wandering through the labyrinthine cube maze that is our first floor. They are lovely, friendly people who are always quick to give a restaurant recommendation or moral and ethical work-related advice.
I once had to consult a coworker on how to break the news to someone that he wasn’t enthusiastic enough for a project we were working on. Weird news to break, but my coach came through for me and I was able to safely and gently deliver the message.
But life isn’t all fun and games and chatting with coworkers working for the state! Currently, I am mired in projects that must be completed before our big event of the season: the Oregon State Fair. Did you know the Fair is now run by Oregon Parks and Recreation Department? And we are doing a darn good job with it if I do say so myself!
This year, I recommend you take a moment to come watch me embarrass myself presenting on various topics at our Natural Resources stage. This is not a plug for the fair; I am giving you an opportunity to make fun of me for eons to come!
Even if that weren’t enough motivation, the presentations on our stage will be very educational and fun and I would recommend them whether or not I was involved.
In a few weeks I once again go back to hitting the books (and being a blissfully unemployed college student!) but I will miss many things about my first dunk in the intern pool. I would miss it more if I didn’t know that there will probably be a lot more dunks, splashes and swims to come.
The road to long-term employment is paved with cheerful interns desperate to make a good first impression!
Now maybe I can get my boyfriend to hire me…
