Interning [long rant]

This past week, on Wednesday, was my last day at my internship. I had to sign a confidentiality agreement so I can’t say any of the specific stuff that I worked on even though I don’t think anyone there knows that I have this blog. Basically, all I did was put together a learning library and help the CEO with his personal blog.

Sounds fancy schmancy, right? Not really. It’s a small local business in a very small office. At the interview I thought, “hmm…this place is cozy. working here won’t be so bad.” I was wrong.

Problem #1: The office was always freezing! When it was still really very cold out, they had the heater set to 68F and it was on energy saver so it would only turn on for a short bit every hour. I’m anemic and haven’t been taking my iron pills for quite some time because I always forget so this was not fun. Aside from shivering my bum off, when I get cold, I get really, really sleepy. It’s like I’m a narcoleptic. Put me in a cold room and I’ll collapse on the spot.

Problem #2: Sooooo quiet! There was hardly any talking. The only person that would talk the most was the CEO and he wasn’t always in the office. There was one day when I was having a drink of my water and it went down the wrong way. I have never felt more uncomfortable with the urge/need to cough in my life. But I did anyways. Did anyone ask if I was alright? No.

Problem #3: No styrofoam. This isn’t a huge deal since I would always bring a turkey sandwich wrapped in aluminum foil from home but there were a couple times when I decided “you know what? I’m tired of turkey sandwiches…I want a burger!” So I walked down the block to a pizza place, asked for my burger, came back to the office to eat said burger, and then was told not to bring styrofoam into the office. I can’t control what the restaurant gives me my food in! I’ve never even been to that place before! Did I try to control what the restaurant gave me my food in next time though? Yes, because I didn’t want to upset them again. Did the restaurant give my food just wrapped in foil sans styrofoam like I asked? No. So there I was in the office, like a squirrel protecting its peanut stash and trying to hide the evidence of my styrofoam. They saw it. They didn’t say anything this time but I still brought it home to throw away here instead of at the office.

Problem #4: Googling. As college students, I’m sure everyone has done the majority of their research by googling the topic. Not so bad, right? Well how about doing that for 17 unpaid hours a week about a topic that you don’t really care all that much about? That is what I did. Every. Single. Day.

Problem #5: Being locked out. This happened twice. The first time, I got there, the door was locked. I don’t have a smartphone and didn’t have their cell phone numbers programmed into my phone. Not knowing what to do, I thought “hey, maybe the flower shop owner next door knows if they’re there or not.” So I went to ask. He didn’t know but he did let me use his computer to check my email and get their phone numbers. Where were they? At a kitchen down the block having lunch. Could they not have called, texted, or left me a note on the door?! The second time, I immediately thought they were having lunch in the kitchen again so I went straight there. Walked in, said hello to the chef, asked if she’s seen them, she says she hasn’t. I call my supervisors cell phone.

Her: “Oh did you get my email?”
Me: “No…”
Her: “Oh, well you didn’t need to come in today. The heater is broken and it’s too cold to work in there. I didn’t have your number so I sent you an email.”

You didn’t have my number?? It’s on my resume that you have and I called your cell phone the last time!

Problem #6: Not being given information. After the incidents in problem #5, they decided that I should get my own key to the office. Hooray, I’m trusted! They told me (shocker) that I would be alone for the first part of the day the next time that I would be there. I got there, walked in, locked myself in to be safe, set my stuff down and got to work. Couple hours later a guy shows up with a broom and a shovel.

Him: “I’m here for the dead rodent in the basement.”
Me: “Uh…Did you speak to ****?”

I decided I should call the CEO even though I knew he was at a meeting. He told me that he was expecting that guy and that I could let him in if I felt safe. So I let him in.

Problem #7: Rumors. The girl who works there who I guess was sort of my mini-supervisor asked me to go over some stuff that I worked on with the CEO and fix any grammatical mistakes and then incorporate them into the learning library. I did the first half but since I was almost done with the section of the learning library that I was working on, I went back to that. My plan was to do the second half of what she told me after I finished that section. I told her this the next time we spoke and then I found out at my final review this week that she told the CEO that I didn’t do any of what she told me to do!

Despite all these problems I have had with them, I was still looking forward to working there once my internship was over. Oh wait, did I forget to mention that the CEO said that they want me to stay there forever? Well he did! So here I am, all chipper-like. I got a key to the office, got a job lined up after graduation. Life is good. But then Problem #7 had to jump out from around the corner and knock me flat on my keester. At the final review, I was also told that I was too quiet (*ahem* problem #2), was told what mini-supervisor said, and finally said that I was not a teamworker. Really? Did I not just spend over 150 freezing hours, straining my neck, looking up tedious bits of information, lend you my $400 digital camera with a 4gb and 2 gb memory cards, two batteries, and a mini tripod so you can take pictures and video at a high school cooking competition? And now I’m “not a teamworker.” Well you know what? I’m not sorry that I eat out of styrofoam because that’s what the restaurant gives me and I can’t control what they use!