I’ve been a Design Intern at Faculty Commons (FC) since the fall of 2014. During this time I have learned many things that I probably would not have learned otherwise. Each semester spent there has been an opportunity for me grow as a designer and a person. This semester was no different.

At this point I have been at my internship for a while, so the experience for me is not as new as it was for some of my classmates. Some important lessons that they were just now learning—how to create and resumé, for example—I had already learned when I was applying to FC. But even though I was not as green as my classmates, thanks to them and my internship class I learned a lot this semester.

Throughout the semester the things that I had learned at FC were expounded on, and that provided a clarity that is crucial for me to have, because I am close to entering the work force. Creating a proper portfolio, going to networking events; these are things that I had never done before, because I never had to. But my internship class made it so I had to do them, and through doing them I learned a bit more about how to be a designer. How to present my work in a neat, and cohesive fashion, and how to step out of my comfort zone by going to an event and talking to other designers. I also learned from my classmates, who, during their internships, encountered problems that I never have. Listening to how they deal with these issues, or helping them to think them through during class has given me a point of reference for when I eventually run into those problems myself.

But the main lesson that I am taking with me from this semester, is the biggest challenge I encountered; time management. 2017 Fall Semester has opened my eyes to how absolutely crucial good time management is if you want to be successful in life. And yes I said life, because no matter what career path you choose the walk, you will need this tool. This was my first time having a multitude of things to do, and not a lot of time to do them and as you can probably guess I very quickly started to fall behind. And while I did manage to get all my projects done one time, I was not as on top of the ball as I should have been. Not enough to thrive in a real world work environment.

It has been an educational 4 months, and I am thankful for it. The class paired with a hectic semester at FC has given a notion of what it will be like working as a designer in the real world. And thanks to that I now know a bit more about what I need in order to be successful.