Testing, Testing

Oh, internships. Oh, interns. Oh, to be an unpaid intern in a city where, without interns, NOTHING would function (versus only a few things that run currently. The DC metro system must not have any interns...that's why it struggles). With an internship, you feel like a real person who's going places. You get all dressed up at the crack of dawn because you have PLACES TO BE! FOR YOU ARE INTERN!!! Let's be honest, when you see your peers walking down the street in their suit and tie or high heels with the I'm-in-a-rush-because-I-have-a-life face on, you think, wow. They must have it together. Don't believe it. Behind the polished exterior lies a freaked out, stressed out individual who is also juggling a full course load, clubs, extra-curriculars, gym time, a significant other, happy hour and a million drains on the wallet in addition to also trying to figure out what on earth they want to do with themselves for the rest of their lives. Oh, to be an intern.

But I'm not here to philosophize (that's a lie, that's exactly what I'm supposed to be doing.) I'm supposed to be writing about life in the trenches. About what exactly being an intern entails. It's comprised of doing the boring admin work that no one else wants to do and way more time on a computer than is strictly healthy. But, it's also comprised of some of the most rewarding experiences of your college years. You learn about things you had no idea existed, deal with all sorts of amazingly well read, intelligent, important people and gain a skill set that will hold you over for the rest of your life. Being an intern is usually pretty darn cool. Except for the relative lack of monetary compensation involved.
The bottom line is, internships are the testing grounds. It's where college kids can find their passion, and employers can find the best and the brightest to take not only DC (remember we're responsible not only for the city, but what happens inside of it) but everyone to infinity and beyond.