by Nujhat Nabeela
“Should I apply for this job? Am I going to make it? Maybe I shouldn’t, but I really should at least try. How will I know if I don’t try…”
This was the ongoing dialogue going through my head before I applied for my Summer Intern position—Digital Community and Research Lead, at the Ryerson Career Centre. Back in April, I simply was not sure if I should put in the next hour or two to apply for this job as I had a final exam coming up in two days. Well, I am glad I did put in the time and effort to prepare for this job interview. If I did not, I would not have gained all the experiences I have achieved over the summer and become a part of the Ryerson Career Centre. It has been the summer where I did not waste a single day. Every single day, I learned. And had fun, too!
Day 1: I was excited, but scared as well. I did not know what everyone would be like, however, that little scared part of me soon was just as excited and not afraid anymore. How did that happen? It happened because of the intensive one week long welcome training. I found all the staff to be very supportive, informative, and passionate about what they do and that made me even more excited to start working on my own project. It was a training like no other. This training did not only focus on my job duties, it focused on team bonding, where I got to know all the other student interns, RCC staff, and SA Creative staff. There was also a section that simply focused on me. That was a surprise. The training helped me think about who I really am, what my personality is, what my short term and long term goals are, and how these can help me achieve my goals for the summer and beyond.
An Altered Landscape
Till now, I had only been a student at Ryerson University. But, all of a sudden, now I was a student intern. “Student Intern”—these words made me feel as if I now had a lot more responsibilities on my shoulder. I did not only represent Ryerson as a student but also as an employee. All of a sudden, I just became much more concerned about what was going on at Ryerson. During the summer, I was not only working full-time, but I was also studying full-time. I did not only have school projects to worry about, but I also had Career Centre projects that I had to work on. I dressed up in professional clothing every day. Suddenly, I felt like an Adult. I woke up for work at 7 in the morning and got home at 10 at night after I finished my classes. Life was busy, but I was happy. Why? Because I was very much occupied with work, I had great supervisors, and I was working on projects that I was very much interested in. I was learning so many new things about Ryerson, and I just loved it.
Relationships, Anew
Through this position, I have been able to meet many individuals and it has been a life changing experience for me. In this position, I did not have one supervisor but three. Does that sound intimidating to you? It sure did to me when I found out. Little did I know, that these supervisors were some of the most amazing mentors I would ever come across. Rebecca and Tang were my project supervisors and Caroline was the main supervisor, overlooking both the projects. They did not only tell me what I am good at, but also provided me with constructive feedback that would not only help me succeed in the intern position but also in the future no matter where I would work. Also, through this position, I got the privilege of working with most of the employees at the Career Centre. Additionally, I got to collaborate with SA Creative and other departments at Ryerson University as well.
Great Expectations
I really do hope that I met everyone’s expectations at the Ryerson Career Centre while I was working here over the summer. My expectations from this job certainly did meet; in fact I gained more than I expected. Through the projects assigned to me, I learned a tonne of information about Ryerson and some of its programs. I was able to work on my communication skills, especially oral skills. Did I mention how I had 4 presentations to make in one week? It was intimidating but I definitely got better each time I presented to a different group. I met some great individuals while working here and I intend on keeping in touch with them for a long time.
All in all I had a great summer full of learning experiences. I am very excited for the projects that I am working on and I can’t wait for this project to launch. I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to “intern” at the Ryerson Career Centre and provide assistance and am looking forward to the rest of the semester.
But my perspective is just one side of the story. Join Rebecca, a Career Centre advisor, as she shares her side of the tale at RyersonStudentAffairs.com.
