TOP 3: Goodbye
For some reason, this song has began to play in my head: “na na na na na na na na hey hey hey goodbye” this may be my last post as an Intern for the Oklahoman, but hopefully it is not my last blogging experience (As I am in the process of creating a real blog site that I continue the TOP 3 blog. Today I want to reminisce, although I’m not completely finished with my internship. As we revisit my first TOP 3 goals I wanted to reach while here at the Oklahoman, lets take a look to see if I actually completed those goals.
1.) I hope to walk away with 10 new articles for my portfolio. If everything I completed is published at this moment ( I know some will be published later this month) I reached my goal of having 10 articles for my portfolio. Whether I will use them or not is another blog post for another day….by the way, I’m hoping to finish at least three more which will bring my total to 13.
2.) I want to learn a new skill to enhance my marketability as a multimedia journalist. I learned how to use CCI. Does this count for anything? I don’t know I guess that depends upon what news company I will work for.
3.) I want to learn the basics of SEO. (In my defense, everything presented in orientation that one time was too complicated at that moment. Since I’ve mentally prepared myself, it should be easier next time around if I ever get to it. I didn’t quite get to learn more about SEO here at the Oklahoman, but just because I’m leaving it doesn’t mean I have to stop studying. This will be a goal I can look forward to accomplishing.
What’s next for me…Job search…AmeriCorps…non-stop aggressive campaigning for a job (I know it sounds stalkerish, but I want a job in journalism). I hope this blog has been just as entertaining for you as it has been for me.
Rose and Thorn
When President Obama first took office I remember reading about a tradition he and his family had. They would sit together at the end of each day and select the rose and thorn or high and low of each day. I’m sure plenty of families do this but that was my first time hearing about this practice. Since it’s my last day I’m going to go share the rose and thorn of my internship experience.
Rose: Finally finishing my amusement park story.
I received the assignment my first day here but it took until nearly my last week before I saw it published. It was a new experience to write a story that combined history (and a LOT of it) and personal stories. It took a long time to get it right but once I saw the story, both it’s print and online version (shown below), all the hard work felt worth it.
Screen Shot of Thrills Gone By
To read Thrills gone by – Amusement parks in Oklahoma click here.
Rose (because sometimes they have two buds): Getting to meet all the wonderful people at The Oklahoman & having my first print newsroom experience.
Everyone was so nice and helpful. It was just great to be able to spend my summer with such a well respected company and learn from everyone. (Oh no I’m getting all sentimental.)
Thorn: Getting in the groove of things with one week left.
I did freelance work for a hometown paper and my school paper but I never spent much time in the newsroom. I spent quite a while feeling like a fish out of water and really only began to get in the groove last week. This last thing on my list reminds me of a wonderful 80s movie quote, so I’ll end with that.
TOP 3: Intern
My time as an intern is almost over here at the Oklahoman. I haven’t been blogging much this week, because I am extremely busy trying to reach personal goals I set for myself when I first began. Does anyone remember the Top 3: Things I want to accomplish at the Oklahoman post? I am a little sad to be going, but excited about what my future may hold. Can anyone say AmeriCorps. So today, I want to share with the TOP 3: Things I’ve learned about interning.
Word cloud made with WordItOut
1.) Never be afraid to ask questions - In whatever field your in, professionals who have been in the business have accumulated wisdom. Most professionals, not all I warn, are willing to mentor newcomers and dare I say teach them the ropes. They make themselves available to answer questions one may have. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had questions for other journalists in the News and Information Center at OPUBCO. When I asked, other journalists were more than willing to help. Besides, asking questions can keep you from screwing things up.
2.) Always take advantage of company offers - At OPUBCO, employees are given many opportunities to grow. The same goes for Interns. Interns are not just interns; they are treated as employees which is one reason why I’ve loved my time here. Among the many opportunities offered to OPUBCO interns is a writing coach. Because I attended at least one coaching session, I left with tips to improve my writing which will help me after I leave the company. Sometimes taking advantage of personal development workshops and events can be added to your resume if you participate.
3.) Make yourself stand out for something – If you’re comfortable with just doing enough to get by, step out of your comfort zone. Interns who don’t push themselves to achieve the very best may stand out for all the wrong reasons. I believe everyone in the OPUBCO Summer 2011 Internship class was recognized with different awards for contributions that were made. Certificates from companies hold a lot of merit when your looking for a job. Employers are going to want to know what you contributed. In addition, you never know if your internship is going to lead to a job. The company is not going to hire someone who just showed up and did a small amount of work just to say something was done.
