What did I learn through my internship?

At my leaving breakfast with some of the wonderful people I worked with (apologies for the iPhone picture)

When I started my internship, 3 months ago, it was the first time I had worked in a 'proper' job that relates to my degree and the first time I had worked 9-5 in an office. I was doing marketing for City Gateway, a charity that focuses on bridging the gap between the affluent and deprived which is so common in much of London.  Before I started I had a few worries and whilst it's all still fresh in my mind I thought I would reflect on them. So here goes, the things I learnt in my internship:

Having had pretty bad attendance at school, college and then uni the concept of complete routine scared me. I'm so used to working on my own and having the freedom which that brings, like making the most of sunny days. Thankfully, the world of 9-5 isn't as terrible as I had previously thought, it brings about a different sense of fulfilment daily. It's also really nice working in a team where people can bounce ideas and express different point of view.

I already knew this, but there is a big gap of proactivity and organisation missing in my skill set, this leads to procrastination and things taking longer and being more frustrating than they should. I certainly learnt that if you want something to be a lot less stressful then plan it all thoroughly. I vow to take this lesson wherever I go.

It was certainly a boost in confidence, always working on your own means you start forgetting what your skills are. Working with a varied group of people was great and it meant I could reasses where my giftings are. 

Sometimes it's really great to push your comfort zones because you find out it wasn't as scary as you first thought aka excel (which I used to avoid like the plague) didn't kill me.

I've learnt lots about how people feel valued and how is best to communicate that value in order to have a cohesive and happy team. An add-on to this is that I've realised what a joyous privilege it is working with Matt as a team doing photography, so THANK YOU to all your gorgeous brides and grooms who make this possible.

And finally, as someone who has never really thought about a 'professional career' I now see what a blessing it is to live in London, a blessing I never would have guessed. There are so many opportunities and jobs and open doors. Although I'd love to live on a cliff next to a forest by a mountain with birds that sing, it would never have given me the opportunities London does. I had a really interesting, educating and fun time at City Gateway and it's really made me think about what I may be capable of ;)

I have my dissertation due in a couple of weeks and start a new job at a bridal shop any day now, hopefully I can get back to blogging soon because I have so many crafty things I want to share!

Has 9-5 always felt normal to you?