At the Finish Line
After school ended early for me, the first week of May, I remember thinking to myself, “Wow, I am finally meeting everyone in person soon. I will be in New York City and Washington, D.C. living my best first moments of the summer.” When I received my flight confirmation, I felt my heart surge with excitement as the blood rushed to my chest. Now as I look up at my calendar all I can say is, “Wow, what a quick summer.” My days feel long while working from my computer at home. In the blink of an eye, I reminisce about the rainy walks my class and I took from Central Park to Times Square, and to the Brooklyn Bridge. I can still hear cars honking every second, the smell of sewer water and the sun peeking through the sides of tall buildings.
Being in New York was full of long and adventurous days but as I look down at the date, those moments were so long ago. Now I blink again and I’m in the hotel meeting room, getting to know NMSHSA staff, the other interns, and other professional people. I recall little moments such as the chatter from different conversations going on and little footsteps and a bell clacking from Cleo’s puppy. It seems as though I am reliving the moment listening to people in downtown DC talking on the phone, walking in a rush, speaking different languages, but as soon as I open my eyes, I am back sitting in my chair facing my computer.
Being an intern virtually has taught me the value of enjoying those little in person moments. Every social event I attend I practice having my mind in the moment and avoid thinking of anything else but what is happening in that experience. At the beginning of my internship, I was stressed. I did not know how to communicate professionally through email, and I did not know how to balance my schedule or routine.
Now that I am at the finish line, I have created a habit of focusing on my work during work and afterwards focusing on myself at the end of the day. I have gained new skills and created so many connections outside of my community. As Cleo always reminded us, “Once you choose to accept the NMSHSA internship program, we chose to have a new family.” He is right, they have made me feel wanted, important, and unique. There is no other program like NMSHSA’s Summer Internship Program.