creating this post to see if anyone else is going through their first/new internships this year, as i wna ask - how’s it going for yall!! please feel free to share your experiences, i would love to hear them!
personally, office life and working in a company is really new to me and im learning a lot! however, there are days where i feel extremely tired and drained (especially since my job revolves around people), and at times i start to question whether this job is right for me… But, i’m trying to be patient with myself and celebrate the small wins everyday (like rewarding myself with mala after a long day at work )
so if you’re seeing this (it doesn’t have be an internship) and you’re trying something new recently but feel a little discouraged, i just want to tell you that you’re not alone and im rooting for you!!! we’re in this together and i believe better days await us
Thanks for starting this thread—it’s really comforting to hear from someone going through similar things .
I’m currently interning at a lab, which is a whole new experience for me , but thankfully not too overwhelming. My seniors have been super kind and helpful in easing us in, so the transition has been quite smooth. It’s also mostly remote, which has made things a lot less stressful .
Last year was actually my first time in an office setting, and honestly, it was terrifying at first —everyone was constantly busy and had really important roles to play. I also had a mentor for the first time, which was completely new to me, but over time I learned how to better manage my time , conserve my energy, and communicate more confidently with others .
This time around, I’m hoping to stretch myself more, learn as much as I can, and just keep growing bit by bit . Wishing you all the best in your internship too!! Let’s keep going—you’re doing great!
oooo omg that sounds really interesting!! yay we love work from home daysss - mine’s mostly remote too!!
i’m glad that you managed to learn more about yourself through your work experience - like managing your time and interaction with others!! that’s really nice :-)) i’m sure you’re doing great too and happy end of week hehe
Been quite sometime after my first intern experience. But it was truly transformative. From easing my anxieties about work to making me a more confident person , it was my best experience since joining poly. I felt refreshed seeing different people working under the same roof , especially since in poly, I was always on self directed learning at home. My social brain had a feast at intern ! That had an impact on my work quality too, making me more productive.
To @knd , I’m interested in interning at a lab too! Can you share more if you can? Thanks .
Hey @lovelychange, it’s so nice to hear that your first intern experience was such a good one! And it’s great that you enjoy social situations—internships really are a great way to meet new people. I’m more of an introvert myself, so I usually socialise only when I want to—but I agree that teamwork is super important, and there’s space for all types of interns, thankfully!
As for my experience interning at a lab, it really depends on the field. I’m in psych, and since I’m still new, we mainly help with data cleaning—basically checking if things were recorded accurately by comparing them with raw data and editing where needed. It’s mostly independent and flexible, which I appreciate during the holidays!
We also have occasional in-person meetings to discuss academic papers with postdocs and senior lab members. I haven’t joined one yet, but we’re expected to pre-read the paper and mostly listen in—but we can ask questions or share thoughts if we’d like.
If you’re keen on a lab internship, I suggest emailing professors whose work interests you—it shows initiative. Also, check out A*STAR internships; they’ve got lots of great opportunities that are worth a shot!
Wah so good, yr home environ comf enough to do Wfh? For me not possible i have to be there at office. But its just as well coz its warm and my parents noisy.