Welcome to our 5 Things I Learned blog series, where students from all colleges and majors share the UNH experience that changed everything for them and what they learned from it. From studying abroad and summer internships to research and leadership in student organizations, follow along to see what you can learn by stepping out of your comfort zone and saying "yes" to that new opportunity on our campus.
Jade '24, an English/Journalism and Communication double major, spent the summer of 2023 working at FRONTLINE as a Special Projects & Digital Video Intern in Boston. Jade discovered that you can improve projects by leaning into your own unique background and interests and learned how to keep networking even after your internship ends. Here are five things Jade learned:
1. Organizing and tracking daily tasks
One of the most useful tools I had during my internship was a digital tracker/planner. My manager actually created a template for me when I was onboarding, and I continued to use it for all nine weeks! It was organized by week and each day had a separate box for me to bullet point tasks, meetings and reminders. Then, I would cross each task off. Not only was it beneficial for me to track progress and keep a history of my work, but it also helped me to inform my manager and team members of what I was up to. Now that I’ve finished my internship, it’s been helpful for me to reference specific tasks I worked on when updating my resume and writing cover letters.
2. Creating an efficient work environment
I was a predominantly virtual worker, so making sure I had a clean and mostly quiet workspace was essential. I always made sure my materials were organized and kept something nearby to take quick notes on. It was also important for me to take walks or stretch throughout the day! I often get kind of cramped or restless when I sit for a long time, so moving around helped me take quick breaks. And in the long run, these shorter periods where I’d move around boosted my productivity at work.
3. Taking on new challenges
I would try to remind myself that I was there for a reason and capable of things that felt uncomfortable or outside of my expertise. This helped me not only to take on and complete tasks, but also to feel motivated to express new ideas. One idea I had in particular led to me creating my own multimedia video. I felt nervous at first because of the quick turnaround, collaborative aspects in branding and independent creative direction, but everything worked out. Because I felt confident enough in myself to pursue my idea, I was able to create a project that I was proud of. Additionally, my team members were supportive and encouraged me to try.
Photo Credit: Diego Luis Dela Cruz
4. Leaning into my background and interests
As an intern, you’re clearly not going to be the most knowledgeable in the room (and you shouldn’t be)! But that doesn’t mean you don’t know anything or can’t bring anything valuable to the table. We all come from unique backgrounds with unique interests, so you shouldn’t be afraid to let these parts of yourself shine. For example, one project I assisted on was branding for a new documentary series. I was able to contribute marketing and branding examples from companies that resonate within my age group. This was valuable to my team because I was able to provide resources to them that I could confidently say reflected the audience they were trying to hit.
5. Maintaining connections after my internship
Just because your internship ends doesn’t mean you can’t talk to your team or company ever again. Ideally, you’ve created connections and positive relationships among your coworkers. One thing that I do is reach out every semester or so to my past managers to check in with them. I usually ask about what projects they’re up to, inform them of recent work experiences I’ve had and what I’m hoping to do in the coming semester. Maintaining these relationships has helped lead me to new opportunities and connections in their networks.
related posts:
5 Things I Learned as an Intern for the Division of Administrative Law Appeals
Hayley '25 talks about interning for the Division of Administrative Law Appeals. While being the youngest person in a government office can be intimidating, Hayley learned the importance of asking questions, speaking up and trusting yourself as an intern. read more about hayley
