The greatest highlight for me was working at the Chamber of Commerce. I learned so much from Tyson Willis and his vision for Tulia. Discussing the plans he has in mind and actually seeing them come to life, was very interesting to me. The more we discussed things, the more I was able to open my eyes to other possible career opportunities. My main project was community service. I have been involved in many programs, but none that required community service. Giving of my time to help serve the community made me realize how important it is to do just that – give. There are people within the community, genuinely in need, and I took great pride in being able to help them through the Meals on Wheels Program. The completion of this internship was definitely a success! I attempted to quit before the process even began. However, my mother didn’t allow me to do so and instead, she pushed me and guided me throughout this process. I would say my biggest challenge throughout this internship was feeling comfortable communicating with people I did not know. I definitely feel like I have gained a huge amount of confidence in this area. The final outcomes for me are learning better communication skills, learning to utilize community programs, and learning the meaning and reasoning behind good work ethic.
At the beginning of this process, I wasn’t exactly sure how I felt about the internship, much less how I would accomplish working, preparing blogs, and making time for community service. The one thing I learned I had to do first was to prioritize. In order to achieve my communication goal, I had to first learn to get out of my comfort zone. That meant talking to people I did not know and approaching management and fellow employees with questions that I had, without feeling afraid or anxious. It didn’t happen overnight, but day by day, I became more confident in myself in communicating with others.
Leadership isn’t really something I am accustomed too, I tend to follow the crowd. However, during this internship, there was no one to follow. I had to learn to step in and take charge of some duties by myself. That has definitely helped me gain confidence in who I am as an individual. I know later on in life, I will no longer be a follower, but rather be unafraid to step up and take initiative. My mother has always talked to me about establishing a good rapport within the community. I never really understood exactly what that meant, much less how important it is now and later on in life. But I understand now, through the process of this internship, how establishing a good relationship with management, fellow employees, and board members of different organizations can help you both personally and professionally.
Word of mouth is everything, especially in a small community. So many people have told my mother what a great job I have done, how kind or polite I am, and that I am a joy to work with. This has meant so much to me, but also meant a lot to my family also! To know I’ve put my best foot forward in this process, people have taken notice, and gone as far as to share it with my family. I know when I start college and begin my employment, I will have established some good relationships, and hopefully have future references to help me reach my goals.
