This summer I interned at Breslow Partners, a PR agency in Rittenhouse Square. In the midst of managing social media, planning events and gaining publicity for clients, I’ve also spent time doing unexpected things at my internship that I consider are more than just public relations.
So without further ado, here is a list of those 10 fun and unexpected things:
1. Learned how to use the subway
Ubering to work every morning became pricey. Dreadfully, I turned to SEPTA. The first time I entered the underground car, I was on edge, just waiting to get lost. Now, I feel comfortable taking the subway and even find the ride to Center City therapeutic.
2. Walked a dog in the neighborhood
My boss’s puppy, Nicky, is the office favorite! Sometimes during work breaks, I took him out for a stroll around the quaint Rittenhouse neighborhood. It’s a work experience I will definitely put on my resume (kidding).
3. Ate Federal Donuts for the first time
When we received a Federal Donuts delivery one day, I didn’t understand the hype at first. But let me tell you, these are NO ordinary donuts. Warm, fresh, and sugary sweet, they melt right in your mouth! If you haven’t tried them yet, I highly recommend it.
4. Modeled
For one of our client’s social media, I hand modeled with a warm hoagie. I also did a mini video shoot, where I pretended to have finished a race, followed by drinking beer, which spilled all over me because I couldn’t bear to drink it (ew). Overall, it was incredibly fun and something I’d LOVE to do again.
5. Tried peaches for the first time
Strangely, I have never eaten a peach until I worked at my internship this summer. I remember clearly saying, “Wow, this is now my favorite fruit.” This was minutes before I felt an allergic reaction to the peach. Needless to say, I spoke too soon.
6. Received free clothing
While helping out with several events and assisting clients, my fellow interns and I received free t-shirts — and there is nothing better than a free t-shirt. Even my boss was generous enough to give us cute hand-me-downs, which we wear proudly!
7. Helped an older woman create a dating profile
Yes, in the midst of interning, I somehow managed to help an older woman create her long-awaited dating profile. I snapped her pictures and upped her game, which made me realize, I’d make a pretty good social media manager.
8. Became a sports fan
My client was a sports bar/restaurant, and in order to appeal to their audience (sports lovers), I had to BE the audience. As someone who didn’t really care about sports before, learning about it took a lot of time. Even so, by the end I felt more of an appreciation for not just sports like football, soccer, and basketball, but also the Philly teams that represent them. So in that case, GO BIRDS!
9. Tried cotton candy grapes for the first time
These ones did not give me an allergic reaction, thankfully. They were delicious and gave me the best kind of sugar rush actually.
10. Made some of my best friends
Close quarters makes close friends, and having best friends at work always gave me something to look forward to. As cheesy as this sounds, I can now say I have friends for life because of my internship.
Now that I have these unexpected things listed, I can prepare myself for what IS expected: enjoying my senior year!
This blog post was written by Haniya Shariff, Director of Diversity and Inclusion.