Nick on the Go

Long time no write,

I took a break from this blog for a few months because there was so much going on in my life and I had no creativity and the energy to write. Now I’m back and more refreshed than ever.

While I was away I ended up completing the internship that I had started in June. so this post is a continuation of what I started discussing here. That internship at the Naples Botanical Garden ended up being one of the most eye opening and beneficial experiences this far.

First of all, this was my first time in a professional work environment. That being said, the whole idea of a 9-5 was completely new to me. I had worked 8-hr (or more)  shifts countless times before at part-time jobs. So the newness of a 9-5 wasn’t about the length of time but more about the structure of the day. While in school, I usually had time between classes to go back to my dorm, catch up on sleep or quickly complete an assignment or just chill. In a 9-5 theoretically there is no down time other than a half hour lunch. Working in a professional environment meant that I had to dress, look and be my best for the entire day.  It also meant socializing with coworkers even when I really did not want to engage in small talk.

Heres the good part;

One of the best parts about taking an internship is the hope that you will learn so much more than when you started. In retrospect this is exactly how I feel. I realized how much I truly was learning about plants everyday when a friend of mine posted a picture of a random flower online. I noticed its characteristic shape, stamen and anther and knew right away that it was an Amaryllis flower. I had seen them in the gardens at work and I remember googling it afterwards to find out where it was from (It is native to South Africa). I really feel like I gained so much knowledge just by being present and in-tune with the work that i was doing as an intern. I also was able to become more confident and concise in explaining things to people. Leading feildtrips 3-4 times a week for 2 months really allowed me to become more confident with educating students about plants, insects, animals and the environment. The first few trips were rough but I made a real effort to be positive and give only my best while leading feildtrips. I became amazed with how much these students knew and how many questions they had about things like trees, fires and hurricanes.

So in hindsight my second internship experience was MUCH different from the first. I gained alot of professional experience, improved my confidence and got to truly enjoy what I was doing. One thing that made this internship so much better than the first was that I was paid. I don’t think it’s necessary to go through the many reasons why being paid at an internship is beneficial. But being paid for my work made me feel like my work was of value and that I was not easily disposable.