My Life as an Intern
The word “intern” to me has always seemed to imply someone who is responsible for going on Starbucks runs, making copies, and pretty much doing the things that no one else in the office wants to do. Fortunately, more than half-way through my time here at BlackBook, I have not once taken any one’s coffee order and have not made a single Xerox. While not all of my duties as an editorial intern are extremely glamorous, it’s pretty cool to know that almost everything I do has an impact on the actual magazine and what goes into it’s glossy super-chic pages. Whether it’s brainstorming article ideas, researching, fact-checking, or transcribing (which as Katie’s blog attests to, is not really an intern’s favorite thing to do), I feel like I’m actually doing something productive. It’s been interesting to see all of the behind-the-scenes aspects of what goes into a real publication. Of course, as an aspiring magazine journalist, my favorite part of my internship has been actually getting to write. I blog for the website, have been working on the table of contents for the upcoming issue, and contributed a couple of lines to the August issue’s calendar of events. Even when my contribution is minor, just to see something that I wrote (however brief) in a magazine that people actually buy and read is an amazing feeling. Aside from writing, getting put on the list for exclusive events (and getting to sit in the press section), and getting to go to BlackBook’s release party at a club that I would not get into on any other night are definite extra perks that are making my non-paying internship really pay off.
—Gaby
