Half Way There The Intern Diaries

by Whitney Riggs

As July comes closer, I realize that I am almost halfway done with my internship. With that realization, I want to reflect on what I have learned so far.

#1. What professors teach you in college is nothing in comparison to experiences firsthand. Yes, my college education has been well worth the thousands of dollars in school loans that I am swimming in right now, but actually going out and doing what professors have taught me has finally fit together the puzzle pieces of the media. For example, journalism professors teach you that advertising, public relations and media outlets all work hand in hand. But it’s not until you work for a publication that you understand how much they actually do depend on each other. In order to run a magazine, one depends on advertisements. In order to have a story, one depends on a source. And in order to get to that source, one depends on a publicist. And without media outlets, publicists and advertisers wouldn’t have jobs at all!

#2. The magazine industry is not as glamorous as movies portray. Everyone has seen the movie How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days when Kate Hudson plays the hip Andie Anderson as a writer for Composure magazine. We see her grab her latte from Starbucks, walk into a beautiful glass building set in the downtown of a big city and pass hundreds of people answering phones and scurrying about trying to get the latest info on fashion trends. This is not real for the average writer. A magazine runs on serious journalists who are either out and about working on a story or sitting behind a desk 9 to 5, kicking butt trying to come up with ideas, talking to sources or completing stories needed to run. Yes, lattes are probably consumed but not by Kate Hudson. And answering phones obviously does take place, but it’s professional and proficient. And the building I work in is not in the middle of a downtown scene with cars flying by, honking.

Magazines are not about the exterior, but the interior made up of hardworking journalists who seek information and then produce it for our readers.

And #3. Being a journalist is not easy. I personally have never thought that being a journalist is easy, but I think some people look at the job and say, “How hard can writing papers all day be?” But do they know how tedious and detail oriented each paragraph must be? How tiring and stressful deadlines can make a person? How complicated the simplest situations can become? For example, I have been working on the Happenings calendars for a couple of months, and writing up just one paragraph for an event in St. Louis can take up to 20 minutes. I think what people have to realize is that information is not just handed to journalists like candy. They have to find it, understand it and relay it to readers in an understandable, matter-of-fact way. After all, without the work of dependable journalists, information would forever be lost.

Waiting anxiously The Intern Diaries

by Whitney Riggs

I experienced my first deadline sweat.
My parents, like most, always told me not to blame my problems on other people. But when it comes to sources not calling me back so I can write a story, it is hard not to point a finger.

I remember back in junior high school when I liked a boy. We slipped one another notes in class, and he’d tell me to expect a phone call later that night. I waited by the phone like a giggly girl for hours checking the caller ID every two seconds.

Well, years later, getting a hold of sources to interview for stories seems like quite a similar situation. Once again I’m waiting by the phone for someone to return my call. This could take minutes, hours or even days. Just like with the boys I used to like, it can be a major disappointment when I don’t get a call.

When I began interning, getting a hold of sources and writing articles happened in a timely fashion. But this past week, I could not get a source to return my phone calls for the life of me. At one point, I caught myself literally staring at the phone in my hand for a solid five minutes. If I don’t get a hold of sources who have the information I need to write my story, how can I meet my deadline on time?

But I guess that is just a part of working in the media world. Journalists depend solely on other people. Whether it is media relations people, editors of publications or sources needed for an interview, being a journalist is a job that takes patience and determination to finish the work.

Although sources can be maddening, I guess it’s better than waiting on a stupid boy to call me back. At least I know they can only frustrate me — not break my heart.

Something to show for the effort The Intern Diaries

by Whitney Riggs

I feel a bit guilty. After reading through my blogs, I realize I sound like a spoiled little girl begging for a pity party. I just want to make it clear that I am in no way that girl.

This is not my first job (I’ve been working since I was 16), and hard work is something I was constantly shown and taught growing up. Although I have my complaints, I truly am happy where I am at right now.

I was talking to a girl I work with the other day, and she asked how my internship is going so far. I said, “Great! I’m actually writing a lot, and I will have some clips to use for the future.” Being a pre-med major, she looked at me funny when I used the word “clips.” For those of you who don’t know, clips are stories that have been published, and we journalism majors depend on them in order to get a job. We strive to gather as many as we can before we graduate to show to employers during interviews along with our resumes. Without them, how would they know my writing capabilities or if I have even written a story before?

I realized after talking with her how incredibly lucky I am to have this internship. Not only am I learning how a magazine runs, but I actually am writing my own articles. When it comes time to find a job, I will not only have the words “Indianapolis and St. Louis Woman Magazine intern” on my resume, but I will have months of experience, possible references and concrete articles employers can look through. Plus, it will help me narrow down what I want to do when I graduate.

I may have my complaints —like we all do — but all the worries and stress are well worth it.

Old worries are replaced with new ones The Intern Diaries

by Whitney Riggs

You can stop holding your breath now. My priorities have begun to smooth out a bit (knock on wood).

I'm starting to realize that all those little hints teachers dropped to me throughout my 22 years of schooling are actually quite useful: Stay organized. Use your time wisely. Don't procrastinate. Who would have thought? I could have skipped doing homework all those years and just remembered these three little sentences!

Rebecca, the managing editor, decided last week I need to come to Indy only once a week, and the rest of my work could be done from home. Gas money now can be spent on food, and I can pick up more shifts at work. I also finally opened up my Italian book and read all 147 pages of it. In the midst of all this, I'm starting to write a steady flow of articles for the magazines.

Yet, I have my worries.

With all these articles I am supposed to complete, I have started to question my ability as a writer. Am I talking to the right sources? Do I have enough time until the deadline? And most of all, what if I mess up?

These questions hang over my head constantly because everything is so new. No, this is not the first time I have written a story. I have written hundreds of pieces for classes and even some articles for the IU newspaper. But when you actually write for a well-known publication many people will read besides your own professor and college roommate, things get scary.

Until recently, I never understood why my Mom was stressed when she came home from a long day at work. I realize now she must have had her worries, too.