This was my Summer

By afparungao - Tuesday, June 02, 2009

*this is my internship essay. I was toying the idea of writing about magazine work and I think my experience will do.

I have always looked forward to internship. Aside for the reason that I can have an excuse to go out and ask money every day, I have always wanted to experience how it is when you work in the real world. I was expecting too much and gladly, I was not disappointed.

Sure, it was an easy task for me to find companies for internship. Unlike others who submitted tons and tons of their résumés to different companies, I, on the other hand, picked only a few. I never had a hard time picking which companies I will apply to since I already know which of them I would most likely to work with and the kind of job I would want to do this summer. I am happy to say that in almost all companies I applied to, I was accepted in majority of them, but I had to only pick one or two for the internship. I chose Hinge- Inquirer Publications (HIP).

For those who do not know HIP, it is the magazine division of Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI), one of the leading broadsheets in the metro. I chose this company for two reasons, number one, I wanted to work with PDI, but I know I cannot handle doing hard news. Reason number two is that I wanted to work with magazine. Ever since I was a kid, we were already exposed with this kind of print medium (with my father subscribing to Newsweek ever since) so I guess it will come naturally to me to like magazines. Actually, HIP is one of the last companies I submitted to, but it was the first company to hire me, so I am lucky.

I started my internship last March 23, 2009. Unlike most of my batch mates who were still planning things to do with their summer before they start OJT, there I was sitting in my office space, typing articles away for a 5-6 p.m. deadline. But I was not complaining. I really wanted to start my OJT at once so I can finish early and look for other companies where I can also intern to. But I decided not to transfer anywhere else. I am contented with I am already doing at HIP. Like most first- day rituals, one of my mentors, Ms. Lianne Padilla, HIP’s Editorial Supervisor gave me HIP in a nutshell. She explained policies and system before she assigned me to my other two mentors, Ms. Eva Gubat and Ms. Racquel Valencia, Executive Editor and Editorial Assistant of Freezines, respectively. Being assigned to Freezines, I will be the Editorial Assistant’s Editorial Assistant. This magazine division of HIP handles the free magazines given to the residents of two of Makati’s most posh residences, Forbes Park and Dasmariñas Village.

So for about a month or so, I am handling a lot of writing tasks, talking to big people, calling huge companies, attending product launches and press conferences and a lot of perks in the side. It might seem all glamourous and it may look like I am living “the life,” but I am not. Amongst the glitz and glamour is hard work. Being in a magazine, that releases its issue every month, we also had to follow strict deadlines. Writing for the class A of the society gives more pressure since they give much importance to their image and status. Although most of my interviewees were more than nice people, I still have to make a very good article about them without seeming like glorifying them. And dealing with them, although I get star struck at times, I must always remember to keep my cool. Also, lifestyle magazine also calls for hobnobbing with best of society, but there is more to them than their fame and riches. I learned that these people are also like us. They have dreams, they have flaws, and they have everything we all have so there is no way that we should treat them differently. In a business like magazine, it is important to show respect to whoever you meet. Dealing with people, your patience will also be tested. Also, you may seem to be buddies with your boss, but there are times you must get serious and get working. There is a time for play and time for work.

All of these things, I am happy that I learned them throughout my stay in HIP. I am happy I did not waste my summer on any other publication that will make me go to places, make me ask to do things, and not appreciate my work. I am happy to work with the most wonderful and talented people I have known. I am happy that they made me ready for the world I will be dealing with in the next few months. I am very grateful for the internship experience. This experience is truly an unforgettable one.

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