My time at Smarter Searches has come to an end, and wow, I have learned so much from this experience. 2020 is weird, and I think everyone knows that. Being a college student this year is strange, and balancing school and an internship with an ongoing pandemic has been a once in a lifetime opportunity! Even though every week brings new challenges and crazy events that are so 2020, this internship has been the one thing these past few months that have been consistent and dependable, and that is something that I have cherished.
Before this internship, I didn’t realize how much I enjoy writing and learning about new things. My internship’s biggest role is writing blogs for all of the fantastic clients’ Smarter Searches has, and I have learned things I never thought I would; from learning every possible job you can get in the trades industry with RocketCert to learning about the different notes of flavors in whiskey as a 20-year-old with Old Tennessee, I was always writing about something new. Branching out of my usual writing, mostly with my schoolwork, I was able to have fun and try out different tones and writing styles for each client, and from this experience, I feel like a stronger writer.
My internship started in the office around June when things were tamer in Knoxville, and I was able to enjoy the office setting with Lani, Mara, Jojo, Chris, and Courtney. Working with this team was so fun because they are such knowledgeable people within the marketing field and they also know how to have fun and not get bogged down with office work. Smarter Searches is a unique office, and I was always laughing to myself, hearing the banter between Chris and Lani.
When my internship went remote, things became a lot harder. I started going into my junior year course work of PR while also keeping myself accountable with my internship, making sure I didn’t get distracted by roommates running into my room or music blasting from my apartment courtyard. Let’s just say my noise-canceling headphones were a lifesaver, and I learned to lock my door when I was working so I wouldn’t get distracted. I also learned that being ADHD and having a remote internship is the challenge of a lifetime.
My time with Smarter Searches was an incredible experience, and I am so happy I was given the opportunity to improve myself as a writer and as a person overall. This year, balancing school and my internship with coronavirus always around the corner was a crazy experience, but I would do it all over again!
