V is for Vision; Transforming the "Take-a-way"

Last day at the DOEd!

In celebration and remembrance of my last official day at the Department of Education, this post will highlight the main things I've learned during my time here, as well as how this experience will influence my future.  With any vision, there are successful mile markers that occur along the way.  There are also many setbacks, challenges, and road blocks.  But this first time living alone in the "real world," I was able to gain a clearer vision.

To make this a little more simple, I've decided to make a list of the top 3 things I've learned while interning, as well as to explain what made those three things challenging:

1. "There is always going to be something you don't know."
Coming into this internship, I knew DePauw had prepared to discuss the politics of education, society, etc.  I'd already developed my coffee addiction early on in college, so that wouldn't be a problem at an official internship either.  But one thing I wasn't ready for was the education gap that stood between what I knew, and what I needed to know in order to do my job.  It was a little frustrating whenever I had to immediately start reading books and watching videos in order to catch myself up. Shouldn't I have been prepared? At the beginning of June, my answer would have been a worried "Yes?" but now, I am fully aware that there is always going to be something I don't know.  It's impossible to be prepared for every challenge, task, or subject that you're going to need in the real world, or just in life for that matter.  Whether it's cramming in stats videos from Khan Academy or using Google as a new support system, I am always going to have to learn more.  And after what feels like being dropped into unfamiliar waters, I now know that I can swim (or figure things our), and that's all that matters.

2. "Find the beauty in small things and the big things will look brighter."
While these blog posts might make it seem as though living in Washington, D.C. for the summer was a complete breeze and that I was having the time of my life, I have to be honest and say that it was a lot harder than I let on.  Doing things on your own all of the time, and being solely in charge of taking care of yourself for a long period of time is incredibly stressful.  This challenge, however, is something that I think I've mastered simply by taking in every experience and seeing them as small drops in a bigger ocean. The little things like riding the metro and going to the grocery store (things I normally don't do alone) ended up being the times that I felt "wow, I'm really doing this." Laugh all you want, but being responsible for feeding myself every day (at least buying the food) was something I've never had to do before.  Finding the beauty in each of these things made them a lot easier to do.  And at the end of the day, successfully doing these things on my own made all of the "big" things I was doing more worthwhile.

3. "Never sell yourself short."
Whoever came up with the whole "be humble about your accomplishments," obviously wasn't in the real world.  Being raised to always be polite and to not talk about things I've done, the most challenge part about this internship was breaking this habit.  I'm not advising that you shout from the rooftops about every paper or task you complete, but every individual needs to figure out how to be proud of what they have done and what they are doing.  Most of the time, interns are doing the types of things that employees don't have time to do, or don't know how to do.  Either way, it is important to know how valuable you are to a company, especially in an unpaid position.  This last week at my internship has truly allowed me to realize the great work I've been able to do in a short time.  Some of these things I never thought I could do (I mean, statistics, never).  But being able to see the smile and gratitude on the faces of others who appreciate my work inspired me to appreciate my work in the same way.  Selling yourself short doesn't do anybody any good.

Leaving my building and NCES co-workers today will be bittersweet.  I am very excited to go back to Indiana and DePauw, and to start my senior year. However, it has been so nice to get a glimpse at how "grown-up" Rachel life really is.  From challenges to successes, I've truly had a great time here.  Now there just a few days (and hundreds of miles) separating me from home, but I'm looking forward to getting back in the swing of DePauw and starting up what will hopefully be a great year.

With my wonderful supervisor, Elise Christopher!