College is a huge chapter in the lives of many young adults, as it is the time where individuals test the waters of various interests and potential career paths. Students tend to use their courses as a way to get a sense of what they would like to pursue, however, internships can also be an important piece of the puzzle that is college and entering the workforce. As a senior writing intern for Study Breaks, I have learned exactly how valuable an internship can be for college students, especially for those who are interested in writing. I have created a list of the many benefits of being a writing intern: So, without further ado, here’s the 7 advantages of being a writing intern.
1. Feedback from like-minded peers
Have you ever been writing an essay for a class and wanted someone to look it over without just skimming it and telling you it’s okay? I find myself in this situation many times, however, I never do when I submit my article to my editors, or when my article is being reviewed in a group workshop by other writing interns. Articles are always scanned over with care and any time work is being assessed and critiqued, it is always done in a way that is constructive and as positive as possible, allowing for improvement and growth.
2. Research!
Depending on your major, you may or may not have the opportunity or time to do research on topics that you are interested in. One of the numerous benefits of being a writing intern is the ability to have the chance to research topics of interest like fashion, politics or the latest movies. With each article being about different subjects, writing interns are able to work on their research skills. Over time, I have been able to figure out what websites are the most reliable and abundant with information, making each article easier and more enjoyable to write.
3. AP style
If your high school was anything like mine, they drilled MLA style when writing. I wasn’t introduced to AP style until my public speaking course in my sophomore year of college, but the course was not long enough to grasp the format. When I began interning for Study Breaks, I learned that we needed to write in AP style. I was nervous, but after a while I picked up certain quirks about the style, like writing out numbers between one and 10 and omitting the Oxford comma. Learning how to write AP style as an intern is a great thing to do, as many publications require their staff to write in the style.
4. Learning about new topics
One of the biggest benefits that I have personally enjoyed during my time as a writing intern has been learning about a wide variety of topics that I haven’t read about previously. At Study Breaks, each week we take turns reading each other’s articles in a group workshop. From doing this, I have been introduced to different artists, television shows and movies that I may not have heard about on my own, and for that I am grateful.
5. Practice, practice, practice
It may be cliche, but I believe that practice really does make perfect, and being a writing intern has given me plenty of opportunities to practice and fine tune my writing skills. Each week I am presented the challenge of coming up with a 1,000 word article that is both informative and interesting to read. The first article I wrote was quite the challenge as I was not used to writing with a word count and did not know how to write for a more contemporary audience. However, the more articles I wrote, the more that I began to develop my voice and fix the issues that I tended to have, like run-on sentences and using more of an active vocabulary. I would highly recommend that anyone who is interested in a future career in journalism or a similar field apply for a writing internship, whether it be paid or unpaid. The experience and knowledge that you gain is extremely valuable and will give you an advantage when it comes time to apply for jobs.
6. Teamwork makes the dream work
You might be under the assumption that being a writing intern is a very solitary position, and if you think this way, you would be incorrect. At Study Breaks, everyone really takes the saying “It takes a village” to heart. Articles are not just written and uploaded; it’s a bigger process than that. Writers must pitch three topic ideas each week, with one being picked by the editor. Writers then have a week to write the article and submit it to their respective groups for a student editor and the editor in chief to read and edit. Articles are also reviewed by fellow writing interns on a rotating basis, and senior writers meet every so often to give each other ideas for potential articles. I have personally found the group aspect of being a writing intern to be quite refreshing and especially helpful in developing skills in group work and peer editing.
7. Resume building
As I touched on briefly before, internships are great for job applications and resumes. Not only did I learn how to write well for a younger audience, but I also picked up many other helpful skills along the way. The skills that I have gained can be applied to many different career paths and can make me a desirable candidate for multiple positions. Writing internships, specifically the writing internships at Study Breaks, allow for interns to gain skills in time management, peer review and keeping up with the latest news. All of these skills are super important aspects of careers in media and are great to have on a resume as a college student.
