Counting My Blessings, Weighing My Options

Hey Edsters,

Last week, there was a going away toast for all of the summer interns. With an array of sugary sweets and Styrofoam cups flowing with bubbly (surprisingly champagne) laid out for everyone, one of the senior writers speaking on behalf of our supervisor praised the interns for a job well done. Also one of the head editors added a few kind words expressing his gratitude for our efforts. All in all it was a nice gesture, presenting a rare moment of socializing at the magazine. Not only was I able to compare notes with the departing interns (some who I had never met until that day), but also speak freely with the staffers whom I had gotten to known through working on assignments. I personally thanked them for everything, sharing my experiences and what other interns could benefit from in the future.

I know the end is near, but I feel as though I’m still at a crossroads. As all of the interns leave one by one, I’m delaying the inevitable while I decide what to do about my fate. Although one intern is extending his time at the magazine through the fall, I unfortunately have to make a hard decision.

3 Tips For The End of Your Internship

Here I am in the last week of my internship and I can’t help but wonder—where did the last two months go? Many of my duties may be over and done with, but it’s not time to slack off yet. There’s still plenty of time to make a good lasting impression.

How do I do this? You may ask. Here are three things you should do before you leave to make sure you’re remembered as the best intern your editors were ever lucky enough to hire.

It's Not Goodbye, It's See You Later

I've got to tell you, Edsters. I was pretty darn scared about coming to NYC. I've known since I was 14 years old that I wanted to break into this industry, and ever since that age I knew that this very summer was going to be a make it or break it situation for me. Was I going to land an internship in the big city? Was I going to sink or swim? It's a scary thought, but not everyone is going to succeed at the one thing they want to do the most.

New York went from being a fantasy land in my mind where dreams come true and only the best movies are filmed (Devil Wears Prada, anyone?), to an insanely big island with tall, scary buildings where I suddenly wasn't sure of anything I wanted to do.

5 tips for a great last week

Hey Edsters! 

Somehow I'm coming up on my last week at the magazine. This has been the best experience I could have hoped for and I've met some amazing people, so leaving is the last thing I want to think about right now. Looking at my schedule for this week, though, I don't think I'll have much time to think about it until I'm packing up my office on Friday afternoon. Here are a few things you should do to stay busy in your last week, inspired by my slightly-overscheduled office calendar.

What I’ve Learned From My Internship (So Far)

Hey, Edsters.  It’s been nearly four months since I began my internship, and now I can’t believe that it’s time to wrap thing things up.  As the end of the summer approaches, I’ve reflected on the life lessons that I’ve gained from working at the magazine.

Getting My First (And Second) Byline

And finally, the moment I’ve been anticipating for weeks now—my very own byline in the magazine (two, to be exact)! When the new issue came out this week, the first thing I did was flip to the pages my two stories were on to see how they came out.

What I found was a bit surprising.

Words Of Wisdom From An Editor In Chief

Hey there, Edsters!

Tell me if this sounds familiar: You walk into the first day of your internship and meet your fellow interns for the first time. Your internship coordinator shows you your desk, gives you a form or two to fill out, and walks you around for an office tour along with staff introductions. You finally arrive at the door of the mag's EIC, you smile politely and shake hands, and then never talk to them again.

Yep, that's happened to me. I can't say that it was intimidation, but I truthfully had no reason to even cross paths with the EIC at my first internship. She was constantly busy and everyone on staff said nice things about her, but when the last week of my internship rolled around I didn't bother saying goodbye or thank you, since I wasn't sure if she even remembered my name in the first place.

Why We Do What We Do Despite Long Hours and No Pay

Last Friday when I was riding the subway home from work, I glanced over the shoulder of the man standing next to me to see what magazine he was reading. I always do that on the subway - it's interesting to put a face with a particular magazine's demographic. I couldn't see the cover of the magazine he was holding, but I recognized it immediately because it was the magazine I'm interning at. 

It's a national magazine, so I know people are reading it. I even know about how many million read each issue, thanks to research in our media kit. But it's a totally different experience to see one of those millions standing right in front of you, a visual reminder of the individuals who make up that statistic. I was glad I had a few more subway stops left because he was only a couple of pages from the story with my byline.  Sure enough, a minute or two later he flipped right to the page.

Ta Ta For Now NYC!

Well, Edsters, this is it; the big day has finally come. After eight months straight of interning, working 40+ hour weeks, and slaving over hot weather and hot coffee, it is time to bid adieu to the city that never sleeps so that I can finally get some. 

It has been an AMAZING experience and I do not regret leaving school back in the midwest for anything. So far I have learned so much about the magazine and fashion industries and about myself and my future career path. As I pack my bags and head out of my midtown apartment, all I can do is flashback to the day my parents left me in NYC.

How Do You Handle Pushy Publicists?

Hi Edsters,

Over the last several weeks, I’ve nearly poured my blood, sweat and tears into this internship to make the most of every minute of every day.  In order to get assignments completed so I can leave at a decent hour, I try to arrive to work early.  But often I end up working through my lunch break and staying well past the end of my day.  Sometimes, I wonder if it would be better to pack a sleeping bag and camp out overnight in a spare conference room rather then endure the long commute when I leave so late.  But then I remind myself that I’m still paying my end and hope that my sacrifices will be worth it in the end.

In the meantime, as a reward for my efforts I’ve been granted opportunities to write a few pieces for the web.  Although one originated from my own story idea, an editor assigned most of these from press releases.  Each time I starting working on an article, I had to get in touch with the public relations person.  From these experiences, I’ve quickly come to realize that PR reps can either be either pleasant peers who provide practical information or pushy people that could try the patience of a saint.  Through a trial and error system of approach, I’ve figured out a couple of methods of dealing with publicists: 

4 Tips For Making the Dreaded Phone Call

If you’re a little on the shy side like I am, making phone calls can be a bit like pulling teeth. I get that it’s important to communicate well with people in order to get the right information for writing stories and fact-checking them. So much of my job revolves around making phone calls, but every time I go to pick up the phone, my heart starts racing and my words seem to stumble over themselves.

These past few weeks, I’ve been trying to come up with ways to help myself get over this fear. Here’s what I’ve come up with so far.

3 Things You Don't Want To Be Remembered For

Hey Edsters!

For these last few weeks working for Lifestyle mag, I've been trying to stay as busy as possible, and my biggest goal from this point on is to be remembered in a positive way by my editors. Coincidentally, I've heard a few horror stories from editors and interns alike of what they think makes a bad intern, so of course I couldn't help but share these helpful hints with my fellow Edsters.

Make The Most Of A Mid-Internship Review

Hey Edsters,

Last week, all of the interns at the magazine had a mid-internship review. I was a little bit nervous because I've never had a review before, so I didn't know what to expect. It turned out to be a very helpful (and positive, thankfully) experience. I would definitely recommend asking for a review if you haven't had one already. You'll want to make the most of the uninterrupted one-on-one time with your supervisor, which can be hard to come by in this industry. Here are a few ways to get the most from your review.

3 Things To Do Before Your Internship Ends!

As July comes to a close and August arrives, my internship also begins to wind down. At the end of every internship, there are always important steps I think every intern should take to exit your company properly and leave a good impression. 

Finding A (Virtual) Needle In A Haystack

Hi Edsters,

Things are starting to wind down at my internship.  Now as the summer draws to a close, I’m reflecting on my experiences from the past several weeks. While looking over the saved files on my work computer, I’ve singled out all of the projects I’ve completed for various staffers around the office. Some have directly resulted in bylines, but most have ended up as background filler for stories in the magazine.  The question is:  How did I come across this information? 

Reasons to Love Your Job

A fresh batch of the new issue arrived last week. I immediately flipped to the masthead at the front, and I’ve got to say—there’s nothing like seeing your name in print! It was pretty satisfying to flip through the magazine and see all of the pages I had worked on in the past few weeks. I had gotten to know each word on that page so well, and now it was on newsstands for everyone to see!

So much work goes into creating a magazine, and visually they’re amazing.  After the past few weeks working at the Mag, I can now appreciate all the work that goes into making that happen.

Each word is meticulously chosen by the writer, and then spell-checked and fact-checked by us interns. That takes a lot of careful reading, organization and communication.

How To Collaborate With Your Fellow Interns

Rule Number 1: Not all assignments are created equal. Ok, that tip is a given, but you never truly learn to appreciate the blatant truth behind this statement until you've been assigned to work with a partner on a project that would take a single person only a couple of hours to complete by themselves. On the flip side, there are some perks to collaborating with another person on a project, with the most obvious being that two completely different minds are contributing details for one idea from different angles.

If I haven't made it obvious yet, Annie (my partner in crime, err, I mean, fellow intern) and I were recently asked to work together on an assignment. And then another. And since then, one or two more. Like I've mentioned, Annie is great and we work together well, but there is only so much work that two people can share before they get burnt out on the other.

By working together so regularly with Annie, I've learned a few tips that will be helpful to keep in mind, should you ever find yourself trying to write a piece for your mag with someone who has a completely different writing style than you do. Trust me, it can be done, it just takes a little extra concentration, and maybe an extra shot in your afternoon Starbucks.

1. Don't be afraid to be yourself. This is just as much your project as it is your partner's, and at the end of the day your editors are going to see it as a mash up of both of your skills. If you come up with something to say that may be kind of quirky, say it! There's no harm in throwing your ideas into the mix, and you are only hurting yourself by trying to stay cordial with your partner and let them win the battle on whose idea is better. Which brings me to tip number 2...

2. Find a middle ground. Annie and I didn't always see eye to eye on how information should have been presented in our piece, but we both would quickly realize that this isn't an exercise in our personal writing style, but rather how two people can present their ideas in the voice of their publication. Lifestyle Mag has a very conversational, casual, and sometimes slightly snarky voice to it. When Annie and I would find ourselves with conflicting ideas, we would remind ourselves that we're writing this from a different point of view, and this change of mindset always helped us get back on track and adapt our ideas to suit the needs of the Lifestyle Mag.

3. In times of tension, take a breather. Yes, there were definitely moments when working together on a writing assignment wasn't all sunshine and lollipops. Sometimes Annie would make a comment that wasn't appreciated on my end, and sometimes I would make it a little too clear that I thought her ideas just weren't going to work. To diffuse to building tension, and salvage our relationship as really great office friends, we would sometimes put an abrupt end to our meetings to work on something else. These breaks from each other were oftentimes exactly what we needed to get back on track with our assignment.

Working with a fellow intern may not always be ideal, but through my experiences of working together with Annie, I was able to learn about the voice and audience of the Lifestyle Mag much more quickly than if I had been assigned to work alone. Case in point? Look at everything as a learning experience. Keeping a positive attitude about every assignment, no matter how much you may think at the time that you'll dislike it, will help you work to the best of your ability.

Have you had to work together with another intern on assignments for your internship? I'd love to hear your collaboration tips in the comments section!

Until next Wednesday,
Lifestyle Intern

NYC Weekend Guide

It's beginning to feel a bit like all work and no play on this blog. So today, let's talk about all things NYC!

The last time I focused on the city, it was after a quick weekend trip in May and I documented my current impression of New York so that I would be able to see if it changed after my internship. Back then, I thought prices other than rent were pretty comparable, everyone was nice and Central Park was a good enough respite from the concrete jungle. 

The Hot Debate About Paying Interns

Recently, there has been lots of buzz in the news and papers about us interns, and whether or not we should be paid. I have to say this discussion topic has come up in plenty of conversations in the last few weeks and has given me a lot to think about.

Should we be paid? What are the benefits of not being paid? If we aren’t getting paid, then should we be working 12-hour days? So many questions, so many opinions, and yet, who is the right person to answer them?

How Do You Share A Byline?

Hey Edsters!

At this point I’m over halfway through my internship.  I can’t believe how much time has passed since I started working at the magazine.  In the brief time that I’ve been here, I’ve gotten the opportunity to try a couple of new things, including transcribing and uploading articles to the online content management system.  Although these are valuable editorial skills, the best part of all has been the chance to earn writing credits.  I’ve cherished seeing my name appear in print, viewing all my hard work pay off.  But there’s something else more important to being a successful intern than just striving to stockpile clips:  Collaboration.  I recently had two situations where it either helped or hindered to have a helping hand.

6 Ways to Make the Most of a Slow Day

It’s late afternoon. Your eyes are drooping, but you’ve already made three trips to the coffeemaker. There are many other places you would rather be. But here you are in the office, trying to stay focused on your work—if you have any. It’s a slow day at work, and it can happen even at the most fast-paced magazines.

Have no fear, Edsters! There are still some things you can do to continue being that useful intern you are.

What Do You Do When You've Been Disrespected in the Workplace?

Hey Edsters,

So I've been doing some thinking, and I've decided that I'm too nice. Stay with me here, I promise this isn't a self-praising post about my gracious and charming personality (that's next week). This sudden realization stems from my most recent experience of being disrespected in the workplace simply due to my position as an intern.

Crazy, right? Allow me to elaborate:

This week I was offered the chance to assist at a photo shoot for an upcoming issue. From my previous experience of attending photo shoots, there were two things that I knew I could immediately look forward to: 1) A day away from the typical intern life of researching, transcribing, and reading angry letters from readers, and 2) Free food. Obviously, I accepted the offer immediately.

3 Ways To Ace An Informational Interview With HR

Happy Tuesday, Edsters! 

I've been doing my best to capitalize on my time in New York by scheduling informational interviews in between internship duties. In the past I've always done informationals with editors, but last week I met with someone in Human Resources. 

7 Things Fashion Interns Should Have In Their Bags At ALL Times

Hey Edsters,

It's been a long, hot, few months here in New York and I feel like I've come a long way since my first (smoldering) day in May. The amount of things to learn out here both inside and out of the office is vast and never ending.

Among the immense list of lessons and tricks I've acquired, one of the most important things is what to keep in my purse at all times because, well, there's never so such thing as a 'typical' day at the Fashion Mag...

How I Became a Drupal Pupil

Hey Edsters,

A few weeks ago, my supervisor sent out a mass email to all the interns emphasizing the need for training on the content system known as drupal.  My immediate reaction was emphatic agreement. 

Yes! Finally! After weeks of tireless transcribing and other run-of-the mill projects, here was a much-needed change of pace to learn something new.  Not only would I be able to sharpen my rusty tech skills, but also prepare myself should a rare assignment randomly fall in my lap.

So, one morning a number of interns and I made our way to a lone conference room. Solemnly shuffling single file down the hall, we attracted attention as dozens of eyes zeroed in on us.

Would You Speak Up If An Intern Wasn't Doing Her Job?

Hey Edsters,

I’m just about halfway into my internship, and things are going well. I’ve learned a lot so far, and I really feel like I’ve become a part of the office dynamic. In the past few weeks, though, I’ve come to a bit of a dilemma. What would you do if you knew one of the other interns wasn’t doing her job right?

There’s a group of us interns with rotating schedules, meaning that we don’t necessarily work with the same people every day. I work three days in a row, so I can usually start and finish the same projects over the course of the week. Other interns, however, may work every other day, so sometimes we go into each other’s e-mails to finish up whatever they had been working on the day before. This may seem weird, but we all have the same password, and it feels normal to read other people’s e-mails now.

One day last week, though, I went into another intern’s e-mail to check if she had gotten fact-checking responses from a publicist. She had gotten answers, so I printed out the e-mail and started inputting changes into the article. I soon realized, though, that she had worded the questions in the exact same wording as was in the actual story—something that our editor definitely told us not to do on our very first day of work.

Why I Love Press Events—And Why You Should Too

Hey Edsters!

It's that time of year for Lifestyle Mag to start putting together their annual gift guide, which means one big addition to the busy schedules of everyone in the office: press events. And lots of them.

As one of the magazine's summer interns, and also as one with the most open schedule, I've stepped up to the plate to attend significantly more than my fair share of press events. Wait, I'm sorry, did that sound like I was complaining? My bad, let me start over.

I love press events. I think I'm the only person in magazines who does. I love knowing that I've proven myself as worthy enough to maintain relationships that the Lifestyle Mag views as important. Fancy dinners, movie screenings, and even just a simple walk through of the newest line of products get the wheels turning in my head of how we can possibly feature any of these products in the magazine. The reality is that most of them will wind up on the "free stuff" table with no possible use in the mag, but that fact in no way hinders my love of a good press event set up at a swanky venue that I ordinarily never would have gotten the chance to visit.

3 Ways To Overcome A Tough First Assignment (Part 2)

Hey Edsters,

I have to admit that when I wrote part one of this post, I was a little (ok, very) concerned that I would be coming to you this week with no advice to offer because I hadn't actually figured out how to overcome that first assignment. 

Luckily for both of us, that's not the case.

Do You Join In On Office Gossip?

Happy Monday, Edsters!

Hope you're all keeping cool under this scorching summer heat. Coincidentally, things have gotten a little heated at The Fashion Mag as well.

Lately there's been chatter behind the racks of clothing and at the water cooler about other interns. When I see groups of girls huddled around all unzipping the same garment bag, I instantly know something's up.

My first thought it, Is it about me?? I sure hope not! I try to do my job the best I can, I don't put my work off on other interns, yaddah, yaddah. But I also haven't noticed many other discrepancies between others. Then again, have I been paying attention? No, not really, I guess. I learned a while ago not to partake in office politics, just do my thing and when in doubt: play dumb. It's easier to be ignorant, in my mind at least, when it comes to chit chat about other people in the office. 

Well, these past few weeks, that has not been the case for other people in the closet we all share.

What I Learned From My (Second) Byline

Hey Edsters,

Remember that previous writing assignment, the one I persistently worked on, the one that was postponed? You know, the one that I agonized over and shed my blood, sweat and tears into?

Well, it paid off….sort of.

One morning, as I was checking my email and gearing up for the day, my supervisor stopped by my desk. I thought she was going over an upcoming assignment. But instead, she had an unexpected gift for me.

4 Steps to Dealing With Problem Publicists

Hey Edsters,

As an editorial intern at the Regional Mag, fact-checking is one of my biggest tasks. A lot of this is careful reading and spell-checking, but another, more unpredictable factor also comes into play—the publicist. Fact-checking, requesting photos and writing stories all usually involve getting in touch with publicists, which can be more than a little frustrating at times. Publicists are usually juggling multiple accounts at one time, so they’re busy people. Sometimes, especially with publicists who represent celebrities and other important people, that workload translates into stressful conversations. Here are some tips for keeping your cool when coming up against particularly difficult PR reps.

Always call first. Find a phone number for the publicist if you can. That way they know you’re serious about getting your questions answered, and you can avoid an e-mail getting lost in an inbox that’s probably stuffed with similar requests.

5 Tips For A Perfect Informational Interview

Hey Edsters!

Lifestyle Mag is going amazingly well! I'm continuing to talk to editors about getting more assignments and am finding myself a lot busier these days, so I'm happy with the experience! 

This past week has been getting me thinking of different areas of magazines that I'd like to get experience in, or eventually work in. I have a broad range of interests and I've never been able to tell people exactly what it is I want to do within the magazine industry. As a result, I've taken the time to schedule a few informational interviews during my time in the city, and these one-on-one coffee dates with editors of all kinds have helped to point me in the right direction, and I've picked up some really great interviewing and networking tips along the way.

How To Overcome A Tough First Assignment, Part 1

Hey Edsters,


I turned in my first big assignment last week. And I think I kind of crashed and burned. This may not be the cheeriest of updates, but I think it's important to talk about because all of us are going to hit a snag here and there.

It just so happened that mine came in my second week of work.

I struggled with the assignment from the beginning.

Want to Be a Fly on the Wall in the Fashion Closet?

Here's your chance! Indulge me, Edsters, while I take you on a journey through my 12, yes I said 12, hour day at The Fashion Mag.

7:30 A.M.: Stupid, annoying, dun-da-da-dun-da-dun-dun iPhone alarm goes off...
7:31 A.M.: I scroll through Twitter on my phone to see what people were saying in the Twitter-verse while I was sleeping.
7:36 A.M.: This is the point in time where I have to make the biggest choice I will make all day. I'm at that point of waking up where I'm juuussstttt enough awake to pull myself into the bathroom or just groggy enough to pass right out and pretend I'm Ferris Bueller and play hookie. Unfortunately, I don't have the hutzpah of Mr. B so I muster up enough energy to pull myself out of my comfy bed and into the bathroom to be rid myself of the monster that is morning breath.

Why Are Transcriptions So Tedious and Time-Consuming?

On a daily basis, staffers circle the office pool like stealthy sharks, hunting for naive prey.  It’s almost as if they can detect the scent of weakness or inactivity. Once they hone in on a target, there’s no hope for the intern; it’s do or die. The cruel, agonizing ritual continues unabated until the victim is left at the end of the day mentally and physically drained.

What is this horrible practice?

Transcribing:  the bane of my existence.

The 3 Rules of a Successful Pitch

Lots of great news coming your way this week, Edsters! Remember when I promised I would make a pitch this week? Mission accomplished.

A relatively slow week meant that the other interns and I had plenty of time to surf the web at work. Since I’m interning at a regional mag, there’s a list of about 10 city blogs that I frequent to keep up to speed with news and events. When I noticed that the opening of a new shop kept appearing on a lot of the sites I was reading, I realized it would fit in pretty well with our magazine. So I calmed my nerves and wrote up an e-mail to my editors. What should a pitch include, you ask?

Am I A Useless Intern?

Hey Edsters!

So I've got kind of a whammy of a question for you all... what are you supposed to do when you feel like your job is useless?

This past week marks a month at the Lifestyle mag, and while I've been having a good time and I'm happy to have the experience of working for them (let's face it, I'm happy for an internship in general), I couldn't help but think this week that I felt like I was hired out of obligation. I've been given a couple of great assignments so far, but aside from one or two things that have made me feel worthwhile, I mostly feel like a bother to editors when I ask them if they need help with anything.

A couple of weeks ago I noticed that I was beginning to feel slightly useless, so I began to reevaluate how I wanted my internship experience to go. I came to the realization that all internships are not created equal. Some may have a strict program with guidelines to follow that will keep you busy every minute of the day, while some of them may just keep you around for those moments when they need an extra set of hands to help out. There are also some where there's simply not much work for you to do, so how do you ensure yourself a quality working and learning experience when you're thrown into an unexpected scenario of how your job was going to play out?

To Pitch Or Not To Pitch During Your First Week?

It's so strange that I've only been at the magazine for one week. By the end of my first day, I was so deep into several different editorial projects that I felt like I had been working there for months.

I was immediately at ease, mostly because I had to be. I think that was the best way to adjust, though. I don't know about y'all, but I have a tendency to overanalyze everything when I'm in a new environment. Email signatures, for example. Will it dramatically alter the course of my career if I say "sincerely" instead of "best?" Probably not, but don't try to tell me that when I first start a new job. This time around, there was no time for that insanity with so much reporting and writing on my plate.

The thing is, I think there might be a danger in feeling so comfortable.

The Inside Scoop On Photo Shoots

Since I've had the privilege of living in New York and interning since January, I've had the opportunity to make some very valuable contacts. These people have opened several different doors in the fashion world for me to get my feet wet and try new things; one of them involves being an assistant stylist.

Out of the several tedious intern tasks I've done, I have had the chance to go on photo shoots—a lot.

As a fashion intern at a fashion magazine, there are always shoots constantly going on and they're constantly sending interns to go on them. The first time I ever went on a photo shoot, I was so nervous and had no idea what to expect. Well, have no fear, Edsters. I'm here to give you a quick taste of life on set of a magazine photo shoot.

My First Real High-Profile Interview

At first, I was excited to be enlisted for a writing assignment that would be printed in the magazine.  I brainstormed a list of entertainment ideas. But with such a wide plethora of topics to choose from, I didn’t know which one to choose. My editor suggested I focus on a couple of popular shows with great moments in television history. I thought I had plenty of time to decide, but then he reminded me that I needed to get started right away due to the long process that went beyond the actual writing component:  

requesting a photo from the art department and having it vetted by three separate editors in charge of the final look of the page.

I finally settled on a popular cable show that I could write a short yet meaningful piece on; the show was close to my heart since I had watched it through most of adolescence and identified with the protagonists. I even managed to find a compelling photo (with the help of one of my fellow interns)  with a review of the show. Then, my editor encouraged me to take the next step and utilize one of his contacts in order to get quotes for the story. Amazed, I called the individual, who directed me to email someone else before I was able to get a hold of the right person to set up an interview. While I waited for a response, I penned my first draft and emailed it to my editor before I left for the day.

Dreaming of Bylines

Many of you are probably interested in magazine journalism because you want to write. That was definitely a big reason why I wanted to get into the industry. Three weeks into my internship, though, I haven’t really gotten the chance to show off what I can do. I was a little discouraged this week when I found out that another intern had gotten the chance to cover an event. I hate to sound like I’m whining, Edsters, but I’m really itching to get that byline!

I spent last summer working at my local paper, and I got to write a story pretty much every day. I was just like a regular staff reporter, and I got used to seeing my work in the paper a few times a week. Bylines at the Mag, though, have been a little harder to come by. It’s interesting to see the differences between the way newspapers and magazines work, but it’s also been a challenge getting used to the change of pace.

How Do You Deal With Competitive Interns?

Hey Edsters! 

Things are still going well at the Lifestyle Mag. I have a much better idea of what to do so I can stay busy, and with a couple of long-term projects passed to me by editors, I've been staying busy. 

Here at Lifestyle Mag, there are 4 summer interns, and there is one in particular that I work closely with on a daily basis. For the sake of this blog, we'll call the other intern Annie. So far I've really loved working with Annie. She's really cool, hard working, and has great goals for her future career in magazines. However, Annie and I have been getting closer lately and for the first time this week she referred to me as the dreaded "C" word I've been trying so desperately to avoid.

Annie called me her competition.

Learning to Play to Your Strengths

Hey Edsters! 

I've been waiting for Tuesday to roll around because I have so many things to tell you. I want to go on and on about how much I love this city, despite the fact I've spent more time walking to and from Bed Bath & Beyond than I have in my apartment, and the fact that I scoured another part of the city in the rain looking for the shampoo I use, only to find it one block from my apartment the next day.

But something tells me that might not benefit you in your future magazine career. So instead, we'll talk about happy hour.

I have a friend who is a staff writer for a magazine similar to mine. We met up yesterday after she finished work. 

My Love/Hate Relationship with Errands

Errands. When the E-word is said in the office, my face usually perks up and I am positioning myself to volunteer. Most interns moan and groan about having to run errands but me, personally, I like going on them…most of the time. 

This week I was asked to go on a few errands for an editor and so of course I grab my phone, headphones, and wallet (three things essential to running an errand) and head out the door with my address all plugged in to my map app. I hail a cab; give him the cross streets and set off on what ended up being a five-hour adventure. 

Intern Invasion: Sizing Up the Competition

In the beginning, I prided myself on being the first intern this summer at the magazine, especially since my supervisor mentioned they hadn’t had any interns in quite a while. Although not all the staffers knew my name, they identified my status based on the location of my desk, in the isolated middle section of the office.  Over the past couple of weeks, they’ve solely relied on me to complete their research or transcribing tasks.  My supervisor has even recognized my willingness to go the extra mile, whether it means working through my lunch break or staying well past the time I’m supposed to leave.

Just when I’ve started to feel more comfortable in my role at the magazine, I realized I wasn’t the only new kid on the block.  Evidence in the form of new post-it notes tacked to my bulletin board and past issues strewn on my desk was proof that other interns have arrived on the scene.  It was inevitable that others would have to pick up the slack on the days when I wasn’t scheduled to be in the office, but I could rationalize that it was OK since I didn’t interact with them.  Out of sight, out of mind…right?

Boy was I wrong.

5 Ways to Stand Out To Your Editor

Beginning your first magazine internship can be pretty intimidating. I’ve started to get the hang of things at the Mag—with all this fact-checking, proofreading, and photo-organizing, my days are always pretty full. But not to worry, Edsters! Here, for your enjoyment, are some tips I’ve picked up so far:

1. Be thorough. You might not always be excited about the tasks you’re given to do. Lots of exciting things happen at magazines, but you’re not necessarily going to be doing super glamorous things all the time. The best way to impress editors, though, is doing the less exciting stuff without hesitation, and doing them well. Double and triple check the spelling of tough words. Double and triple check that phone numbers and addresses are printed correctly. Communicate well with publicists and your coworkers, and don’t leave any task half-done. That little extra work goes a long way, and you’ll be sure to impress your editors with your determination. 

The Secret Interviewing Trick You Need To Learn

Hey there Edsters! 

Week two at the Lifestyle Mag has come and gone, and I'm feeling really good about how the rest of this experience will go. An exciting opportunity has come my way. I learned this past week that one of the editors is going to need help from myself and the other intern to help write some original content for the website, meaning I'll be able to get a clip or two! 

The news was more than welcome after I'd spent a significant amount of time trying to figure out which sections of the magazine I was going to try to pitch. I will definitely be thinking through other ideas just to get some experience with pitching to the editors, but I'm excited to be asked to help with such a fun project.

Wow, A NYT Intern Broke News In His First Few Weeks

A few nights ago, I was working on a project online when I saw a jump in the number of tweets on my feed. Johan Santana had just thrown the first no-hitter in Mets history, and everyone who had ever seen a baseball was tweeting about it. Well, they were tweeting about two things: the no-hitter, and the fact that Tim Rohan, a New York Times summer intern, was one of the reporters breaking the story.

I tried to imagine myself in his position.

How To Bounce Back After A Crappy First Day

Week one down! Before I go off and throw myself a congratulatory party, first things first. 

My first day was long, tough, and extremely awkward—nothing like I thought it would be. Though I had my prior knowledge of my previous internship, it felt like everything I did was being watched by my fellow interns. The hours were much longer than expected and time went by painfully slow. I continued to drink endless amounts of water just so I could keep going to the bathroom and scroll through Twitter for a brief breather. At lunch I felt like the scene straight out of Mean Girls where Cady eats her lunch the first day of school in a bathroom stall. After leaving, I couldn’t even think about going back and doing this all over again. But, I woke up at 7:00 am the next morning, called my mom to get a pep talk and attempted at day two. 

How I Landed My First Byline

Hey Edsters, 

Things have been steadily progressing, with the workload increasing in small waves.  Although I’ve had to postpone researching my assignment until the editor approves an eye-catching photo to match, I’ve been involved with other projects that have proved to be quite interesting. I worked on different research topics for various feature stories, some involving combing through old records online and others for the business side of the entertainment industry.

One day,  an editor asked if I watched a popular TV show. Even though I admitted that I didn’t, she surprised me by asking me to write about it for the website. 

Wanna Make it at the Mag? Learn to Multitask

I faced my first full week of work at the Mag and came out virtually unscathed. At the end of the week, I can tell you that one thing about life in the magazine world is certain: hard work. There are usually a million things going on at once, and mistakes aren’t an option. Before I get into that, though, I’ll tell you a little bit about my week. 

My first full day was much more difficult and tedious than expected. The other interns and I spent the entire day reading pages line by line to make sure all of the names and brands were spelled right. Our task was to verify spellings, phone numbers and addresses and cite our sources so everything would be 100% accurate. It’s pretty tough to sit there and read the same things all day long, and I found myself daydreaming out the window more often than I’d like to admit. 

I tried not to get discouraged by the dullness of the day, and I was glad to find that the next few days were busier.

An Intern Veteran's 4 Key Lessons To Success

Well, Edsters, I did it! 

Week one has come and gone and although I spent the majority of the week transcribing interviews, I still left with the impression that this is going to be a fantastic experience. 

I spent a bulk of my time mentally noting differences between internships. It was hard for me not to since it had been a mere three days between the two of them, and I honestly feel like a little bit of time off between them would have done me some good. As difficult as it was to mentally arrive in new internship mode, I think I'm finally there. Taking a step back, here are a few guidelines that I think could be helpful for you all as you transition between jobs.

1. Take the opportunity to ask questions. At the beginning of internship #1, I was nervous to ask questions because I didn't want my editors thinking they'd made a mistake hiring an airhead.

How To Prepare For An Internship At A Mag You've Never Read

Hey Edsters,

I feel a little bit like I’m in the middle of finals week. Notebooks and pens are piling up around my house, and suddenly my Facebook newsfeed is 10 times more interesting than usual. But I took my last final three weeks ago, so I’m not preparing for exams. I’m preparing for my internship. 

The major difference between this and finals week is that once I actually do get down to business, I don’t want to stop. I’ve been scouring the back issues my editor sent me and immersing myself in all things the mag covers. I find it really interesting, which is handy since there's quite a bit of material.

I'll admit though, the magazine I'm interning at didn't always clutter the floor of my room.

3 Things Fashion Interns Need To Know About Rocking Your First Day

Happy Monday, Edsters!

I start my internship this week and I am ready to hit the ground running! Thinking back on how I started my last internship so sheepish and timid, I can’t stress how important it is to start off your summer smiling and eager to work! Between racking my brain on what to wear and how to do my hair, I also thought up three important things to remember on your first day of your internship (or any job, really).

1.    Smile, make eye contact, and have a firm handshake.

Putting Everything On The Line To Achieve My Dreams

After college, things haven’t turned out the way I envisioned. 

By now, I thought I would be living the dream: a thriving career at an award-winning magazine and my own place. Instead, I’m living at home, juggling two part-jobs to make ends meet and (barely) pay my bills. It might seem crazy to take on an unpaid internship at this point in my life, but I feel like it’s now or never. Better to take a risk and go out on a limb instead of playing it safe and daydreaming about the life that I want for myself. So, here I am, putting everything on the line to learn the ropes again and have a second chance to achieve my dreams.

I came pretty close this week.

Thrown In At The Deep End: Fact-Checking 101

Hey there Edsters!

Good news: I have survived my first day of work at the Regional Mag. And nothing really went wrong! Well, not really…

After stressing over what to wear—my editor had given me a cryptic “business casual” guideline—I decided on a skirt, sweater and black heels, something I regretted on the rather long walk from my parking to the Mag’s offices. I was walking, trying to keep my head held high as I gave myself little pep talks, when I looked over to a woman handing out flyers on the street corner. As soon as I turned, my heel went straight into a crack on the ground.

Getting Over First Day Internship Jitters

Well, here I am, Edsters. Sitting in my student housing room the day before my internship, and trying to figure out how to make these first week jitters go away. This isn't my first internship, but I'm still just as nervous to walk into the office for the first time tomorrow as I was last semester. Maybe I'm putting too much pressure on myself, but is it rational to feel this nervous the second time around as well?

Before starting my first internship, I had more questions going through my head than I could keep track of. Would my bosses like me? Would I catch on to my responsibilities quickly? Would I do anything embarrassing? Am I even prepared to live in New York City? Luckily, I was able to quickly fall into a routine at my last internship and felt that I was able to have a very productive experience, but I can't help but wonder about how this job will differ from the last.

How A Country Gal Adjusts To The Big Bad City

Alright Edsters, before we go any further with this relationship, there is something you should know about me: I’m from the country. I own a pair of cowboy boots and I know all of the words to a disturbingly large number of country songs.

Now that that’s out in the open, there’s something we need to discuss. Lately, I’ve felt like I have to justify living in New York. People here love to tell me what I’m going to hate about it, namely the sky-high prices, mean people, and lack of green space. I know I might look back on this post in August and laugh at how naïve I was, but I just got back from a quick weekend trip to the city (still two weeks until the big move) and I didn’t find much of that to be true. Here’s the current impression I have of New York, after my third trip there.

3 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting My Fashion Internship

Getting an internship in the fashion department of a prestigious magazine can be exciting. It can also be very, very overwhelming. After ending my first internship at Fashion Mag number 1, I realized there was so much I didn’t know when I started out. So, for all you people who are just about to begin your internship, have already started and are still fuzzy on what to do, or are looking to wedge your way in, here are 3 things I had wish I had known:

1. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Seriously. I wish I had found this one out sooner.

Introducing..The Post-Grad Entertainment Intern Ready To Pay Her Dues

This past Monday was unlike any other Monday before it. It marked the beginning of a new, positive change in my personal evolution: I started my summer internship with an entertainment magazine. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to work for one. When I was growing up, instead of learning makeup tips from Seventeen, I was absorbing pop culture analysis from Entertainment Weekly.

I began my day at the crack of dawn for the long trek across town to my internship. Rather than heading to the freeway to journey into the heart of Los Angeles like other commuters, I boarded the early morning light rail train. I want to arrive on my first day not only on time, but also early enough so that I can scope out the amenities of the area. Luckily, I found a Starbucks in the same vicinity as the office.

Fortified with invigorating caffeine, I held my head high as I entered the building. The magazine office is sparse, yet trendy. The space reminds me of a converted art gallery, with wide airy windows and bare concrete floors that echo everyone’s footsteps. The lady at the front desk (not sure if she was the receptionist or just someone filling in) instructed me to have a seat while she summoned my editor. Waiting in the lobby, the seconds felt like hours. 

Introducing...The Regional Intern At Her First Mag Job

Hello Edsters!

After applying to a whole slew of magazines, getting rejected from some and never hearing back from most, I am proud to say I will be spending this summer working as an editorial intern at a lifestyle magazine in California. I’m expecting to be doing lots of copy-editing and fact-checking, but hope to do some writing too. I am beyond excited to finally get the opportunity to pursue my dream of being a big-time magazine writer.

I had pretty much given up on finding a magazine internship until I stumbled upon the listing on Ed. I e-mailed the editor with my resume and cover letter and heard back within a few hours. The catch? They wanted me to do a fact-check test and a 150-word restaurant write-up by the following week. I had never done fact-checking before, but I went ahead and wrote up the best questions I could think of, like she had asked me to. I also happened to be leaving town the next day for a weekend trip, but somehow it got done. I had one more Skype interview, and there ya go—hired!

What is there to know about me?

Introducing...The Intern Veteran Taking Over Lifestyle Magazines

The first semester of my sophomore year I was enrolled in an introductory writing class. During our unit on magazine writing, my professor spent an unhealthy amount of time talking to a room full of tired college students about the beauty of magazines as a publication, and how anyone, no matter who you are, can find some kind of magazine written just for them. It started off interesting, but he lost all of us when he started talking about his AARP subscription.


Fast forward about 45 minutes. He's up out of his chair now and suddenly pencils are back on paper as everyone tries to find their way back into the "conversation." But he's got something in his hand. A magazine. AARP? Could be.


"And that's why they're so great. Even ferret lovers have their place in the magazine world," he explained in his monotone drawl before holding up the cover of, you guess it, a ferret magazine.
There were chuckles in the class as he regained the attention of us tired students. But wait...what is that I see? Tucked carefully inside the centerfold of the ferret magazine there appears to be...


Oh, no, it can't be. It couldn't possibly be...

Introducing...The Campus Mag EIC At Her Dream Edit Internship

Hello there, fellow Edsters! 

I'm here to tell you about how I landed my dream, and I do mean dream, internship this summer. Four years ago, back when I was an even younger whippersnapper than I am now, I found an internship program online. I quickly realized there was probably no better opportunity out there for aspiring journalists. I was much too young to apply, and I also thought there was no way that I would ever (ever, ever, ever) be able to land something like that. But I bookmarked it anyway and about once a year, I reviewed the intern qualifications. I wanted to make sure that I was building my resume to their standards, thinking that if I prepared myself for something of that caliber, then maybe I could land something similar.

Well, you already know how this one ends. A few months after sending in my application (so maybe patience isn't my strong suit) I found out that I got the internship. These days I'm busy doing highly productive things like counting down the days until I leave for New York and stalking program alumni on Twitter. I also occasionally take a break from that to do some school work.

Speaking of school, I'm a junior in college studying magazine journalism and new media.

Introducing...The Fashion Internaholic Going On Her Second NYC Internship

When I was four, I insisted on always dressing myself because I told my mom I had better fashion sense than her (I needed that creative freedom. Sorry for insulting you, Mom). Though lime green floral leggings paired with a red, white, and blue striped top and my mother’s expensive red lipstick may have been a low point for my young fashion savvy self, I pranced around in that outfit as if I looked like a million bucks. 

From there, my passion for fashion only flourished with age. I would, and still do, sit for hours watching all the red carpet events for award shows and judge each celebrity’s outfit. I never even thought my love for clothes, shoes, handbags, jewelry, and beyond could ever be turned into a lifelong career.

I am sitting in my intern apartment in Herald Square finishing up my spring semester internship. As I look back on the last five months I have seen my life transform from 19-year-old college student to 20-year-old New York City based fashion intern; from sheepish and apprehensive to assertive and confident. I moved to New York, literally, not knowing a soul.

Stay Tuned: Ed's Intern Diaries Are Back

Hey Edsters,

The summer days are heating up and you know what that means: our clandestine intern bloggers are back and better than ever. Check back tomorrow to meet our newest cohort: Ed's fashion, lifestyle, regional, entertainment and edit intern have a lot to share!

Happy Interning,
Ed