5 Ways to Banish First-Day Anxiety!

When I was in high school, I planned out my outfits for the first day of school meticulously, color-coded my notebooks for my classes, and read all of the books on the summer reading list —and then some. (I know what you're thinking, and yes, I was a total nerd). I'm the kind of person who believes in the power of the first impression, and I want to start everything — be it AP Biology or my first day at work — off on the right foot. 

Since I've arrived home from Italy, my entire life has revolved around preparing for my first day of my internship. When I'm not reuniting with every family member, doctor, and hair dresser I know, I'm spending my time obsessing over my first day back at Teen Mag. Here are five things I've learned about calming nerves on your first day:

Introducing the Web Intern Who’s Blogging About All Things Beiber

Hey Edsters!

I’ve been obsessed with the Internet ever since my parents would let me near a mouse. AIM? I was SmarterChild’s favorite buddy. MySpace? Ed would’ve been in my Top 8. When I wasn’t harassing SmarterChild or social networking, I was reading teen magazines obsessively and stalking my postman until the next month’s issue came. Though I’ve since graduated to Facebook, Tumblr, Wordpress, and Twitter, I couldn’t imagine a better way to merge my passion for magazines with my love of the Internet than pursuing a career as a web editor!

I scored my dream web internship last summer at my favorite teen magazine, where I blogged about all things boys, blush, and Bieber. I never thought I’d be interviewing talent and getting bylines—but I did! Sometime between writing posts, testing products, and stalking celebs, I feel head-over-heels with the magazine industry. I’m now serious about pursuing a career as a web editor—so you can only imagine how excited I was when my editor invited me back this year! In the world of web, like fashion, what’s in one day is out the next. My internship taught me that I want to write content that people will read across the world—and I’m so ready for the challenge!

From New York, In Tears, And How To Make A Lasting Impression

This is it, Edsters--the farewell I've been dreading all summer.

I'm in much the same situation now as I was when I wrote my first blog--sitting in my room,

surrounded by mounds of clothes, this time trying to figure out how to pack everything I brought with everything I bought. It probably won't work well.

Leaving is the last action I want to take right now. I've really taken a step back this week, and thought about everything I've experienced. Who can say they've worked at the men's magazine, seen the Macy's 4th of July fireworks from the riverfront, filled in for their boss, mastered the subway system, gone home with their boss and freelanced into the wee hours of the morning, found the one famous Halal food cart in the city (it's on 53rd and 6th)? I've looked out my window every night at the most incredible, sparkling cityscape. I've buid relationships with editors and writers.

I am really excited and amazed at my own accomplishments thus far, Edsters. I was scared I wouldn't be. I was scared I was just going through the motions and not getting anything out of the experience. But now I'm training new interns and my bosses are asking me if I "can please stay forever." It's surreal. And I feel so blessed to be here, even though it must end with me being so sad to leave.

But I cannot end this incredible summer on a sullen note, Edsters. Every second counts in this bustling industry, so I plan to make the best exit I possibly can, as you should, too:

How To Stay Recognized--And Score A Freelance Gig Even AFter Your Internship

So by boss invited me to her house two nights in a row this week.
Then on Friday, the editor gave me his direct cell phone number.

I've been scoring left and right, Edsters—okay, maybe not like THAT. But this week has been pretty fantastic. We're under deadline again at the magazine, and two new interns have started working with us. One of them is my replacement, but let's not think about that for right now. We're working on the September issue, which is the biggest issue for most magazines, and on top of it, we're launching a special half-issue this month, so there's plenty to do.

We've been hustling pretty hard, and just looking around the office is enough to see the stress across everyone's faces. Editors are weighed down with decisions and delayed copy. Writers are burned out from preparing two issues at once. The printer is dying becaue we've used so much ink, and there's just never enough coffee to sustain us all. And from the back off the office in our little alcove, I've been noticing it all.

I started coming in to work an hour earlier this week just to get a head start on the day's work. I packed my lunch so I could stay at my desk, and I've been trying to anticipate anything that could help the Web process run smoother for the bosses. Now that I've worked through a couple issues, I have a feel for what needs done, so I can work ahead instead of waiting to be told what to do. And to try to help my direct boss a little more, I've been showing the newest interns how our CSS works by having them watch/help me and the other interns while we run through this issue.

I know I've made progress since I've begun working this summer, but it surprised me again to be recognized for my efforts. I've accomplished three things this week, and I have to say, I'm pretty proud of them.

Biting Off More Than You Chew: How To Avoid Burnout

Hey Edsters,

How are your internships going? If you read my last blog, you know my head has been spinning with work, internships and freelance projects. I'm still loving it more than any of my words can begin to express, but I've lately learned a very valuable lesson: be realistic.

I've always been pretty solid on time management and meeting deadlines, and let's be honest, I still am. When I promise work to a set deadline, I meet it, even it that means sacrificing time with friends or a few hours of sleep. It's really important to me to stay reliable because that's how you build relationships and gain trust for present and future professional relationships. But what I have been seeing, Edsters, is a slight decrease in the quality of my work performance.

When I'm at my part-time job, it takes all my control not to yell back at the rude boss I told you about before. When I'm at my internship, I can't work as quickly as I previously could. And when I'm with my friends, I barely have the patience to be relaxed and calm. I've realized I'm only thinking about work, and even when I am out exploring the city, I feel traces of guilt for not working on the projects I know are waiting for me at home. I think, for one week, I agreed to take on too many projects.

Fake It ‘Til You Make It: An Ode To Multitasking

Hey Edsters,

So I’m weeks and weeks deep into my internship, silently loathing the approaching time when I have to move home, and soaking up as much information as I possibly can on how to succeed.

If I’m picking up one thing more than anything else, it’s the importance of being able to multitask. We’re in a tough major, Edsters. I think we can all agree on that. We’re in a time when huge magazines would rather outsource freelancers than hire staffers, when one week of bad reviews can get you fired and sent back to school for a new career. It’s hitting hard for me, as I just saw someone fired yesterday. The person came into the office, went out to coffee with the boss, and then never came back. In that switch of a moment, his life was drastically different. He woke up with a life plan and went home with a box.

I started to think about my future in magazines. After having a real talk with my boss, I was much more than reassured.

Here’s what I learned:

How To Impress The Hell Out Of Your Bosses—And Become One

So I got a lovely little surprise this week, Edsters, and let me tell you, it feels WONDERFUL to be recognized at the mag. I've been working hard and trying to remember all the little details I overhear in the office--like which editors prefer e-mails and which want in-person conversations, which are too busy to be bothered this week and which have time to play with hand puppets. While I feel like I've just been keeping my head down and doing the best work I can with assigned tasks, I must be doing something else right.

I'm standing in for my boss tomorrow.

Yeah, I couldn't believe it, either, but this is how it happened:

How Do You Deal With A Horrible Boss?

This has been a long week for me, Edsters…the kind when I find myself drinking coffee three times a day, but never quite finding time for dinner. Where I’m constantly running, but I never feel like I completely accomplish anything.

Things have been awesome at the mag. The other Web interns and I have finished building all the new articles/slide shows/etc. for the last issue, but we’re also trying to organize everything for the new slew of interns who are about to replace us. Basically, we’re trying to think of everything we wish we would have known coming in and figuring out the best way to make sure all the future webbies know them. Not to mention, with the September issue fast approaching, things are about to get even busier. But the mag isn’t my source of stress. No, it’s somewhere else.

It’s in my part-time job as counter help in some division of food service. Okay, so it’s not a significant job—just something little to get me through the weeks. Lately, though, I feel like it’s been my New York initiation. My boss is a terrific jerk. While he’s at work, he finds no fault in screaming at us in front of a store full of customers. You’ll have to trust me on this, Edsters, since I can’t tell you the specifics on what he’s yelling about…but they’re always stupid rants. I’ve seen customers walk out of the store because of his behavior. I’ve had customers apologize to me on his behalf because he was so rude. And when he’s not in the store? He’s at home watching the security cameras from his laptop…calling in to the store about every 10 minutes to yell at us. I’m really not exaggerating at all.

I thought about quitting because the way he treats us is so incredibly disrespectful that it’s almost degrading to stand for, but three things are keeping me employed.

So You Wanna Be A Freelancer

EDSTERS!
The MOST Beautiful, Lovely, Fantastic, Incredible Week!
I truly cannot believe the experiences that are unfolding before me this summer. As I type, I’m sitting in a 24-hour diner I found three blocks from my building. Greasy? Yes. But there’s an outlet and free refills on coffee, so when I’m in the mood to greet the sunrise, we’re the best of friends.

ANYWAY, why am I in the diner tonight? Lovely Edsters, not only do I have an incredible internship at the men’s magazine while I’m blogging for Ed, but I just became a real, live New York City freelancer! (I filled out the tax forms and everything!) Let’s just say I’ve been able to meet one of the most incredibly busy and driven people I’ve ever known, and, through some stroke of incredible luck, I’ve impressed her. I’m working on a couple projects at the moment, some copy editing, some composing story intros and query letters, others organizing for business expansion, but it’s pretty much the most incredible opportunity I never saw coming this summer!

She’s introduced me to other people she knows in various careers, and I’m trying my hardest to stay professional, yet personable, and interesting, while competent. I’m pushing my networking to the max, and I’m really impressed with how cool people are with texting. That is still something I’m getting used to. I wouldn’t recommend it, Edsters. I view it as unprofessional. I tend to veer toward e-mail in the professional form, but when these contacts text me, I mean, yeah, I text back. I think it’s really cool to be able to know people on multiple platforms—if you are careful and make sure it’s mutually understood, I think you can meet people in both personal and professional environments. I know that’s what’s helping me get ahead.

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:

The Best Part About Working For A National Mag (Hint: Inside Celeb Scoop)

Ohhhh, Edsters. Does the Men’s Magazine have some dirt?! And boy is it good. And boy are we sworn to secrecy about it until the story goes live. But boyyy is it good.

So, seeing as I can’t tell you lovelies who I am or what magazine to peruse the SECOND the story gets published, I’m sorry for the teaser. But being in the know for any publication is one of the most exciting little adventures the office can hold. It’s very much like a flashback to high school—you hear a murmur…you look around…wait, what was that they said?...strain your ears a little…and in a minute, the whole office is talking. Yaaa…so maybe some celebs had a fling and tried to keep it quiet—until one of them spilled it all. I mean, let’s just open THAT can.

That’s what I’ve been loving a lot this week. The other interns and I have been invited to some of the meetings going on around the office. Sometimes that means really boring ones with just updates and sometimes that means really interesting ones, like when we get briefed on the upcoming issue. Since my last blog, I’ve been keeping true to my hopes, and I’ve been trying to network at these meetings. I’ve been able to meet people from the fashion department, people who take chare of all our PR inquiries, and the associated editor. Very awesome. I mean, I know we all know it, but contacts are completely indispensible. It also helps for future conversations, too.

5 Common Intern Mistakes You Should Avoid

Hey Edsters!

This has been a very weird—yet fulfilling—week for me. We’re between issues at the magazine, so the other interns and I have been working on smaller tasks than usual.

Normally, we’re actually doing the damn thing—much more than I was expecting before coming to the city. We build Web articles, we build Web slideshows, we code text with HTML and we research photos and contact companies to purchase them. We’re basically doing the preliminary Web builds of everything, and then the edits to them once they go through the editors.

This week, though, we’ve just about built it all. New stories for the next issue haven’t made it through to us, yet, so we’ve been cleaning our little room and deleting spam from the website and tweaking little things here and there that got lost in the shuffle of a couple busy, busy weeks.

What that DOES mean, though, is we’ve gotten the chance to really talk to our boss. We’ve been able to talk about what magazine’s look for in their interns (or at least what our boss does!), what’s fun to do in the city and how to volunteer for some extra responsibilities at the magazine. Here’s what I’ve picked up:

3 Success Secrets Every Web Intern Should Know

Hey Edsters!

So I’ve been at my internship four a couple weeks now, and I have yet to get yelled at, get coffee or get lost. What I did get, though, was a smile and a 50-page manual on my first day. That was my intern training.

There was no sitting down for an orientation of new Web programs. There really wasn’t even a conversation. My bosses seemed more apt to iChat instead of talk…while they sat right beside one another. I knew I wasn’t going to get anywhere like that, so I took my boss up on her “don’t be afraid to ask questions” policy. Thank goodness I did.

4 Secrets To Rocking a Skype Interview

As I type, I’m sitting on my bed with mounds of clothes covering the floor. I’m trying to compress my entire life into one suitcase so I can move 500 miles for an internship — my summer internship in New York City. I couldn’t be more excited, and my parents couldn’t be more terrified, but it’s coming quickly, so we’re both adjusting.

Here are the fast facts about me:

-I’m working as a Web production intern and blogger for a men’s fashion magazine this summer.
-I’m from the mid-U.S., a town no more than about 10,000 people.
-I’ve finished two years of a magazine journalism major and just picked up a PR minor.
-I’m devastatingly in love with magazines, shoes and, most recently, DJs. (Steve Aoki, anyone?)
-I’m allergic to cats.

This will, indeed, be my first internship, and I’m so excited!! I’ve already learned a lot. Mostly, it’s that big magazines will keep you waiting. Don’t get discouraged! After sending out 67 applications (resume, cover letter and clips if requested) and a slew of follow-up e-mails, I finally heard back from a few magazines. When I saw the Men’s Magazine in my inbox, though, I almost fell off my library chair! I had found the posting for it here on Ed2010, and I’m so glad my professor had suggested it to me.

Coming To You Live From The Front Lines

Today is your lucky day. I will be reporting to you, right from the line of fire, the mouth of the dragon, the source of all power… a fashion magazine — just in case you’re thinking of pursuing a career in the seemingly dying world of journalism (look closely, jobs are out there!).

I will be a paid (I told you, they’re out there if you look hard enough!) online intern for the summer, and I’m hoping to stay on board post-summer as I will be graduating in December. I actually found the job posting right here on Ed! After an infinite number of interviews, I can’t believe I finally landed a job, and one that really seems suited to my preferences and skills.

I initially only applied to magazine postings. Since it was my final summer before graduating, I really wanted to make sure I got a job that I could eventually keep post-grad. However, things looked dark at best, and I had to branch out. I started applying to PR jobs, book publishing jobs (still on my radar), and even marketing (eeekh) positions. My hopes were slowly but steadily disappearing, until I got called in for an interview at an actual magazine, my original goal.