About the Author:

Melissa Lawhorn is a senior at Indiana University and holder of multiple internships. With multiple internships under her belt, Melissa provides her perspectives and advice for fellow college students to get the most out of their internship experiences. Follow her weekly column in The Internship Chronicles.

In Part 1 of this post (Sharing is Caring | Part 1), I left off where my internship coordinator was discussing getting both myself and the other Deer Park Manor intern an opportunity with a statewide wedding magazine. Remember, this was the opportunity because I had reached out to get in touch with someone at the magazine, and offer myself up to be an assistant, intern, writer… SOMETHING! I just wanted to get involved.

After that day, I backed off a little from the opportunity. I still followed up and stayed in touch, but I certainly didn’t assert myself in the way I had when I made that initial contact. I honestly felt that the opportunity wasn’t as valuable if both myself and the other intern were benefitting from it. I felt (and still feel!) like reaching out and making contact was something that I genuinely spent time considering and trying to present myself just-right, and for someone else to benefit seemed unfair. Even typing that out, it sounds childish, but that’s how I felt.

So now, you may be wondering where this went…

Well, after meeting a couple of times with the editor I made contact with, the magazine and this person ended their professional relationship. I’m not sure who ended it with who, nor does it matter, but now if I want the opportunity, I’ll be starting again with a new person, building a new relationship. I don’t know that I will, especially after the issues it has caused thus far…

What would you do if you were me?