internship week 1 | in review

friday, june 18 - saturday, june 26, 2021

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|| the highlights
what happened that stood out

This the first week I can remember in a long time when I've felt such a wide range of emotions, and I get the feeling it won't be the last. iCon 2021 was a rollercoaster, but nevertheless a blast. One of my struggles was learning to be adaptable and working without a clear plan of what was coming next. I like to plan ahead and be prepared for possible outcomes, so I struggle a lot with 

So, a little overview list:

- a genuine sense of camaraderie

- competing in my final tournament at the iCon 2021 International Championship

- making it to showcase with our Much Ado About Nothing OrAd and winning FIRST PLACE!!

- working with the 15-18 year old student track

- intern photo and video shoots

- spontaneous dance parties

- becoming well-acquainted with the hallway mirror, in which many selfies were taken

- wildflower crowns

- a really cute hat I got while exploring the neighborhood shops & vendors

- being commissioned as official ICC Ambassadors.

I don't think the fact that I did it - I'm an ICC Ambassador hit me until I stood up to receive my official name tag on commissioning night. I cried while it was being pinned on. And several more times after that.

|| the tunes
what music has been resonating with me

Paper Tigers // Theocracy

There are several fans of power metal on my intern team, and one of my them introduced me to Theocracy, a Christian power metal band. I wouldn't have thought of myself as someone who would enjoy metal, but I really enjoy this kind, with its epic, neo-classical feel.

Trying My Best // Anson Seabra

Another a song I heard about from an ICC friend. The lyrics felt especially relatable.

Fire + If I Can't Have You // Sara Bareilles

I love Sara Bareilles, but I'd forgotten about these two songs until recently, and they are amazing and speak to my state of mind that week towards romantic feelings.

Infrared EP // Em Beihold

It's just a beautifully sung, beautifully produced, beautifully written collection of songs. She sounds like a combination of Sara Bareilles and Regina Spektor, both of whom I love.

|| the films
what’s worth noting from the small screen

The one notable things I've watched since leaving for internship (really, the only thing) was the 1995 (6-hour!) Pride and Prejudice adaptation on the 12-hour car ride to Tennessee. It was just as great as everyone has told me it is, so it definitely lived up to my expectations. I liked it a lot more than the 2005 version -- not because the 2005 movie was objectively bad. It's mainly because of personal preference. The actors were incredible, and it felt so much more accurate to the way I'd imagined the characters while reading the book.

|| the horizon
what’s coming up?

To be honest, I don't quite know. I expect this is where the real work of internship begins: the planning, the project, the presentations. But I did talk to several sources (i.e. former interns) the second week and first "official" week is like intern boot camp. 

About the only thing I know for sure is that there will be a tech & media fast for four days, which means no electronic devices. *sigh* I don't like admitting any dependence on electronics, but since I'm already exposing every corner of my soul on this blog, I might as well admit I'm nervous about it, and a bit bothered. I wonder what the days will be like, and whether the lack of tech will cause any extra hurdles to getting things done. I worry that I'll be bored. I know I'll miss listening to music whenever I have the chance, and writing, and taking photos. 

"Putting trust in the gap" is a phrase I've heard tossed around a lot in ICC, usually relating to conflict resolution. A teammate reminded me of that phrase in a conversation. 

Trust my team. Trust the people who guide us.

It's hard. I think I've struggled with it a lot this week. Eventually I'll get there, I know. It's a choice. How exactly it will happen is something I have yet to find out.