The Present is the Priority
I’m now four weeks into my Porter Novelli internship, and it’s been quite the ride. I’ve got my go-to summer linen pants, crisp button-downs, and trusty loafers, ready to tackle each day.
My apartment is feeling more like home again, with my favorite books, succulents, record art, and a desk cluttered with notebooks full of journal entries and notes to better understand my team and their work. Adulting-wise, I’ve set up a weekly budget, something I definitely didn’t do in college, and started meal prepping. Think fresh salmon from Trader Joe’s in the air fryer, or grilled flank steak with broccoli and potatoes. One week in, and it’s becoming a habit.
My helpers and I have figured out a smooth routine for dressing, showering, and transferring me, after some trial and error. No more complicated “throw me over the shoulder” moves; now it’s a step-by-step flow that works for both of us. But it’s not just about helping with my arm and leg function. My new aide Dani has been a great support mentally, always ready to talk family, memories, and my occasional struggles with dating and intimacy, especially compared to friends who are a bit further along in that area. She reminds me it’s definitely possible, and to just keep showing up. When I start overthinking how hard it is to meet people, she says, “Let’s just go for a walk, get coffee, maybe a drink. Maybe we’ll meet people, maybe we won’t — that’s life. Keep trying.” Love that mindset.
Now that my living setup is solid, my helpers are in sync, and my commute is down to a science, I’m finally finding energy to socialize after work, instead of crashing at 6 PM.
On the work front, I’ve learned a lot — showing up on time, introducing myself to colleagues, soaking up onboarding materials, and taking detailed notes. I have a great manager who gives me honest feedback, which will help me keep doing better and better. Adjusting to the fast-paced agency life with constant Outlook emails and Teams pings, was overwhelming at first. Sometimes I’d dive so deep into client decks or articles that I’d miss urgent asks or deadlines. Some of my questions were a bit sporadic, like stopping a manager mid-task to ask about ShareFile, something I could’ve looked up myself, or saved for a planned meeting. I also struggle with names and faces, part of my disability, so it’s taken time to learn who’s who. My manager gave me great advice: build a cheat sheet of names, faces, and roles, which I test myself on over the weekend.
He also gave me some tough but valuable advice: “You’re always looking ahead to the next project or career step, but if you focus on what’s right in front of you, the projects coming your way next week, you won’t miss a beat.” At first, that was hard to hear, but I’m grateful now. Unlike past bosses who just say “you’re doing great,” this feedback challenges me to grow by staying present and leaning into every opportunity.
That mindset is helping me break my day into manageable chunks, balancing deep dives with urgent tasks, meetings, and quick check-ins. I’m striving to plan better, ask thoughtful questions at the right time, and stay engaged without spiraling.
I’m excited to keep applying this advice, growing in this role, and soaking in all the learning this internship offers — from media pitching courses to collaborating on a final project with other interns, to understanding the disease state on my account through daily media tracking. Plus, coffee chats with my kind, knowledgeable coworkers are a bonus.
This weekend, I’m back home in the Berkshires, recharging with my dog Roxy, catching a concert at Tanglewood, and spending time with my parents. I’m also volunteering as a judge for a scholarship granted to high schoolers with Duchenne and their siblings. It’s a meaningful project that I’m happy to be a part of.
