Summer may seem like a distant dream far off in the future, but for the internship search, it’s never too early. By spending your summer at an organization, you can get hands-on experience in potential career paths, network and learn from successful professionals, and develop skills for courses and extracurriculars here on campus. This past summer, I conducted bioengineering research at the National University of Singapore in the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, and I can honestly say that it was one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever had. So what are the key lessons to gain from any internship?
Reach out – Earlier is better
The first couple of days in an internship can certainly come like a flood – unfamiliar city, new material to absorb, names to learn, and more. I certainly had this feeling in Singapore, which was a new experience for me on a variety of levels. I was alone for 13 weeks over 10,000 miles from home in a completely new cultural and workplace environment. In some sense, it’s easy to hone in on the technical aspects of work and neglect the importance of getting to know one’s coworkers. Many of my most rewarding experiences in Singapore came from spending time with my fellow lab members. Inside the lab, I learned an incredible amount about bioengineering from conversations about lab members’ projects, and outside of the lab, they were more than willing to show me around the city and help me learn about Singapore’s unique cultural diversity. As the new intern, take the initiative to integrate yourself into the workplace environment and build the bonds necessary for a successful internship. I promise, you won’t regret it.
Make your life easier – ask for help
Over the course of the summer, you’ll inevitably come across a task outside your set of strengths. Perhaps you haven’t covered something in your coursework yet, maybe you haven’t seen anything similar before, but regardless, the end result is the same: you’re a little bit lost. While every intern wants to appear independent and rise to the challenges of the workplace, another strength, just as valuable, is the ability to recognize one’s capabilities and ask for help. Rather than spending excessive time and energy to power through the problem alone, it takes self-awareness and judgment to seek a mentor’s advice. Indeed, by receiving feedback on the situation from your mentor, you’ll likely also learn from their experience in the area and find a better solution than you would have developed on your own. Research in Singapore was an entirely new technical field for me, so I had to seek out background information and become proficient in foundational lab techniques within a short period of time. For the items I needed assistance to accomplish, I was able to learn an incredible amount from my mentor, in terms of the technique/area directly, but also in terms of the underlying thought process. Don’t worry about waiting for the best moment to ask. Just do it!
Go explore!
Even if the internship is a perfect fit for you and you’ve found your dream career, make sure to devote time to your outside environment, away from the internship. If you’re spending the summer away from Houston or home, you have a unique period to explore a new city and gain experiences unlike anything you’ve seen before. In terms of exposure to new ways of thinking and different cultures, these soft, non-technical experiences from your internship provide the foundation for personal and professional growth. In my case, I learned about an incredibly diverse range of cultures in Singapore, which reflects Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Western influences. From seeing beautiful monuments to conversations with people that I met during my trips around the city, Singapore provided experiences and lessons simply not possible here in Houston. And within the US, different companies and regions of the country have their own quirks and idiosyncrasies; make sure to make the most of them!
Constantine Tzouanas is a Peer Career Advisor from Wiess College. He is a sophomore studying bioengineering and neuroscience.
