When I learned about PATTERN I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of, the magazine was very professional and creative and I was sort of taken back at the fact that Indianapolis had this hidden gem within its creative culture. I had always wanted to jump into the world of fashion but never knew where to look or who to talk to. PATTERN seemed like the perfect opportunity.
Going into the interview I was very nervous, first I NEEDED an internship this summer to be on track to graduate in the spring. Second, PATTERN was my number one choice and I really did not want to be rejected. Luckily when I got to the interview I felt much more comfortable as Polina was very welcoming and made it seem like more of a casual conversation than a rigorous interview.
Once I had the opportunity to meet all of fellow interns I became excited as everyone was super nice and easy to talk to. We all work together on a daily basis helping each other with photoshoots, interviews and events so you get a chance to interact with everybody on the team.
Working at PATTERN is very independent. Polina gives you guidance and tasks that need to be complete but lets you figure out your own path to the solution. Working independently has been a great learning experience and I enjoyed being able to “own” my work. I had a lot of different types of jobs over the summer. I was always kept on my toes and never knew what to expect going to work. This was easily one of my favorite parts about the internship. Some days I would be going to assist on a photoshoot, take pictures for marketing purposes, or meet with potential donators for events, just to name a few.
I learned a lot at PATTERN and it gave me the opportunity to put myself into uncomfortable positions that I was able to gain great experiences from. Talking to strangers was something I never felt super confident doing so PATTERN threw me in front of many strangers and forced me to become comfortable. Facing rejection was very strange whether it was asking for an event space or a donation. I wasn’t sure how to handle it and at first I thought I had made a mistake and it was my fault. I quickly learned though it is just a part of business and not to take it personally. Some places just don’t have necessary resources.
It has been so much fun this summer to work for a nonprofit organization doing such a great job supporting creatives within Indianapolis. Polina deserves way more credit than she gets (I think she’s a superhero) she works endlessly to put out this magazine two times a year and does an amazing job. I am very happy I had this opportunity and I will always be supporting PATTERN.
