Internship Diary: Pushing Comfort for Culture

I was wandering through local thrift shops when I first learned about PATTERN. It was at Society of Salvage, admiring their collection of aesthetic relics, that I came across the Fall/Winter 2016 Milestone issue of PATTERN magazine. I was flipping through it and was completely taken aback by the fact this luxurious fashion, art, and culture magazine was curated in Indianapolis. Although I had just learned of this organization’s existence, it was easy to find their online presence and I soon followed PATTERN on Facebook and Instagram. Although I am studying for a degree in finance, I knew that I wanted to be a part of this movement to develop the local creative community. For this reason I direct messaged these accounts asking for an opportunity to intern, was directed to apply on their website, and received an email soon after to come in for an interview.

The day that I interviewed for my internship position with PATTERN was an anxiety filled one. I was planning on missing my last class of the day to arrive early for the meeting, but I had forgotten, and was thankfully reminded, that I had to take a business law exam before I could head to the SpeakEasy Downtown. I raced down the street through the summer heat, making it inside with five minutes to spare. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I entered the office space, but it was definitely not a group interview. I quickly discovered that the other applicants were much more qualified in the creative department, but I offered logical help with budgeting and event planning. I left the interview unsure if I would be selected, but I was happy to hear back a few weeks later that I had made the cut.

All of us interns promptly got to work on researching stories, scheduling interviews, and brainstorming potential meetup and photoshoot ideas. Being able to help carry out the project St’art Up 317 and coordinating the annual STREETExPO and After Party events definitely taught me a ton of lessons, but the biggest one of them being how important it is to have a high level of attention to detail. From renting equipment to communicating with all people involved, it was crucial to make sure everything was taken into account and that everyone was on the same page for the events to be successful. The second biggest lesson I learned would have to be the importance of adaptability to change. Everything didn’t always go as planned, which is bound to happen with the many moving parts of event planning. Luckily, Polina was more than prepared for things to fall apart and was there to help me figure out these difficulties.

It was stunning to see how a nonprofit organization with a good cause such as this one operates behind the scenes. It really takes a whole lot of hustle and grinding to get as much accomplished on a weekly basis as PATTERN does. It has been a great experience pushing out of my comfort zone to network with and work alongside such skilled and motivated individuals, both members of PATTERN and the local creative community alike, to nurture and spread the culture of the city. I am sure the next intern family that comes through will continue towards our shared vision for Indianapolis, and I can’t wait to see what they come up with!

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