I feel that so far during my internship I have advocated for myself when needed but, I know I can improve this skill. I have been asking questions to my supervisor and mentor whenever I am confused and I am comfortable doing so. The place I know I can improve in is asking my other co-workers for help. I am not completely comfortable doing so but I would like to be. I don't want them to feel like I am interrupting their work and that is what holds me back from asking them questions. My mentor gives me things to do and I finish them by myself for the most part but I do ask for help when I need it.
One example of me self-advocating is when I was asked to make a list of ideas for my project. I started looking online for different ideas but I was having trouble connecting anything I saw to the work they are doing in the Lal Lab. I asked my mentor if there was anyway for me to connect certain projects to the work they are doing in the lab and she helped me by explaining how each project could or could not connect. This helped me narrow down and eventually choose a final project to do. Are you following the advice in "How to be an intern everyone remembers"? If so, how is it working out? If not, what are you going to start doing? I have found myself to be busy most of the time but, I have not been able to constantly doing work because we still have to order the parts for my project so that I can start it. While I am waiting I have been watching videos and reading articles about various topics that will help me when I start my project. There isn't any meetings at this lab so I don't have an opportunity to be late to any meetings or showing up without a notebook. I have been on time in the mornings everyday. Since I don't have a strict schedule I have a general time when I show up which is between 9:30 and 10:00. I never show up later than 10. I did get a chance to meet everyone and introduce myself. They are pretty busy so I couldn't have an entire conversation with every person but, we all know each other's names. Dressing very professionally is not something that I do at my internship. This is because it is all grad students so they show up in leggings and sweatshirts. I usually wear jeans and a blouse or a jacket. I feel like if I dressed up anymore professionally it would be uncomfortable since even the professor doesn't dress extremely professionally. I don't think that I will begin to dress more professional because I would look more out of place than standing out in a good way. I will be commenting on Angeli and Matias' blogposts.
7 Comments
Cheyenne
5/22/2019 11:18:49 am
Hi Sasha,
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Elisabeth Dukes
5/22/2019 12:46:03 pm
I think it is really cool that you can fit into your internship! How has self advocacy helped you create your final project? Also, how have you used self advocacy outside of internship and do you see improvement? Have fun, good luck!
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Samuel Gressitt
5/22/2019 02:15:25 pm
its good to hear that you feel like you've been able to ask your mentor questions when your stuck. For the other employees while they might be busy do you think that there is another way that you could go about talking to them so that you don't feel like your interrupting them? maybe you could try offering your help to make sure that you don't feel like your getting in their way.
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Matthew Mau
5/23/2019 02:02:17 pm
You mentioned that you don't really communicate with people other than your mentor. Do you think that maintaining relationships with other workers plays a role into being a memorable intern?
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Matthew Arucan
5/23/2019 02:53:57 pm
It's excellent that you have been able to ask questions and build a relationship with your mentor. Since you are still waiting for the material to come for your project, besides reading articles and watching video, can you shadow your mentor or employees around the office?
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Micah Hacker
5/23/2019 03:40:42 pm
Even though it is good you can talk with your mentor, how can you start to communicate with others than your mentor? Good advocacy skills. Excited to hear more about your internship!
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Sheyla
5/23/2019 10:48:48 pm
It sounds like you do a lot of independent work and are very independent. Has it been hard for you to make you own schedule and stay on task?
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