So, you're the "RIce" intern?

As great as it is for you to be introduced to fellow executives and employees as the "Rice" intern - there's also a huge expectation that comes forth with such a standard. I found it a pleasant surprise to have experienced both living up to the "Rice intern" standard, as well as accepting the fact that it's okay to ask for help. 

So the day started with a meeting -- I was given a project! My very first project! I was so scared I could have peed my pants. The jargon factor is always scary but besides that I almost felt as if the people around me didn't trust me quite yet. They gave me all of this "advice" of how I should work as an intern - I was scared. Did I come across as incompetent? Are they doubtful? ... well of course there's DOUBT. You're an intern. You need to PROOVE you're worth their time.

So from there came more hurdles. The data set I was working on had errors. I had to find the answers to a 40 question survey to a company I just came into. I ran out of office supplies. My desk drawer wouldn't open. Who do I go to? Boy did I have fun with email and the phone today. I felt like Anne Hathaway in 'Devil Wears Prada' when she's running around everywhere in her designer clothes and heels ---> but I was wearing my blazer and zebra striped heels running around the different departments and figureing out who does what and who is the most friendly (although they all are) and who's the most available.

HR: just a great friendly bunch that will end up being my confidantes. 

Accounting: anything regarding stats. Set up a meeting with them for tomorrow actually. 

IT: computer problems. I always run into them. That's why I always told myself I need to marry someone who's technologically adept. 

Office Services: I LOVE these people. The most friendly bunch! One always stores the coffees and teas and the other always give me extra pushpins if needed. Who doesn't love office supplies? 

Marketing/Sales/PS: meetings meetings meetings. and more meetings. 

Everybody else: there's a whole bunch of them - but I just call them "the 10th floor bunch." 

Risk today: (1) Actually having the guts to tell my boss that there was something WRONG calculated. It took me the whole day to work up the courage to bring it up. (2) I was so scared to ask for help. I really wanted to seem like I knew what I was doing. And the people surrounding me are all execs so they're either in their cubicles or in meetings - why would I bother them? But once I asked help from the right people and made a mental note of who were experts at what, it got so much better. I felt like I was doing stuff on my own - setting up meetings on my own, settling in on my own, finishing up the project on my own - it felt real good. 

Looking forward to tomorrow: Absolutely? I have this assignment to finish by Friday so it's going to be work work work finish finish finish till then. Other than that I'm running a meeting tomorrow! How awesome. I really hope to finish this assignment and hand it in well - I'm worried of course because my presentation slides or finished excel slides can't be the exact same as others are used to, but I just hope I can go above and beyond to give the best effort that I can. I'm not as scared as I was before - having the belief that I can do it was half the battle. I'm excited for what lays ahead, it's as if the small fear lurking around helps me push myself even further to overcome that fear. 

Hmmm.. my blogs are getting too text heavy. Maybe I should take some pictures of my cubicle tomorrow.