CAPA WORLD

Alyeea, who is currently interning remotely in Ireland, shares an update on her internship and some advice on how to set up a routine that works for you as you balance your responsibilities. She also emphasizes the importance of keeping an open line of communication with your internship supervisor.

To those of you who have not read my first blog, allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Alyeea Turner, and I am from Flint, Michigan. I am a senior attending Michigan State University pursuing a major of Apparel and Textile Design and a minor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. My summer internship placement is in Ireland, but I am completing my internship abroad remotely in Donegal, Ireland at Ruth Graham Design. Ruth Graham is an illustrator, graphic harvester, and animator whose purpose of designing includes educating, informing, persuading, and inspiring positivity. 

Caption: Open blinds and fresh air is a must when working from home.

An Update On My Internship

My internship has been flying by. I never expected six weeks to pass by so quickly, and I am very close to the end of my internship. So far, I have completed four projects for my internship and all four projects have gone well. Despite completing my global internship remotely, I feel that I have accomplished a lot. 

I will also be honest and admit that this hasn’t been an easy experience for me, because I am also currently working at a part-time job as well, so I have been a little burned out lately. I listed an outline of my daily work schedule in my first blog. My daily schedule isn’t extremely complicated, but everyone is different so what works for me may not work for you and vice-versa.

Modifying My Workday Routine

Caption: Spotify is one of the staple streaming services that I use.

Honestly, my average workday has changed and improved quite a bit. In my first blog, my schedule was very specific (maybe even too specific). However, now my schedule isn’t as strict and I have mostly been going with the flow and doing what feels natural to me. Rather than planning my entire day, I now plan my day as it passes by. My workday typically goes as follows:

1. I wake up at about 7:45 am and allow myself a little time to lay in bed and relax. 

2. Next, I find a Spotify playlist based on my mood, and complete a combination of stretches and exercises. 

3. Once my exercise is complete, I take a bath, relax to more music, then make a smoothie and/or get food.

4. Lastly, I prep my workspace and begin working. Rather than setting my alarm for every break I take, I take breaks when I feel the need to eat, nap, or am just in need of a break.

Caption: A motivational quote from a workout app I use, Women Workout.

My Advice for Remote Interns

Caption: A glimpse of my daily/weekly reminders.

1. Take some time to determine (or explore if you’re unsure) what activities you enjoy, such as reading, drawing, meditating, painting, exercising, etc. The purpose of this is to ensure that you have something to do before, during, and after the start of your workday to reduce stress.

2. About a week or two prior to your internship (or even a month if possible), determine what daily or weekly activities you will be able to complete throughout your internship.

3. Schedule a meeting with your manager or site supervisor of your internship. Meeting with your manager or site supervisor is very important as it will determine how you may plan your schedule. Don’t forget to ask questions! That is why you’re meeting with them.

4. Plan your schedule accordingly. If you have a part-time job, discuss possible schedule changes with your manager, and collaborate with the site manager of your internship to create a feasible schedule.

5. Set daily or weekly reminders in your phone and write them down in a planner (or both). This may seem obvious, but writing down due dates and deadlines will make everything run so much smoother. I don’t recommend trying to memorize everything in your head. I’ve been there and done that—it’s very stressful!

6. Takes notes, whenever and wherever needed. If you feel the need to take notes during a meeting with your site supervisor and or coworkers, do so. If you feel the need to take notes on observations, or even record your own self-growth, feel free to do so!

7. Completing tasks on time is very important. However, so is your mental and physical health and well-being. Don’t be afraid to communicate with your site supervisor if you are feeling overwhelmed or have any conflicts. Communication is key, and it will make or break your internship experience!

Thanks, Alyeea!

Alyeea Turner is an official Remote CAPA blogger for summer 2021, sharing her story in frequent posts on CAPA World. An Apparel and Textile Design major from Michigan State University, she is remotely interning abroad in Dublin this summer.

Alyeea's journey continues all semester so stay tuned.