CAPA WORLD

Mariah is an official CAPA blogger, sharing her story on CAPA World. A Journalism major at SUNY Purchase College, she is studying abroad in London.

In today's post, Mariah shares about her internship experience with Nursing Times in London, how she tackled her increasing responsibilities, and what her favorite internship accomplishment is.

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Interning in London was a new and exhilarating experience. Other than the calm and comfortable atmosphere, I was able to connect with my colleagues and truly immerse myself in London’s working culture.

I interned at Nursing Times, the largest nursing news website in the UK, located in Shoreditch, a very diverse and city-like neighborhood. My day usually consisted of sitting at a computer desk, researching press releases to report on, as well as getting emailed assignments from my supervisor and interviewing a variety of people in the nursing field.

As a journalism major, I’m learning more than I’ve been able to learn through my classes and getting a sense of what it means to be ‘quick on your feet.’

In comparison to American culture, the working culture was a bit less intense. My work environment was more relaxed. For my interview and the first few days, I dressed professional to fit an office setting. However, as days passed, I realized that people wore more comfortable clothing and strayed clear from the suit attire. I also realized that speaking freely was more accepting in the office and Britons seem to love discussing politics during their free time and break hours.

As a journalism major, my experience in writing has been limited to my school newspaper internship and writing classes. This was a first for me in terms of being in a more professional and adult-like environment.

When I went in for my internship interview, my supervisor, who I’ll just call Steve, asked me a few questions pertaining to my journalism skills and the usually question of ‘Tell me about yourself.’ After answering those, questions I practiced intensely at home, I was out straight to intern. I was shocked at how easy it was for me to immerse myself in this world and how I was accepted without a long amount of questioning.

My first assignment was a press release on the benefits of a Mediterranean diet. It was a simple task and as days continued with the equally easy assignments, my supervisor assigned me to conduct a phone interview with the creator of a new NHS amateur radio station seeking to #EndPJparalysis.

I was nervous. I had conducted interviews for my school paper, but that was limited to students, staff, and the occasional political figures in my school’s small county. For me, this was a huge opportunity—one that I could succeed in or fail miserably.

Conducting the interview was a nervous experience, yet I succeeded, and after using the information to write an amazing piece for the website, my supervisor praised me and I couldn’t help but be overjoyed at the simple accomplishment.

What made it all even better, was that the station’s creator was grateful for the piece and told me of his plan to promote the article on social media and promote me as the writer. Knowing this, made me realize why I loved to write so much. I loved hearing positive things about my work and the happiness people experienced when they realized their efforts were qualified to be published.

I am a writer, meant to share the stories of others and give others the opportunity to learn about things they never knew before. I am a source of information. Thereafter, my supervisor assigned me interviews on a regular basis, trusting me enough to schedule them on my own and pitch my own articles to write about.

Overall, it was a great experience, and I look forward to learning more about my field!

Thanks, Mariah!

See more of Mariah's journey in London.