Saying Goodbye to Summer 2024
Summer of ‘24 is officially coming to an end. This summer was filled with working two internships, going to concerts, lots of hot-girl walks with my dog, Kingsley, spending time with friends and family, and soaking up the nice Michigan weather. As I start my senior year, I reminisce on a busy summer filled with internships, side hustles, and balancing a work-life schedule.
The Internships
Back in March, I was anxiously applying and interviewing for a variety of intern positions with the anticipation of securing at least one. I luckily got the opportunity to secure two internships; both in a remote environment and one even in an industry of great interest to me.
PRSA Detroit is Detroit’s Public Relations Society of America Chapter—an organization providing many opportunities to network and attend events, especially alongside local PR professionals. As the PR Intern, I had the amazing opportunity to network with professionals in all areas of the PR industry, from health to engineering to the automotive industry.
The Oriel Company is a full-service, independently-owned integrated communications firm with a diverse roster of clients in the entertainment industry. As a Publicity Intern, I learned a lot about creating media contact lists, writing pitches for an artist, and looking up clips of clients in the media. Since I did sign a non-disclosure, I can’t share too much about the clients I worked with. However, the experience allowed me to enhance my media relations skills, execute pitches, and curate other fun press/marketing plans for clients.
I am very lucky to have had two amazing internships this past summer that both taught me more about what I could possibly do once I graduate.
The Side Hustles
On top of the internships, I also picked up a few gigs such as dog sitting and cat sitting. These side hustles were a great way to get some extra cash in a simple environment. Plus, I love animals, so it was a win-win.
Summer is the perfect time to rejuvenate after a long and hard-working year at college. I made sure that my weekends included time in the sun, hanging out with friends and family, and prioritizing activities I enjoyed most, like going to concerts.
How I Balanced Internships, Side Hustles, and Work-Life Schedules
I learned a lot about time management this summer and how to utilize it to my advantage. Adjusting to balancing two internships, side hustles, and continuing to soak up the sun was difficult at first. However, using some of the following skills really helped:
Google Calendar: This platform allowed me to mark which days I worked at The Oriel Company and which I worked at PRSA Detroit. Tracking meetings, project deadlines, and personal appointments all in one place helped me visualize what I was working on for that week.
To-Do Lists: I have always been a big fan of creating to-do lists and it is so satisfying to cross something off once you have completed it! Every day, I would sit down and write what needed to be done in a notebook in order of priority.
For example:
Write a blog for PRSA Detroit
Have a coffee chat with Megan
Create a social media graphic
Post the Happy Father’s Day Social Media post
Write some social copy for PRSA Detroit
Weekly one-on-one meeting with supervisors
Separate Calendar: Having a separate calendar for my personal appointments and the side hustles was extremely helpful and allowed me to remain a bit more organized. If I was dog sitting for a specific weekend, I would put it in my Apple calendar and I would be notified. This way, I was able to have a separate calendar for work and for the side hustles and appointments I had on top of it.
Reminders app: Setting reminders on my phone gave me a ton of flexibility in knowing when something is due ASAP or later in the day. Whether it is using the Reminders app on my phone or writing a sticky note and putting it on my laptop or desk, reminders for projects and assignments allowed me to focus on one task at a time.
These skills made my summer a success and gave me the opportunity to make the most out of my time.
All Good Things Come to an End
As I look back at this summer, I learned a lot about myself, the PR industry, what post-graduate life may look like, and how to balance work-life situations. Knowing that these experiences will help me on my career journey reassures me that my senior year isn’t all that scary. I hope that everyone had an amazing summer and that they were able to gain their own confidence through internships!
Madi Reifler is a senior studying Advertising and Public Relations with a minor in Digital Studies. She is VP of Funds Development for GVPRSSA and will be an Account Associate at GrandPR in the fall. Madi currently works part-time as the Digital Marketing Staff Assistant at the Promotions Office in the Office of Student Life. She has had three past experiences as a PR intern for PRSA Detroit, Publicity Intern at The Oriel Company, and an Entertainment Publicity and Promotions Intern at Allied Global Marketing. After graduation, Madi hopes to use her love for writing and PR skills to work in the entertainment industry or for a popular brand.