Embracing the Unexpected

Embracing the Unexpected Embracing the UnexpectedThis is a guest post by Nicole Knoebel for Student Stories.When I moved to New York City last semester as part of Marist Colleges Marist in Manhattan program, I welches shocked by how terrified I was. Im a Long Island girl whos spent her ritterlich share of time visiting the city and dreaming of the Carrie Bradshaw life. So why was I so afraid?Id written for my school paper and done some blogging, but interning for a real life magazine was on a whole other level. What if I wasnt prepared? What if I didnt like it? What if I was wrong and it wasnt the career path for me after all?My first day as an intern at Seventeen was an exhilarating blur of an experience that only got more incredible and exciting as the semester went on. I started off with fears of an internship a la The Devil Wears Prada and left with a confidence I didnt even know I could have. My editors were the most supportive, helpful people and I can only dream of working wit h them again in the future. Instead of the life of fetching coffee and running errands that movies led me to believe was reality, I entered a world of constant surprises and unexpected opportunities.There was no normal day at Seventeen. I spent my days researching for my editors articles, transcribing celebrity interviews, and compiling the entertainment news stories of the day for the entire editorial staff. I sat in on multiple musical performances in the office (hello, cute British boys of Rixton) and even got to conduct my own interview.On one unexpected occasion, I got to fill in for a photo intern and spent the day shopping in Union Square for props for a photo-shoot and worked the entire next day in the East Village assisting on set, schmoozing with male models, and babysitting an adorable puppy making a cameo in our photo-shoot. A girl could do worse.The absolute greatest opportunity came when my internship coordinator and Assistant to the Editor in Chief, Meaghan, allowed m e to spend the day in her shoes and fill in for her. Being Ann Shokets assistant for the day was an eye-opening experience that allowed me to meet so many new people in the office and tackle a level of responsibility that was daunting but so rewarding. When the day was over, I was exhausted from nerves but thrilled and elated that I actually felt like I belonged in the industry.If theres one thing I learned from Seventeen, its to embrace the unexpected. I walked into work every day not knowing what Id be doing, but thats what made it so exciting Ive learned to live my life with spontaneity and enthusiasm as a result of my internship experience.As an intern, I never said no. I said yes to every opportunity and Im a better person and a better writer for it. Seventeen gave me an enhanced sense of self and a determination to succeed that Im forever grateful for.About the AuthorMy personenname is Nicole Knoebel and Im a junior at Marist College majoring in English with a concentration in Writing and minoring in Journalism. Ive interned at Seventeen and ELLE magazines and will be interning with Us Weekly this upcoming summer. I am the President and Co-Editor in Chief of Her Campus Marist, a staff writer for the Arts and Entertainment section of our school newspaper, and a sushi and pop culture addict. You can follow me on Twitter at nicoleknoebel