WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

I just celebrated my 22nd birthday. While my birthday marks the celebration of the glorious day of my birth, it also marks that I only have three weeks left in the summer until school starts. But not this year. Aside from receiving my diploma in the mail this past month and turning the uneventful 22, I have to face the fact that adulthood has officially begun. Usually the month of August means packing all my belongings into the car, buying overpriced textbooks, and catching up with friends I haven’t seen in a while. August 2010, the dreaded job hunt will commence. A piece of me—a very large piece—is crying out to go back to school and enjoy the ability to miss a 9 a.m. class and stay up till other students are just heading to class, but another piece of me—an increasingly larger piece—can’t wait to begin my adult life. Yes, I think I actually became an adult a while ago, but this year I have to face and embrace the fact that I actually am one. And really, while I’m nervous, I couldn’t be more excited. My internship with Zapwater Communications has given me a taste of what working in the PR world is like, and I am most definitely enjoying it. Let me take a second to review why I love being an intern at Zapwater:

1. The commute: I have to wake up at 5:45 a.m. to get to work around 9 a.m. Fun…yes! 2. Listening to music while I work: Little do the Zapwater employees know, but Enrique’s new song, “I like it” has become my latest guilty pleasure. Yes, Enrique, I also like it. 3. Coffee breaks: The people at Starbucks must forget it’s the morning, or else they are so hoped up on coffee at 9 a.m. that they can’t control themselves. I know you want to announce whose order is up, but must you scream so everyone on the block can hear my order as well. 4. Treasure Island: I seriously look forward to the samples and the sushi lady at this grocery store. 5. The Experience: OK, so the other reasons weren’t so serious, but I really do appreciate the opportunities and experience I have gained while interning at Zapwater.

My internship marks the beginning of my long journey to figure out what being grown up means. But, if adulthood means I get to run into sushi ladies and write press releases for some of the biggest Chicago and national companies, than I say, bring adulthood on.

Stephanie Poquette Intern