Iowa summers turn out not to be so bad after all. While they may never surpass a Washington summer, it's not a bad place to spend these months. Although my internship has kept me busy, I've managed to find time for my soccer workouts and hang with teammates and friends staying at the college. These past few weeks have really pushed me to find a balance between work and personal life. Some nights, I hold meetings at 7 PM due to the time difference with Washington, leading to 12 + -hour work days. But I learned you are going to get what you put into this internship, and if that means holding late meetings, then I’m going to hold late meetings.
Now that I'm well into this summer internship, I'm starting to get into the flow of it. I've learned a tremendous amount from talking with experienced advisors and bringing them into meetings alongside me. This internship is definitely challenging. There will be ups and downs, and you will learn to handle rejection quickly. You might set 10 meetings for the week and end up with only five, encountering every possible excuse. Despite tough days, you keep going to serve the people willing to grow.
It's not all work, though. Last Friday, we had a Nerf gun war, capture the flag style, in the office, which was a lot of fun and a great way to spend the afternoon. We also had a family night where families could have dinner and learn about the internship. Shout out to Ella Becker for being my family that night. Additionally, we held a phoning Olympics where interns paired with full-time advisors to phone for an hour, with prizes awarded to top performers in various categories.
This past week, we've focused on our visions. Northwestern places great importance on visions, wanting to know where you're coming from, where you are currently, and where you want to go, so they can support you along the way. The support team behind you in this internship is phenomenal. Writing out my vision this past week helped me understand why I care about what I do and how I want to use that to help my future clients. For those interested, here is my vision:
I grew up in Blaine, Washington, living what some would call the good life. During my childhood, I was always out on the boat, whether it was camping on the islands, fishing, or crabbing. When I wasn’t on the water, I was participating in sports, which fueled my competitive spirit. Along with these activities, my family took multiple vacations each year. Reflecting on my childhood, I realize that we never worried about money. We weren't the wealthiest, but we were comfortable in our lifestyle.
The summer before college and the summer after my freshman year, I worked at a private golf course golfed by wealthy individuals. Every time I asked about their jobs, they were all involved in finance. This exposure solidified my desire to study business, as I always enjoyed numbers and planning. After a semester, I settled on a finance major, aiming to become a financial advisor, but with no intention of starting until after college.
Discovering the NM internship, I was excited to become a financial representative intern to explore the lifestyle of the career. This role offers me the chance to see if I could handle it as a full-time career. Through this experience, I gained insights into why my family never had financial worries during my childhood.
Learning about the products NM offers and their impact on families excites me as I can help families ensure their children grow up with a supportive lifestyle. Even if families don't have children, it is rewarding to help them achieve their goals and live their preferred lifestyle.
With the first few weeks done and getting some footing in the career, I hope to assist 10 families or individuals over the summer. I hope to provide insight for younger individuals starting in their given professions to make sure they are going to be taken care of in the future.
Writing out this vision statement puts the thought of: Could I see myself doing this for a career? Now if you ask me on a bad day, keeping no meetings, I might be on the verge of tears and wanting to just go home, but if you ask on a good day the answer would be a for-sure yes. Growing up playing sports, you learn to push through the bad days, and that is what you have to do with this career. I've heard countless times that you won't find a better job than this one. Initially skeptical, I'm beginning to see the truth in that statement. This career offers independence, income, and impact like no other. Helping more people has shown me the value of this job.
With all that being said, as of now, I plan to continue this internship into the school year. I will continue to be in the business of helping others so this may or may not be the halfway point of my summer internship. Can this plan always change? Well of course, but I predict as I finish these summer months, I am going to find more value in what I do and want to continue to help others. In a month, you can check back in and see what I really plan to do as the summer comes to an end, but for now, enjoy the rest of your summer :)
Cheers,
Krystin