This weekend I went for ‘afternoon tea’ at Jesmond Dene House with my sister, I bought it as a birthday present for her back in March but this is the first chance we’ve had to go.

It got me thinking that my development as an Intern can be compared to the ever-so-popular afternoon tea. Now, this might sound odd but bear with me…. each part of the afternoon tea is like a stage in my development here, and I would imagine that of interns like myself in companies across the country. Let me explain:

1.       The sandwiches

The sandwiches form the base of the afternoon tea right on the bottom tier of the stand. These are the essential ‘foundations’ which no afternoon tea would be complete without.  They can therefore be compared to the first stages of my internship here. The sandwiches are those key, essential skills and knowledge acquired in the first few weeks of my time as an intern. Working in a new office, this knowledge included even the most basic of things, from getting to know everyone in the office to how to work the printer! This stage also included learning the everyday tasks involved in the role, even if at this stage ... read more

In just 2 weeks I will be approaching my 2 year anniversary working full time for the Retail Office, that’s 2 years since the end of my exams and of being in the “real world” – a scary thought.. am I really that old? This past two years have taught me a lot about myself and a  few important lessons, that I wish to share with you.

1.       Your friendship groups will change

After graduation your friendship group will gradually get smaller, and you quickly realise who your real friends are. You will have those friends who will stay in your life forever, the ones you will watch proudly as they move through the stages in their life (new jobs, engagements, buying their first homes), but you will also loose contact with many of them – an occasional Facebook ‘like’ may well be your only social interaction. But that’s ok. One thing I’ve learnt since graduating Uni is that a small group of true friends is much better than lots of flaky ones!

 2.       Enjoy what you do

We spend the majority of our waking life in work, so make sure it’s something you really want to dedicate your time and energy to. Follow your ... read more