Internship during Covid-19 era
At the moment I’m writing this post, it is currently 5PM, and the weather outside seems so fine for a skate session. I am sitting in my ‘office’ cum my crib where I am cross-legged on my chair with my Nirvana’s signature smiley band tee, writing this post about my remote and virtual internship at Gravitas Digital. Looks a little different than what you were expecting, right? Well, that makes us two, and honestly, it is quarantine; what else is there to expect? Anyways, chop, chop. Finish this, and I'm going to shut down my laptop for the above-mentioned skate reason.
When I applied for an internship at Gravitas, I imagined a peaceful walk to work on a beautiful Malaysian morning, entering the urban designed office and settling down at a desk with tasks waiting for me to complete. I was also anticipating a delightful trip to a well-stocked pantry and arriving at the office all dressed up in my newly purchased suits. However, who are we kidding? This ain’t 2019 no more. That scenario is simply not possible, and in today’s world, it doesn’t even count as realistic anymore. But I’m not here to tell you how to quarantine—I’m here to tell you about my experience interning at Gravitas (during the COVID-19 pandemic). Was it different from what I had anticipated? YES! Was it time well spent? Absolutely!
Not-So-Typical Internship
Honestly, embarking on my internship journey during this uncertain time was nerve-wracking and, to me, scary even. I was unsure how things would play out, and whoever says working life isn’t something to be scared of to a university student, they sure are kidding me. Regardless, I am incredibly grateful that my internship was with Gravitas. Because everything was done remotely, I anticipated that it would be challenging to communicate or get in touch with others, learn, and be productive. How wrong was I! There was not a single day that I didn't speak with at least a single person or get help, receive even, from someone. Distance indeed does not mean anything with this agency. The people here have I ever told you? They ROCK! They simply are a bunch of youth, ambitious at that, and are as good as it gets. The principle they laid on Hiredly with that OHANA thing? Yeah, they’re basically that, and importantly, they not only take the job of being a mentor seriously, but they really actually care about your growth and success.
Intern who?
I’m not gonna lie when I say I expected to pick up ‘scrappy’ or ‘scut’ work as an intern. Instead, I’ve been allowed to work on some of the most fascinating projects that an intern would not ordinarily be able to participate in. From day one, I was not treated like a stereotypical intern. I worked closely with every client and colleague. My supervisor, aka my mentor, aka the CEO himself, who I’d refer to as my boss, allowed me to participate in meetings, discussions, and even lead projects. He was not kidding when he said, “I don’t treat you like an intern,” on my first Monday of work. He would have me involved in every project possible wherever he saw fit, and I was treated just like any other member of the team. This was just one of my favorite aspects of the internship. At Gravitas, there was no such thing as a hierarchy or absolute monarchy. The board of directors took everyone’s say in high regard, including the other interns and me. Despite the fact that I have yet to graduate from my university, my voice and what I had to say were never taken for granted. That explains why my boss didn’t budge when I told him about my business idea. Instead, he was excited for it to be executed.
Frenemies and Family
When I anticipated that no one would know my name and that I would only be ‘the intern’ to everyone around me, it was a silly but true expectation. This, combined with my anticipation that I would become frenemies with the other interns, striving to be the best and going to any length to stand out from the competition. Regardless, everyone in the company knows my name, the things I love, and even what I treasure most when looking for a partner, LOL. Even though I have never once gotten the chance to meet everyone face to face, I certainly feel the family atmosphere in the Discord server ever since my first week, and I’ve come to appreciate it. As jokes were delivered in-between meetings and no trace of seniority culture can be detected in Gravitas, fitting in was as easy as ABC. I did not feel the urge to compete with any other intern as every one of us has a different task altogether. Even when we were to work on a project, the brainstorming and team building sessions were what I treasured most.
Final Thoughts
Suppose there is one key take away from this (very fantastic and engaging) article. In that case, it should be that internships, and all opportunities for that matter, are genuinely what you make of them. What people tell you to expect is never the case, so it’s best to keep an open mind. Importantly, never pass judgment on an internship (or employment) based on its appearance; once you crack it open, lessons and unrivaled possibilities will pour forth. Finally, thank you to Gravitas for this incredible opportunity and for taking a chance on me.
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