A New Adventure (Intern Edition)
Interning at Agile Rainmakers is like surfing. Even though the place I call home is only a ten-minute drive from the beach, I never once learned how to surf. But on my walks along the shore, I do occasionally stop and watch the surfers ride the waves over and over again. I’d imagine that learning to surf is similar to learning how to ice skate or how to ride a bicycle. So, how are acquiring a new skill like surfing and interning similar?
Stage 1: The Commitment
You just bought a surfboard and signed up for surfing lessons. Or maybe you just accepted the offer for your first summer internship. Either way, you are really looking forward to the new experience! You are committed.
Stage 2: The Wait
You’re awaiting the start of the surfing lessons or the summer internship. Maybe you’re just as excited as you initially were in The Commitment Stage. Or maybe you’re still excited, but you also have butterflies in your stomach. You’re nervous and uncertain, and that is totally understandable. It is something new after all. During this stage, I recommend taking the time to prepare yourself. Write down some goals and think about what you most want to get out of the experience.
Stage 3: The Start
Take a deep breath. It’s The Start Stage. You’re trying to absorb every little thing, but you’re overwhelmed and everything is just a blur. Or you’re taking it relatively slowly and just aiming to first master the basics.
Stage 4: The Struggle
You’re trying to stand on both feet when riding the waves, but you keep on losing balance. Or maybe you’re reading and then rereading pages of DeFi and the Future of Finance, but you’re still confused. Either way, it’s frustrating. During this stage, be patient with yourself, and take small steps. From the surfing analogy, perhaps you’ll practice quickly getting on your feet on the sand, instead of on unsteady waters.
For my internship, I researched what smart contracts actually are before I started interacting with them via the Web3 Python Library. I learned about minting and burning events before I started writing algorithms that analyze them. I recommend thoroughly understanding the foundations before moving on. But also try to be careful and not give into your perfectionist urges too much — understand that you don't have to be an expert on everything before starting on your project.
Stage 5: The Freedom
You’ve mastered the basics. Now, choose when and where you want to surf without the direct supervision of a surfing coach. Or maybe you’re given the freedom to more or less choose the direction of your analytical project. As a summer intern, I found this stage to be the most rewarding. The clients treated me as an equal, instead of just an undergraduate intern. And I was more confident in answering the clients’ questions and discussing next steps with them. It felt like growth. Even then, you will still most likely return to The Struggle Stage. This time, however, you’ll have your power and your newly acquired knowledge as support.
Stage 6: The Closeout
The end is fast-approaching. You’re consolidating all of your findings in one final deliverable presentation. You’re reviewing these results with the clients, and you’re both satisfied. You’re reflecting on your internship, and you’re experiencing so many different emotions.
You’re getting ready to leave the water and return to the shore. In this hurricane of emotions, you can’t exactly pinpoint which emotion is which, but one stands out in particular: gratitude for a new adventure. Ultimately, the underlying similarity in learning a new skill and interning is just that – gratitude.
- H.Z.
Here's to you and your awesome future.
Until then, keep your feet on the board and keep riding your wave!
Robert J. Khoury
CEO Agile Rainmakers