Many people think of traveling outside the country when they hear the term “study abroad.” Oftentimes, this is the case. But one does not always have to leave the country to surround themselves with a new culture or lifestyle.
Sometimes internships offer the same opportunities, and students who participate in internship opportunities often feel as if they studied abroad as well. If an internship is best due to lack of finances or time, I would encourage you to do it just as much as I would encourage someone to take advantage of study abroad opportunities. College is the only place where students can find these opportunities, and I believe this is important to a student’s personal development when it comes to getting a college education.
I would like to share my experience with internships to encourage you to seek out such opportunities as assets to your educational experience. Unlike most students, I chose an internship that had absolutely nothing to do with my major. At the time I was interviewed for the internship, I was a biomedical engineering major in the middle of changing to a major in kinesiology. The only interest I ever had was in the health field, and all the jobs I had ever worked revolved around research in the health field.
On the other hand, I have been writing since high school and have always been a big fan of Disney. I decided to explore the best of both worlds before switching over. I applied and accepted a role in the Disney College Program soon after.
The first and most important skill I learned at Disney was how to live in a multicultural environment. If you learn to behave in a way that is respectful to all cultures, it will save you grief in the future. I was housed with six other random girls I didn’t know as soon as I arrived. No one filled out roommate matching sheets. Every apartment in the program was set up this way. Everyone was from a different state, country or culture. People from all over the world participated in the Disney College Program. The majority of my closest friends from Disney were international and so were the most of the people I served in the parks.
We learned about professionalism and the business side of the “Most Magical Place on Earth.” Every workplace is a business. Working at one of the largest companies in the world requires knowledge in etiquette, respect for other cultures, enhanced communication skills and much more. If you seek a certain career opportunity, you have to take initiative to reach your goal yourself and go about it in the proper way. As soon as I learned to network properly, I was fortunate enough to meet screenwriters before I returned home.
I never expected to actually meet a screenwriter. I was astonished that I accomplished my goal. I learned what I liked and didn’t like about public service, and found a backup plan in case a career in occupational therapy doesn’t work out. Even though I decided to stay with my major, I would not trade my experience at Disney for the world. I made so many lifelong memories and friends and learned so many things. I hope other students will also get the chance to have a similar experience. The most important thing I learned is that you never know what you are missing unless you take a risk.
