Taking a risk is hard, but doing it is worthwhile. Like most students around their sophomore year of college, I had to start looking for internships in my potential field. I usually played it safe, so I was highly anxious about this as I had no idea who to choose or where even to look. At this age, you start hearing of all your classmates working here and there, making it much more stressful. I had to figure one out quickly as the semester was approaching its end.
As I began this journey and looked at many companies, one stood out to me more than others: the little blue and white leaf-like icon with the below name saying AES Drilling Fluids. I thought that sounded cool, so I decided to apply, not thinking much would come out of it. But, much to my surprise, I got the internship and would start working in a couple of weeks. So my worry about getting a job shifted from getting one to holding one. I had never done this before, and I was not sure I was up to the task.
When I got there the first day, my heart was racing along with my mind as I thought of the worst-case scenario. What if I spilled my boss’s coffee or couldn’t understand the office lingo? I kept thinking of this experience as something scary. I felt like I had to know everything. However, these thoughts quickly disappeared as soon as I was greeted at the front door. Everyone was so welcoming and eager to help me learn. It made me see this would be an enjoyable experience and not something to shy away from. I quickly realized after spending just one day there I was going to learn a lot, and I had nothing to be afraid of.
As the weeks have gone on, the racing mind and fears have diminished completely. The office has been nothing short of accepting. Thankfully, getting coffee and talking the office lingo was an afterthought as I was allowed to get some real experience and learn a lot about my field. I have been able to learn more than I could have ever imagined and have been surrounded by the best people. I could not ask for a better experience, a better place, or better people. I learned that it is okay to make mistakes and not know everything. I’m glad I took the risk because it has been worthwhile.
Blog Author: Cole Greenberg, Marketing Intern 2022