The Internship ENDS... :)

In the starting days, I was really determined to give a post for each day during internship. With the efforts, I started up but it didn't last longer than two days. Yet not so brave attempt. So, here I am again altogether summarizing the Internship journey as it ended last week. The reason for missing out the posts was obviously the tight schedule (Excuse No #11232) :p

This Summer Internship was my first step to the Professional Work Environment of Journalism. It was the second day of my college when I first heard about the Internship thing being a part of the course and since then I had been waiting for the moment which finally came after the first year final exams. I was pretty excited to work altogether in a new environment with unknown people.

The journey actually started with preparing a resume for applying in the organization. Being a perfectionist at work, I made sure to research enough for designing my Resume and within a week, I was ready with the resume and then I applied in various organizations either through mail or handed over to the offices.

 It was 26th June when I got a call from The Times of India about the selection and then I need to go there to collect my joining letter along with a general Interview.

The Internship period started from 1st July till the end of the month. Due to lack of vacancies, I was placed in the Sports Department by the HR Manager. A sport was not a cup of tea for me for sure. I was hardly passionate about the sports other than watching the Indian Cricket team finals or IPL matches of my favorite team.

Regardless of the choices, I felt destined to be part of an organization as huge as Times of India. The first day I entered the premises in ITO, I was pretty impressed with the aura. Being the 175th year of the organization, the lobby was decorated with the special editions of the newspaper and anniversary special things .

Then, interaction with the Sports Senior Editor Mr. Alok Sinha also the 2nd main head of TOI -Sports in the country was interesting. I was supposed to work under his guidance. The work culture in the organization was incredible and the teamwork was the only reason for the success.

Boss explained the whole procedure of the newspaper production right from receiving the news from the agencies to designing the page layout to be distributed the next day. Along with this, he told the Pros and Cons for the internship and most of all he was a chilled out boss.

My internship was mainly confined to desk job. So, I found my seat in the cabin along with the sub-editors and Sports journalists. During the internship, I assisted them in the editing work and also learnt the page designing. I saw them taking interviews on phone from various sports persons to writing 500 words news stories and scoring bye-lines every other day. Sports department was a bunch of sports crazy people who even used to watch matches along with curiosity jumping of the seats and in no less time I became a part of it. Though not in Delhi, but July was a sports filled month. In the course, I was lucky enough to follow Wimbledon (Tennis), Tour De France (Cycling), Golf Tournament, The Ashes, Tri-Series and India-Zimbabwe Tournament among many on the 52 inch screen along with those people. I read Wikipedia and Googled a lot on sports to increase my knowledge as much as I could. Along with this, I became a Daily reader of minimum three newspapers (TOI, HT and Mail Today) and plenty of news websites. In few days, I began living sports by following and talking about it. 

For the reporting, I covered a press conference and was destined enough to meet Milkha Singh, four days after watching Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and then I was super inspired from his story. The conference was even attended by the U-19 WC Captain Unmukht Chand. The press conference was a nice experience after which I even filed a report from which the boss was impressed. These were the advantages of being associated to media organisations.

Everyday I used to proofread a single page from Sports section which then directly used to go for printing. The next day in the morning, even the fresh newspaper used to appear old for me because I was so overloaded with the news stuff all around.

I actually start loving my work and my love for the print media just deepened through the internship. 

"Getting a touch of practical work in the required industry, seeing the professionals at work and further learning from them." That is what Internship all about. Getting a reality check of the industry through the professionals by learning the way things work.

Now, when my internship is over, I feel nostalgic about those days wishing it as my regular job. This internship made me read newspaper by starting from back pages i.e. Sports section and reading the bye-lines of my former colleagues with a different feeling. It was one of its kind experiences which made me feel a bit confident and made me learn through the actual work of print industry. I am a learner and I tried to acquire as much as I could during the internship time.