Writer: Hannah Pactores, Syntactics Inc./WhatALife Intern, March – May 2022

Life is full of challenges and unknowns. We will become vulnerable at times and unsure of what to do. But life is also a matter of choice. If we choose to remain strong and believe in our abilities, we will surely succeed because success belongs to those who never stop learning.

Why I chose Syntactics?

Looking back on my internship at Syntactics Inc., I couldn’t be more proud and happy that I chose to take on the challenge.

To tell you honestly, I didn’t have much knowledge about the company. I only heard it from one of my college instructors. And when I heard they were looking for interns, I immediately volunteered. I didn’t know why, but I felt that it was for me.

Being an intern at the company was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in which I was empowered, inspired, and learned something new every day. From the moment I woke up on the very first day of my internship until two months later, I gained so much knowledge and experience that I had no idea I would have before I started.

How was your experience as an intern?

Throughout my internship, I was part of the Online Marketing Team. I was treated with respect and understanding from the beginning. I was treated as an employee, not just an intern. If I didn’t know something, there was always someone to ask for help. 

I was a virtual assistant/writer. The team gave me the opportunity to write various content for distribution through channels such as a website, blog, and social media, which pushed me to constantly improve my writing skills.

I needed to understand what works and what doesn’t for our target audience and how to best capture their attention. I learned a lot about the product and the industry by getting feedback from my colleagues on what I was writing. In fact, I had to do research and double-check what I was writing because it was frequently on technical topics that would be read by people who knew more about it than me.

I’ve also been involved in a variety of other interesting tasks and activities. These include coming up with fresh and new ideas or concepts. Unfortunately, my tasks and timelines frequently overlapped, and I had to coordinate and control several tasks involving different groups of people. These experiences were difficult at times, but they also allowed me to grow and learn.

What are your most memorable memories as an intern?

The journey itself was my most memorable experience as an intern. Because my internship was entirely virtual, I was initially unsure how I would feel the impact of working in a big company, but boy was I wrong! I’ve realized that you don’t always need face-to-face communication to experience the powerful and amazing effects of interacting with the employees and other interns.

It’s empowering and fulfilling to know and accept respect, learning, and understanding can occur in a virtual setting; all you have to do is put in the effort and open your eyes to a new learning opportunity.

What was the hardest part of being an intern?

The transition at the start was probably the most difficult part for me; from being a student isolated at home for nearly two years to becoming a member of an Online Marketing Team that brought out the best in me. I am an introverted individual. I am not very good at conversing and maintaining a conversation, but I can now say that I can.

And also, for the majority of my life, I was under the impression that juggling multiple tasks at once was a positive trait and skill that I should strive for as I continue to navigate the professional world. However, I’ve realized that juggling competing tasks at the same time is neither the easiest nor the healthiest thing to do. When I try to balance all of my priorities at the same time, I get distracted, stressed, and confused.

Now, I prioritize completing the most important task and seeing it through to completion before moving on to the next one on my list. As someone who is prone to stress, being diligent by starting and finishing one project at a time is essential.

What are your life hacks for interns?

I believe that in life, particularly in the working world, it is critical to identify what is working well and what is not to be more efficient and maximize your time every day.

As I’ve discovered during my virtual internship experience, some things work well for me while others don’t. I believe it is critical to identify the things that would help you feel more comfortable and productive, as well as the things that don’t work as well for you so that you can better understand yourself and your habits.

There is no one way to do things that is inherently right or wrong; it is entirely up to you to discover what best aligns with you and positions you for the greatest personal and professional success.

Overall, my internship taught me a lot about my skill set and gave me confidence in myself. It has aided in the direction of my career goals and will undoubtedly aid in my future career choices. I also learned technical skills in both digitization and marketing in general.

I finished my internship with a much fuller knowledge base than when I began. The knowledge I gained will prepare me for life after graduation. My experience has brought me closer to my objectives, and I am excited for what the future holds! Thank you, Syntactics, for a really good experience that I’ll never forget. – WhatALife! / Hannah Pactores

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Also read: Job Opportunities – WhatALife