Intern in the City 101
First things First:
You won't need too much as an intern, but you will need a few necessities.
One- a lunchbox.
- Buying lunch every day gets soooo expensive, is usually unhealthy if it's quick and as an intern, you want to try to be around as much as possible. Plus, packing lunch can be kind of fun. I like getting creative with things like buffalo chicken lettuce wraps, caprese salads and stir-frys. I'm lucky enough that my office has a fridge. If yours doesn't- no worries! Try investing in a lunch bag that is lined and includes a freeze pack to keep your food cold until lunch time.
Two- flats
- Heels are chic, having your feet hurt is not. One of the first things I learned from my internship was to bring flats. Even if it's just for the short walk to the bus/train stop trust me, your feet will thank you. These come in handy too if you have some quick errands to run after work- (no one likes a grocery shopper in heels).
Three- a good wallet
- Even though you don't have a lot of money (r.i.p. fashion fantasies) having a good wallet makes you look like you do. I like ones with a lot of credit card slots because my life revolves primarily around gift cards and hope that there is some money on my debit card- there's never any actual cash around. I got a Fossil one for a decent price at Macy's. You can check it out here. (Plus it comes in like, every cool color ever which is nice.)
Emphasizing the "good" in good morning!
First- Breakfast is a necessity. Don't ever skip breakfast- unless you're super-late and a complete hot mess. In which case, try to have a chia pod, fruit or nutrigrain bar on hand. You need that fuel to get you through the morning. Also, low blood sugar isn't a good look on anyone. Most places don't let you take lunch breaks until 11:30-2. Sometimes you won't really have time for lunch. That being said, don't think that a cup of coffee is enough. You should be having a somewhat decent (even if it's quick) breakfast that will get you through the morning, if not the whole day. Personally, I like the Special K breakfast sandwiches and Einstein's bagel-fuls that you can find in the freezer section of your grocery store.
Second- Try to be as organized as possible. This may include picking an outfit the night before (and knowing where all desired shoes and accessories are in advance.)
Clothes:
My internship has a dress and skirt policy for women- which I think is super-chic. Plus, it makes it easier to shop. From what I've found the rules for work dresses are pretty simple: No cleavage, knee length (or not much above) and something that you would never wear to a college bar. If you still need some ideas here are my outfits from my first week at my internship HERE.
Commuting 101:
If you're like me and you commute to work by bus, train or even car- it can be painful. Especially during rush hours. I usually bring a book with me (right now it's embarrassingly, yet timely, L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad) or I try to tune everything out with a really great playlist. Some of my favorite songs right now include:
- 100 by Iggy Azelea
- Let Me In - Grouplove
- Hello World - Kid Ink
- We Are Giants - Lindsay Stirling, Dia Frampton
- Empire - Shakira
Another thing that's super important if you're a commuter is bringing a bag that's big enough to hold everything you will need for the day. My bag usually includes my wallet, lunchbox, an umbrella, a sudoku puzzle book, sunglasses, headphones, a book or iPad, pens, lipstick and a small sample size of a perfume. This bag doesn't need to be HUGE, but as long as it comfortably (and you can easily access everything) then you should be pretty set!
Last note: The chicest thing you can do is offer your seat to someone who needs it more than you. If it's particularly crowded on the bus/train that day, don't hesitate to politely get up and stand instead. Remember, you never know who you might encounter- that lady you gave your seat to might just be a CEO of a major corporation with an open position.
The Summer Bummer
Okay, so let's be real. You're a little sad you won't be going to the beach a hundred times this summer or joining your friends at Bonnaroo. But that doesn't mean you can't have fun. For the first few days of my internship I would go from home to the train stop to my office then back to the train stop and home again. But then I realized- I work in a city. There a ton of things to see, do and eat. (There are a lot of things to eat.) If you're in a new place (like me!) there's also a thousand people to meet, things to experience and things to do! So get out there and do it- no one looks back and happily recalls those couch binges of The Bachelorette…
Have questions about how to be a chic intern! Ask! I'd love to help.
Until then,
Stay chic.
xoxo
