Sarah’s Bella Vie

It hasn’t taken long for me to get back into my work-non-stop-incredibly-anti-social routine out here in Los Angeles. The first couple weeks were probably the best since Christine, my roommate and best friend from Florida, was still in town. She kept me company throughout the whole 3,000 mile drive here!  

Once we got into town, we had a blast! Went paddle boarding, ate at a few hole-in-the-wall restaurants which were all amazingly delicious and roamed a few streets to check out the area! Not to mention, it was nearing the end of the NBA East coast finals, so we had to root for the Magic at few local bars! It was the start of a great move and then she went to San Francisco to visit family. I miss her so much, but I got really lucky in meeting a handful of great people out here! Eventually, I’ve been able to meet a some of their friends so I’m feeling pretty good about my social situation. Especially since I moved out here not knowing a soul.

Finally made it to LA! Enjoying the first sunset!

As far as my internship at TBWA\Chiat\Day - I LOVE IT! I’m an account management intern on the Mars account, specifically for Pedigree, but I also help out with Temptations, Whiskas and The Good Life Recipe. I still walk around the agency feeling incredibly fortunate to have landed the internship! There weren’t many interns there yet since they were all arriving the beginning of this month, but there were three that I got to know pretty quickly when I arrived. Two interning for Media Arts, even though one was just finishing up his Spring internship, and the other for Visa. It totally helped that we were all set up on “Intern Row”, a serious of computers and desks right next to each other for some of the interns to use. Now, there are like twenty other interns, but they are scattered throughout the agency, closers to their teams and have their own desks. Just on Intern Row, there are seven us. Three working on Mars, two on Visa and two on Media Arts.

The View From Intern Row

The actual work I’m doing is pretty interesting too. It’s kind of repetitive since this is my seventh internship, but practice makes perfect, right? I’m learning new ways to research, through lots of new resources, becoming way more efficient at PowerPoint and most importantly- HAVING FUN! My team usually gives me something cool and enticing to work on. Obviously, it IS an internship and there is the occasional ‘paper pushing’, but even people who have actual paying jobs do it and most of the time it HAS to get done, so I have no qualms about doing it either.

It doesn’t stop there! I’m also taking one day a week to volunteer at the Boys & Girls Club of Venice. After getting the O-K from my background check, I was able to start this past week. Their summer program begins June 29th, so they are getting their orientation started to make sure all the parents know what to expect and how they can help ensure a safe and smooth summer for all the kids! Since the director knows I’m going to school for Advertising & Marketing, he’s having me help in the Marketing Department. I’m glad that he was considerate enough to think of me and my education. I did let him know, however, that I’d like to spend some time with the kids and help out with some outdoor activites, if there was an opportunity to do so. There’s a chance that I could be helping  out with their sailing class, which would be AWESOME since I’ve been wanting to learn how to sail and I’ll get to be out on the water. SUPER stoked about that!

Finally, my job. It’s like being out here is a mini-vacation, but then I remember that I have bills to pay! There’s also having the cost of going out and it’s crazy how quickly that all adds up. Just being out here costs a lot and I’m lucky enough to have my Mom helping me out with my living situation. I think she knows she’ll be getting all of her money back when I will be making the big bucks- haha! I do work a lot, though. It gets kind of frustrating and I feel like I’m not getting to enjoy as much of Los Angeles and California as I would like to, but then again, I have to keep reminding myself that I’m here for Chiat. Everything else is just a big bonus. Like I’ve said before, if given the option to move out here post graduation- I woud do it in a heartbeat.  But yah- my job. It’s great for what it’s worth. I must say, I do miss the people at my old restaurant. They are just so much more fun to work with! Here, people wig out when they’re stressed out (which is most of the time), but back in Orlando, we would laugh and make the best of it! But that’s not going to change, so there’s no dwelling. I’m going to try to enjoy it and stay as positive as I can. I’m only working there ’til August anyway!

And there you have it! Just a bit of the beautiful, hard working life I have.  Haha! Whatever, it’ll all pay off one day- I know it. There’s a few other personal things that are on my mind, but if I could just take my own advice – I’d be fine. It’s just the unknown that scares me. All the “what-ifs” and not knowing if the decision you made is the right one and whether or not it’ll turn around and bite you in the ass one day. But I’ll learn! Who knows, I may just dish it out and write a big, long post about it!

-Sarah