Intern Diaries: Gayane at Jacksonville
For some, summertime doesn’t mean downtime. It’s just another opportunity to travel, get an internship or otherwise move up in the world. But since you can’t do it all, INsite tracked down several students in places from Thailand to Miami, New York to Paris. Every week, we share their experiences with you. Last week, you read about Gabriela in Miami. This week, we bring you Gayane in Jacksonville.
Coming back to Jacksonville and living at home in order to intern began to seem more and more like the worst idea I’ve had since I cut my own bangs when I was three. However, now that I’ve been at Downtown Vision Inc. for a month, I know I made the right choice. DVI’s sole goal is to improve downtown Jacksonville by producing events and advocating on behalf of the area’s businesses.
DVI has opened my eyes and made me appreciate Jacksonville much more. I’ve begun to realize that every city has its hidden treasures. Where else could I be within walking distance of a farmers market, a dozen cool bars and a delicious café-bookstore hybrid (other than Gainesville, of course)? In the one month that I’ve been a part of the DVI marketing team, I’ve done and learned so much more than I could have ever done in a class.
I admit, I initially envied my friends going off to study abroad adventures or big cities around the country, but now I’m thankful for the chance to get to re-explore the city that I’ve called home for 14 years. Now, I feel like the lucky one, getting to trot off to galleries to chat with artists during Art Walk, planning restaurant week (a.k.a. Eat up Downtown) and pitching ideas for bar parties. The Daily Record even featured a story on me as a result of a networking event I organized!
—Gayane Margaryan
Just in case you’ve missed any, here’s the complete series (as of yet):
- Jillian’s top 10 list of things to do in Washington, DC.
- Meghan’s adventures in Rome.
- Lane’s account of Paris.
- Allison’s excavation adventures.
- Sarah’s intern experience/self-doubts/panic attacks.
- Gabriela’s experience with The Miami Herald.
Return to the INsite website here.
