Beginning this diary entry is such a difficult thing to do. Without sounding too cheesy, finding the right words to describe my experience as an intern at PATTERN magazine is nearly impossible.
My application to PATTERN was one of the biggest shots in the dark I have ever taken, and it was found totally by fluke; emailing a hundred other companies practically begging for a position as a graphic design intern. When the application for PATTERN finally landed in my inbox, I spent the next three days hunching for hours over my laptop, doing nothing else but imagining my own cover and spread for the magazine. The days in between both my application to landing the interview, as well as actually doing the interview to ultimately getting my acceptance email were absolutely excruciating. But, those moments of disdain and anxiety were all made so worth it over the weeks spent in Indianapolis this summer.
I had very few expectations going into my internship with PATTERN. The only graphic design work I had under my belt at that point was various/random freelance work for friends, and my coursework from Purdue. Learning how to be a designer within the office setting was such an incredible and valuable experience I could not receive anywhere else. Having the freedom to be as creative as possible on top of professionalism was something I could not have been more grateful for. In any other setting, I would not have had the opportunity to exemplify my own creativity like I was able to do here. PATTERN was always presenting me with more and more opportunities, including social media branding for our intern social medias, assets and branding for some events that occurred throughout the summer, as well as the program booklet for Indiana Fashion Week’s runway show (one of my biggest projects). That truly is only a short list, there are so many more examples… Each opportunity presented to me is comparable to something like a drug. As I completed each one and had one more experience under my belt, I wanted to do more, and better than the last time. It was so incredibly motivating to be trusted with large projects such as this, and the value of each to my career as a designer was important. Granted, that did mean some stressful afternoons and evenings, however the adrenaline and madness was surprisingly quite fun for me. I knew that this is what my life can potentially be like in the near future, so it’s probably for the best I had an opportunity to experience it on somewhat of a low-grade scale. I enjoyed the fast-paced energy in and out of the office when we had moments such as this, frantically “Slacking” each other, sharing screens, scribbling ideas and mock-ups on the nearest piece of paper we could find, et cetera. Nothing was ever “life or death” in the words of Polina and Jenny, however, I still knew the importance and wanted to do the best I could, ultimately knowing that in instances such as this I receive out of it whatever work and energy I put in.
This latter half of my diary entry is one that I have been procrastinating heavily. I know it will bring tears to my eyes thinking of how it will all be ending soon, but I overcome and continue on! Maybe we were just lucky, maybe the stars were in line just right, maybe the heads of PATTERN threw us all into a compatibility generator, but whatever odds were in play to place me with the other creative, beautiful, and incredible interns were definitely in my favor. I would have never expected through this two-day-a-week, unpaid internship that I would gain friends of this caliber. We tortured the employees of that office every Tuesday and Thursday, I am almost positive that they all had individual countdowns until 5:30 PM when we would finally take off and there would be a moment of peace longer then ten minutes. Goofing off, TikTok making, parroting quotes back and forth to each other, ice cream and Starbucks field trips, and just thoroughly enjoying each other’s company while we worked on our own little items (Trello!) was a catalyst to some of my favorite memories ever.
I am so thankful to PATTERN for placing me with these people, not only was I inspired by their minds every single day, but I can tell how motivated they are by the love they have for their work. Mikaela and Cecil’s photography will be guaranteed to be on the covers of Vogue one day, with Megan and Emily’s impeccable styling, of course. I entirely expect to read something Destany has written all over the New York Times or see her book on the all-time best selling list and it will be my number one reading recommendation forever and always. Micah will either have clothing lines graduating from Indiana Fashion Week to New York Fashion Week, the top Ted-Talker, or she’ll be running PR for the A-listers (if she isn’t already one by then). To summarize, these people are going to do huge things, and I’m so lucky to have been able to share a piece of their journey with them.
I highly encourage any reader of this diary who may be searching for a creative opportunity to pursue an internship with PATTERN magazine. Not only will you have some of the most incredible opportunities of your life, you will also gain experience unmatched to anywhere else. You’ll also have a chance to make some of the most amazing friends ever, however don’t be too disappointed when you’re held to our standard 😉 I want to close this entry off by thanking all the fellows and employees of PATTERN for their guidance, kindness, energy, trust, patience, and companionship towards me throughout this summer. I cannot express my gratitude enough for everything you have done to supplement my experiences and career, the things I have learned over these few weeks I will take with me for the rest of my life.
