I am from Northwest Indiana, otherwise affectionately known as The Region. I was raised by sunsets over Lake Michigan, the distant grumble of trains running through the night, four seasons and Culver’s and backroads speckled with horses and the best tacos in town.
I’ve lived in Indiana for almost 21 years now. There are a lot of reasons I want to move far, far away after I graduate–but there are also some really special reasons I call this place home (see list above…and the rest below). Regardless, this summer, I wanted to get out of my home state and get a taste for what lies beyond.
…Evidently, I did not do that. In an ironic twist of fate, I found myself in the very heart of Indiana. I stumbled upon PATTERN by a stroke of pure happenstance, submitting a hopeful application but never imagining I’d be asked to interview, let alone intern, for them. I was so stoked when I got the callback email. Yes, it landed me smack dab in the middle of the place I was desperately trying to escape, but as it turns out, fate does smile upon us–or, at least, upon me.
Because here I am, three months later, not wanting to leave the life I’ve built for myself here–my routine, my friends, my summer-long coffee crawl, my porch swing reading sessions, the places I can’t go without thinking of someone I’ve met along the way.
I owe PATTERN an inordinate amount of gratitude. For bringing me to Indy. For giving me the opportunity to grow both professionally and personally. For the opened doors and the teaching moments, the firsts and the lasts.
I learned how to work with an editor, which is a cornerstone for any writer. The back and forth give-and-take is a dance I could dance forever. Not to say that it was always graceful, but, well….that’s why we take dance lessons (Jenny, thank you for your patience when my choreography wasn’t on par).
I sat down with some pretty cool people (creatives, entrepreneurs, artists, musicians, you name it)–all of whom gave me a glimpse into their city, their home. Each interview was a curtain pulled back on the ways they are putting color and beauty and innovation into Indy.
Every week, I worked at fine-tuning my writing, my interview style, and my overall contribution to the magazine as its Writing Intern. I witnessed–and got to be a part of–the minds, hands, and hearts that come together to create the stories, infographics, editorials, events we hope you’ve been enjoying all summer.
Every day in the office has been a reminder of the passion and talent that pulse through Indy’s veins, keeping it alive and (better than) well. Every event PATTERN has put on, every interview I’ve been trusted to conduct and piece I’ve been trusted to write, every field trip the interns have taken–all of it has showcased the creative talent that lies in the heart of Indiana like a stone largely unturned. PATTERN has given me this gift, this understanding that Nap–that Indiana–is so much more than meets the eye.
To the strangers turned co-interns turned friends, anything I got out of this internship I owe to you guys. You have been my heart, my inspiration, my support network, my refuge in the inevitable 3:00pm monotony of a 9-to-5, my source of the laughter that drove Jenny to ear plugs (jk…).
You are all so incredibly talented and interesting and crazy in the best way, and I have loved cheering you on this summer. Watching you flourish creatively has been a privilege, and I cannot wait to see what’s to come.
I am most thankful to PATTERN for introducing me to you all. I was inspired by your minds and love for your craft every single day, and there is not a shadow of a doubt in my mind that you are headed for great things. I will be walking the streets of New York City one day and pass magazine stands selling Vogue with Chelsie’s editorials on the cover. Téja will be managing her own art gallery in Manhattan with its own complementary matcha bar and marketing it all flawlessly. Pink’s graphic designs will be the face of all the Barbie sequels and spin-offs they are sure to make in the coming years (to anyone who knows Pink, this is only right and perfectly fitting). And I cannot wait for Natty to grow into her videography because the world deserves to witness her globetrotting adventures. All of this to say that your futures outshine the sun, and I feel so fortunate to have been able to share a piece of your journey with you.
Writing, like any form of expression, is so wonderful because it can be both a means and an end, a journey and a destination, love and war, biting and amusing, declarative and imperative and explorative and provocative. It is everything and anything you can make of it.
I am so grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to write for an entire summer. Stumbling upon this internship was an unexpected but welcome means of honing a passion I’ve always written off (pun intended) as nothing more than a pastime.
I moved to Indy this summer with high hopes but few expectations. Now, I pack my boxes and say my goodbyes to a city I’ve come to call home. Ask me for a coffee shop recommendation or where you can get the best ice cream cone (always a cone, never a cup) or where you’ll find the most talented, colorful cast of people you could hope to meet, and my answer will be Indy.
I trust that my writing moving forward will reflect the person I’ve become and the stories I get to take with me–because of this place. I suppose this Intern Diary is a love letter to Indy, itself. But it is also a thank you to PATTERN for bringing me here, for reminding me that there is much to love about my home state. They say home is where the heart is, and Indiana has never felt more like home.
