When I first started my internship at Game Theory Academy this summer, I thought I would hate office work because it can be so quiet except for the typing of the keys. However, I have learned that there is more to an office job than meets the eye.
I did a lot of projects using teamwork with my co-interns, each of us using our knowledge to help better GTA. Sandra taught me how to use Twitter. Jonathan and I downloaded and organized pictures on Dropbox: I knew how to organize them while he knew how to download. It was the power of two brains working instead of one.
Life at Game Theory was educational. I learned a few things about college as well as about work environments. One of the biggest things I learned is office etiquette, something I never knew about until Preunky and Jeremy taught me the standards of an office. Standards such as push in your chair, put your computer to sleep when you take breaks, and check your area for crumbs or spills. Having office etiquette helps your office stay professional.
Game Theory Academy also helped improve my communication skills. At Game Theory, I was able to work on the Youth-Friendly Business Network initiative. My task was to update the online directory and make sure all information was always accurate and up to date. My favorite visit was Numi Tea because the office lady made us feel welcome, and she gave us free tea afterwards. She showed me that when someone has an appointment or just visits you that you should welcome them in instead of waiting for them to just come to you.
Game Theory Academy taught me about content management systems or also known as CMS. During my internship I researched what the best and most recommended CMS’s were, which included WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal. One fun fact I learned is that huge multi-billion dollar industries use these systems to create, organize, and manage their websites. I also learned that WordPress in the most commonly used and recommended CMS. I will definitely be creating my own website soon.
Social media projects were fun to do as well. They kept me and the people who are connected to Game Theory Academy up to date about events and the new topics which are being retweeted or shared through Facebook and Twitter. Twitter was much more of a learning project than Facebook because I never knew what retweeting was nor how to create a tweet.
The mentorship I received was outstanding. Hearing past experiences from my mentor and getting the knowledge I need to graduate high school and pursue college was very useful. I know how my resume is supposed to be set up now. I also know how to do a three-person interview because that is how my interview at GTA went. I gained much more knowledge in this internship than in my two previous internships, and I believe this one will help the most in letting me figure out which career I want to pursue.
I also gained more writing skills through the reflections of my trips. I learned when you enjoyed something it’s easier to write about it you get more enthusiasm. It also helped me with memory and it made me appreciate what I learned and the experiences I’ve been through like heat and stress. It has taught me how to juggle an internship, school work, hanging out with friends, and choirs. I was never good at writing, but I had fun knowing I was doing the best and writing about educational fun experiences.
Preunky, my mentor at GTA, taught me about what I needed to improve in as well as what to do. I learned that in professional environments there’s a way to tell your boss you’re going to be late. She also taught me how to approach organizations in order to get information without letting them think you’re a salesperson. There were a few laughs while me and my coworkers were mentored about college and certain tasks yet it didn’t hinder our respect. It was a good balance.
I thank Game Theory Academy for this learning opportunity, and I hope they will give this opportunity to other youth in the future so they can learn office work alongside people who will really guide you.