July 02, 2016

It's Disney Time!

July 02, 2016/ Leeann Sausser

For those of you who might not know, come August I will be moving to Orlando, Florida to work at the one and only Walt Disney World Resort.

I've dreamed of working for Disney World ever since I found out about the Disney College Program (DCP) as a junior in high school, and I can't wait to finally achieve that dream!

They don't tell you much until you get there, so all I know right now is that I will be working in Quick Service Food and Beverage (think fast food, ice cream carts, cafeterias- anything that's not sit-down restaurants). I requested a resort during my interview, but they won't guarantee anything so I'm ready to have fun no matter where I'm placed.

My program lasts until the beginning of January, but I'm hoping to stay with Disney at least through May by either extending my program into the spring or scoring a Disney Professional Internship in communications.

For now, I'm keeping up with the latest Disney World news, messaging my future roommates on Facebook, and watching tons of YouTube videos about the DCP to prepare. I can't wait to share this adventure with everyone on this section of my blog. I could write about Disney all day long, so if there's anything in particular you want to know about, hit me up in the comments!

Have a magical day!

June 22, 2016

Catch Up

June 22, 2016/ Leeann Sausser

A lot happened the past four weeks. So here, in brief, is a list of what I've been up to:

I graduated. That's still hard to believe.

I also moved back home with all my college stuff and realized I finally have to unpack this stuff (doesn't mean the unpacking has happened...).

I went to the beach on a vacation with my family and best friends.

I started working for Eco Partners for the fourth summer in a row (so lucky Elizabeth lets me keep coming back!)

I saw my older college friends for a weekend on the lake (and learned some things never change).

I've also done a lot of reading. And not studying for the GRE.

I've prepared for my move to Florida (1 month, 23 days!) by looking up packing lists and starting a new tab on Scribbling in the Margins for my Disney blog.

I'm nervous about graduating, but so so excited for my Disney adventure in August. I'm not 100% sure how I want to record everything that happens on my Disney College Program (weekly blogs? Monthly videos? More videos/blogs or less?) so let me know what you want to see in the comments :)

Leeann

August 17, 2015

How to Intern | Intern Diaries #3

August 17, 2015/ Leeann Sausser

Last Friday my Indianapolis Monthly internship came to an end. It was an amazing experience getting to work there! I'm also glad my other internship with Eco Partners is still hanging on for a few more days. The past three summers there have prepared me for the "real world" more than anything else (and my boss is really cool- hi Elizabeth!).

But being an intern can be a scary, terrifying thing if you don't know what you're getting into. It helps to have some advice going in so that coming out you feel like an expert on all things learning and working for free.

For all you interns out there, here are five tips for having an awesome internship:

Ask questions. I'm someone who won't start a task until I know exactly what's expected of me and what I need to accomplish it. While that can be a little extreme, don't feel like you can't ask your supervisor how to do something. She/he wants to help!
Don't be afraid of "why." "Why does the company do this?" "Why does Sally look at this?" "Why are we doing this?" When phrased correctly, asking "why" only shows that you're curious about the company and what they do. You're here to learn. Asking why is the best way to do that!
Get outside the office. No matter where you intern, there's more to it than sitting at a desk all day. Go out to lunch with fellow interns. Explore the nearby businesses and events. Ask to attend a conference or photo shoot. Take a staff member you want to talk to more out to coffee. These experiences can become the most valuable of your internship!
Take initiative. This is the hardest one for me: asking for something I want. At my internships, it was fairly simply to ask for a certain task. Both offered me countless opportunities. But even if that's not the case for you, don't be afraid of asking if you can take something on. Even if the answer is no, they'll be impressed that you weren't afraid to ask and they might turn to you when a project you can help with comes up.
And finally, breathe. This is an internship, and while it's important to take it serious and make a good impression, it is not a job. It's okay if you slip up once or twice or if you're totally lost on a project. You're still a student first, and no one expects you to be perfect. Just do your best and work hard and people will take notice.

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